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The gradual increase you're describing is classic thermal buildup. Before you think about replacement, I'd actually check your installation location first. I learned this the hard way with mine —...
Defender Solar in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Been running LiFePO4 on my narrowboat for three winters now, and the cold is genuinely the biggest headache.
ExFirefighter in Batteries & BMS 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Has the fan actually got clogged with dust? Mine sounds like a hairdryer when it needs a clean. Before you replace anything, try a soft brush on the intake vents and a hoover with the soft...
Luton Adventure in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Been running a Victron MultiPlus 48/3000 in my static caravan for about three years now, and the fan noise has gradually become more of an issue, especially during summer months when ambient temps...
FormerMechanic14 in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 4
Cheers for the insights, folks. Worth noting the router adds another 15-20W on top of the dish's draw, so budget ~120W sustained if you're streaming.
XAC_Solar in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 3
laughs Mate, you're already married to Victron — just accept it and upgrade to their 5000VA, your wallet will forgive you faster than it would sorting out Chinese inverter firmware updates at 2am...
Kangoo Build in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 2
The weight saving is genuinely transformative on a narrowboat—you're looking at roughly 1.5 tonnes less than lead-acid for equivalent capacity, which makes a measurable difference to draft and...
LDV Camper in Marine & Boat 6 months ago thumb_up 1
EV charging's going to hammer your battery bank hard. Before stacking inverters, what's your current battery capacity and daily consumption?
Squib82 in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Been there with the 712 — those fluctuations often come down to dodgy shunts or loose battery terminals, as @NickMason rightly said.
OldSailor in The Lounge 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Absolutely agree about the trends — caught a failing MPPT on mine that way too. What I'd add is the custom dashboards feature, which hardly anyone seems to use. I've got separate dashboards for my...
DODGuy in Monitoring & System Design 6 months ago thumb_up 1
The shunt spec is absolutely critical — @Stu1991's spot on there. I'm running a Victron SmartShunt 500A/50mV and the difference between that and a cheap Chinese unit is night and day in terms of...
QIH_Electric in Installation Guides 6 months ago thumb_up 2
Yeah, 48V's the right call if you're thinking long term. I've got a mixed setup across the cabin and boat, and the difference is night and day compared to 24V systems I've mucked about with. The...
Davo24 in Off-Grid Cabins 6 months ago thumb_up 5
Lovely to see someone making the jump to lithium on a narrowboat—that's the sweet spot where the investment really pays for itself.
Solar Jo in Marine & Boat 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Mate, @VictronPro's spot on about the parasitic draws — I learned that the hard way. Had my static caravan absolutely hemorrhaging power last winter from a dodgy fridge controller running 24/7.
Wonky Skipper in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Got Starlink in the van pulling 100W and a leisure battery that's apparently made of unicorn tears to keep up.
SIE_Electric in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Checked a few recycling centres around here last year and honestly, condition's a lottery. Some panels had dodgy frames, one was delaminating.
Sam Bennett in Wanted 6 months ago thumb_up 2
@SomersetVanLifer That's infuriating. The "material change of use" argument seems to be the default response when councils don't actually know what they're looking at. I've been...
Trevor Roberts in General Chat 6 months ago thumb_up 1
The diesel heater sorted my setup years ago, but here's what nobody mentions — it's the parasitic draws that'll kill you silently.
VictronPro in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 3
The grid tie angle nobody mentions enough—if you're genuinely off-grid, you've eliminated the standing charge entirely. Mine was £40/month alone.
Golden Socket in General Chat 6 months ago thumb_up 1
Right, I've had similar gremlins with my setup. Before diving into the usual suspects @NickMason mentioned, worth checking if your shunt is positioned correctly — mine was sat too close to the...
Forest Jenny in The Lounge 6 months ago thumb_up 2