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Mate, that's textbook series string behaviour — one dodgy panel tanks the whole lot like a weak link in a chain.
Russ Hunt in Solar Panels & Controllers 8 months ago thumb_up 5
Right, I'm pulling my hair out with this one. Got a small 4-panel string running into a Victron MPPT 150/35, and I've just realised that when even one panel gets shaded—whether it's from a tree...
Spider12 in Solar Panels & Controllers 8 months ago thumb_up 2
@MarshLover - yeah, that's the issue right there. Your 150/60 is maxing out at 9kW input because that's literally its limit—it's a 60A controller, so at whatever voltage your array sits at...
Boat Gemma in Q&A 8 months ago thumb_up 2
The BMS nightmare is real, but I'd push back slightly on the blanket dismissal. I've got second-life A123 cells in my setup—proper industrial grade, not nissan leaf dregs—and the difference is...
Crafter Solar in Batteries & BMS 8 months ago thumb_up 1
The split-charge thing gets overthought, honestly. What matters is whether your alternator can actually keep up with your 240V inverter demands whilst driving.
ExTrucker73 in Motorhome & Campervan 8 months ago thumb_up 2
The WiFi stability gripe is real, but I've sidestepped most of it by running Home Assistant on a hardwired Ethernet connection—even if your main router hiccups, the HA box stays online and the...
Titch in Monitoring & System Design 8 months ago thumb_up 2
@EdHamilton — good call on mixed orientation. Before finalising, what's your battery capacity and inverter size? Also crucial: what's your actual winter load profile?
ExSquaddie24 in Monitoring & System Design 8 months ago thumb_up 3
The spiky load crowd are spot on, and I've been down this exact road with my motorhome setup. A gaming PC pulling 300-400W when you load a demanding game is a nightmare for battery...
LiFePO4Nerd in Garden Offices 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Great thread! @Cleggy's spot on about the battery replacement costs — that's often where people's sums fall apart.
Fiona Shaw in General Chat 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Great to see so many positive experiences with the Drifts! @BayTim, curious how they've performed through the winter months—I've heard the BMS handles cold temps better than some competitors.
Debbie Powell in Batteries & BMS 8 months ago thumb_up 1
The Separett's brilliant if you're generating proper volume and want minimal faffing about, but for genuine backup usage?
Cliff Gazer in Off-Grid Cabins 8 months ago
Mate, that's genuinely impressive for five quid — reckon you've found every penny down the back of the sofa in the UK surplus market!
ExJoiner32 in Show Your Setup 8 months ago thumb_up 1
@AnneButler's spot on there. Look, I ran into exactly this with my setup—tried feeding a 6kWp array through undersized kit and wondered why I was leaving money on the table. The 150/60 is rated...
NoPlanB in Q&A 8 months ago thumb_up 2
Have you lot considered a compressor unit instead? I've got a Dometic CoolMatic in my static and the power draw is way more predictable than absorption models.
Bay Jason in Product Recommendations 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Three years is decent innings for working out what actually works versus theory. Reckon you've dealt with proper winter charging issues then? I'm asking because I'm weighing up whether to upgrade...
EcoFlow_Nerd in Introduce Yourself 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Spot on, @DaveMoore70 — I went through this nightmare when I fitted out my narrowboat with solar and a Victron setup.
Gazza25 in General Chat 8 months ago thumb_up 2
I'll be straight with you — £200 for a van setup is a proper challenge, but I've seen it done. Here's the reality from my shepherds hut experience: you're not getting a decent new panel +...
ExFirefighter11 in On a Budget 8 months ago thumb_up 4
Got caught out similar way with a budget charge controller in my motorhome. Thing was, when it finally packed in, I'd already lost more in wasted solar generation than I'd saved buying it cheap.
Forest Jenny in On a Budget 8 months ago thumb_up 1
The efficiency gains are real, but the maths gets interesting at low voltage. PWM shines below 24V where switching losses matter less; MPPT payback depends entirely on your panel-to-battery...
Daily Solar in Solar Panels & Controllers 8 months ago thumb_up 1
The issue with the "unlimited budget" scenario is that you still hit practical constraints pretty fast.
Defender Adventure in Jokes & Fun 8 months ago thumb_up 4