Do I have shore power AC or Not?

[MordikaiX]

To get the rear AC running I turn on the van and use the knob (from the first set of images). I have a D5 unit.
Here are the controls available

[Scalf77]

So what do you use the thermostat for? Heat? Did you check the AC breaker panel? It for sure would have a breaker for a air-conditioning unit. If no breaker then that would rule out Danhard or Starcool III. I assume that it actually cools when you are driving and turn it on (not just blowing air).

-greg

[MordikaiX]

The thermostat is for heat. Here is an image of the breaker panel.

[Scalf77]

Great, it looks like you have a 30 amp main, 20 amp Branch (?),15 amp GFI and outlets, and 15 amp for microwave. So that is not conclusive.

The only other quick way with out tracing more wires would be to check the back of the thermostat, to see if it has wires for cooling, 4 versus 2.

Have you tried setting it to cool and setting the thermostat so it comes on.

Both starcool III (only on shore power) and the Danhard unit use the thermostat.

-greg

[MordikaiX]

Thanks for all the help Greg, I've tried setting it to cool and run the AC but nothing. Maybe I can get under the seat and find something on the compressor, or a tag in the engine that shows AC requirements.

[snomad]

MordikaiX

in our 2011 Texas built van the Danhard 20 amp breaker is immediately below the 30 amp shore power breaker.

[KTMRIDER]

Look for fans in the front of the van. Those should be on when in 12v driving mode and that switch you showed is turned on. The 110 fan is normally on the drivers side under the van. This one can easily get jammed with small rocks and dirt chunks if you off road. I just had to give my drivers side fan manual motivation to dislodge small debris from off roading then it started up while on 110 and thermostat set to cold and temp setting low as it will go.

Let us know what fans you find.
Eric

[MordikaiX]

I was able to talk with Field Van in Fresno and they were able to find the original build sheet.
"looks like your unit is a Danhard 12v A/C. Unfortunately, the way they're designed and tied into the factory Ford system, they can only work when the van is running."

I'll have to see about swapping it out for a more modern AC system that I can use on shore power. I'll contact Danhard and see if they have a way to make the current one work with shore power.

Thanks for helping me get to the bottom of this folks.

[Ben10281]

I likely have the same 12V Danhard rear A/C system in my SMB, albeit a little older.

In my build, basically SMB installed a Danhard combo evaporator/fan assembly in the rear of the van(Part no 00942). The Danhard system is tied into the Ford Factory A/C system as Field Van explained to you. On my build, SMB installed a Tee fitting(see pic of loop fitting) coming off of the Ford Condenser and then they ran two lines, one to the Ford evaporator and one to the Danhard evaporator("Evap #2 in diagram).

You likely have 2 very long hoses that run under your van from somewhere near the back of the van, all the way up to the under hood area and you might also be able to see the loop connector under the hood that looks like the attached picture labeled "Loop Fitting".

There would not be a way to get the system to work, as is, without running the van engine since you need the Ford A/C system components(Condenser/Compressor/Etc...) in order for the cooling to happen.

The StarCool system that SMB used to install had all the extra A/C components needed to run. Basically SMB's with StarCool, have two independent separate functioning A/C systems, one from Ford and one that SMB installed.

In my diagram below, the Compressor Pump, Condenser, Evap, and Drier are all the Ford components and found under the hood. The Evap 2 is the Danhard unit, and in my van it is found in far the back of my van in a cabinet under my refrigerator.

Hopefully this helps in understanding the system that you possibly have currently.

Loop Fitting


Danhard Evaporator


Diagram of my system

[MordikaiX]

Thanks Ben10281 everything sounds on point. I chatted some more with the SMB service and they said they'd have to return the van to OEM AC and then install the new Danhard system, pretty expensive over all. Wondering if I should just keep it and get a portable at this point.