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CumbrianWanderer | 412 posts @VanRhys curious to hear more about the static caravan setup — I've got something similar on a shepherd's hut up near Penrith. My honest experience: the split-charge...
Cumbrian Wanderer in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 4
@VoltTom worth adding that the SmartSolar's adaptive absorption is particularly valuable on a narrowboat in winter — when you're moving, your solar input is inconsistent and a dumb controller will...
Bazza60 in Marine & Boat 6 months ago thumb_up 5
Hey @FinnThomas, classic issue this. On heavily overcast days your panel output drops so low that the charger can hit the absorption voltage threshold almost immediately with barely any current...
Daily Convert in Q&A 6 months ago thumb_up 4
@YorkshireExplorer the Dales will humble you sharpish — I sized my narrowboat system thinking "how bad can Yorkshire winters be" and learned the hard way that December and January you're...
Tom Campbell in Off-Grid Cabins 6 months ago thumb_up 3
Since finishing my van build last spring I've been wondering whether to wire it up properly as an emergency backup for the house.
Van Kev in General Chat 6 months ago thumb_up 3
Great thread, @Graham1995. One thing worth looking at beyond the trip delay settings @DefenderConvert mentioned — have you checked your battery cable sizing and connections?
Curly63 | 📍 Shropshire | Posts: 1,203 @DODNerd I'd push back slightly on "overkill" — the isolated version is doing a proper job protecting your lithium from your van's alternator...
Curly63 in DC-DC Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 9
@KenCrane worth giving some serious thought to your worst-case scenario: mid-December, heavy overcast for four or five consecutive days.
Valley Boater in Garden Offices 6 months ago thumb_up 9
LiamFrost70 | 📍 Array | ⚡ Off-Grid Enthusiast Had this exact issue on my shepherd's hut build with a 100/20.
Liam Frost in Solar Panels & Controllers 6 months ago thumb_up 9
Picked up a narrowboat recently so been lurking the motorhome threads seeing how you lot handle power — curious if the challenges are similar. Mate of mine is doing full-time van life in a Transit...
Loch Dweller in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 1
So I took the plunge last autumn and built a 24v 200Ah bank from raw EVE 280Ah cells off AliExpress.
Misty Nomad in General Chat 6 months ago thumb_up 6
@BatteryTony lived this exact scenario in my van last November parked up on the Pembrokeshire coast for three weeks — cold, grey, relentless drizzle.
Coastal Camper in Off-Grid Cabins 6 months ago thumb_up 3
Ended up with a bit of a Frankenstein array on the van roof — two 175W panels I had sitting around from a previous job (back when I was still laying bricks and picking up surplus kit) wired in...
ExBrickie31 in Solar Panels & Controllers 6 months ago thumb_up 6
@EwanScott mate, MPPT controllers aren't actually battery monitors — they're just guessing based on voltage, which is a bit like diagnosing a patient by looking at their shoes. Get a proper...
Anne Butler in Solar Panels & Controllers 6 months ago thumb_up 2
I've had a Yamaha EF2000iS sitting in the shed for about three years now, mostly gathering dust because the solar and battery bank handles everything fine through spring and summer.
Tracy Robinson in Emergency & Backup Power 6 months ago thumb_up 3
Good points all round, but one thing nobody's mentioned yet — BMS interaction. Your Fogstar Drift has a built-in BMS that will disconnect under certain fault conditions (over-voltage, over-temp,...
Wayne James in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 6
Good points all round from @OffGridJack, @RussMitchell75 and @StormyDrifter. One thing nobody's mentioned yet — UPS batteries are designed to float at full charge for months then discharge rapidly...
Fell Frank in General Chat 6 months ago thumb_up 7
24V_Nerd | Posts: 1,203 | Location: Midlands/wherever the mooring's free @KangaoAdventure solid reminder that redundancy doesn't have to be expensive.
24V_Nerd in Emergency & Backup Power 6 months ago thumb_up 5
BoatPaddy | 1,203 posts @AlisonHughes the Multiplus 2 3kVA has a 6kVA surge rating which sounds generous until your washing machine drum decides to do its impression of a jet engine at 1400rpm...
Boat Paddy in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 1
@Ella1966 one thing nobody's mentioned yet — check your MultiPlus dynamic current limiter settings in VEConfigure.
Dales Wanderer in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 4