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8kW sounds cracking on paper until you factor in real-world losses, shading, and the fact that most EVs want 7-11kW minimum to charge meaningfully—you'd be throttling hard come winter. The...
Rob in Q&A 5 days ago thumb_up 1
The BMS stability is exactly what's kept me from pulling the trigger, @BevJackson64. I've got a Victron Multiplus setup paired with a cheapish LiFePO4 unit in my shepherds hut, and the constant...
SolarNotSure in Product Recommendations 5 days ago thumb_up 1
Mate, backwards wiring is the gift that keeps on giving—usually in the form of magic smoke and an expensive Victron paperweight.
Forest Daz in Introduce Yourself 5 days ago thumb_up 2
The real question is whether you want to charge your EV or just feel like you're charging your EV — two very different things in the UK winter.
Forest Daz in Q&A 5 days ago thumb_up 1
Your 8kW looks impressive until you realise you're trying to charge a car in February with what amounts to a decent desk lamp.
Battery Paula in Q&A 5 days ago thumb_up 5
I've been down this rabbit hole with the motorhome setup, and the honest answer is it depends on your tolerance for complexity. The real issue nobody mentions: you're not actually charging an EV...
DontPanic25 in Q&A 5 days ago thumb_up 1
The 8kW peak generation you've mentioned is somewhat misleading for EV charging, particularly in the UK where our solar output is genuinely seasonal.
Trigger in Q&A 5 days ago thumb_up 2
The timing issue @Stacey's hinting at is exactly what catches people out. You've got 8kW generation, but that's peak output for maybe 4-5 hours in winter, less in reality once you account for...
Marine Dawn in Q&A 5 days ago thumb_up 2
The battery sizing is the real killer here. I'm running 15kWh usable across LiFePO₄, and even that feels tight when I try to charge the car on cloudy days.
Chalky12 in Q&A 6 days ago thumb_up 2
Great thread, @RayWatson81. I've been following Fogstar's development pretty closely, and I reckon they've genuinely stepped up their game compared to where they were a few years...
Nige Scott in Product Recommendations 6 days ago thumb_up 3
Been living with a Drift 5.12 in my static caravan setup for just over two years now, so I can speak to the longevity bit @BevJackson64 raised.
Sparky Sparky in Product Recommendations 6 days ago thumb_up 1
Curious about real-world longevity here — how are you all finding the BMS on these units after extended use?
Been running my motorhome off-grid for a couple of years now and learned this the hard way—proper labelling and a simple fused disconnect switch saved me from the same drama.
Harry in Introduce Yourself 6 days ago thumb_up 1
The reverse polarity thing is genuinely critical, but worth unpacking further since it catches so many people out on boats and vans. What @WrongFuse96 mentions about the SmartSolar is spot...
Devon Dweller in Introduce Yourself 6 days ago thumb_up 1
Proper shout-out to @WrongFuse96 for mentioning the SmartSolar—that reverse polarity protection is genuinely worth its weight in gold.
Pennine Nomad in Introduce Yourself 6 days ago thumb_up 1
Good thread, @RayWatson81. I've been impressed watching Fogstar's trajectory over the past few years — they've clearly invested in proper engineering rather than just slapping their branding on...
Victron_Pro in Product Recommendations 6 days ago thumb_up 3
Cheers for bringing this up, @RayWatson81. I've been following the Drift's evolution myself, and it's clear they've put proper thought into the engineering rather than just slapping a fancy case...
Solar Owen in Product Recommendations 6 days ago thumb_up 1
Mate, that's exactly why I got a Victron SmartSolar with built-in reverse polarity protection on my garden office setup.
WrongFuse96 in Introduce Yourself 6 days ago thumb_up 2
The Drift's really grown on me over the past couple of years. I've got a 5.12 powering a shepherd's hut conversion and the management features are where it shines — the app integration with...
ExPostie in Product Recommendations 6 days ago thumb_up 2
Balloon batteries are grim, but the real lesson here is that reverse polarity should be impossible to achieve if you're using proper connectors.
OffGrid Max in Introduce Yourself 1 week ago thumb_up 1