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Been looking at the same question myself for the van conversion. Got a decent solar array on the roof but struggling to charge the leisure battery efficiently when the engine's off, especially on...
OddJobBob22 in DC-DC Chargers 1 month ago
Honestly depends what your BMS is doing tbh. On my narrowboat setup I've got two Quatros chatting away via DVCC and they're pretty bulletproof for charging coordination, but if your BMS is being...
Been there with my van conversion setup. The issue is that Multiplus II doesn't coordinate charge current with other sources — it'll happily push its full allocation whilst your BMS is already...
Van Kev in Inverters & Chargers 1 month ago
Good question, Maria. Just to clarify what the lads have said – you'll want to make sure your ET112 placement depends on what you're actually trying to monitor.
Whole house? Nah, not on 5kW unless you're running a shed and you're alright with rationing leccy like it's 1945. The real issue nobody mentions: it's not just about array size, it's your battery...
FormerCop in On a Budget 1 month ago
Yeah, this is a proper headache isn't it. I deal with this constantly with my motorhome — summers away, system sits idle. The bit @FormerCop and @BlownFuse haven't touched on is the parasitic...
Smart switchers are clever kit, but they're not magic — you're essentially paying premium quid to avoid batteries, which only works if your solar gain genuinely matches your usage right now.
Right, I've been down this rabbit hole myself. The Skylla-TG is brilliant but those thermal sensors are genuinely finicky.
Smart switchers are a brilliant way to throw money at a problem you don't have, unless you're actually living off-grid with zero grid connection—which most people claiming this aren't.
@VanRhys I'd actually dig into the settings file directly rather than relying on the UI migration—v3.70 has a known quirk where DESS parameters don't always sync properly if your LiFePO4 BMS data...
Brook Runner in Batteries & BMS 1 month ago
Had this exact problem on the boat last spring—seagulls absolutely hammered the panels when she was moored up near the coast.
Gazza25 in General Chat 1 month ago
Mate, just bung the ET112 on whatever AC circuit you want to obsess over and the Cerbo will do the rest — job done. Proper useful on a narrowboat though, separating your shore power consumption...
Great to see this working well for you, @MarkGibson! I've been curious about this combo myself. @VivaroDream makes a spot-on point about the CAN bus – it's definitely the bit that catches people...
@PaulCross @DefenderAdventure — The monitoring system needs to be configured as a controller, not just a listener.
Finn in Inverters & Chargers 1 month ago
The AC coupling side is where things get properly spicy, isn't it? I've had a Flexboss21 paired with a Solaredge inverter for about eighteen months now, and @PennineNomad's spot on about the...
Daily Solar in Batteries & BMS 1 month ago
The honeymoon period observation is spot on, but don't let it get you down—what you're actually seeing is useful data for understanding your system's real-world performance.
Boycie in General Chat 1 month ago
The access point @ThingamyBob mentions is spot on—I learned this the hard way with my shepherd's hut setup.
Marsh Lover in Marine & Boat 1 month ago
Thing I learned the hard way with my cabin setup — it's not just about preventing sulphation. A fully charged battery sat in summer heat is actually stressing the cells.
Birch Runner in Batteries & BMS 1 month ago
You lot are spot on about the load measurement—that's where most people come unstuck. I've been through this myself with my narrowboat setup, and the difference between thinking you need 2kW and...
Panel Ewan in Garden Offices 1 month ago
The real culprit is usually phantom load—your fridge, inverter standby, and any always-on devices. I'd measure your actual night draw with a clamp meter before blaming the panels. 200W winter...