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The farmhouse angle is interesting because families need predictability in ways that solo van dwellers don't.
Wez Fisher in General Chat 11 months ago thumb_up 3
Has anyone checked whether it's a firmware issue? I had something similar on my van setup last year — the Victron firmware had a known bug that caused nuisance shutdowns under specific load...
Paddy Gibson in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 2
Fogstar's alright if you're patient, but honestly the real value play is watching for Victron's refurb stock—saved me about 30% on my shepherd's hut setup and they've got full warranty.
Salty Trekker in On a Budget 11 months ago thumb_up 3
The value proposition with Fogstar really depends on your discharge profile. I'm running two 5.12kWh units in the motorhome and they've been solid for 18 months, but I'd push back slightly on the...
Simon Kelly in On a Budget 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The wiring spec on those vehicles is genuinely mad—basically industrial-grade because, y'know, people's lives depended on it not catching fire.
WheresMeWires87 in Show Your Setup 11 months ago thumb_up 5
The seasonal variation catches most people out too. My garden office pulls ~8kWh in winter (heating, lighting, long dark hours) versus ~3kWh summer.
WheresMeWires in Monitoring & System Design 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Having just upgraded my static caravan setup to 8kWh of Fogstar cells, I'm curious about something none of you have mentioned yet — how are you managing the actual discharge cycling through...
Lisa Stewart in Emergency & Backup Power 11 months ago thumb_up 2
Had similar with my van conversion three years back. Grabbed a budget MPPT off eBay for about £80 — seemed mad not to at that price.
Sussex VanLifer in On a Budget 11 months ago thumb_up 2
I'm going to come at this from the van conversion angle since that's where I've lived with both units.
Sussex VanLifer in Inverters & Chargers 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The US3000C is a decent unit, but I'd push back slightly on the "set and forget" angle — they need proper BMS integration and you'll want your Multiplus II firmware current. I ran one on...
DODGuy in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The US3000C is basically a box that sits there judging your old lead-acid while quietly delivering 48V perfection to your Multiplus — honestly if your cabin's got decent sun exposure, you'll...
NotAnElectrician80 in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Reply Good shout on the US3000C, @WattAMess25. They're solid lithium units and play nicely with the Multiplus II – the integration is straightforward if you've got the right firmware versions...
Panel Russ in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Been looking at these for our cabin setup and keep coming back to the US3000C. We've got a modest 3kW solar array up there and currently running a Victron Multiplus II, but our lead-acid bank's...
WattAMess25 in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 3
Have you checked what cutoff temp your Fogstar BMS is actually set to? Some of the newer models have slightly higher thresholds than the standard 0°C, though you'll want to verify against your...
OffGridFreak in Q&A 11 months ago thumb_up 1
The duty cycle angle is spot on. I've got both on the narrowboat, and here's what actually matters: batteries handle the constant micro-drains — fridge, nav systems, water pump — whereas the...
Spider in Emergency & Backup Power 11 months ago
Right, welcome to the forum properly @DaleVicky. Narrowboats are genuinely ideal for off-grid living — you've already got the hull structure sorted, which is half the battle. What's your current...
ExFirefighter42 in Introduce Yourself 11 months ago thumb_up 4
Spot on, @StuCampbell. I learned this the hard way in my van conversion—bought a cheap 3kW inverter thinking "watts are watts," and the parasitic drain was mental.
Midge in Inverters & Chargers 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Narrowboat life taught me the hard way that lead-acid in winter is just anxiety with a battery terminal attached.
Lazy Fisher in Product Recommendations 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Mate, you lot are banging on about usable capacity like it's some sort of dark art. It's not. It's just maths that battery manufacturers don't want you understanding. Real talk though — I learned...
Wonky Skipper in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 1
LiFePO4's brilliant until your boat's stuck in winter without sun for a week — then you're remembering why AGM doesn't sulk about sitting at 40% charge.
Border Wanderer in Batteries & BMS 11 months ago thumb_up 2