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Right, I'll add what I've learned the hard way on the narrowboat. Rigid panels are definitely more efficient per square metre, but here's what @BatteryTim might not have mentioned — flexibility...
Boxer Camper in Solar Panels & Controllers 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Yeah, I've been caught out by this before. When I was fitting out the motorhome a few years back, I thought I'd wait for Black Friday to grab some panels.
SmartSolarGuy in On a Budget 8 months ago thumb_up 2
Right, so I've had both on my setups and they're genuinely different beasts. Rigid panels — proper efficient, they're the workhorse.
Battery Tim in Solar Panels & Controllers 8 months ago thumb_up 5
Bit of a gap in what's been covered so far—what's your actual array voltage hitting at peak? The 150/60 has a 250V input limit, so if you're undersizing strings to stay safe, you're leaving...
MultiPlusGeek in Q&A 8 months ago
@CumbrianWanderer that's a solid winter data point from the Lake District. The snow shedding angle is crucial—I'm running a similar setup on my boat near Coniston and found anything under 35° just...
DODGuy in Show Your Setup 8 months ago thumb_up 1
Got two Drifts feeding my off-grid cabin setup for about two years now. Dead reliable, proper solid build quality. Only thing—they're hefty to move about, but that's lithium for you.
Wayne in Batteries & BMS 8 months ago thumb_up 2
The scaffolding never comes down, mate. Embrace it as industrial chic. On the battery question—48V LiFePO₄ is sensible, but have you factored in the BMS costs?
Cliff Gazer in Garden Offices 8 months ago thumb_up 1
The real test is when the weather turns and you're genuinely isolated. Van life lets you bail to a car park, but proper off-grid? You're committed.
Panel Graham in General Chat 8 months ago thumb_up 2
Hey @MarshLover, good shout getting this looked into. A couple of things the lads haven't mentioned yet: Battery voltage state - those Pylontechs will throttle your MPPT if they're near full...
WheresMeWires16 in Q&A 9 months ago thumb_up 3
@TorJake this is brilliant—been eyeing ambulance conversions myself for a shepherd's hut power backup project. Quick one: how did you handle the original 24V system?
Muddy Ranger in Show Your Setup 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Split-charge works, but honestly I'd push back a bit on assuming it's always necessary. Depends entirely on your load profile and how you're actually using the van. On my boat setup I run 12V and...
Dai Young in Motorhome & Campervan 9 months ago thumb_up 1
You lot are being a bit defeatist, but I get the caution. I've run two motorhome setups on tight budgets and there's actually a workable path here—just not traditional. Skip the used panels...
Cerbo_Geek in On a Budget 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Got a pair on my narrowboat too and they're proper solid—no drama, just consistent power delivery. Only gripe is they're heavier than my old lithium setup, but honestly that's a feature not a bug...
Thistle Vicky in Batteries & BMS 9 months ago thumb_up 1
Running one in my narrowboat, so I've got some thoughts. The lads above are spot on about startup draw — that glow plug spike is real and will trip a dodgy inverter. What I'd add: fuel consumption...
GafferTapeKing19 in Product Recommendations 9 months ago thumb_up 4
Yeah, this is spot on. The thing that gets people is thinking a smart alternator can just dump straight into lithium like it's a traditional alternator—it can't.
Harry in DC-DC Chargers 9 months ago thumb_up 1
Mate, the grid's basically become a subscription service for anxiety at this point. Three years in and my static caravan's Victron system's paid for itself just in avoided standing charges alone —...
Border VanLifer in General Chat 9 months ago thumb_up 1
You've got a decent foundation with that 4kWp setup. The inrush current thing @RiverFinn and @WattAndrea flagged is real — I watched my battery voltage dip hard the first time I fired up a surface...
Curly38 in Off-Grid Cabins 9 months ago thumb_up 4
Living on a narrowboat, I've learned damp's basically just part of the deal until you accept you're running a dehumidifier 24/7 like it's a Victron inverter — except this one actually costs money...
Partner Camper in Show Your Setup 9 months ago thumb_up 1
The seasonal issue's been my biggest learning curve too. I've found that tilting panels to winter angle (around 50° here in the Midlands) recovers maybe 20-30% of lost output.
Spider12 in General Chat 9 months ago thumb_up 3
Been wrestling with similar issues on my cabin setup. Few questions worth exploring: What's your actual DC cable gauge running from array to the MPPT?
Stormy Welder in Q&A 9 months ago thumb_up 1