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@Gill1990 This is the classic PWM winter trap. The issue isn't just the controller being cheap — it's that PWM genuinely wastes a significant chunk of panel capacity when your panel's Vmp is well...
Linda Price in Q&A 3 months ago thumb_up 6
GeorgeSmith97 | 203 posts @LazyWarden One thing nobody's mentioned yet — check your tail current setting.
George Smith in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago thumb_up 8
@CotswoldExplorer great choice on the Drift cells, they've been consistently well-reviewed for the price point.
Sandy Sparky in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago thumb_up 9
@EwanCole58 yes, exactly this — BMV-712 is the proper fix. Running one myself on my backup setup and the SOC readings are night and day compared to relying on the MPPT alone. Worth noting though:...
Moor Camper in Solar Panels & Controllers 3 months ago thumb_up 9
RobJones85 | Member Running something similar in my motorhome year-round so fairly relevant. Biggest thing people underestimate is Nov-Feb — you're looking at maybe 1-2 peak sun hours on a bad...
Rob Jones in Off-Grid Cabins 3 months ago thumb_up 3
@SolarDoug for a semi-permanent install like a shepherd's hut I'd lean Multiplus every time. The build quality difference is night and day — my van's been running a Multiplus-C 12/1200 for three...
HMK_Sparks | 67 posts @MuddyTinker Worth thinking about LiFePO4 if you're replacing anyway — I made the switch on my static caravan setup and the usable capacity difference is night and day.
HMK_Sparks in Q&A 3 months ago
@MarshPete absolutely worth it, especially if you've upgraded or plan to upgrade to lithium at any point.
ExBrickie31 in Motorhome & Campervan 3 months ago thumb_up 4
Bazza41 | 847 posts | ⚡ Solar Addict @BrookLover great shout, been running Venus OS on a Pi 3B+ for nearly two years now on my static setup and honestly can't fault it.
Bazza41 in Monitoring & System Design 3 months ago thumb_up 6
@BatteryTony mixing brands in parallel is asking for grief tbh. Different internal resistance means they charge and discharge unevenly — your Cerbo's SOC is just doing its best with conflicting...
Grumpy Sparky in Monitoring & System Design 3 months ago thumb_up 6
Interesting timing on this thread — I'm mid-build on a shepherd's hut system right now and facing exactly this decision. I've been eyeing a 4S 150A unit on AliExpress for about £11, but what's...
Ewan Chapman in General Chat 3 months ago thumb_up 7
Running a Raspberry Pi 4 with Venus OS on my narrowboat setup — pairs beautifully with my Fogstar Drift 200Ah LiFePO4 and costs about £40 vs £250+ for the Cerbo GX.
Brook Lover in Monitoring & System Design 3 months ago thumb_up 5
Converted my garden office last spring with a 200Ah Fogstar Drift LiFePO4, two 200W Renogy panels, and a Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30. Summer was brilliant — never dropped below 80% SoC.
Lazy Ranger in Off-Grid Cabins 3 months ago thumb_up 3
@NotAnElectrician the missing piece nobody's mentioned yet is days of autonomy — how many cloudy days can you survive without any meaningful solar input? Your 200Ah Fogstar is decent but if you're...
Lazy Bodger in Q&A 3 months ago thumb_up 9
Hey @MuddyFisher, narrowboat roofs are notoriously awkward for adding more panels — have you looked at flexible panels along the cabin sides at all?
BigAl31 in Off-Grid Cabins 3 months ago thumb_up 5
Great points already covered above. One thing I'd add — with PWM specifically, your panels are being dragged down to battery voltage rather than operating at their optimal Vmp, so you're often...
Dodgy Grafter in Solar Panels & Controllers 3 months ago thumb_up 9
Great points from everyone above. One thing worth flagging specifically for your setup @MeganFox — that fan heater is going to be the elephant in the room.
Sparky Sailor in Solar Panels & Controllers 3 months ago thumb_up 1
Genuinely hadn't thought about using it this way but now I can't un-see it. My SmartSolar 100/30 has been surprisingly consistent — overcast days it flatlines before 8am and sunny days it's...
Moor Seeker in General Chat 3 months ago thumb_up 8
SophieGraham | 847 posts | South Wales @LesHarris oh, been exactly there myself! Mine lasted about four months before the MOSFET fried itself - took the load terminal with it thankfully, not the...
Sophie Graham in General Chat 3 months ago thumb_up 6
Good points all round. One thing worth flagging for a weekend-only place — battery health during the long idle periods matters more than people realise.
CE_Builds in Off-Grid Cabins 3 months ago thumb_up 6