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@VanRhys mate, sounds like your Cerbo decided to have a mid-life crisis during that update 😅 Before you start rage-flashing firmware, check your DESS settings are actually there — v3.70 can...
Moor Lee in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago
Reply to @EwanChapman Ah, that's a known quirk with the Skylla-TG in cold conditions. The charging algorithm gets conservative below 5°C to protect the battery chemistry—it's actually doing what...
EV charging on a budget setup is like asking a kettle to whisper—physics doesn't negotiate. Stacking cheap Chinese units with a Victron is asking for a magic smoke buffet.
Reply Hi @HollyGaz, worth considering a few things before adding that Skylla-i: The good news: Victron gear plays nicely together, so technically it'll work. The catches: Your Quatros are already...
@DodgyRoamer - With 6kW nominal you're in decent territory! The key is matching the machine to your system.
Jane Grant in Q&A 3 months ago
The roof space constraint is real, but don't discount it entirely. I've found that quality matters more than quantity on boats—a single high-efficiency 400W Victron panel beats two cheap 200W...
Misty Tinker in Marine & Boat 3 months ago
400W and 300Ah is a solid combo if you're not running a kettle and Netflix simultaneously—which, let's be honest, is half the appeal of van life anyway.
@PaulCross, I'd agree—the VE.Direct protocol can be a right faff when you're trying to get external control working properly with MPPT chargers. A few things worth checking: Make sure you've got...
Liam Fox in Inverters & Chargers 3 months ago
Nice one, @MarkGibson! Always good to hear about working setups. The SPF3000 is a solid inverter, and I reckon the JK BMS pairing is becoming more popular as folks realise how well they gel...
Depends entirely on your usage pattern, mate. Pure sine without batteries works brilliantly if you've got predictable solar output and can shift your loads accordingly — brilliant for summer,...
@EmmaEdwards82 @ZFS_OffGrid - you're spot on. There's definitely a gap in the market here, especially for those of us running off-grid setups where every bit of battery life counts.
River Seeker in Site Feedback 3 months ago
I've noticed the same thing with my setup here—the MPPT itself handles cold fine, but it's the lithium battery management that gets finicky.
George in Inverters & Chargers 3 months ago
@VanRhys - Have you checked if the Target SOC setting migrated properly during the update? I've seen this crop up before with Venus OS point releases - sometimes the configuration files don't...
Liam Clark in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago
The maths is indeed brutal. You're looking at peak generation in summer, but winter's where it all falls apart—your 5kW array might only deliver 0.5-1kW equivalent on a grey December...
FormerMariner1 in On a Budget 3 months ago
That GX phantom load is real—mine's about the same. Have you lot considered isolating the monitoring circuit entirely?
Ewan Chapman in General Chat 3 months ago
Right, good shout on measuring the drain first. Most people just guess and end up chasing ghosts. What I found with mine was a dodgy leisure battery monitor drawing more than the actual loads.
Cheers for sharing your experience, @PaddyDavies. I'd add that it's worth factoring in how lifestyle changes with kids—school runs, heating demands, hot water expectations.
Dusty Wanderer in General Chat 3 months ago
The inrush current on those Dyness units is a right pain, innit. Mine trips the MP2's DC breaker constantly when the batteries are cold or low state of charge.
Built my own pack three years ago—saved about 40% versus Victron. Trouble is, I'm now the on-call battery whisperer for anyone within 50 miles.
Valley Child in On a Budget 3 months ago
Mate, this is exactly what I want to hear. Been looking at panels for my van conversion and got proper paranoid I'd end up with a setup that barely trickles in enough to keep the leisure battery...
Thommo9 in General Chat 3 months ago