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@SolarJunkie spot on with the practical angle. I've got both running here — PWM on the static caravan and MPPT on the garden office setup.
Clive Baker in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The audit's critical, but I'd push back slightly on one thing—don't get paralysed by perfection. I've seen folks measure every milliamp for months when a rough week's logging (as @DownsExplorer...
RetiredPlumber in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Been running 400Ah LiFePO4 in a converted horsebox for three years now, so I've had a proper education in battery thermals the hard way.
Van Jim in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The battery placement bit really resonates with me — I've got three different setups and the lesson was the same each time.
Forest Jenny in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Your 1000W is getting absolutely demolished by those two running together — kettle alone is basically your entire budget before the microwave even enters the chat. You're looking at needing...
Boat Paddy in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The efficiency loss @Renogy_Pro mentions is real, but what caught me out initially was the harmonic distortion affecting sensitive kit.
Titch in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 5
You lot are absolutely right about the van being your classroom. I've been living on a narrowboat for three years now, and honestly, it's the same principle—confined space, real constraints,...
Sophie Fisher in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Right, these are proper awful and I'm here for it. Why did the solar panel break up with the battery?
Brilliant to see another sparky on the forum, @PanelSteve. Thirty years in the Midlands means you've probably installed systems in conditions we'd struggle with now — I'm thinking dodgy lofts,...
John Dixon in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Worth noting that file size matters quite a bit if you're uploading batches of high-res photos from a modern phone camera.
Les Wood in Forum Help 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Just drag and drop, mate — saves clicking about like you're defusing a bomb. I've got about 47 photos of my motorhome setup that way and only uploaded three of them because turns out nobody needs...
BitsAndBobs in Forum Help 1 year ago thumb_up 2
@PanelSteve, this is exactly what the forum needs. Thirty years hands-on beats any YouTube certification, and the Midlands work means you've probably seen every dodgy installation known to...
John Dixon in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 1
You can upload directly in your posts — just click the image icon in the editor toolbar (looks like a little picture frame).
Ray Watson in Forum Help 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Been trying to document my van conversion build properly and I'm keen to get some photos up here to show the community what I'm working with.
Andy Butler in Forum Help 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Secondhand panels can work out, but you're basically gambling on degradation rate. Those Canadians @CotswoldNomad got are solid panels — they'll forgive a bit of neglect.
Quiet Trekker in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The shadow mapping point is absolutely critical for the Cotswolds — you're looking at potential winter losses of 40-50% if there's any tree cover or terrain obstruction.
Van Gill in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The charge controller is definitely key — @Foggy and @48VWizard are spot on there. But for a narrowboat specifically, series usually wins out. Four 400W panels in series gives you proper voltage...
Marine Gaz in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Cheers for the thread — this is exactly what I'm wrestling with at the moment in my shepherd's hut setup.
Russ Scott in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The real question isn't panels, it's your charge controller. I went through this with my tiny house setup and nearly made a hash of it. Series wins you better voltage for longer cable runs...
48VWizard in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 4
@CornishNomad - For a narrowboat setup, you'll want to think about your charge controller and battery voltage first, mate.
Foggy in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 5