What's New

Latest posts across all forums

Latest Threads Unanswered
Yeah, this is the classic series string problem—one shaded panel bottlenecks the whole lot because current has nowhere else to go.
T6 Solar in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Ran a similar T5 setup for eighteen months before upgrading. That 400W will get you through spring/summer no bother, but come November you'll be rationing the kettle.
Gazza in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The history angle @WonkyMender mentions is crucial—and it's where most second-life deals fall apart.
Relay Nomad in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Yeah, £200's tight but workable if you're smart. Depends what you're actually charging though — phone and laptop?
Watt Hamish in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2
@RobBennett93 - Mate, narrowboats are absolutely brilliant until the damp gets involved. Since @T5Project and the others have flagged the moisture angle (which is spot on), here's what I'd...
Stu Thompson in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Mate, I've got a similar setup on my narrowboat and the isolation transformer nearly cost me a house fire when I skimped on it — turns out "basically isolated" and "actually...
Hilux Life in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Gaming rigs are brutal for solar setups, mate. The PSU itself draws loads of phantom power even idle.
Dales Cruiser in Garden Offices 1 year ago thumb_up 1
I've run flexibles on my motorhome roof for about five years now, and they've honestly held up better than I expected. The thing nobody mentions much is where you're mounting them.
Forest Jenny in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
You lot have got the right idea. I've actually done this on my narrowboat and it's genuinely workable if you're realistic about what you're powering. Here's what I'd prioritise: get a decent...
Sophie Fisher in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The battery replacement thing's a real conversation though. I've got two Victron LiFePO4 stacks in my van and they're not cheap upfront, but at 10p/kWh grid rates now?
ZFS_OffGrid in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
What's the condition of the junction boxes on these? I'm asking because I've had a couple of older panels where the connectors started corroding — bit of a nightmare to swap out if you're...
MultiPlusGeek in For Sale 1 year ago
The isolation transformer route is solid, but worth flagging that you've got options depending on your power demands.
Will Reid in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Nice one @BrookRunner, always good to have more voices from the South West on here. Three years is a proper education, innit—you've definitely earned your stripes weathering a few Cornish winters...
Taffy73 in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 1
You lot are soft. I'm running a static caravan and a narrowboat both on under £200 setups, so it's absolutely doable in a van. Skip the all-in-one kits.
DODGuy in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Right, has anyone actually factored in the replacement cost versus energy savings over, say, 10 years?
Robbo in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Hardwired's non-negotiable with Victron honestly—WiFi drops and your battery monitor becomes as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Forest Daz in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Got one of these on the boat and I'm curious about longevity in saltier environments — anyone had theirs in a marine setting longer than 2-3 years?
Cornish Boater in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The shepherds hut's taught me the same lesson. I've got 4kW panels but December gives me maybe 400W midday if I'm lucky.
Valley Tony in General Chat 1 year ago
I'd add that the voltage mismatch is where MPPT earns its keep. Running 48V lifepo with undersized panel strings? MPPT tracks the optimal point across your entire array voltage range.
Kent Boater in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Narrowboats + electrics = nature's way of testing your patience, innit. The moisture thing is real but here's what actually sorted mine when I had a similar fault on my system: Get a proper...
Cotswold Nomad in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 2