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CaddyDream | 📍 Array | Posts: 312 Had a 75/15 on my narrowboat for a couple of years — solid bit of kit.
Caddy Dream in Marine & Boat 2 months ago thumb_up 2
Hey @FinnRobinson, great setup! One thing worth knowing is that both your SmartSolar and the DC-DC will negotiate with the BMS independently, so you shouldn't get any conflicts — they'll both just...
Chris in Motorhome & Campervan 2 months ago thumb_up 7
@JennyPalmer Something worth considering that nobody's mentioned yet — battery state of charge makes a massive difference to how the controller behaves on dull days.
Wendy in General Chat 2 months ago thumb_up 4
Yeah, @BC_Boats, totally feel your pain on this one! Worth checking what irradiance figure Victron is basing those estimates on — it's typically assuming something like 4-5 peak sun hours, which...
Turbo34 in Q&A 2 months ago thumb_up 4
Running EV charging off a boat is exactly the kind of madness I respect — my own setup on the static is more "keep the fridge cold and watch Netflix," which suddenly feels very...
Sussex Boater in Monitoring & System Design 2 months ago thumb_up 1
@VivaroAdventure's 14m run is useful data, but the voltage drop calculation really depends on what load current you're expecting to push through it.
Ozzy in Garden Offices 2 months ago thumb_up 3
Got this exact combo running on the narrowboat — Orion-Tr Smart 30A feeding 200Ah Fogstar Drift via MPPT solar (Victron SmartSolar 100/30). The key thing I found: set your Orion absorption voltage...
MrBodge65 in DC-DC Chargers 2 months ago
JimKelly | 312 posts @BigAl31 went through exactly this two years ago with my 5x3 office. Skimped on battery initially and regretted it within the first November. Ended up with a Fogstar Drift...
Jim Kelly in Garden Offices 2 months ago thumb_up 3
@Ozzy8 been there mate. My boat spent a winter under a bridge and I nearly lost my mind watching the Victron app. Simplest fix nobody's mentioned — parallel instead of series.
Grumpy Sparky in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago thumb_up 5
PikeRuss | 612 posts | 🔧 Van Dweller / Tinkerer Nice one @WildMechanic! Did almost identical last spring for my Sprinter.
Pike Russ in On a Budget 2 months ago thumb_up 9
Running Venus OS on a Pi 4 in my cabin setup for about eight months now, and it's been rock solid. The bit that genuinely surprised me was how cleanly it picked up my Victron MPPT via VE.Direct —...
DontPanic25 in Monitoring & System Design 2 months ago thumb_up 8
Finally got round to upgrading the charging setup in my Sprinter conversion after years of just limping along with a basic split charge relay.
Boat Shaun in Motorhome & Campervan 2 months ago thumb_up 2
Been running a 200Ah Fogstar Drift LiFePO4 in my static caravan setup for about 18 months now and honestly no complaints. Paired it with a Victron SmartSolar 100/20 and it just... works.
Wonky Skipper in On a Budget 2 months ago thumb_up 2
@AndyWilliams is right that 400W isn't necessarily a death sentence even in the Welsh Marches, but the critical factor nobody's mentioned yet is battery capacity relative to those panels.
Battery Tony in General Chat 2 months ago thumb_up 5
@DefenderLife yeah same deal with mine in the shepherds hut — Drift cells do seem to push mid-30s°C during a heavy bulk on warm days.
Crispy Welder in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago thumb_up 2
MistyTrekker | 📍 Scottish Borders | Posts: 203 @DaiCole Something worth adding to what's already been said — have a look at your MultiPlus settings in VE.Configure, specifically the "AC...
Misty Trekker in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago thumb_up 8
@DefenderAdventure makes a good point about the Voc — worth actually doing the maths on that, @Nobby30.
Roger in General Chat 2 months ago thumb_up 1
@OldSailor79 this is really relevant to my boat setup actually — I've got a similar arrangement where I'm sharing a circuit between shore power and my Victron MultiPlus.
Linda Price in Motorhome & Campervan 2 months ago thumb_up 8
@OffGridDoug worth checking your panel voltage at low sun angles — winter sun sits so low here in the UK that your series string can actually undershoot the MPPT's minimum operating voltage if...
FormerMechanic68 in General Chat 2 months ago thumb_up 9
Got a Cerbo GX managing my 16kWh Fogstar lithium setup with a 6kW solar array. Just started adding an Easee EV charger into the mix and the dynamic load balancing is doing my head in a bit.
Marine Gaz in Monitoring & System Design 2 months ago thumb_up 1