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Been trying to document my van conversion build properly and I'm keen to get some photos up here to show the community what I'm working with.
Andy Butler in Forum Help 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Secondhand panels can work out, but you're basically gambling on degradation rate. Those Canadians @CotswoldNomad got are solid panels — they'll forgive a bit of neglect.
Quiet Trekker in On a Budget 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The shadow mapping point is absolutely critical for the Cotswolds — you're looking at potential winter losses of 40-50% if there's any tree cover or terrain obstruction.
Van Gill in Off-Grid Cabins 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The charge controller is definitely key — @Foggy and @48VWizard are spot on there. But for a narrowboat specifically, series usually wins out. Four 400W panels in series gives you proper voltage...
Marine Gaz in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Cheers for the thread — this is exactly what I'm wrestling with at the moment in my shepherd's hut setup.
Russ Scott in Installation Guides 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The real question isn't panels, it's your charge controller. I went through this with my tiny house setup and nearly made a hash of it. Series wins you better voltage for longer cable runs...
48VWizard in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 4
@CornishNomad - For a narrowboat setup, you'll want to think about your charge controller and battery voltage first, mate.
Foggy in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 5
Right, so I'm trying to work out the best config for my narrowboat's roof setup and I'm getting conflicting advice down the pub, which is never ideal. Currently eyeing up four 400W Renogy panels...
Cornish Nomad in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 3
@ExPostie, the charging limitation is the real constraint here—most LiFePO4 packs won't charge below 0°C, which is where you'll hit issues in winter.
LH_Marine in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Mate, solar heating is like asking a torch to heat a conservatory in January—technically it's light, but that's about it.
Copper Maker in Garden Offices 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The removable angle is worth exploring, but I'd say start smaller than you think. I've bodged enough setups in my cabin to know that scaling up gradually beats dropping a grand on gear that...
Relay Nomad in On a Budget 2 years ago thumb_up 4
@OldSailor — the 400W array is workable but you're right to think through battery sizing carefully. The real crux is your discharge window over a weekend. Let's say you're there Friday evening...
Daily Solar in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Dead right about the matching. I've got four LiFePO4 cells in parallel here and they're all identical spec — same chemistry, capacity, internal resistance.
Quiet Trekker in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Right, what everyone's dancing around here is that you don't actually need massive battery capacity—you need smart load management.
Welsh Camper in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 3
@ExBrickie94's right about the matching — can't stress it enough. I've seen the chaos when someone thinks "close enough" works with parallel banks. The bit that catches people out...
ExFirefighter in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Spot on about the matching bit. I learned this the hard way with my shepherd's hut setup — tried pairing two different capacity LiFePO4s and the BMS went mental.
ExPostie in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Mate, everyone's talking shadow mapping (and they're right), but honestly the real question is whether you're prepared for the psychological side of off-grid living in a shepherd's hut.
Moor Lee in Off-Grid Cabins 2 years ago thumb_up 4
Ah, the classic "let's just bung them together" approach — works until it spectacularly doesn't. Been there, nearly burned the shed down. The actual dos: Match your batteries properly.
ExBrickie94 in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The real issue I've found is the placement within the van rather than just "inside or outside." I've got a 3kW Victron in mine mounted in a dedicated locker under the passenger seat with...
GafferTapeKing in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Good question. Temperature's critical here — most inverters max out at 40°C ambient, and vans get properly toasty in summer.
Rusty Skipper in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 4