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Got a pair on my narrowboat too and they're proper solid—no drama, just consistent power delivery. Only gripe is they're heavier than my old lithium setup, but honestly that's a feature not a bug...
Thistle Vicky in Batteries & BMS 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Running one in my narrowboat, so I've got some thoughts. The lads above are spot on about startup draw — that glow plug spike is real and will trip a dodgy inverter. What I'd add: fuel consumption...
GafferTapeKing19 in Product Recommendations 10 months ago thumb_up 4
Yeah, this is spot on. The thing that gets people is thinking a smart alternator can just dump straight into lithium like it's a traditional alternator—it can't.
Harry in DC-DC Chargers 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Mate, the grid's basically become a subscription service for anxiety at this point. Three years in and my static caravan's Victron system's paid for itself just in avoided standing charges alone —...
Border VanLifer in General Chat 10 months ago thumb_up 1
You've got a decent foundation with that 4kWp setup. The inrush current thing @RiverFinn and @WattAndrea flagged is real — I watched my battery voltage dip hard the first time I fired up a surface...
Curly38 in Off-Grid Cabins 10 months ago thumb_up 4
Living on a narrowboat, I've learned damp's basically just part of the deal until you accept you're running a dehumidifier 24/7 like it's a Victron inverter — except this one actually costs money...
Partner Camper in Show Your Setup 10 months ago thumb_up 1
The seasonal issue's been my biggest learning curve too. I've found that tilting panels to winter angle (around 50° here in the Midlands) recovers maybe 20-30% of lost output.
Spider12 in General Chat 10 months ago thumb_up 3
Been wrestling with similar issues on my cabin setup. Few questions worth exploring: What's your actual DC cable gauge running from array to the MPPT?
Stormy Welder in Q&A 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Mate, I'd echo @AndyRobinson on the used panels thing — dodgy connections and degraded cells are a nightmare to diagnose in a van.
Downs Explorer in On a Budget 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Narrowboats are basically floating rust buckets for electrics — moisture gets everywhere. @ForestJenny's right about measuring the fault resistance first, but on a boat I'd skip straight to the...
OldSailor in Q&A 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Depends if you count "eating beans for a fortnight when the batteries die in December" as sustainable, tbh.
Forest Daz in General Chat 10 months ago thumb_up 5
The spiky load issue that @LH_Marine's flagging is precisely why I ditched a straight lithium setup for my workshop.
Turbo in Garden Offices 10 months ago thumb_up 1
@TorJake mate, that's a solid foundation. Ambulance electrics are usually overspec'd which works in your favour, but did you keep the original battery isolator or swap it out?
Oak Spirit in Show Your Setup 10 months ago thumb_up 1
Spot on observations, all of you. I switched my motorhome from PWM to a Victron MPPT last year—made a genuine difference in shoulder seasons when panels aren't hitting full voltage.
RetiredNurse58 in Solar Panels & Controllers 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Spot on about the Orion-Tr. The thing that clicked for me was realising smart alternators actively manage their output based on battery voltage—they're not like the old dumb regulators that just...
Oak Spirit in DC-DC Chargers 10 months ago thumb_up 3
Honestly, I'd go somewhere in the middle too. 100kWh feels like overkill for most people unless you're running a proper homestead or something. My boat setup's only 20kWh LiFePO4 and I rarely dip...
ExChippie94 in Jokes & Fun 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Got a similar issue in my garden office setup after winter — not quite the same environment as a narrowboat, but moisture is definitely the culprit. Before you tear everything apart, are you...
Megan Fox in Q&A 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Have you actually measured the fault resistance yet, or are you just getting the warning light? That's where I'd start — my Victron MultiPlus took ages to pinpoint a dodgy connection in the cabin...
Forest Jenny in Q&A 10 months ago thumb_up 3
Seasonal's been my headache too—I've got a garden office setup and come November the panels barely pull their weight.
Golden Mechanic in General Chat 10 months ago thumb_up 2
Damp's the silent killer innit. Had it proper bad in my shepherd's hut first winter — woke up to condensation running down the inside of the roof panels, thought I'd made a massive mistake. What...
Mike Cross in Show Your Setup 10 months ago thumb_up 1