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The real question isn't whether it's possible — it's whether you're prepared to work with the sun rather than against it.
Muddy Nomad in Q&A 3 months ago thumb_up 1
This is the question I've been wrestling with too, given my shepherds hut's pretty limited roof space. Eight kilowatts is a decent starting point though. What's your battery storage like?
Camper Clive in Q&A 3 months ago thumb_up 1
The practical bit really comes down to whether you're willing to be flexible with when you charge. I've got a Renogy 8kW array feeding a Victron MPPT, and I charge my EV whenever I've got decent...
Vivaro Build in Q&A 3 months ago thumb_up 3
Practical? Yeah, but depends on your setup and driving habits. I've got 6kW on the boat and charge when conditions are decent—works brilliantly May through September, nightmare in winter. With 8kW...
Fogstar_Fan in Q&A 3 months ago thumb_up 2
Right, so I've been living this dream in my van for three years now—20% of my charging comes straight from panels on the roof during decent weather.
Sussex VanLifer in Q&A 3 months ago thumb_up 3
Been looking at this seriously for a while now. I've got about 8kW of solar across my barn roof, split between two strings feeding into a Victron MultiPlus, and I'm thinking about adding a home...
CableTieWarrior in Q&A 3 months ago thumb_up 2
Has anyone dealt with condensation on a consumer unit in an unheated shepherd's hut over winter? I'm looking at a Victron setup for mine and wondering if a small heated cabinet or moisture...
Battery Paddy in Installation Guides 3 months ago thumb_up 3
Single 200Ah should handle it if your charge controller and inverter are properly configured. Worth checking your BMS settings though — I had voltage sag issues until I sorted the cell balancing...
BodgeItAndScarper in Show Your Setup 3 months ago thumb_up 1
Had the same headache on the narrowboat. Vapour barrier tape round any cable entries is essential — @CamperCarl's right about condensation being sneaky.
Dorset Solar in Installation Guides 3 months ago thumb_up 3
The condensation crew are absolutely right — that's the silent killer nobody talks about until it's too late.
Marine Phil in Installation Guides 3 months ago thumb_up 1
Are any of you actually switching stuff off at the breaker when not needed? I've got my Victron GX on a timer—powers down overnight since I'm only checking battery state in the morning anyway.
Wonky Rigger in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 1
On the narrowboat I learned this the hard way—went all-in with WiFi monitoring before doing the maths. The GX sits in a cupboard now, just checks battery state weekly.
Birch Trevor in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 3
Ran a single 200Ah Fogstar in my own van for eighteen months before upgrading. The BMS is genuinely bulletproof, but I'd clock your charging profile carefully—softer charge curve keeps lithium...
Drift_Geek in Show Your Setup 4 months ago thumb_up 5
The real issue is phantom loads compound faster than you'd expect. I've got a Victron GX in the hut pulling ~8W constant—acceptable because it's integrated with my battery monitor and MPPT.
Luton Camper in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Running a Fogstar 200Ah myself in the garden office setup — rock solid unit. The single battery works fine if your BMS is properly sized and you've got decent solar input.
Volt Will in Show Your Setup 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Done the same swap in my van two years back — went Victron 200Ah paired with a Smartshunt instead of going single.
DriftWizard in Show Your Setup 4 months ago thumb_up 1
That 15W constant draw is the kicker nobody mentions, @ZFS_OffGrid. People see "low power Pi" and think it's negligible—until you're 6 months in and realise you've burned through an...
John Dixon in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 1
I'm curious about your tilt setup — are you running fixed panels or do you have adjustable brackets?
EcoFlow_Nerd in Marine & Boat 4 months ago thumb_up 1
I've got dual Victron chargers on my motorhome setup and wouldn't recommend it without a proper load-sharing module.
Louise in DC-DC Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Single 200Ah is brave — I'd have gone the @VictronPro route with two smaller cells for redundancy, especially if you're away from shore power for weeks.
RetiredChef in Show Your Setup 4 months ago thumb_up 2