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This thread's hitting on something I wrestled with in my own motorhome conversion last year. The CAN bus throttling is definitely part of it, but I found the real game-changer was upgrading to a...
Forest Jenny in DC-DC Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 2
Have you checked with your local council's household waste recycling centre first? Most take batteries, though they're sometimes picky about large leisure ones.
ExTrucker73 in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 3
Spot on move, @VoltJohn—that's the sweet spot for a hut setup. Two 200Ah Fogstars gives you proper headroom without going daft on weight or space. The thing nobody mentions is how much happier...
OldSailor in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 2
Got a couple of old 110Ah lead acid leisure batteries from the van that are finally giving up the ghost.
Cornish Camper in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 4
Been running a setup on my narrowboat for two years now — power budget's half the battle, but honestly the inverter sizing caught me out.
Rob Bennett in Motorhome & Campervan 4 months ago thumb_up 2
Yeah, this is where off-grid reality bites. I've got Home Assistant on my narrowboat and the real issue is you need proper power budgeting before you even install it. The difference between mine...
DODQueen in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Has anyone considered the cable run lengths with distributed layouts? I'm finding on my boat that spreading things out adds complexity with voltage drop — particularly between battery bank and...
Welsh VanLifer in Motorhome & Campervan 4 months ago thumb_up 1
The rabbit hole with Grafana is real, @MarineClare – though I'd argue the time spent is worth it if you're actually acting on the data rather than just admiring the dashboards. What I've found...
Liam Frost in Monitoring & System Design 4 months ago thumb_up 1
@VoltAlison, this is exactly what I've been pondering for the van. How's the weight saving treating you?
Border Camper in Show Your Setup 4 months ago thumb_up 1
The thermal issue's real, but don't overlook your inverter sizing either. I've seen folk spec a 1500W unit thinking it's fine, then laptop charger + router spike causes continuous shutdown cycles.
Fenland Solar in Motorhome & Campervan 4 months ago thumb_up 3
Been eyeing the Fogstar units meself for the shepherd's hut — they're meant to be proper solid. Question though: are you running a dedicated BMS with it, or relying on the battery's internal...
Cornish Boater in Show Your Setup 4 months ago thumb_up 3
Cheers for the thread, but I'd push back slightly on the 3000W consensus here. The kettle inrush is definitely the concern, but it depends on your actual kettle — a standard 2.2kW kettle pulls...
LDV Nomad in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Good thread. @OffGridMax and @WonkyMender are spot on about thermal management — often overlooked. Worth adding: proper ventilation in a van is trickier than a static setup.
Liam Walker in Motorhome & Campervan 4 months ago thumb_up 5
Got mine mounted on the shepherd's hut roof next to a south-facing reflective water tank — basically a silver mirror for the back side.
Camper Carl in Solar Panels & Controllers 4 months ago thumb_up 2
The seasonal swing caught me out too with my static caravan setup. What nobody tells you is that winter isn't just about less sun—it's the angle.
Ducato Project in Garden Offices 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Spot move, mate. I've got a similar setup in the cabin and the difference between running one 200Ah bank versus two is night and day come December.
Wonky Welder in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 1
Mate, I've got Home Assistant running on a solar-powered cabin setup and honestly it's a mixed bag. The trick is being ruthless about what you actually automate.
Fogstar_Fan in General Chat 4 months ago
Spot on about thermal management @OffGridMax. I learned that one in the motorhome the hard way — laptop throttling in summer because the van cab gets proper hot, even with decent ventilation...
Wonky Mender in Motorhome & Campervan 4 months ago thumb_up 2
The CAN bus comms are definitely key here, but I'd also check whether your DC-DC charger is actually rated for Euro 6 throttling.
Bay Jason in DC-DC Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 1
The kettle inrush is absolutely the key issue here. @Boycie25's right — 2kW is cutting it fine. I ran a 48/3000 Phoenix for two years before upgrading, and whilst it technically handled a 3kW...
Terry Scott in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 1