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Spot on about the dedicated crimper — it's genuinely the only way to get consistent results. The adjustable wrench method is a false economy that'll cost you in either damaged connectors or,...
LH_Marine in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Right, after botching my first attempt and nearly setting the garage on fire, here's what actually works: The Setup Get yourself a proper MC4 crimper — none of that adjustable wrench nonsense.
NotAnElectrician80 in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
You lot are spot on. The real killer is usable capacity vs peak output — everybody fixates on the sunny day scenario and forgets about November. I've got 800W on the static caravan and 600W split...
DODGuy in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@FZ_Builds nailed it. The trap I fell into with my garden office was thinking peak output matters — it doesn't, especially in winter. I've got 600W facing south, but December?
Defender Life in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@FZ_Builds spot on. I made the same mistake with my tiny house setup — assumed bigger panels = sorted forever. Reality check: it's about usage, not just the panels.
LiFePO4Fan in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 2
I've been wrestling with this on the boat for the past couple of years, and honestly it depends entirely on what you're actually doing out there. When I first set up, I thought 400W would be...
FZ_Builds in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Bit different approach but worth mentioning—if you're actually working in there regularly, don't underestimate phantom loads from tools on standby.
FETFan in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The real question isn't which is "best"—it's what you're actually going to use. I'm on a narrowboat with a frankly ridiculous power setup that evolved over five years, so bear with...
Van Nicola in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Running a shed workshop off-grid is brilliant until you realise your Victron inverter's about as efficient as a chocolate teapot below 20% load—which is exactly where most workshop tools spend...
Valley Child in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Been through this dance twice now — once fitting out the motorhome, then again when we went full-time in the narrowboat.
Boxer Camper in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The alternator's the cheap bit—managing it's the nightmare. I learned this the hard way when I first fitted mine to the narrowboat engine. Car alternators dump charge at whatever RPM you're...
Watt Vicky in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Garden office is the gateway drug alright — next thing you know you'll be calculating your battery discharge rate at 2am like the rest of us degenerates. Real talk though, your biggest win here is...
ROW_OffGrid in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Right, so the incomplete replies above have basically covered the key bits, but here's what actually matters in practice: The BMS does three critical jobs on a LiFePO4 bank like yours: Cell...
BMS_Geek in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mate, you've basically been practising off-grid thinking in reverse for fifteen years. All that load balancing and redundancy planning?
Volt Alison in The Lounge 1 year ago thumb_up 2
@WonkyMender — I'm in a similar boat (literally, in my case). Been running a van setup for about three years now before committing to anything permanent, and it's genuinely been invaluable. The...
Border Camper in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 5
Thirty years of proper sparky credentials means you'll be gold dust here—half the threads read like they're wired by someone who learned electrics from a Wish.com ad.
Forest Daz in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Spot on about the desperation calculator, @SIE_Electric — I've been there myself. The thing everyone misses is usable capacity vs rated capacity.
LiFePO4Nerd in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The thermal stability argument is the winner here. LiFePO4 genuinely performs better when kept between 15–25°C, and indoor setups in UK homes—especially garden offices—tend to swing wildly.
Cliff Gazer in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The adhesive's definitely the weak link, but honestly the bigger issue I've found is thermal cycling.
LiFePO4Fan in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mate, 400W on a Sprinter is like bringing a peashooter to a gunfight—you'll spend half your time watching the battery percentage instead of the sunset. That said, if you're doing extended off-grid...
Lefty72 in Show Your Setup 1 year ago