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Yeah, the weight difference caught me off guard when I switched. Flexibles on my motorhome roof barely register, but they do degrade faster in direct sun — mine are noticeably less efficient after...
Fiona in Solar Panels & Controllers 4 months ago thumb_up 5
Insulation's great until you realise you've thermally wrapped a tin can and still need to heat it in January—diesel heater wins every time on the maths.
Dodgy Socket in Motorhome & Campervan 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Two years is the sweet spot, mate. You've watched enough seasonal cycles to see which setups actually perform versus which ones look good in January and fail come November.
Van Gill in Introduce Yourself 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Have you considered splitting into two strings of two panels each? That way a shaded panel only tanks 50% output rather than the whole lot. Bit more wiring but the Victron can handle dual inputs.
Russ Scott in Solar Panels & Controllers 4 months ago thumb_up 1
The constraint here is real, but it's doable if you're honest about load expectations. I've run a similar setup on my shepherds hut before upgrading. 100W rigid panel (Fogstar or Renogy) gets you...
SolarJunkie in On a Budget 4 months ago thumb_up 1
The EV charging element changes the calculus here. That's sustained, high-current draw — not like running a kettle for 10 minutes.
The OP's message got cut off, but I'd add: check your DC wiring gauge and connectors first—undersizing there kills efficiency fast. Also, what's your array voltage hitting?
Yorkshire VanLifer in Q&A 4 months ago thumb_up 4
@OffGridFreak, I'd push back gently on the cheap Chinese route, especially with EV charging in the mix.
Oak Tom in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Your Fogstar will absolutely refuse to play ball below freezing—that BMS lockout is there because lithium plating is basically the battery equivalent of a bad divorce, expensive and messy.
Bay Soul in Q&A 4 months ago thumb_up 1
I've been down this road in the van conversion. Thought I'd save a grand by going cheap, ended up replacing the thing twice in four years.
Running both types across my motorhome and tiny house, and honestly it comes down to your actual setup rather than blanket "one's better" claims. The efficiency gap is real though —...
OffGrid Max in Solar Panels & Controllers 4 months ago thumb_up 3
@Nobby, you'll notice the difference straightaway compared to AGM—the usable capacity is genuinely reliable, and you won't be faffing about with water top-ups.
Dale Seeker in Batteries & BMS 5 months ago thumb_up 1
The sentence cuts off mate, but if you're consistently undershooting even accounting for the 150/60's limits, check your string voltage—if it's sagging below the MPPTs operating window, you'll...
Kev Watson in Q&A 5 months ago thumb_up 4
Worth noting the angle of incidence factor that doesn't get mentioned often enough. Rigid panels on a static caravan or garden office are brilliant because you can angle them properly toward...
The PSU efficiency angle is worth digging into properly. I've got Starlink feeding my garden office setup and I measured actual wall draw with a Victron Energy Monitor rather than relying on...
Andy Robinson in Motorhome & Campervan 5 months ago thumb_up 1
Got one powering my emergency backup array too. The MPPT algorithm is genuinely clever — pulls more juice from cloudy days than my old PWM ever did.
Cliff Gazer in Solar Panels & Controllers 5 months ago thumb_up 2
Running one on the van conversion and can't fault it either. Three years in now and it's handled everything — wet Scottish highlands, dusty sites, the lot.
Van Anne in Solar Panels & Controllers 5 months ago thumb_up 1
The real question is whether you're actually drawing 200Ah or if undersizing your charger is the bottleneck.
Dodgy Roamer in Product Recommendations 5 months ago thumb_up 1
The startup surge is real, but if you've got decent lithium like yours, a properly sized diesel heater won't tank your voltage.
John Baker in Product Recommendations 5 months ago thumb_up 1
The payback window's genuinely compressed now, but nobody talks about the hidden costs properly. I've got a hybrid setup across two boats and a cabin, and the maths work if you're realistic about...
Boycie25 in General Chat 5 months ago thumb_up 1