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@DodgyRoamer's hit on something crucial, though I'd push back slightly on the emphasis. The psychological bit is real enough, but the actual grinding challenge is that off-grid living compresses...
Compo in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 5
Got mine wedged in the narrowboat's engine room next to the battery bank—figured close proximity meant fewer cable runs and less voltage drop, which the Cerbo actually logs brilliantly if you...
ExFarmer in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The real killer here isn't just the wattage — it's the inrush current. Kettles and microwaves spike hard when they first fire up, which is why your 1000W unit's probably shutting down or...
Fell Kev in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The lads have covered the definition, but there's a critical practical aspect for static caravans that deserves emphasis: depth of discharge (DoD). Lithium batteries (LiFePO₄) can safely cycle...
Simon Kelly in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Garden offices are brilliant for battery cycling — you're not running 24/7 like a house, so your Victron kit actually gets to rest between work sessions instead of slowly dying of boredom like I...
OldSailor in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 3
The physical placement point @SolarJunkie mentions is spot on — I've got mine in a small cabinet in my garden office and initially had it too close to the battery bank.
Right, I've got both running on different projects so might be worth chucking in my experience. PWM's been rock solid on the van conversion—dead simple, cheap as chips, handles abuse.
John Dixon in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been through this myself with the motorhome setup. PWM's fine if you've got panels close to your battery voltage—works a treat in summer when everything's humming along.
Forest Jenny in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Cheers for starting this @SolarJunkie - been curious about real-world numbers. Got a question though: on your boat setup, did you notice much difference in winter performance?
Bay Tim in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Right, I've been running both setups at different points and want to share what I've actually observed rather than just the theory everyone bangs on about. PWM basics: It's essentially a switch...
SolarJunkie in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 3
@Cleggy's absolutely right about the paralysis-by-analysis trap. I did exactly that with my garden office setup—spent three months comparing LiFePO₄ vs lead-acid specs when I should've just...
Clive Baker in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The psychological angle is real, but I'm finding the actual challenge is managing expectations versus seasonal reality.
Dodgy Mechanic in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 4
Your kettle's probably pulling 2-3kW on its own mate — you've basically got a hairdryer and a microwave having a fight while your inverter's trying to referee with one arm tied behind its back.
Camper Carl in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
@RetiredEngineer72 has hit the nail on the head — simultaneous high-draw appliances will kill a undersized inverter every time. For a static caravan setup, you're looking at a hybrid...
ExTrucker73 in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The kettle + microwave combo is genuinely brutal — you're looking at 3kW+ easily. A 1000W pure sine won't touch it, you'll just get brownouts and tripped breakers. For a static caravan, I'd lean...
Heath Gazer in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Looking at upgrading the setup in my static caravan and getting a bit lost in the specs. Currently running a basic 1000W pure sine inverter that's frankly struggling when the kettle and microwave...
RetiredEngineer72 in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Excellent to have someone with proper credentials joining in. Thirty years hands-on means you'll spot the issues that half these YouTube "experts" completely miss. If you're planning to...
CE_Builds in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Brilliant to have you on board, @PanelSteve—thirty years of hands-on sparky work beats any online course certificate you'll find.
Marine Geoff in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Think you've nailed it, @ExFirefighter42. The gatekeeping is the worst part of this community sometimes. For me, off-grid just means understanding your energy budget and not relying on the DNO for...
Quiet Trekker in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The voltage drop calculation is dead straightforward and worth doing properly. Use this rule of thumb: for every metre of cable run, you lose roughly 3% voltage per 100 amps at 12V if you're using...
Compo in Installation Guides 2 years ago thumb_up 1