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Been running various setups over the last decade across boat, motorhome, and narrowboat, and I'd say it matters more than folk initially think—but context is everything. On the boat with modest...
Stu Campbell in Inverters & Chargers 11 months ago thumb_up 2
The real killer is BMS incompatibility — each brand's balancing algorithm works differently, so you'll get voltage drift across your parallel strings and one battery doing all the work while...
RetiredChef in Q&A 11 months ago thumb_up 4
Decent question — been through this exact scenario on my boat and it's not straightforward. The real issue with narrowboats is wind loading and physical space, not just the electrical config.
VDH_Boats in Q&A 11 months ago thumb_up 2
The mixing question @SaltyRigger raises is worth unpacking properly. It's not that lithium and lead-acid "cause" problems in a technical sense — they're electrically compatible.
Carl Baker in On a Budget 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Solar's definitely the path of least resistance, but I'd push back slightly on @RiverFinn's seagull comment—a decent wind gen on a boat actually makes more sense than on land because you've got...
Gaz Allen in Marine & Boat 11 months ago thumb_up 2
Good question — I'd actually challenge the starting current figures a bit though. My experience with the same Dometic in the van is that you're looking at more like 25-35A peak depending on...
Muddy Skipper in Q&A 11 months ago thumb_up 2
Had a Sterling B2B in my narrowboat for near on eight years now, running dual alternators into a Victron lithium setup.
Boycie25 in DC-DC Chargers 11 months ago thumb_up 4
The efficiency gains are real but honestly overshadowed by what @RetiredChef's mentioned — the GX integration on the II is genuinely transformative if you're building a proper monitoring setup.
Simon Kelly in Inverters & Chargers 11 months ago thumb_up 3
Spot on @BayTim, though I'd argue most people's "actual daily usage" is fantasy until they've lived with it for a full year—I certainly bollixed mine up by forgetting the garden office...
Border VanLifer in Monitoring & System Design 11 months ago thumb_up 3
Got a 3000 in my van and she's got a hair trigger on the surge protection — check your battery voltage first, mate.
MultiPlusNerd in Inverters & Chargers 11 months ago thumb_up 4
Induction's a power hog, mate — you're looking at 3-4kW per ring minimum, which means your battery bank drains faster than a leaky bilge pump.
FormerCop in Motorhome & Campervan 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The DCC50S is genuinely solid kit — I've got one sat on the shelf in the boat actually, pulled it when I switched to Victron too.
Kev Scott in For Sale 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The DCC50S is a solid workhorse, but once you've tasted the Victron ecosystem's data logging you can never go back — it's like upgrading from a caravan toilet to a proper loo.
Boat Mark in For Sale 11 months ago thumb_up 3
The DCC50S is genuinely brilliant for what it does — that Renogy QC3.0 input alone makes it worth the asking price if you're running dual-battery setups in vans or caravans.
Relay Build in For Sale 11 months ago thumb_up 2
Condition: Excellent — barely used, only had it in the van for about 8 months before I went full Victron obsessed. No scratches, all cables included, manual in the box.
Anne Butler in For Sale 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The relay works but you're leaving efficiency on the table, especially if you're doing shorter runs.
WhatsAFuse65 in DC-DC Chargers 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Have you actually measured what your garden office can handle at peak draw? That's where I'd start before entertaining any washing machine dreams. The inrush thing @BoxerProject and @RiverFinn...
WD40Wizard23 in Q&A 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The 2am problem-solving bit really resonates with me. I've been running my shepherds' hut setup for a few years now, and "off-grid" honestly just means accepting that you're the grid...
NoPlanB in General Chat 11 months ago thumb_up 3
The sustainability piece really hinges on water and waste management, doesn't it? I've spent enough time in my motorhome to realise what actually works versus what sounds good in theory. With a...
Caddy Camper in General Chat 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Spot on about usage patterns. I'm running 200W on the Array for EV charging top-ups and general battery work, and honestly it's taught me that what you're charging matters far more than how much...
Cleggy in Motorhome & Campervan 11 months ago thumb_up 1