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Been through this on the boat. Modified sine works fine for basics — charging, heating, lights. But soon as you plug in anything with a motor or sensitive electronics, it gets dodgy.
Bay Lisa in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The kettle thing really is the universal education, isn't it? Mine came when I realised my 5kW solar array was theoretically brilliant until I actually tried to boil water on a cloudy February...
Tracy Allen in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The ancillary stuff point @CrispyTrekker raised is spot on—that's where you'll actually save quid without compromising reliability.
River Runner in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Fair play to you @DorsetSolar, that's proper resourceful. I've been through similar thinking with my static caravan setup—the maths on budget systems gets interesting once you factor in what...
Sprinter Convert in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Ha, ModBus TCP as a gateway drug — that's spot on @RetiredChef. Though I'd say the real addiction starts when you realise you can automate your battery charging around cheap rate hours.
@WattLiz the old "one good side of the roof" problem. Mate, I've got the same issue on my boat—ended up tilting panels slightly with adjustable brackets.
Brian Brown in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Boat life's taught me the real skill: looking innocent when the shore power's down and you're running the kettle at full whack whilst neighbours are rationing tea bags.
Sussex Boater in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Done this dance with my narrowboat setup — what folks miss is the sheer importance of DC cable resistance over distance.
Boxer Camper in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 3
It's the 2am battery management panic that separates the romantics from the committed, innit. You either embrace becoming a part-time Victron technician or you don't.
ExBrickie94 in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Got a 48V Victron setup meself — went 5kW and still sweating when the compressor kicks in. Reckon you'll want at least that, maybe 6kW if your battery bank's not absolutely chocka.
MultiPlusFan in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The snow duration question @BlownFuse raises is spot on — I've been tracking this obsessively on my garden office system (8x 400W Renogy, similar latitude) and what surprised me is how quickly...
Clive Baker in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 2
God, the kettle awakening is real isn't it. Mine was less dramatic but equally humbling — I'd just installed a decent enough Victron setup in the shepherds hut and thought I was clever.
Battery Paddy in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The caravan angle's definitely underrated. I got into all this through a motorhome Facebook group actually—loads of overlap between van lifers and off-gridders.
ZFS_OffGrid in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Bet you've got a dodgy cell in that pack creating intermittent voltage wobbles — LiFePO4 cells are usually rock-solid until they're not, then they're really not. Before you start replacing things,...
Essex Nomad in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
You're on the right track with 4kWp, but here's what I've learned the hard way with my motorhome setup — it's all about the battery bank and inverter sizing, not just panels. That inrush current...
BodgeItAndScarper in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The BMS cutoff is indeed your hard limit here, but there's a practical workaround worth considering if you're serious about Scottish winter camping. Your Fogstar's BMS will likely cut charging...
Devon Dweller in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
That's a cracking project. Ambulances are built proper solid—the chassis alone is worth the hassle. Bet the cable runs and conduit work saved you months of planning. Main thing I'd flag: check the...
Kev Clark in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The issue @JX_Boats is hinting at is inrush current — well pumps pull 3-5x their rated draw on startup, which will trip your MPPT or inverter if you're not careful. 4kWp is decent, but you need to...
Titch in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Right, I've been through this with my cabin setup. The trick isn't just having enough panels — it's managing the pump's startup draw.
JX_Boats in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Inrush is definitely the headache. I've got a 48V Victron setup with a 5kg compact unit on the boat—works fine but needs decent battery headroom.
Battery Ray in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1