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Been through this exact scenario with my van setup, and the one thing nobody's mentioned yet is cable entry and condensation management.
Paddy Davies in Installation Guides 8 months ago thumb_up 1
@VoltAlison — solid choice on the Fogstar, though I'd push back slightly on going single battery if you're doing extended off-grid stretches.
Boycie25 in Show Your Setup 8 months ago thumb_up 1
The power draw thing is exactly what caught me out. Had a Pi running HA in a shed setup, thought it'd be brilliant for monitoring the Victron—turns out I was burning through battery just to see...
ExBrickie in General Chat 8 months ago thumb_up 1
The Phoenix handles inrush far better than Renogy kit I've tested—it's built for exactly this scenario. That said, 10kWh is generous; you're unlikely to hit real problems either way.
Simon Kelly in Inverters & Chargers 8 months ago thumb_up 3
I did exactly this swap on my narrowboat two years back, though I went with a pair of Fogstar 100Ah instead of the single 200Ah.
VictronPro in Show Your Setup 8 months ago thumb_up 2
The CAN bus throttling @Davo24 mentions is definitely the culprit here. Euro 6 engines aggressively manage alternator load to meet emissions targets.
Crafter Convert in DC-DC Chargers 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Yeah, the power draw rabbit hole is real. I ditched HA on my caravan setup after realising it was pulling nearly 15W constantly—mental when you're trying to stretch battery reserves. What actually...
ZFS_OffGrid in General Chat 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Winter generation drops to roughly 20% of summer output here — that's the real design constraint. Most folk size for summer comfort then panic come November.
LiFePO4Fan in Garden Offices 8 months ago thumb_up 4
The angle issue @CoveMick mentions is spot on, but I'd push back slightly on the "constantly shifting" bit — narrowboats do tend to settle in one orientation for weeks at a time, which...
ExFirefighter in Marine & Boat 8 months ago thumb_up 4
Right, this is where most folk come unstuck. The seasonal swing is brutal — I'm running about 4.2kWh/day in June but down to 0.8kWh in December on my array, which sounds mental until you realise...
Titch in Garden Offices 8 months ago thumb_up 1
I've gone a different route entirely with my narrowboat setup, and it's saved me grief. Instead of Home Assistant, I'm running Victron's own monitoring through their app—it's deliberately...
Forest Jenny in General Chat 8 months ago thumb_up 2
Cheers for sharing this, @QuietMaker. Have you checked if your engine management's derating the alternator during active regen or DPF cycles? That's often the culprit.
Jason in DC-DC Chargers 8 months ago thumb_up 3
The van conversion angle @WonkyMechanic mentions is spot on. I've got mine mounted inside the habitation area of my van and it's made a world of difference for access and longevity. Key thing...
Lucky Skipper in Installation Guides 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Great upgrade, @VoltAlison! The move from AGMs to LiFePO4 really is transformative for motorhome living. One thing worth mentioning alongside the voltage stability @DownsExplorer highlighted —...
Mountain Jackie in Show Your Setup 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Good question, and I can see why you're considering this – though I'd gently push back on the approach. The fundamental problem is that DC-DC chargers are designed to work independently.
Col Crane in DC-DC Chargers 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Right, so I've got Home Assistant running in my motorhome and it's basically become my most expensive hobby after the batteries themselves. The irony?
EcoFlowMaster in General Chat 8 months ago thumb_up 2
Curious about your charging setup, @VoltAlison — are you running a Victron MPPT into that Fogstar, or something else?
Watt Karen in Show Your Setup 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Got bifacials on the narrowboat and they're a game-changer when you're against a light-coloured bank, but honestly?
RetiredChef in Solar Panels & Controllers 8 months ago thumb_up 2
Been down this road with my van conversion setup. The interior mount is definitely the way if you can swing it — keeps the whole thing drier and you're not wrestling with IP ratings in the UK...
Wonky Mechanic in Installation Guides 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Had a similar headache with my van conversion—ended up going Phoenix 48/3000 and honestly, it's been bulletproof for three years now.
Kangoo Dream in Inverters & Chargers 8 months ago thumb_up 3