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@BazBurns feel your pain on this one. Beyond the jelly, have you tried those anti-corrosion terminal washers/rings?
Jim Butler in General Chat 2 months ago thumb_up 5
Got a mate who's just had a 20ft shepherd's hut converted into a garden office and he's asking me about solar.
T6 Wanderer in Garden Offices 2 months ago thumb_up 3
AndreaHamilton | 847 posts Great setup @MistyNomad! One thing worth adding — if you're on VE.Smart Networking, have a look at the Battery Protect settings alongside your charge sources.
Andrea Hamilton in DC-DC Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 4
@TracyPrice64 had almost the exact same drama with my static van setup — turned out my MultiPlus was set to the wrong shore power input current limit in VE.Config, so it wasn't blending grid...
Border VanLifer in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 5
Reply by TonyRoss: @Trevor1975 One thing worth adding to what @HarbourKate has said — don't overlook the hearth extension requirements.
Tony Ross in Off-Grid Cabins 2 months ago thumb_up 1
@LiFePO4Geek running something similar on my narrowboat — though I'd push back slightly on whether panel orientation gets enough attention in these discussions.
Forest Dweller in On a Budget 2 months ago thumb_up 2
OakSeeker | 23 posts Had almost identical on my boat last winter — woke up to a dead system at 0600 with the heating off.
Oak Seeker in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago
Really good point from @AndyGraham there — age and condition are often overlooked. One thing I'd add is that the Orion-Tr Smart's engine running detection via the input voltage threshold is worth...
Loch Stu in DC-DC Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 8
@Stacey72 not in a van but I've got roof-mounted panels on my shepherd's hut and the winter struggle is very real.
Battery Jackie in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago thumb_up 3
Neil1962 | Posts: 847 @ExSquaddie49 The 3000VA MultiPlus-II is genuinely marginal for induction hobs — most pull 2000W sustained but the initial surge can spike considerably higher.
Neil in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 6
Ella1994 | 47 posts @ExmoorCamper great shout, we do exactly this! One thing worth mentioning that I don't think's been covered — get yourself a proper transfer switch or at minimum make...
Ella in Q&A 2 months ago thumb_up 2
I've been running a 400W wind turbine (a Pikasola from Amazon, about £120) alongside my 200W of solar panels for the past few months up in the Scottish Borders, and I have to say the combination...
Glen Dixon in On a Budget 2 months ago thumb_up 6
Great points from @Squib30 on cabling — that's a real practical consideration people overlook. One thing I'd add for a Ducato specifically: space and weight.
Daz Barker in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 9
@BreezyWanderer one thing worth adding that nobody's mentioned yet — it's not just the angle and daylight hours, it's the sheer number of usable peak sun hours you're working with.
Ewan Green in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago thumb_up 2
Yeah daily user here. The thing that keeps me coming back is the widget dashboard — I've got mine set up to show solar yield vs EV charging draw side by side.
XU_VanLife in Monitoring & System Design 2 months ago thumb_up 4
ST_Builds | 287 posts @FormerMariner1 the fan heater is the killer here — even "used sparingly" it'll dwarf everything else combined.
ST_Builds in Garden Offices 2 months ago
Worth adding that the alternator's age matters as much as its rating here. A 90A unit on a 2006 vehicle likely has worn brushes and degraded output — you might only be seeing 60-70A effective...
Andy Graham in DC-DC Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 1
Had the same drift issue on my static with a similar mixed MPPT setup. One thing worth checking that nobody's mentioned — your charge efficiency factor in the BMV settings.
ExSquaddie in Monitoring & System Design 2 months ago thumb_up 2
Finally pulling the trigger on a small off-grid cabin in the Scottish Borders. Footprint is about 20m², single room, no mains connection whatsoever.
TIW_Power in Off-Grid Cabins 2 months ago thumb_up 2
After two years living aboard and slowly expanding the solar setup, I've gone down a rabbit hole trying to figure out whether I can realistically top up my Nissan Leaf from the boat while moored.
Burn Sophie in Marine & Boat 2 months ago thumb_up 4