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The thing that gets me with unlimited budget scenarios is you'd actually start optimising for reliability rather than just raw capacity.
FormerMechanic in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been running this setup on my motorhome for three years now and yeah, the isolation bit is crucial. @BrambleElla's right about the Victron Orion-Tr—solid choice though I went with a cheaper Renogy...
Fell Lover in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Good thread this. I think what often gets missed is the timing side of things – smart alternators are designed to work with traditional lead-acid charging profiles, yeah?
Thistle Walker in DC-DC Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
@BoatMark nailed it — winter's the real test. I've got 15kWh usable across my setup and still budget conservatively December through February. The chocolate teapot analogy's spot on.
FormerMechanic68 in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The startup surge is definitely the villain here, but honestly the real question is whether you're willing to go propane instead — diesel heaters are brilliant until they're not, and you'll be...
Cotswold Cruiser in Product Recommendations 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Thinking about grabbing a pair myself for my garden office setup—currently cobbling together an old AGM system that's driving me mad.
Nobby in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Has anyone actually measured the combined draw during heavy usage? @VoltWill and @BodgeItAndScarper have mentioned the router being overlooked, but I'm wondering if there's a spike when the dish...
Dodgy Captain in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Got both on my static caravan setup, so fair bit of real-world experience here. The degradation thing @SunnyFisher mentions is legit — my Renogy flexibles have definitely lost a few percentage...
Salty Maker in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Good shout on the compressor units, @BayJason. That said, they're pricier upfront and need proper ventilation—bit tricky in smaller vans.
FZO_Marine in Product Recommendations 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@MarshLover - hang on, have you actually checked what voltage your array's running at under load? I ask because on my narrowboat setup, I was getting similar ceiling issues and it turned out my...
Boat Gemma in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Had a similar dilemma on my van setup. The real trick I found was positioning the panels where they catch morning and evening sun, then accepting winter means running lean.
Van Jim in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Right, this echoes what I've learned on the boat. Off-grid isn't a binary switch—it's a spectrum. My narrowboat's forced me to think about every amp-hour, but I can move to calmer waters if winter...
Boat Ian in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been running the 100/30 on my garden office setup for about eighteen months now and it's been bulletproof.
CE_Builds in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Had a similar wake-up call on the narrowboat last February. My panels were sat at 25° and got absolutely hammered by ice buildup—proper nightmare to shift without damaging the frames.
Spider in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Tried running an inverter off a dodgy leisure battery whilst anchored up. Battery voltage collapsed mid-meal and fried half the boat's electrics.
Cliff Gazer in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The BMS won't let you charge below 0°C—that's a hard stop, not a suggestion. Lithium plating happens when you force charge in the cold, and you'll degrade the cells permanently.
BlownFuse in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mine's been flawless on the narrowboat, though I'll admit the Bluetooth range is basically "stand next to it and squint at your phone hopefully." The app itself is solid when it actually...
The narrowboat insurance was a proper saga, mate. My broker initially lumped the whole setup under "commercial vessel conversion" because of the Victron and battery bank.
Gazza25 in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Fair points from @ExChippie94 and @RetiredElectrician, but I'd actually push back slightly on the "overkill" angle.
FormerMariner1 in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Brilliant to see another Cornish van dweller on the forum. Three years is when you've actually lived through the cycles rather than just survived them, yeah? I'm curious what your power setup...
Bramble Ella in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 3