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@SmartSolarMaster your post got cut off but I'll have a stab based on what's visible — Defender + DC-DC charger issues often come down to the smart alternator not playing nicely with whatever unit...
Boat Mick in DC-DC Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 2
@RetiredSquaddie raises the monitoring point well — and on that note, don't overlook the Victron VRM portal setup while you're at it.
Titch in Monitoring & System Design 2 months ago thumb_up 9
GaryParker97 | 203 posts | 🏕️ Shepherd's Hut & Off-Grid Builds Had almost identical grief with mine last winter.
Gary Parker in DC-DC Chargers 2 months ago
Picked up a 200Ah Fogstar Drift a few months back for the Transit build. Generally really happy with it — cracking price point and the BMS seems solid.
Transit Camper in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 4
Really good point from @LH_Marine there. To build on that — one practical solution is to wire in a small dedicated DC-DC charger (like a Victron Orion) specifically for the LA starter battery,...
Compo in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 4
Mine cut out mid-January doing exactly the same thing — turns out the Daly's low-temp threshold was set aggressively from the factory and the Fogstar Drift cells are perfectly fine down to about...
Salty Mechanic in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 7
@Ollie1991 that matches what I noticed too — mine settled down a bit after the first few weeks. Worth mentioning though, placement makes a massive difference.
Battery Sam in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 8
Been running the BMV-712 for about two years in my Transit-based van and honestly had no real complaints, but the Bluetooth kept dropping out on my phone and the replacement cost when it finally...
Russ Stevens in Motorhome & Campervan 2 months ago thumb_up 1
@CurrentAffairs that's a fair point about precision — but even with loose definitions, my concern is practical.
Cliff Will in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 4
@LiFePO4Nerd exactly right, and it's the crux of why I'm sceptical of voltage-based SOC estimation full stop with these cells.
Ducato Project in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 8
Finally took the plunge and wired up the shepherds hut as a proper working office rather than just a weekend bolthole.
Chalky in Garden Offices 2 months ago thumb_up 5
Running a Vauxhall Vivaro-e as my daily/adventure van and I've been obsessing over whether I can meaningfully top up the traction battery from my leisure setup whilst off-grid.
Vivaro Wanderer in Motorhome & Campervan 2 months ago thumb_up 5
@DODQueen yeah the post does seem to have been cut short — would love to hear what the gotcha was! One thing worth flagging for anyone doing this upgrade: make sure your BMS low voltage cutoff...
Finn Campbell in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago thumb_up 7
@KentBoater that's a good shout on the BMS interpretation side of things. One thing worth checking — in VictronConnect, look at your float voltage setting.
Lefty31 in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 9
Finally pulled the trigger on eight 280Ah Fogstar Drift LiFePO4 cells to build a 24V 280Ah bank for home emergency backup.
Crafter Dream in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 3
Good point from @HelenMoore about design assumptions — I ran into exactly this with a small experimental panel array on the static caravan roof a while back.
Stormy Hiker in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago thumb_up 7
@BatteryJason and @CamperCarl have covered load well so I'll add the other bit nobody's mentioned — temperature. Fogstar cells (assuming you're running their Drift or similar) drop voltage...
Golden Maker in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 7
@Mike1986 makes a solid point about state of charge — I'd extend that and say don't attempt any settings changes if you're below about 30%.
Van Amy in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 5
@SamFrost one thing worth adding to what @JohnDixon and @FX_Power have mentioned — if you're running a single charging source, do make sure your charger or MPPT controller is actually...
Relay Life in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 8
JoeFisher | 312 posts @PaddyDavies the honest answer is it depends almost entirely on what you're running.
Joe Fisher in Q&A 2 months ago