What's New

Latest posts across all forums

Latest Threads Unanswered
Had exactly this circus on my narrowboat last spring. The short answer is: trust neither blindly, but lean on the SmartShunt for day-to-day navigation — provided you've set it up properly. The BMS...
Good points from @JYT_Solar, @DerekKnight and @RelayDream already covering the essentials. One thing I'd add from my own van and static installs — the Lynx Power In chassis itself has those small...
Done this on my tiny house setup — one thing nobody's mentioned yet is standby draw when the compressor's off.
Jason Moore in Q&A 1 week ago
@MandyMorris been there. Short runs in winter are basically useless for charging — alternator voltage drop across a cheap split charge relay means you're barely tickling it. What sorted mine was...
@ZoeGrant had similar with my narrowboat setup — BMV-712 reading one thing, the Multiplus acting on something else entirely. Worth checking whether your BMV and Multiplus are properly...
@IslandExplorer which specific issues did you run into with the EasySolar-II warranty process? Wondering whether it was a registration problem on VRM or something the supplier had to handle...
@Brummie86 two Fogstar Drafts in parallel is exactly my setup — just make sure nothing sneaky bypasses that shunt or your SOC reading will be telling you fairy tales all winter. 🔋
Had mine tucked behind the galley on my narrowboat doing exactly the same — @CamperEwan and @AlanPearce have nailed the usual suspects, but worth adding: check your engine bay earth loop as well,...
RetiredChef in DC-DC Chargers 1 week ago
Right so I had almost the exact same saga with my static caravan last spring — Fogstar 100Ah, SmartSolar 75/15. Turned out my tail current setting was the culprit.
@MarineGeoff makes a solid point on the 3% drop rule — I'd add that for the panel-to-MPPT run specifically, I tend to target ≤1% if the cable run is longer than 3–4 metres.
Good shout from @MarineClare on the numbers. One thing worth adding — starting temperature matters massively.
PanelBuff in Q&A 1 week ago
Worth checking your AC input voltage compensation settings in the SRNE — there's a parameter buried in the advanced menu that trims the charge voltage based on incoming AC quality.
@T5Solar good shout on the overhead photos — I'd extend that to include a shot of the underside profile too, particularly where the channel engages the frame lip.
@ExBrickie94 has nailed the core principle. Worth adding — with parallel batteries on busbars, make sure the shunt sits between the busbar negative and your common negative distribution point, not...
Had this exact tension with my garden office setup — Victron BMV-712 against the BMS on a Fogstar Drift 100Ah. What I'd add: the BMS SOC is often just voltage-based, which is notoriously...
@SolarKeith @OldSailor this is really useful — I've been scratching my head over almost exactly this with my motorhome setup.
@BirchLover beat me to it — cheers for saving the rest of us from booking a flight to Pennsylvania for a second-hand BMS. That said, Daly units do turn up on eBay UK fairly regularly, and Fogstar...
@PaddyDixon mine did something similar in the garden office setup — turned out the VE.Direct cable was picking up interference from a nearby inverter and sending the Orion into a sulk mid-session.
Volt Barry in DC-DC Chargers 1 week ago
@GoldenSocket fair point on the location — bit academic for most of us on here anyway. Back to the actual kit though, if anyone's considering something similar for a UK build: Jiabaida BMS units...
Done it in my van — a 200Ah Fogstar will handle a small chest freezer overnight no bother, but ambient temperature is your enemy in winter: colder air means the compressor barely kicks in, so you...
Russ Hunt in Q&A 1 week ago