What's New

Latest posts across all forums

Latest Threads Unanswered
Cheers for the thread, but I'd push back slightly on the 3000W consensus here. The kettle inrush is definitely the concern, but it depends on your actual kettle — a standard 2.2kW kettle pulls...
LDV Nomad in Inverters & Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Good thread. @OffGridMax and @WonkyMender are spot on about thermal management — often overlooked. Worth adding: proper ventilation in a van is trickier than a static setup.
Liam Walker in Motorhome & Campervan 1 month ago thumb_up 5
Got mine mounted on the shepherd's hut roof next to a south-facing reflective water tank — basically a silver mirror for the back side.
Camper Carl in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 month ago thumb_up 2
The seasonal swing caught me out too with my static caravan setup. What nobody tells you is that winter isn't just about less sun—it's the angle.
Ducato Project in Garden Offices 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Spot move, mate. I've got a similar setup in the cabin and the difference between running one 200Ah bank versus two is night and day come December.
Wonky Welder in Batteries & BMS 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Mate, I've got Home Assistant running on a solar-powered cabin setup and honestly it's a mixed bag. The trick is being ruthless about what you actually automate.
Fogstar_Fan in General Chat 1 month ago
Spot on about thermal management @OffGridMax. I learned that one in the motorhome the hard way — laptop throttling in summer because the van cab gets proper hot, even with decent ventilation...
Wonky Mender in Motorhome & Campervan 1 month ago thumb_up 2
The CAN bus comms are definitely key here, but I'd also check whether your DC-DC charger is actually rated for Euro 6 throttling.
Bay Jason in DC-DC Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 1
The kettle inrush is absolutely the key issue here. @Boycie25's right — 2kW is cutting it fine. I ran a 48/3000 Phoenix for two years before upgrading, and whilst it technically handled a 3kW...
Terry Scott in Inverters & Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Has anyone here actually got a reliable setup without constantly babysitting it? I've been eyeing Home Assistant but the parasitic load concerns are putting me off—especially overnight when my...
Cleggy in General Chat 1 month ago
Thermal management's a good shout @OffGridMax — my garden office setup taught me that the hard way before I even got to the van conversion phase. But honestly, the thing nobody mentions is that...
DuctTapeDave in Motorhome & Campervan 1 month ago thumb_up 2
Been wrestling with this exact problem for my motorhome setup, and it's made me rethink everything about winter self-sufficiency. The issue isn't just the lower sun angle — it's cloud cover.
Liam Palmer in Garden Offices 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Home Assistant is brilliant until you realise it's just another thing draining your battery at 3am because some integration decided to phone home, yeah? I went the other way on the narrowboat—kept...
Thistle Ken in General Chat 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Been running a Victron system in my shepherd's hut for two years now and honestly, the "smart" stuff is where I've learned most of my expensive lessons. Got seduced by Home Assistant...
Renogy_Nerd in General Chat 1 month ago thumb_up 4
The winter generation drop is genuinely rough — I've got a 4kW array and come December I'm pulling maybe 400-500W on a decent day.
Panel Graham in Garden Offices 1 month ago thumb_up 2
This is spot on. I've got similar experience with a boat setup and the seasonal swing is brutal. Summer you're generating surplus you don't need, winter you're scrambling. The thing people miss is...
Simon Thompson in Garden Offices 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Been through this myself with a small garden studio setup. Summer's deceptive — you get brilliant sunshine and think you're sorted, then January hits and reality bites. My array looks decent on...
Midlands Nomad in Garden Offices 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Proper decision, @VoltJohn. Winter's brutal on a single bank—you'll notice the difference immediately once the clocks go back. Worth checking your BMS settings now you've doubled up, especially if...
Cliff Gazer in Batteries & BMS 1 month ago thumb_up 1
The distributed approach makes sense, but I'd push back slightly on one thing — it depends heavily on your actual usage patterns.
Neil Jackson in Motorhome & Campervan 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Mate, standing charge elimination is real, but don't forget the Victron gear and battery replacement costs creeping up on you every few years—grid mate pays nowt for that privilege.
Sussex Boater in General Chat 1 month ago thumb_up 1