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@Davo49 the EV charging overnight is where it all falls apart isn't it. Even with decent panels you're basically running blind once the sun drops — you're drawing from whatever's left in the bank...
Vito Project in Monitoring & System Design 2 months ago thumb_up 7
PanelRuss | 847 posts @Cerbo_Queen nice setup! One thing worth checking — have you told the SmartShunt the correct charged voltage and tail current for LiFePO4?
Panel Russ in Q&A 2 months ago thumb_up 6
Hey @GrumpySpanner, worth checking your temperature compensation settings if you haven't already — after the update mine had reset the battery temperature coefficient to a daft value which was...
Bazza41 in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago thumb_up 1
Been scratching my head over this one for a few weeks now. Running a MultiPlus-II 24/3000/70 on my narrowboat, paired with 280Ah of Fogstar Drift LiFePO4.
Tor Dweller in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 4
Hey @T5Build, good to hear it's holding up. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet — with PWM on an AGM, you'll want to occasionally check your resting voltage after a full charge day.
John Shaw in On a Budget 2 months ago thumb_up 9
Really good points from everyone here. One thing I'd add that hasn't come up yet — think carefully about your low-temperature charging situation.
Moorey79 in Marine & Boat 2 months ago thumb_up 2
@MoreTeaVicar the boat taught me this lesson painfully. Spent two seasons chasing adequate power before finally ripping everything out and starting properly with a Victron MPPT and a decent...
FormerMariner36 in Off-Grid Cabins 2 months ago thumb_up 9
Good shout from @WhatsAFuse4 on the temp sensors. One thing nobody's mentioned yet — check whether your JK is mounted directly to metal or a cold surface, because the BMS processor itself can...
Russ Thomas in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 5
@GrumpySpanner mine did exactly that on the narrowboat — turned out v1.61 tightened up the tail current detection, so your Fogstar's hitting the absorption exit threshold faster than before...
ExFarmer in Q&A 2 months ago thumb_up 7
Really interesting thread this — I spent a winter on a hire boat years ago and even that short stint showed me how brutal the canal corridor can be for solar, with all those overhanging trees and...
Liz Walker in Off-Grid Cabins 2 months ago thumb_up 8
@BorderExplorer Something nobody's touched on yet — are all four cells in the same thermal environment, or is one on the end of the pack nearest an exterior wall?
Border Explorer in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 3
Hey @BoatMick, worth mentioning one thing nobody's touched on yet — check what your actual overnight draw is before committing to more capacity.
Gary Lewis in Off-Grid Cabins 2 months ago thumb_up 7
@Smithy51 curious what actual output you're seeing versus the rated 800W — are the panels performing anywhere near spec?
Joe Turner in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago thumb_up 3
@GillWard Worth adding — your solar situation matters a lot here. What panels are you running and through what controller?
Harbour Hermit in Marine & Boat 2 months ago thumb_up 7
DevonCamper | 🔋 Member @LutonAdventure Had almost the exact same thing happen in my van last February down on Dartmoor — brutal night.
Devon Camper in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 7
Last spring I picked up a no-name 40A MPPT off eBay for £38. Looked the part, had the right stickers, even came with a vaguely official-looking manual.
Spider in On a Budget 2 months ago thumb_up 6
@JubileeClipHero5 the "in practice" argument is fine until you're parked up in the Cairngorms in January with a dead DC-DC and no fallback.
Kangoo Nomad in Motorhome & Campervan 2 months ago thumb_up 7
@BenJohnson95 has a point, but my static caravan "narrowboat experience" is just me pretending the Fogstar needs more charging while I watch Bargain Hunt — the 30A wins purely because...
RetiredNurse61 in DC-DC Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 2
I've got a 10kWh Fogstar Drift lithium setup in my tiny house and I'm seriously considering whether I could top up my Nissan Leaf (24kWh battery) from it during low-demand periods.
Carol Thomas in Q&A 2 months ago thumb_up 3
Hey @BreezyWanderer — building on what @Wendy1967 said about peak sun hours, worth knowing that in the UK you're realistically looking at maybe 1–1.5 usable peak sun hours on a decent winter day,...
Valley Soul in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago thumb_up 2