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Interesting thread. I'm sat on the fence with this one because I'm planning a battery setup for my garden office and narrowboat, and the maths genuinely confuses me. @OffGridGeek — what's the...
Ash Seeker in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mate, you've got the battery capacity sorted but 400W solar in UK winter is like bringing a torch to a power cut—technically light, just not useful light.
Glen Simon in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
What's your insulation like currently? That's the bit everyone skips over but makes a massive difference.
Van Kev in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The winter solar deletion is real—I'm running an 8kWp array and still watching the battery state of charge like a hawk from November through January.
QJ_Builds in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Fair point @RetiredElectrician74, but I reckon it depends on your shore power quality and what else is connected.
OffGrid Max in Marine & Boat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The usable capacity thing is key, but there's another angle worth considering — your actual usage pattern when you're wild camping versus stationary. I'm running 800W of panels on my setup and...
CableTieWarrior in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Been saying this for months. The irony is we're all obsessed with power consumption and efficiency, yet the forum practically demands we burn our eyeballs just to read a thread about saving...
Rusty Skipper in Site Feedback 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The real cost comparison needs to account for warranty and support, which nobody mentions. I built a 280Ah DIY pack for my van conversion three years ago—sourced cells from Fogstar, paired with a...
Golden Trekker in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@BayTim absolutely nailed it starting with consumption. The seasonal angle @OldSparky raises is critical—I made the mistake of sizing based on summer usage, then winter hit and I was...
OffGrid Tel in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The balance point @FormerCop raises is spot on, though I'd push it further — it's not just charge rates, it's the BMS handshake that matters. I've got two Victron 48V setups on the boat (separate...
BMS_Geek in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 2
@OldSailor's spot on about the council route. I'd add though—and this is from my own headaches—ring them up first but be vague.
Thommo in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Narrowboats are just tiny houses that actively try to sink you—respect for actually finishing this without abandoning it halfway through like most of us do. Two years though, @SolarJunkie?
ROW_OffGrid in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mate, the real question is whether you're running single-phase or three-phase — because that changes everything about your earth reference point.
Renogy_Nerd in Marine & Boat 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Mate, the inrush is the real problem, not the run watts. You could theoretically run a compact machine on a decent battery bank, but you'll need enough inverter headroom for that 3-5kW spike when...
Boat Paddy in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Inrush is definitely the killer here. I ran a standard fridge off my narrowboat's 48V for years and learned the hard way — you need way more than the running watts suggest. Grab a 3000W minimum...
Muddy Fisher in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 5
Cheers for the detailed breakdown — this is exactly the sort of thing I've been worried about with my tiny house setup.
Gibbo53 in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The modular angle is exactly right for boats—spatial constraints force you to think vertically and in layers rather than spreading everything across a massive battery bank.
Fenland Solar in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Interesting thread. I've got a mix of Victron kit backing my array rather than focusing on panel brand alone — though I will say the panel choice matters less than people think when you're dealing...
VictronPro in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Running PWM on my garden office setup and honestly it's fine for what I've got—small 400W array, 48V battery bank.
Megan in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The van's ideal for this. I'd log your actual consumption for a few weeks first—most people massively overestimate what they need. Once you've got real numbers, size your battery accordingly.
Pennine Nomad in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 3