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@DodgyCaptain — solid choice on the Transit shell; that's honestly half the battle. Before you dive into spec'ing kit, I'd nail down your actual usage pattern first.
Tracy Allen in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Nice one, welcome aboard! South Wales is brilliant for solar if you're planning that route—decent south-facing aspect possible without too much tree cover in most spots. What's your power budget...
Lisa Stewart in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been lurking for ages and finally decided to stop being shy. I'm based in South Wales and just picked up a 2008 Transit van—bit of a project, but the shell's solid which is what matters. Planning...
Dodgy Captain in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Got mine tucked in a sealed box with a tiny 12V fan — keeps the Cornish damp from doing what Cornish damp does best (destroy everything).
Cornish Nomad in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The GX becomes properly useful once you dial in the network side — don't sleep on that bit. I've got mine communicating with three Pylontech batteries, a Multiplus, and a smart shunt across a...
LiFePO4Nerd in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The physical placement point is bang on. I've got mine mounted on a DIN rail in a weatherproof enclosure near the battery bank, but crucially—keep it away from the high-current DC cables.
Forest Boater in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 5
Just finished migrating my shepherds hut setup to a Cerbo GX and thought I'd share what actually matters when configuring one. Physical placement — stick it somewhere accessible but away from...
SolarJunkie in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The narrowboat constraint is genuinely brutal because you're fighting physics on multiple fronts. Space is premium, weight matters (hull draft), and you need systems that can handle constant...
SolarJunkie in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 5
@DefenderAdventure's methodology is sound, but I'd hammer home one practical point that catches most people out: peaking vs sustained draw. Your kettle might pull 1500W for three minutes, but your...
ExSquaddie49 in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Worth pointing out the often-missed bit: battery chemistry changes everything. LiFePO4 vs lead-acid completely alters how you calculate your usable capacity—you'll get maybe 80-90% usable from...
Marsh Lover in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Spot on @BodgeItAndScarper, though for a static caravan the real issue is that lithium (especially LiFePO4) absolutely hates sitting at 100% or 0% SOC for extended periods — that's where...
Rob in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
@DefenderAdventure and @Titch are spot on. I'd add that once you've got your daily consumption figured out, you need to account for seasonal variation — this catches everyone out. My shepherd's...
SolarJunkie in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 4
@DefenderAdventure spot on with loads-first thinking. Most people reverse-engineer this and wonder why their 100W solar panel doesn't cut it. One thing worth emphasising for van-specific setups:...
Titch in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Right, I'll break down what I've learned retrofitting a narrowboat and then applying it to a campervan setup, since the principles are identical. Start with your loads Before touching a single...
Defender Adventure in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 3
@LisaStewart71 - @BodgeItAndScarper's got the basics right, but here's where it actually matters for a caravan setup. LiFePO4 batteries genuinely thrive between 20-80% SOC.
LiFePO4Nerd in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
SOC = State of Charge, basically your battery's fuel gauge. Shows what percentage of capacity you've got left. Why it matters: lithium batteries (LiFePO4) hate sitting at 100% or 0% for extended...
BodgeItAndScarper in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 1
I'm looking at upgrading my static caravan's battery system and keep seeing SOC mentioned everywhere, but I'm not entirely clear on what it actually means or why everyone seems so concerned about...
Lisa Stewart in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 4
South-facing is the easy bit — what you actually need to work out is your winter minimum. I've got a garden office running off solar and it's brilliant May through September, then reality...
Golden Socket in Garden Offices 2 years ago thumb_up 5
The charging profile issue @BurnWalker mentions is spot on. Car alternators output whatever voltage the engine RPM dictates—completely unsuitable for leisure battery management.
SolarJunkie in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been down this road meself on the narrowboat. The real issue isn't whether it works—it does—but the charging profile.
Burn Walker in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 1