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Old 03-25-2020, 01:48 PM   #1
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I need lots of help

3500 chevy express pop top adventurer
I recently purchased this. 2005 Chevy
express extended body with a sportsman package in it. I have the user manual and stuff but cannot figure out some of the things on the way they're supposed to operate.

1. There is an on off switch above the left drivers see which from what I can tell delivers power to the star cool and/or refrigerator.

2. I have looked under the side gaucho and identified some of the components such as a drain for a water tank a charging buddy probably for the converter.



3. I have not been able to locate the master battery shut off for the RV portion of the Van. It seems like the 120 lights always work regard lus if I shut off all the breakers that are on the side underneath the gaucho I guess there for water heat or refrigerator and something else.

4. It's the batteries are old and need to be replaced I know where the engine starting battery is but I have not been able to find out if there are any Auxiliary batteries and where they might be. I would love to take this vehicle out camping but until I understand things and nowhere fuses and stuff are I am a little bit reluctant what wanna get stranded.



5. I do not know where this coach was made which sports mobile facility but I do have a kind of a Build sheet. I believe this then was traded in on a newer 1 at 1 of your facilities that's the picture that I'll be and closing it is a pop top 3500 Chevrolet express.



My name is Jerry Gaylor I live in Prescott Valley Arizona

My email is jerrygaylor@gmail.com



I would appreciate any help you could give me I intend to when the weather's nicer go out and take some pictures of the underneath of the gaucho and the cabinets and stuff because there are other switches and stuff which I do not understand thank you very much.

I would post some pictures and the bill she put it on the how to get them into the post
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Old 03-25-2020, 02:41 PM   #2
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Welcome!

1- The on off switch is to run the starcool in the rear. The systems work together so your front AC may be warm unless that switch is "on".
3- I would check around the gaucho for a set of 3-5 breakers. They look like house breakers that have an on/off position. The lights will probably still work even with those off.
4-Look underneath for a battery box or under the gaucho. The battery will be contained in a vented box, usually made of plastic or fiberglass. I have seen them in black or in a yellowish-resin kind of color.


By the way, we aren't affiliated officially with sportsmobile. Just a bunch of owners and enthusiasts helping each other out.
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Old 03-25-2020, 03:19 PM   #3
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First off congrats on the purchase and welcome Jerry!

Second, to echo Gramps' post, this is a Sportsmobile Enthusiast forum, filled with private owners of Sportsmobiles and various other campervans, this is not a way to directly communicate to any of the Sportsmobile offices, you would need to email them directly if you are looking for direct communication. With that said, I think the members of this forum are more than capable of handling most if not all of your questions. Although we may need a few more pics to help with specifics and mostly because we all just love seeing pics of vans!!

Now on to your questions:

1) Yes the switch by the drivers seat is most likely to turn on the Starcool system. I believe the switch is located there so that while driving with the normal van front AC on, you can quickly flip the switch and that will start the Starcool fan and circulate cold air from the Starcool AC to the rear of the van. If your van's AC is on, I don't believe the Starcool AC will work, the fan may come on, but it will just be blowing cold air around since the Van's AC compressor isn't on as well. To test this when the van is on, flip the switch and at a minimum you should have air coming out of the round vents in the back of the van. If not, then that switch might be for something else, or your Starcool system may not be working correctly. I have not heard of a remote switch to turn on a refrigerator in Sportsmobile vans, although it is an interesting idea for those that like to turn their fridges off at night when the door will not be opened, I could see it being useful to go from on to off without opening the fridge door and letting all the cold air out, just to shut off the fridge, but I digress.

2/3) The coach system in your van is 12v DC and 120v AC capable. The reason your coach lights work even though the normal looking 120v AC breakers are all switched off, is most likely because the lights are 12v DC powered. Under the gaucho cushion somewhere near the charging buddy(converter) there should be a DC fuse panel, your lights are most likely running off of this DC fuse panel which is in turn connected to a 12v battery which is the true source of power for the lights. The AC breakers that are visible on the outside of the gaucho are typically for use when you are plugged into an external 120v power source(extension cord plugged into the side of the van) or in your case when the on board Onan generator is running. There is typically a main breaker, and then 2 or 3 other breakers. In my van I have 4 breakers, a main breaker, a breaker for the refrigerator(which runs on 12v DC or 120v AC), a breaker for all the lights and AC power outlets on the left side of my van, and a breaker for all the lights and AC power outlets on the right side of my van.

4) Coach batteries are typically found under the gaucho like Gramps mentioned in a fiberglass box whose top sits flush with the carpeted floor, or could be possibly mounted along the frame rails under the van. I am not as familiar with the Chevy vans so I don't know what the undersides look like. They are not usually very far from the DC fuse panel that is located under the gaucho though and they have large diameter cables going to them. So I would suggest locating the DC fuse panel first then tracing back the large diameter cables back from the fuse panel and that should lead you to the coach battery or batteries. Some vans have 1 battery(same size as starting battery) some have 2(same size as starting battery), and some have 1 very large battery and some have 2 very large batteries! All depends on the previous owner's power needs.

5) From the document you scanned, it looks like at a minimum the van was sold used out of the Sportsmobile Texas shop at one point in time. Sportsmobile files van builds away based on the original customer's last name. Start by calling Sportsmobile Texas and giving them the name Droegemueller (or Droeqemueller) and they can tell you if they built it. If not move on to the other 2 Sportsmobile shops and give them the last name and ask if they built it. One of them will answer yes. Ask that shop to email you the "build sheet" if you don't already have that. That sheet will help you better understand exactly all the specific systems that Sportsmobile originally put into the van.

Hopefully some of that info was helpful!
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Old 03-25-2020, 04:26 PM   #4
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@jerry I answered most of your questions on your Facebook post. Check there too. But this forum is a WAY better residue than the Facebook group. Use the search function too and you’ll find all the info you need and then some.
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Old 03-27-2020, 05:45 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianW View Post
But this forum is a WAY better residue than the Facebook group.
I've always thought "facebook" and "residue" were synonymous?

I'm NOT being a Grammar Nazi---just found that a chuckle-worthy comment---I HATE "facebook".
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Old 03-27-2020, 10:02 AM   #6
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Thank you very much very helpful
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Old 03-27-2020, 10:36 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JWA View Post
I've always thought "facebook" and "residue" were synonymous?

I'm NOT being a Grammar Nazi---just found that a chuckle-worthy comment---I HATE "facebook".

Ugh. "Resource." Too late to edit the post, unfortunately.
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Old 03-27-2020, 11:00 AM   #8
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Hey Jerry. Having your name, phone number, and email address on a public website is an open door to scammers. I would delete that. Smooth talking scamming people will contact you and rob you blind. The internet is a friendly place but the slime is always lurking.
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Old 03-27-2020, 11:34 AM   #9
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Thanks for the advice I've been in computers since 1960 and I'll take that off
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Old 03-27-2020, 12:05 PM   #10
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How do I edit my post to remove my phone number
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