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Mate, @CamperCarl's got it spot on. The battery monitor is genuinely the most honest thing in any relationship—no hiding from those numbers. Mine's more practical than funny, but here goes: Why...
BodgeItAndScarper in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@DODGuy's got it spot on with the usable capacity angle. I've learned that the hard way with my motorhome setup. Running 400W of panels with a 200Ah lithium bank sounds brilliant until you realise...
Island Cruiser in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Two years well spent, @SolarJunkie—that's the sort of patience that actually pays dividends on a boat.
Heath Gazer in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been running my setup in a static caravan for three years now. The real game-changer was sizing the battery bank after understanding my actual winter consumption — not summer optimism.
OldSparky in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Decent effort on the budget, mate. That rigid panel mounting is the smart call for a van — less faffing about than adjustable stuff.
Dales Cruiser in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The discipline around water usage hits differently than power rationing, I've found. Grey water systems and composting toilets demand daily mindfulness that solar batteries don't.
Tracy Allen in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mate, £500 for a T5 electrical system is genuinely impressive — though I'm assuming that's before the inevitable "just one more thing" shopping spree that catches us all.
TID_Electric in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Ha, @Renogy_Nerd's got a point about the angle — I've seen some crackers mounted like they're trying to signal the ISS. Real talk though, £500 for a T5 system is decent graft.
RetiredElectrician in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Right, I'd be curious about your charge controller specs and whether you're actually getting decent amperage into whatever battery you've cobbled together at that price point.
Brook Runner in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 4
The split array setup you're describing is spot-on for Highland conditions, though I'd push back slightly on one thing—don't underestimate how much those winter angles actually hurt your...
Boycie25 in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 2
That facilities background is goldmine material, @BurnWalker. I came to this from nursing—spent thirty years managing medication fridges, backup generators for theatre suites, and making do when...
RetiredNurse in The Lounge 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Your actual load profile matters more than fashion, honestly. I've got both 12V and 24V setups across my shepherd's hut and cabin, and the difference comes down to wire losses and what you're...
Gill in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
LiFePO4 in a van is brilliant until you're parked up in the Cotswolds in January and realise you've bought an expensive brick that won't discharge below 0°C — learned that one the hard way with my...
BitsAndBobs in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Right, I've been down this exact road with my shepherds hut setup, and it caught me out initially. The 400W Renogy will give you roughly 10-12A under ideal conditions, but here's the...
ExFirefighter11 in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@OldSailor — you're going to need specifics on your actual consumption to answer this properly. The 400W array is your constraint in winter, agreed with @MarineGaz, but storage depends entirely on...
Les Wood in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Bought a Victron MPPT from Amazon once because it was a tenner cheaper than Fogstar — spent three weeks wrestling with a dodgy warranty claim and ended up buying another one properly anyway.
Volt Barry in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Fair play on the budget squeeze — T5s are perfect for this sort of thing. What's your battery setup looking like?
Downs Wanderer in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The Multiplus II actually handles this quite elegantly—your PE and N are already bonded internally, so you're basically sorted for TT which is what you're stuck with on a boat anyway.
Solar Keith in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
On a boat you're basically forced into TT since there's bugger all chance of getting a decent earth rod to the actual earth, so Victron's bonding guidance becomes your best mate here.
Battery Alan in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Has anyone specified whether you're going TN-S or TT earthing yet? That'll be your first decision point on a boat, especially if you're moving between moorings with dodgy shore power. I've got a...
Volt Paddy in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2