With summer approaching, I thought folks experiencing difficulties with their Starcool units might be interested in some information. My SMB has a Starcool system that didn’t work when I got it. The P.O. said he intended to remove it, but never got around to it, and lots of other folks have asked about removing one too, likely due to the fact that they have been unable to get them working. They are pretty much the same as any A/C system in that there’s a compressor, evaporator, condenser, fans and a control system. They differ mostly in the fact that they are tied together with another separate system, the Ford factory system and have a second condenser. They share the same refrigerant, and the Ford condenser, but otherwise they are completely separate, with a shut off solenoid that isolates the Ford evaporator when the Starcool is running on AC shore power. It took me a bit to figure out why my system wasn’t running, and it was a combination of a shorted compressor start capacitor, a bad connection on the compressor start contactor, two frozen condenser fans, and missing fuses (probably removed when the fans froze up). Having the wiring diagram really helps understand how the system works but it’s actually a pretty simple and anyone with a basic knowledge of refrigeration and controls should be able to figure out. Removing one could be more complicated than fixing one, since the refrigerant would have to be pumped out, the lines removed, a method devised for plugging off the T’s where the old hoses attached, and then pulling a vacuum on the system before recharging. Fixing one, shouldn’t be too expensive unless there are destroyed components like a smashed condenser or burnt out compressor. Since the compressors are sealed, and the motor runs in oil, they rarely go bad, and if your factory A/C is working, you still have refrigerant in the system, (it could be a bit low, but there probably aren’t big leaks) I found the wiring for the compressor to be in a non sealed box on the side of the compressor that Is basically open to rain, mud, snow, etc. The parts inside (the motor contactor, capacitor, and a12vdc relay) surely suffer over the years. If yours won’t start, after checking the fuses, I’d open that box next. Mine was a mess, but it was easy and inexpensive to renew the parts. Next are the condenser fans, even more exposed to all the elements, it’s obvious why they don’t seem to last. While researching previous threads on condenser fans, I found some folks have ordered replacements costing between $70 to $100 each. I found these on Ebay for the really low price of $26 a pair.
https://www.ebay.com/i/151521113218?...26pg%3D2385738
They were not exact replacements, but with a little fabrication they work just fine. They are a bit noisy but since I’ve never seen an original fan that wasn’t seized up, I can’t compare the sound levels. Once operating correctly, the system puts out ice cold air ( I measured a discharge temp of 30degs F on a 65deg day), so I’m pretty happy with it. The bottom line I’d say is, don’t give up, they are well worth fixing.
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