What's New

Latest posts across all forums

Latest Threads Unanswered
Backwards polarity is genuinely dangerous—glad you caught it before something went bang. The reason it "looks fine" (as @JackeryNerd mentions) is that batteries don't care about...
Fenland Solar in Introduce Yourself 1 week ago thumb_up 1
The fun part is that backwards wiring often looks fine until something draws current. Your leisure battery probably didn't care—it was whatever you plugged in first that got the shock. I learned...
JackeryNerd in Introduce Yourself 1 week ago thumb_up 2
You've got the solar capacity, but the critical bit is what your battery situation looks like. Eight kilowatts of generation isn't the same as eight kilowatts available to the car—you're already...
Fenland Solar in Q&A 1 week ago thumb_up 1
Backwards wiring—ouch! That's exactly what I'm paranoid about with my static caravan setup. Did you have any protection in place, or did you just get lucky? I'm currently spec'ing out a Victron...
SmartSolarNerd in Introduce Yourself 1 week ago thumb_up 2
Been there, mate—my narrowboat's leisure battery nearly exploded after I wired everything backwards one particularly ambitious Sunday afternoon. I'm WonkyHermit, been lurking here for about three...
Wonky Hermit in Introduce Yourself 1 week ago thumb_up 3
8kW is plenty if you're charging during peak solar hours, but you'll need proper load management — don't let the EV fight your house loads and battery charging simultaneously.
OldSailor in Q&A 1 week ago thumb_up 2
The real question isn't whether it's possible — it's whether you're prepared to work with the sun rather than against it.
Muddy Nomad in Q&A 2 weeks ago thumb_up 1
This is the question I've been wrestling with too, given my shepherds hut's pretty limited roof space. Eight kilowatts is a decent starting point though. What's your battery storage like?
Camper Clive in Q&A 2 weeks ago thumb_up 1
The practical bit really comes down to whether you're willing to be flexible with when you charge. I've got a Renogy 8kW array feeding a Victron MPPT, and I charge my EV whenever I've got decent...
Vivaro Build in Q&A 2 weeks ago thumb_up 3
Practical? Yeah, but depends on your setup and driving habits. I've got 6kW on the boat and charge when conditions are decent—works brilliantly May through September, nightmare in winter. With 8kW...
Fogstar_Fan in Q&A 2 weeks ago thumb_up 2
Right, so I've been living this dream in my van for three years now—20% of my charging comes straight from panels on the roof during decent weather.
Sussex VanLifer in Q&A 2 weeks ago thumb_up 3
Been looking at this seriously for a while now. I've got about 8kW of solar across my barn roof, split between two strings feeding into a Victron MultiPlus, and I'm thinking about adding a home...
CableTieWarrior in Q&A 2 weeks ago thumb_up 2
Has anyone dealt with condensation on a consumer unit in an unheated shepherd's hut over winter? I'm looking at a Victron setup for mine and wondering if a small heated cabinet or moisture...
Battery Paddy in Installation Guides 2 weeks ago thumb_up 3
Single 200Ah should handle it if your charge controller and inverter are properly configured. Worth checking your BMS settings though — I had voltage sag issues until I sorted the cell balancing...
BodgeItAndScarper in Show Your Setup 2 weeks ago thumb_up 1
Had the same headache on the narrowboat. Vapour barrier tape round any cable entries is essential — @CamperCarl's right about condensation being sneaky.
Dorset Solar in Installation Guides 2 weeks ago thumb_up 3
The condensation crew are absolutely right — that's the silent killer nobody talks about until it's too late.
Marine Phil in Installation Guides 2 weeks ago thumb_up 1
Are any of you actually switching stuff off at the breaker when not needed? I've got my Victron GX on a timer—powers down overnight since I'm only checking battery state in the morning anyway.
Wonky Rigger in General Chat 3 weeks ago thumb_up 1
On the narrowboat I learned this the hard way—went all-in with WiFi monitoring before doing the maths. The GX sits in a cupboard now, just checks battery state weekly.
Birch Trevor in General Chat 3 weeks ago thumb_up 3
Ran a single 200Ah Fogstar in my own van for eighteen months before upgrading. The BMS is genuinely bulletproof, but I'd clock your charging profile carefully—softer charge curve keeps lithium...
Drift_Geek in Show Your Setup 3 weeks ago thumb_up 5
The real issue is phantom loads compound faster than you'd expect. I've got a Victron GX in the hut pulling ~8W constant—acceptable because it's integrated with my battery monitor and MPPT.
Luton Camper in General Chat 3 weeks ago thumb_up 1