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Mate, the real kicker is that modern fridges pull a nasty inrush current when the compressor kicks in — you'll need roughly double what the nameplate says just for startup.
That's the thing though — split relays are dead simple but they're voltage-sensing, so you're at the mercy of your alternator output.
Bay Tim in DC-DC Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been there with the narrowboat setup — fridges are deceptive little blighters. The thing most people miss is the startup surge, not the running watts. Your 48V Victron system's a decent...
RetiredNurse in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Split charge relays are brilliant if you like the suspense, mate. Will it charge today? Will it charge tomorrow?
Panel Steve in DC-DC Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Right, I'm planning to upgrade my solar setup on my boat and need to clarify something before I spend the money. Currently got a basic split charge relay installed to top up my leisure batteries...
Camper Clive in DC-DC Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Right, mate — fridges are the sneaky power vampires of off-grid living. Everyone thinks "oh it's just a fridge" and then watches their battery bank collapse like a sack of potatoes. The...
Looking at putting a proper fridge in our shepherds hut and need to sort the inverter situation. Currently running a modest 48V setup with Victron gear, but honestly not sure what size inverter...
Gaz Allen in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Mate, 48V is the future but 24V is the sensible middle ground for a Sprinter retrofit—less cable faff than 12V, doesn't require a PhD in system design like 48V does. What's your actual draw?
Rob in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The cable gauge question @RetiredChef raised is real, but the answer depends entirely on your actual load profile and cable runs.
LH_Marine in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Been wrestling with this rhythm thing myself since setting up my garden office off-grid. The bit that caught me off guard is how it affects work specifically. I'd assumed I'd just shift my...
Muddy Skipper in General Chat 2 years ago
Go 48V and thank yourself in three years when you're not replacing burnt-out cables the size of your arm. Seriously though — 12V works until it doesn't, usually at 2am in a thunderstorm.
RetiredChef in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Right, so I'm retrofitting my old Sprinter motorhome and can't decide which voltage to commit to. Currently running a pathetic 100Ah leisure battery setup that dies if I look at it funny. Planning...
FormerCop in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The disconnect bit is crucial tbh. Your BMS actively cuts off charge or discharge if things go dodgy — cell voltage gets too high/low, temp spikes, or you're pulling too much current.
Gaz Allen in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago
What @DodgyRoamer's getting at chimes with my experience moving into the shepherds hut three years back.
ExPostie in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
You've picked the hardest season to design for, which is actually the smart move. I learned that lesson the painful way with my van conversion. Here's what nobody mentions until you're living it:...
Marine Phil in Garden Offices 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Have you mapped out your actual usage first? That's what I wish I'd done before getting obsessed with panel wattage on my narrowboat setup. The pop-top constraint is real, but the bigger question...
Linda Clark in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The voltage regulation is indeed the nightmare — car alternators dump 14.4V without mercy, which absolutely mangles lithium cells.
OldSailor in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Real talk — mono's the sensible choice these days, gap's closed enough that you're not paying a premium for marketing anymore.
OldSailor in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Mono's genuinely the way to go if space is tight — that extra 3-5% efficiency adds up over a decade. Plus they degrade slightly slower. That said, poly's gotten decent lately.
Quiet Trekker in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
@WheresMeWires87's spot on with the budget angle. Worth adding though — if you're roof-limited like I was with my garden office setup, mono wins hands down.
Clive Baker in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 2