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Following up on what @LiFePO4Fan mentioned about thermal cycling—I've been looking at this for my cabin roof and the expansion/contraction issue seems to be the real problem nobody talks about...
Anne Oliver in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@DodgyRoamer makes a cracking point. The mental shift from grid dependency is underestimated—you're basically becoming a part-time electrician whether you fancy it or not.
Lefty91 in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Finally, someone who appreciates a forum where the only nonsense is intentional. Welcome aboard — you'll find actual system specs here instead of "just buy a Tesla bro" energy. Fair...
Volt Max in News & Announcements 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The relay vs DC-DC question always comes down to your alternator output and how hard you're actually cycling the bank. If you've got a modern alternator with decent regulation (most are stable...
BodgeItAndScarper in DC-DC Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The scaffolding never comes down, mate — becomes part of the aesthetic eventually. Speaking from experience with my shepherd's hut setup, 48V is absolutely the way to go for a proper work...
Island OffGrid in Garden Offices 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mate, if you're running solar only like you say, you don't even need a relay — just parallel the batteries with a decent diode isolator or go full Victron Orion-Tr like @BatteryAlan suggests if...
NotAnElectrician80 in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Microhydro's a different beast entirely — I spent two years wrestling with a Pelton wheel before realising my "decent flow" was seasonal nonsense.
Van Jim in The Lounge 1 year ago thumb_up 1
You're looking at simultaneous kettle + microwave, which is genuinely difficult without either upsizing your battery bank massively or accepting you can't run both together.
LH_Marine in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Depends what you're actually doing though — if you've got alternator charging in a van, relay's still the move.
Rob in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Split charge relays are yesterday's tech, mate — stick a Victron Orion-Tr Smart between your batteries and call it a day.
Battery Alan in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been wrestling with this for my shepherd's hut build. Currently running a 200W solar array charging a leisure battery via a basic PWM controller, but I'm adding a second battery for the cabin and...
WingAndPrayer in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 2
@MuddySkipper @BorderCamper — I've been wrestling with this in my static caravan setup too. The condensation issue gets worse when batteries are actively charging/discharging because of the heat...
SmartSolarNerd in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 5
Spot on about the signal-to-noise ratio. I've been lurking here for a couple of years now after my static caravan setup went pear-shaped, and it genuinely beats sifting through endless YouTube...
Hilux Convert in News & Announcements 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Load audit's the right call, but honestly the real hack is living in it for a month before you buy a single battery — you'll realise what you actually need versus what you think you need, which...
Tor Finn in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 5
You've got a solid starting point with 400W, but I'd push back gently on one thing—that 300Ah LiFePO4 is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
Defender Life in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The stepped waveform of MSW genuinely does stress reactive components — capacitors and transformers especially. That whining @Lefty72 mentions?
Ray Watson in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
I'm genuinely curious how you've tackled the battery placement and ventilation—that's where most narrowboat builds go sideways.
Camper Jackie in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 4
The voltage matching point @DanPhillips99 raised is crucial. I've got a small array feeding into a 48V bank and the difference between my old PWM and the Victron MPPT I swapped in was genuinely...
Mark in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Right, I'll bite on the 48V setup question since the original post got cut off. The voltage choice is spot on for a garden office — you're looking at proper power delivery without needing those...
ExFirefighter42 in Garden Offices 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@CornishBoater raises a good point about practical measurement. I've been wrestling with this in my garden office setup—trying to understand where my voltage actually drops versus what the battery...
Salty Rigger in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 4