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The Separett's brilliant if you're generating proper volume and want minimal faffing about, but for genuine backup usage?
Mate, that's genuinely impressive for five quid — reckon you've found every penny down the back of the sofa in the UK surplus market!
ExJoiner32 in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@AnneButler's spot on there. Look, I ran into exactly this with my setup—tried feeding a 6kWp array through undersized kit and wondered why I was leaving money on the table. The 150/60 is rated...
NoPlanB in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Have you lot considered a compressor unit instead? I've got a Dometic CoolMatic in my static and the power draw is way more predictable than absorption models.
Bay Jason in Product Recommendations 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Three years is decent innings for working out what actually works versus theory. Reckon you've dealt with proper winter charging issues then? I'm asking because I'm weighing up whether to upgrade...
EcoFlow_Nerd in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Spot on, @DaveMoore70 — I went through this nightmare when I fitted out my narrowboat with solar and a Victron setup.
Gazza25 in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 2
I'll be straight with you — £200 for a van setup is a proper challenge, but I've seen it done. Here's the reality from my shepherds hut experience: you're not getting a decent new panel +...
ExFirefighter11 in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Got caught out similar way with a budget charge controller in my motorhome. Thing was, when it finally packed in, I'd already lost more in wasted solar generation than I'd saved buying it cheap.
Forest Jenny in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The efficiency gains are real, but the maths gets interesting at low voltage. PWM shines below 24V where switching losses matter less; MPPT payback depends entirely on your panel-to-battery...
Daily Solar in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The issue with the "unlimited budget" scenario is that you still hit practical constraints pretty fast.
Defender Adventure in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Spot on, @Cleggy. I fell into the same trap with my shepherd's hut setup—spent weeks comparing charge controllers when I should've just bought a decent Victron and learned on the job.
Watt Charlie in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The angle's definitely the conversation starter, but @CumbrianWanderer you'll want to keep tabs on your actual generation figures through winter.
NaeClue13 in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Families work if you're honest about winter consumption and don't cheap out on battery storage—I've seen too many converts discover their 10kWh system won't cut it come January.
Rob in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Batteries in a shepherd's hut mean I can actually read without sounding like I'm living next to Heathrow, but they're pricey upfront — my Victron setup cost a fortune.
Camper Carl in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Mate, it's the use case that matters. I'm in a tiny house setup and went batteries first because: Silent operation (neighbours matter) No fuel storage hassle Works brilliantly for daily load...
Golden Maker in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Submersible's your friend here — inrush is less punchy than surface pumps. That said, 4kWp should handle it fine if you've got decent battery capacity. What's your battery bank looking like?
Been through this on the narrowboat twice now. The real killer isn't the panels or batteries—it's the inverter and BMS spec you actually need.
Boxer Camper in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Curious about efficiency losses — @SunnyViking, are you measuring that through the Victron's display, or noticed it in your battery drain rates?
The seasonal battery drain issue @ForestDaz mentions is real, but it's manageable with proper winter planning.
Paul Cross in General Chat 1 year ago
@MarshLover Right, so you've got a proper mismatch happening here—6kWp array feeding a 150/60 MPPT is like trying to pour a swimming pool through a garden hose.
Anne Butler in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1