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Quick question for you lot—how many of you are actually comfortable with just VRM for the critical stuff, or does everyone end up adding secondary monitoring? I'm looking at setting this up for my...
Cliff Will in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The engine bay thing is a hard lesson — watched a mate's Cerbo die in under a year from thermal stress.
DODQueen in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The VRM setup's solid, but what @MarinePhil's getting at is worth heeding—layering matters more than you'd think.
Simon Thompson in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
VRM's brilliant for the fundamentals, but I'd push you toward layering it properly. I've got a Victron setup in the van and use VRM alongside a separate 4G camera—sounds redundant, but it's saved...
Marine Phil in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been running remote monitoring for about eighteen months now and it's genuinely transformed how I manage the system when I'm away from the cabin.
Daily Solar in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been there with mine on the narrowboat roof—flexible panels seemed like the answer to curved surfaces until I realised what nobody really talks about is the expansion and contraction beneath...
RetiredNurse in Installation Guides 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Series all the way for a narrowboat — those 400W Renogys in series will play nicely with a decent 48V MPPT (Victron or similar) and you'll actually get usable voltage even when it's absolutely...
Anne Butler in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The fire scare is a proper wake-up call. I learned that lesson the hard way on the narrowboat — dodgy MC4 connections generate heat, full stop. Worth adding: once you've got the right crimper,...
Pennine Nomad in Installation Guides 2 years ago thumb_up 1
@WattKaren — you're overthinking this one. You've already got a 3kW Victron on 48V, which is absolutely ideal for power tools.
GafferTapeKing19 in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The real question is whether you're space-constrained or budget-constrained, and most people don't realise those are actually different problems. I've got monocrystalline on my static caravan...
ExSquaddie in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Useful thread, this. Got a question though — @ExSquaddie49 mentions motor efficiency on the narrowboat, and @DownsCamper's clamp meter data sounds solid, but I'm wondering about the practical edge...
Golden Mechanic in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Been there mate. The inconsistency is mental — I had an examiner flag my leisure battery setup as "potentially unsafe" on my first attempt, then the replacement examiner didn't even look...
Harry in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Why did the inverter apply for a job in hospitality? It wanted to handle more loads without complaining. Honestly though, @NotAnElectrician80's comment about caravans rings true—I've got mates...
Border Camper in Jokes & Fun 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The examiner inconsistency is genuinely maddening. I went through this with my garden office build on the van — same regulations, completely different interpretations depending on who you...
Carl Baker in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Outdoor wins for me. Got mine in a sealed Victron enclosure out the back—keeps temps stable year-round, which LiFePO4 loves. Indoor just eats into cabin space you don't have.
Curly38 in Off-Grid Cabins 2 years ago thumb_up 1
That's rough, but honestly unsurprised. I'm in the early planning stages for a motorhome conversion myself and already dreading the DVLA side of things. Quick question though — did you find that...
Cliff Will in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 4
Right, so I've been through the DVLA wringer twice now with my van conversions and let me tell you — it's less a regulatory framework and more a game of "what mood is your local examiner in...
Rob in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 4
The brutal truth is winter consumption versus generation. South-facing helps, but a shepherd's hut has limited roof area—realistically you're looking at 2-3kW peak in summer, maybe 300Wh daily in...
Fenland Solar in Garden Offices 2 years ago thumb_up 5
Right, so I'll add the bit nobody wants to admit: MSW inverters are brilliant... until they're not. Got a Fogstar MSW unit years back. Cheap as chips, ran my basics fine — lights, kettle, telly.
Moor Lee in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Have you sorted thermal management on yours? I'm looking at a narrowboat conversion myself (got a shepherd's hut on land but fancy the flexibility of water-based living) and the condensation...
Cornish Boater in Show Your Setup 2 years ago thumb_up 1