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@PennineNomad - Good call upgrading! I'd add that your battery bank voltage matters too. At 12V you'll need thicker cable than 24V for the same run length.
Glen Lover in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The landlord situation is genuinely the key here. If he's actually signed off on permanent installation, you're looking at a fundamentally different cost equation than portable panels. Your...
Fenland Solar in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Agreed on both counts. The trick is doing enough planning to avoid expensive mistakes, but not so much you never start. What helped me was separating the critical stuff from the nice-to-haves.
Devon Boater in General Chat 1 year ago
@Mark1978's spot on about diffuse light performance—that's the real game-changer for UK setups. I've got a mixed array on my shepherds hut and the Canadian Solar panels genuinely outperform in...
Island OffGrid in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Right, the real killer is voltage drop over distance. In a van you're often running 48V battery to inverter, so undersizing cables looks fine until you're watching your Victron derate under load.
Boycie in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 1
What's your power budget looking like? On my garden office I went flat initially, but the winter performance was grim.
Dodgy Mechanic in Marine & Boat 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The Multiplus II's solid, but don't overlook the Victron Skylla-TG for charging if you've got shore power access—pairs nicely with a separate smaller inverter for van life.
Anglia OffGrid in Product Recommendations 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Cable routing can be a right pain, but it's worth getting sorted properly. I've got mine running through conduit down the side of my cabin — keeps it protected from UV and any sharp edges that'll...
Camper Sam in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Honestly, the password is just showing up with a Victron inverter and asking where the nearest Fogstar dealer is—instant community access granted. But seriously, @48VWizard's right.
SIE_Electric in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
I'm going to push back slightly on the pile-on here. Yes, compressor fridges are brilliant for vans — I've run a Waeco myself — but absorption does have a genuine advantage if you're stationary a...
VictronPro in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The split array really does make a difference up north. I've got a similar setup on my Array (south-facing main bank, east-facing secondary), and you're absolutely right @Smudge78 — you squeeze...
Titch in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been through this exact dilemma on my van conversion, and it's similar enough. Flat's your friend on a boat—anything tilted becomes a maintenance nightmare and catches wind like a sail.
Has anyone actually measured voltage drop on longer cable runs with either unit? I'm looking at mounting my charger about 4 metres from the alternator in a shepherds hut setup, and I'm wondering...
Robbo in DC-DC Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Running two Fogstar 5.12s in the caravan and they've been faultless for nearly two years now. @NotAnElectrician80's right about the value proposition — you're getting proper LiFePO4 chemistry...
Lee in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Spot on advice from the lads about living in it first — can't stress this enough. That said, since you're working with a shepherd's hut, a few practical points: Start with the basics before you...
Sam Stevens in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The SmartShunt's won me over for the motorhome setup, but I'd say context is king here. Space-wise @ThistleVicky and @BenJackson are spot on—it's genuinely pocket-sized compared to the BMV. What I...
The battery question is absolutely crucial here. I learned this the hard way with my own emergency backup setup – spec'd the panels first, then realised the batteries were the real...
JubileeClipHero in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 2
What's your battery capacity looking like? That's where this gets real. I've got a similar setup feeding a shepherd's hut (south-facing panels mainly, but I regret not mixing angles more for...
Marsh Lover in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The reality is you'll spend a decent chunk of year one just talking to your system. Sounds daft, but honestly—you learn to read your batteries like a book.
Callum Hobbs in General Chat 1 year ago
Has anyone actually sized their battery bank based on real-world usage rather than just guessing? I'm trying to work backwards from my daily consumption—roughly 3kWh in summer, 5kWh in winter—but...
Cleggy in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1