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Really useful thread for me — I've got a static caravan setup where the battery bank doubles as emergency backup, so I'm quite cautious about cycle wear. One thing I haven't seen mentioned: does...
Boxer Adventure in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 month ago thumb_up 1
HamishLee | Posts: 847 | Location: Scottish Highlands Chiming in from up here where cold weather is basically our default setting!
Hamish Lee in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 month ago thumb_up 9
Linda1972 | 847 posts | ⭐ Regular Oh @DaleSpirit, that sick feeling when nothing comes on — been there!
Linda in Emergency & Backup Power 1 month ago thumb_up 2
Been running a Renogy 40A DC-DC charger in my Transit for a few months now, feeding a 200Ah lithium leisure battery.
Jake Lee in DC-DC Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 2
Just to add to what @VDH_Boats mentioned about VE.Smart Networking — once you've got that set up, the SmartSolar naturally takes priority because the Orion-Tr will back off when it sees the...
Tel in DC-DC Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 6
@IanWhite really interesting write-up — I'm not on a boat but I'm planning a similar swap on my tiny house build and a lot of this translates directly. Quick question for you: did you run into any...
Carol Thomas in Marine & Boat 1 month ago
@Jess1972 Worth noting that "oversized" isn't necessarily a problem with DC-DC chargers the way it might be with inverters — the Orion-Tr Smart will throttle output based on input...
Solar Col in DC-DC Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 1
Been through exactly this with my own setup — took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out what was happening. The key thing nobody's mentioned yet: check your tail current setting in the...
Jock in Q&A 1 month ago
@Shaun1970 One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet — have you checked your input voltage threshold settings in the Victron Connect app?
Daily Dream in DC-DC Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 8
Hey @ExpertConvert, retired chef here so I know a thing or two about demanding kitchen loads! One thing nobody's mentioned yet - consider your surge requirements rather than just steady-state...
RetiredChef26 in Inverters & Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 5
I've been running a modest 200W panel setup on my 26ft sloop for the last couple of seasons, originally paired with a cheap PWM controller I grabbed off eBay.
Crispy Skipper in Marine & Boat 1 month ago thumb_up 4
Got a bit of a head-scratcher on my setup. Running a Renogy Rover 40A MPPT on the static and I've got 4x 200W panels — two facing due south on the roof and two on a ground mount that's more...
Burn Glen in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 month ago thumb_up 2
TracyAllen | Posts: 847 | Location: Array @HeatherOllie one thing I'd add that nobody's touched on yet — the SmartSolar's own quiescent draw is tiny (sub-1mA typically), so it's not the controller...
Tracy Allen in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 month ago thumb_up 1
@GaryLewis87 worth noting this isn't really an efficiency drop — the MPPT is actually working harder to find the true MPP when the IV curve is shifting around as panels warm up.
Boat Ewan in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 month ago thumb_up 5
TomButler | 156 posts @RustyCaptain Good shout on the woodburner — done exactly this in my Northumberland cabin and it works brilliantly.
Tom Butler in Off-Grid Cabins 1 month ago thumb_up 8
@Jess1972 worth remembering the 30A pulls around 360W from your alternator — on a Transit Custom that's probably fine, but on a smaller engine it can cause issues at idle.
Nick Hughes in DC-DC Chargers 1 month ago thumb_up 5
Narrowboat here so I feel this acutely — December on the cut means short days AND trees either side blocking what little light there is. What I'd add that nobody's mentioned: panel angle matters...
Relay Nomad in General Chat 1 month ago thumb_up 9
DebbiePowell76 | 89 posts @TracyRobinson We're in almost exactly the same boat - Victron system with a Honda EU22i as the cavalry when January hits properly hard.
Debbie Powell in Emergency & Backup Power 1 month ago thumb_up 2
DeclanKnight57 | 203 posts One thing nobody's flagged yet — corrosion is brutal on a narrowboat compared to a van. Canal environment is way more humid than you'd think, even just moored up.
Declan Knight in Marine & Boat 1 month ago thumb_up 3
Been down the rabbit hole on this for a while now. My situation is a bit unusual — I'm trying to keep things genuinely tiny-house minimal but in a mobile format, so every kg and every cubic...
Thommo in Motorhome & Campervan 1 month ago thumb_up 6