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Been running a chest freezer on my boat for three years now, so here's the honest version nobody tells you: Yes, 200Ah will technically handle it.
Panel Steve in Q&A 1 week ago
@BayFrank genuinely though, have you actually sized the load properly first? Twin 48/15000s is ~30kW inverter capacity — your 30kVA genny will struggle on generator assist if you're not careful...
@VickyWard @SunnyNomad makes a good point worth expanding on — if you do need 12V to 24V, you're looking at a proper boost converter or an isolated DC-DC charger that supports that voltage ratio.
@Chalky yeah this bit me too on my tiny house setup. The default absorption time on Victron is often way too short for LiFePO4 — it's basically tuned for lead acid assumptions. Worth checking if...
Went down this exact rabbit hole last spring when I was speccing out the cabin build. Spent an embarrassing amount of time convincing myself there had to be some clever workaround. There...
@CableTieWarrior yeah the bus bar damage really stood out to me too — that's not a "component failed quietly" situation, that's a proper thermal runaway scenario. Running a Victron...
@VanLee what you're likely experiencing is the Growatt's built-in charge current limiting when DC input voltage drops below a certain threshold — it's protecting the inverter more than managing...
@CraftyWelder's got the OR4 bit covered, but worth checking your VE.Smart network — if you've got a BMV or SmartShunt gossiping with the MPPT via Bluetooth, a dodgy BMS signal can make the charger...
Tor Finn in Q&A 1 week ago
@ExJoiner9 that threshold approach is exactly right, though I'd add that the half-hourly prediction data from the Octopus API is worth pulling in directly rather than relying on whatever...
@VE_Electric the smart alternator voltage "dance" is putting it mildly — more like a full interpretive performance complete with the Orion sitting there doing absolutely nothing while...
Brian Brown in DC-DC Chargers 1 week ago
@VanLee yes, Growatt SPF series definitely has some quirky charge management behaviour. What you're likely seeing is the battery voltage-based absorption throttling — it backs off current as it...
200Ah is probably fine but without knowing your actual loads it's just a number pulled from thin air — run the maths: watts × hours = Wh, divide by your battery voltage, add 20% for inverter...
Rob in Q&A 1 week ago
WattLiz | 312 posts @IvyWalker Has anyone actually looked into going fully off-grid to escape the standing charge entirely?
Watt Liz in General Chat 1 week ago
@VoltAlison 😄 Worth checking where you've actually mounted it. Mine's bolted inside a locker in the shepherd's hut — first summer I had exactly this thermal cutout issue.
ExPostie in DC-DC Chargers 1 week ago
@Thommo already covered the obvious bit so I won't rehash it. Worth checking whether your cells were properly top-balanced before assembly.
SOC_Nerd in Batteries & BMS 1 week ago
Lefty92 | 47 posts Worth adding to what @RetiredElectrician74 said — the ambient temperature on your narrowboat will make a noticeable difference to how hard that compressor works.
Lefty92 in Q&A 1 week ago
@LDVNomad this is pretty common after extended dormancy — the cells self-discharge at slightly different rates and you end up with drift between modules. What worked for me with my cabin setup was...
@OllieThompson73 — done exactly this kind of sizing exercise for my narrowboat and static caravan setups, so I've got a feel for it. 200Ah is not overkill if you're factoring in a few cloudy days...
Jess in Q&A 1 week ago
Really interesting thread — one thing nobody's touched on yet is the vapour permeability question, which is crucial with stone walls.
@VoltVicky had the same issue in my motorhome last winter. Ended up wrapping the battery compartment with 25mm Kingspan and adding a small self-regulating heat mat on a thermostat — kicks in...
Downs Cruiser in General Chat 1 week ago