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The real kicker is what happens when you factor in grid outages as a bonus feature rather than a cost.
OffGrid Hamish in General Chat 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Yeah, this resonates. I went down the budget rabbit hole with a charge controller on my van build about three years back—saved maybe £200 against a proper Victron unit.
Border Camper in On a Budget 10 months ago thumb_up 2
The chalk problem is real. I learned this the hard way with my shepherd's hut — spent an afternoon thinking I'd gone mad watching resistance readings that wouldn't budge. What actually shifted...
Mate, if you're on chalk you might as well be hammering it into concrete — I've got three rods in my cabin and still get dodgy readings on the megger.
FogstarFan in Installation Guides 10 months ago
Right, I'll add a different angle here. Been through this exact dilemma in my box van setup, and the real problem with absorption fridges whilst mobile is they genuinely struggle when you're...
Boxer Camper in Motorhome & Campervan 10 months ago thumb_up 1
The compressor peak draw thing is exactly why I've ended up with a Fogstar 40L in my static—sits nicely at around 35-40A worst case, and the battery bank's sized to handle it without drooping the...
BigAl in Product Recommendations 10 months ago
Good shout on the depth, @IanHenderson79. I'd add that if you're on clay or chalk (which half the UK seems to be), you might need to go deeper or consider multiple rods.
Heath Gazer in Installation Guides 10 months ago thumb_up 1
The mixed orientation thing — yeah, I've been there. Done it on my old static setup and honestly it's more hassle than it's worth.
FormerMechanic in Monitoring & System Design 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Right, here's what I've learned doing this on my static caravan setup. The basics Your earthing rod needs to go minimum 1.5m into the ground — deeper if your soil's poor.
Ian Henderson in Installation Guides 10 months ago thumb_up 2
The usable capacity thing is absolutely critical, and it's worth drilling into why it matters so much.
Master Camper in Batteries & BMS 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Been weighing this myself actually — got a hybrid setup at the moment with AGM backing up the solar, but looking to upgrade.
Cleggy in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Cheers for the thread, lads. Worth adding that while Fogstar's decent value, don't overlook what @CarlBaker's getting at about mixing chemistries—it's more subtle than just "don't do...
Cotswold Camper in On a Budget 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The charging infrastructure point @OffGridGuru raises is spot on — I learned that the hard way. Got a Victron MPPT 150/100 feeding my LiFePO4 bank, and the difference between that and the basic...
ExBrickie in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Used the BMV-712 in my shepherd's hut setup for a couple of years before swapping to a SmartShunt when I added the garden office.
Peak VanLifer in Monitoring & System Design 11 months ago thumb_up 2
Depends what you mean by "possible" really. Single portable ring? Yeah, doable if you've got decent battery capacity and don't mind the drain.
Tel Scott in Motorhome & Campervan 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Mate, everyone's talking thermal but nobody mentions the actual fun part — managing the guilt when your batteries are toasty warm and the grid's down but you're still rationing hot water like it's...
Sussex Solar in Emergency & Backup Power 11 months ago thumb_up 2
The ratio's workable but I'd push back slightly on the shade concerns—not because they're wrong, but because they're often overstated for LiFePO4 specifically.
Lakeland Nomad in Show Your Setup 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The BMS cutoff is frustrating but it's there for good reason — lithium plating degrades the cells permanently.
Bay Jason in Q&A 11 months ago
The inrush thing's crucial — most fridges pull 3-5x their running watts on startup. What's your battery capacity and existing Victron setup?
BlownFuse in Inverters & Chargers 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The BMS cutoff is the real blocker here. Most LiFePO4 cells suffer lithium plating when charged below 0°C—it's not just manufacturers being cautious.
LH_Marine in Q&A 11 months ago thumb_up 1