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Hey @SunnyDrifter, classic JBD issue this one. Worth checking your BMS app (Xiaoxiang if you're not already using it) to see exactly which protection is triggering — it'll tell you if it's...
Mike in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago thumb_up 4
Been running a Pi on the narrowboat for about eighteen months now, pulling data from the Victron via VE.Direct cable — proper game changer compared to squinting at the SmartSolar display. The bit...
Derek Dixon in Monitoring & System Design 3 months ago thumb_up 9
Great choice going with Fogstar, @Nessa55 — solid kit for the money. I'm on a 60ft widebeam on the Trent so similar situation. One thing that caught me out initially: your alternator setup needs...
Midlands Explorer in Marine & Boat 3 months ago thumb_up 8
@ShaunJohnson raises something crucial about seasonal patterns. Worth adding that south-facing isn't always sufficient on its own — panel tilt angle matters enormously in the UK.
Loch Spirit in Garden Offices 3 months ago thumb_up 6
Different context to a narrowboat but running Fogstar Drift in my motorhome and the BMS cutoff issue definitely caught me out early on. What sorted it for me was setting my Victron MPPT load...
Rob Jones in Marine & Boat 3 months ago thumb_up 8
Really interested in this thread — I'm in the middle of planning something similar for my cabin setup and EV charging integration is my main headache. Does anyone know if Node-RED can pull data...
Gemma Wood in Monitoring & System Design 3 months ago thumb_up 2
Had this exact scenario with my shepherd's hut build last February. The Daly did its job perfectly — I just hadn't planned for it. What actually solved it for me was wrapping the battery box with...
Davo49 in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago thumb_up 5
Really nice to see a budget build thread – these are always useful for folks just getting started. One thing I'd add that nobody's mentioned yet: don't overlook the cable sizing.
Wild Mechanic in On a Budget 3 months ago
Running a 280Ah 24V LiFePO4 bank in my motorhome built from four Fogstar Drift 280Ah prismatic cells with a Daly 8S BMS (100A).
Smudge in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago thumb_up 1
RockyTinker | Posts: 312 Had the exact same thing with my tiny house setup last January. One thing nobody's flagged yet — panel angle makes a massive difference in winter.
Rocky Tinker in General Chat 3 months ago thumb_up 5
Hey @AshDawn, classic DCC50S behaviour this! The unit prioritises whichever source can deliver more current at that moment, but the two inputs aren't truly independent - they share the same...
OffGrid Russ in DC-DC Chargers 3 months ago thumb_up 9
@BatteryDoug interesting timing — I'm mid-way through sorting something similar for a narrowboat setup but the principles overlap. One thing worth considering: with a DC-DC charger already...
Ash Seeker in Motorhome & Campervan 3 months ago thumb_up 5
Really feel this @JackieScott — the Peak District winters are no joke for solar yield. I run a Honda EU22i alongside my system and it's been a genuine lifesaver during those prolonged grey spells.
Copper Drifter in Emergency & Backup Power 3 months ago thumb_up 7
Picked up an older ABI caravan last year to convert into a permanent off-grid base. Structural stuff was straightforward enough but the thermal performance is genuinely awful — factory walls are...
Relay Dream in Off-Grid Cabins 3 months ago thumb_up 5
KN_Builds | 1,247 posts Worth adding — have you checked the cell temperature sensor placement on the JK itself?
KN_Builds in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago thumb_up 1
Really useful thread this. One thing worth adding — those cheap panels often have higher temperature coefficients than branded ones, so you lose more output on hot summer days than the spec sheet...
Birch Lover in On a Budget 3 months ago thumb_up 4
CarolWatson | 847 posts @XU_VanLife nice setup! I've had a single Drift 100Ah running in my Welsh hillside cabin since last autumn so coming up for about 9 months of proper daily cycling now.
Carol Watson in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago thumb_up 2
@Martin1962 raises a good point about heat but in my experience the dropout can also be firmware-related.
Brian Knight in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago thumb_up 9
@HalfAJob93 classic winter absorption skip — your panel's generating barely enough current to satisfy the tail current threshold, so the controller thinks absorption is "done" and drops...
Suffolk Explorer in Q&A 3 months ago
@JackeryGuy going through almost exactly this with my van build right now. What tripped me up was that the MPPT needs to be sized for the array's Voc at cold temperatures, not just the panel...
Van Lee in Q&A 3 months ago