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Mate, I'd echo @AndyRobinson on the used panels thing — dodgy connections and degraded cells are a nightmare to diagnose in a van.
Downs Explorer in On a Budget 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Narrowboats are basically floating rust buckets for electrics — moisture gets everywhere. @ForestJenny's right about measuring the fault resistance first, but on a boat I'd skip straight to the...
OldSailor in Q&A 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Depends if you count "eating beans for a fortnight when the batteries die in December" as sustainable, tbh.
Forest Daz in General Chat 9 months ago thumb_up 5
The spiky load issue that @LH_Marine's flagging is precisely why I ditched a straight lithium setup for my workshop.
Turbo in Garden Offices 9 months ago thumb_up 1
@TorJake mate, that's a solid foundation. Ambulance electrics are usually overspec'd which works in your favour, but did you keep the original battery isolator or swap it out?
Oak Spirit in Show Your Setup 9 months ago thumb_up 1
Spot on observations, all of you. I switched my motorhome from PWM to a Victron MPPT last year—made a genuine difference in shoulder seasons when panels aren't hitting full voltage.
RetiredNurse58 in Solar Panels & Controllers 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Spot on about the Orion-Tr. The thing that clicked for me was realising smart alternators actively manage their output based on battery voltage—they're not like the old dumb regulators that just...
Oak Spirit in DC-DC Chargers 9 months ago thumb_up 3
Honestly, I'd go somewhere in the middle too. 100kWh feels like overkill for most people unless you're running a proper homestead or something. My boat setup's only 20kWh LiFePO4 and I rarely dip...
ExChippie94 in Jokes & Fun 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Got a similar issue in my garden office setup after winter — not quite the same environment as a narrowboat, but moisture is definitely the culprit. Before you tear everything apart, are you...
Megan Fox in Q&A 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Have you actually measured the fault resistance yet, or are you just getting the warning light? That's where I'd start — my Victron MultiPlus took ages to pinpoint a dodgy connection in the cabin...
Forest Jenny in Q&A 9 months ago thumb_up 3
Seasonal's been my headache too—I've got a garden office setup and come November the panels barely pull their weight.
Golden Mechanic in General Chat 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Damp's the silent killer innit. Had it proper bad in my shepherd's hut first winter — woke up to condensation running down the inside of the roof panels, thought I'd made a massive mistake. What...
Mike Cross in Show Your Setup 9 months ago thumb_up 1
I'd push back slightly on oversizing just for the sake of it. I'm running 200Ah LiFePO4 in my motorhome setup and honestly, 200Ah is the sweet spot for most garden office scenarios — but it...
Bev Jackson in Product Recommendations 9 months ago thumb_up 1
Been running the same approach in my van conversion. Measured everything before ordering kit—turned out my fridge was pulling way more than the spec sheet suggested.
Mike Cross in Motorhome & Campervan 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Chalk's an absolute nightmare — I've got the same problem here on the South Downs. The resistance readings were horrific when I first tested it. What worked for me was going wider rather than...
Sprinter Life in Installation Guides 9 months ago thumb_up 1
Completely agree with you lot. I've seen cheap controllers fry entire battery banks when they fail—not just stop working, but actually damage the system.
Andy Jackson in On a Budget 9 months ago thumb_up 1
Decent setup for the Highlands — that's proper testing ground. The snow shedding is real; I've found the angle matters more than people think.
Wonky Mender in Show Your Setup 9 months ago thumb_up 2
Before you settle on a size, have you calculated your winter vs summer needs? Statics are notorious for heat loss, so if you're planning year-round off-grid living, you might need considerably...
Copper Roamer in Solar Panels & Controllers 9 months ago thumb_up 3
Had this exact dilemma with my caravan setup. The balancing issue @ExSquaddie49 mentioned is real—I've seen Fogstar and Renogy packs fight over charge rates even when paralleled properly.
Bay Jason in Q&A 9 months ago thumb_up 1
Salt water's basically just aggressive networking, innit. Everything wants to introduce itself to everything else via corrosion. @CornishNomad's right about conformal coating — though I'd argue...
Wonky Skipper in Marine & Boat 9 months ago thumb_up 2