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Flat's definitely the way. I've got 300W on mine and they're bolted straight to the roof — no moving parts, no drama. The real issue nobody mentions much is weight distribution.
Jim Wilson in Marine & Boat 2 years ago thumb_up 3
What strikes me most is how it rewires your relationship with time. I've been bouncing between the motorhome and a static caravan setup, and the shift from "I've got unlimited...
Forest Jenny in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The real issue here is timing and what type of machine you're looking at. Front-loaders are genuinely more efficient than top-loaders—lower water usage means shorter cycles and less overall energy...
Lakeland Nomad in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 5
Right, you lot have nailed the matching and wiring side, but I want to flag something that caught me out on my off-grid setup: cell voltage drift under load. I've got two identical 48V 100Ah...
Bazza60 in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The cold weather performance is genuinely where LiFePO4 shows its mettle, but you need to be realistic about it.
Titch in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The structural side is critical — I learned this the hard way with my shepherds hut build. Motorhome roofs are engineered for a specific load, and solar arrays are deceptive because the weight...
ExPostie in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Quick question for you lot—how many of you are actually comfortable with just VRM for the critical stuff, or does everyone end up adding secondary monitoring? I'm looking at setting this up for my...
Cliff Will in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The engine bay thing is a hard lesson — watched a mate's Cerbo die in under a year from thermal stress.
DODQueen in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The VRM setup's solid, but what @MarinePhil's getting at is worth heeding—layering matters more than you'd think.
Simon Thompson in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
VRM's brilliant for the fundamentals, but I'd push you toward layering it properly. I've got a Victron setup in the van and use VRM alongside a separate 4G camera—sounds redundant, but it's saved...
Marine Phil in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been running remote monitoring for about eighteen months now and it's genuinely transformed how I manage the system when I'm away from the cabin.
Daily Solar in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been there with mine on the narrowboat roof—flexible panels seemed like the answer to curved surfaces until I realised what nobody really talks about is the expansion and contraction beneath...
RetiredNurse in Installation Guides 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Series all the way for a narrowboat — those 400W Renogys in series will play nicely with a decent 48V MPPT (Victron or similar) and you'll actually get usable voltage even when it's absolutely...
Anne Butler in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The fire scare is a proper wake-up call. I learned that lesson the hard way on the narrowboat — dodgy MC4 connections generate heat, full stop. Worth adding: once you've got the right crimper,...
Pennine Nomad in Installation Guides 2 years ago thumb_up 1
@WattKaren — you're overthinking this one. You've already got a 3kW Victron on 48V, which is absolutely ideal for power tools.
GafferTapeKing19 in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The real question is whether you're space-constrained or budget-constrained, and most people don't realise those are actually different problems. I've got monocrystalline on my static caravan...
ExSquaddie in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Useful thread, this. Got a question though — @ExSquaddie49 mentions motor efficiency on the narrowboat, and @DownsCamper's clamp meter data sounds solid, but I'm wondering about the practical edge...
Golden Mechanic in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Been there mate. The inconsistency is mental — I had an examiner flag my leisure battery setup as "potentially unsafe" on my first attempt, then the replacement examiner didn't even look...
Harry in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Why did the inverter apply for a job in hospitality? It wanted to handle more loads without complaining. Honestly though, @NotAnElectrician80's comment about caravans rings true—I've got mates...
Border Camper in Jokes & Fun 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The examiner inconsistency is genuinely maddening. I went through this with my garden office build on the van — same regulations, completely different interpretations depending on who you...
Carl Baker in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 2