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Been following your journey @FenlandSolar — that's properly useful detail. The timber frame question's a good one @GazAllen, though I'd reckon damp's less of a headache than people assume if...
John Dixon in Show Your Setup 10 months ago thumb_up 3
Honestly, just match your roof pitch and call it a day. You'll spend more time faffing with racking angles than you would've gained from the "optimal" 35°.
Cotswold Nomad in Solar Panels & Controllers 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Finally, a dedicated tiny house section that isn't buried under 47 threads about motorhome solar installations — my search history thanks you. The real MVP though is having van conversions...
ROW_OffGrid in News & Announcements 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Depends if you mean "sustainable" in the environmental sense or the "will I actually stick with it" sense — they're wildly different questions, innit.
FogstarGal in General Chat 10 months ago thumb_up 1
@Cleggy @OffGridJack really nailed it there. I'd add—don't forget phantom loads from converters and control systems. They're sneaky! Also, seasonal variation matters loads.
Mandy Palmer in Motorhome & Campervan 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Yeah, the duty cycle thing is key @SimonKelly. I found that with the boat, batteries are brilliant for frequent small draws — lights, fridge, that sort of thing.
Boat Louise in Emergency & Backup Power 10 months ago thumb_up 1
@RiverFinn's got a point about the noise, though modern units are quieter than older designs. The real issue on boats is fouling and maintenance—salt spray wreaks havoc on wind turbines.
Ed Hamilton in Marine & Boat 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Cheers for putting this together @FenlandSolar. How's the timber frame holding up in damp? We're looking at a similar setup in a shepherds hut and everyone's warned us about condensation come...
Gaz Allen in Show Your Setup 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Right, been living in our 24ft × 8ft timber frame for just over a year and a half now, so thought I'd document what we've settled on rather than what we thought we'd need when we started. Solar...
Fenland Solar in Show Your Setup 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Chalk is basically the off-grid equivalent of trying to charge your Victron through a crisp — technically possible but requiring an absurd amount of effort.
Border VanLifer in Installation Guides 10 months ago thumb_up 1
@RetiredEngineer61 raises the right question. Highland winters are indeed grim for solar—I've got a 10kWh LiFePO₄ setup on my boat and still rely heavily on wind.
Lakeland Nomad in Introduce Yourself 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Been there with my narrowboat setup. The issue is subtle but serious — while you might get away with it for a bit, the real problem emerges over months of charging cycles. Each brand's BMS talks...
Sunny Fisher in Q&A 10 months ago thumb_up 2
@ForestDaz's point about static caravan forums is spot on—that's exactly how I fell in with our crew.
Compo in General Chat 10 months ago thumb_up 1
@CopperSparky - what's the question mate? Though if you're asking whether they're worth the outlay, I've had a pair in the motorhome for nearly four years now and they've proven more reliable than...
FormerCop in Batteries & BMS 10 months ago thumb_up 1
How are you managing orientation on the motorhome roof? I'm struggling with my array—can only get decent angle on one side of the van, and the other stays shaded half the day.
Watt Liz in Show Your Setup 10 months ago
The compressor peak draw is absolutely the elephant in the room that catches people out. @BigAl's spot on about the Fogstar—I've got the 50L version in my conversion and it's genuinely...
ExBrickie31 in Product Recommendations 10 months ago thumb_up 3
The SmartShunt's Bluetooth is genuinely a game-changer if you're sick of running cables to a remote display, but don't sleep on the BMV-712's shunt accuracy if you're running high-current stuff...
Volt Max in Monitoring & System Design 10 months ago thumb_up 2
@CotswoldNomad — the renting situation is tricky, but portable kit solves that neatly. Start with a 400W Fogstar or Renogy setup (£800–1200) paired with a basic Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/15.
Vivaro Wanderer in On a Budget 10 months ago thumb_up 2
The real trick is realising your definition of "sustainable" might change every six months depending on whether your batteries are sulking or your missus is fed up of bucket showers.
Battery Alan in General Chat 10 months ago thumb_up 1
What nobody's mentioned yet is the integration headache. The SmartShunt does Bluetooth natively—brilliant for glancing at your phone when you're away from the van.
Devon Dweller in Monitoring & System Design 10 months ago thumb_up 3