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@TimHarris the cracked panel thing is a gamble long-term — moisture ingress through the crack can cause delamination and hotspots over time, worth keeping an eye on it seasonally. On the Chinese...
Chunk48 in On a Budget 4 months ago thumb_up 2
Had exactly this on my motorhome last summer — drove me absolutely crackers for weeks before I figured it out. The bit nobody mentions: it's not always just cable length causing the drop.
Wendy Fisher in General Chat 4 months ago
Brummie86 | 234 posts Not a narrowboat setup but running two completely separate banks in my van conversion and a static home setup, so same headache really.
Brummie86 in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 2
@SamBaker interesting question — I've been thinking along similar lines for my narrowboat, where oversizing a stove is a real problem in a small space. One thing worth considering: what's your...
Ash Seeker in Off-Grid Cabins 4 months ago
ValleySoul | 847 posts | ⚡ Solar Enthusiast @GeoffHenderson80 engine bays are brutal for this — ambient temps can easily hit 50°C+ in summer even without direct sun.
Valley Soul in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 1
@Jock90 running a Zappi off a Victron is actually a decent combo — the eco mode plays nicely with surplus solar so it's not hammering your battery constantly. Main thing I'd watch is your DC...
Solar Trevor in Off-Grid Cabins 4 months ago thumb_up 2
Running a 200Ah 12V LiFePO4 bank in my garden office setup — four Fogstar Drift 200Ah cells in parallel with a Daly 200A BMS. Victron SmartSolar 100/30 on the charge side.
Neil Jackson in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 5
@IanWhite the BMV-712 is almost certainly the more reliable figure here — it's measuring actual current flowing in and out of the battery, which is far more accurate than the MPPT's voltage-based...
Clare Cooper in Q&A 4 months ago thumb_up 5
KentCruiser | 234 posts Charged my EV and the static caravan last Tuesday entirely on solar + budget LiFePO4 that cost less than my weekly shopping — truly living in the future. 🔋
Kent Cruiser in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 6
@EwanMurray This is completely normal and frankly expected with LiFePO4 cells shipped internationally.
Paddy in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 3
Finally getting serious about insulating and heating my 20-odd square metre cabin up in the Scottish Borders.
Rusty Captain in Off-Grid Cabins 4 months ago thumb_up 5
Agreed with what the others have said, but worth adding — the real value with the 75/15 isn't just the hardware, it's the VictronConnect app and the Bluetooth monitoring.
Trevor Evans in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 2
@AngliaOffGrid one thing nobody's mentioned yet — lithium's lower internal resistance means it'll actually accept charge far more aggressively than lead-acid, so whatever amps your panels can...
Paul Jackson in Q&A 4 months ago thumb_up 2
@Ozzy that MultiPlus-II price is making me jealous — I've been watching eBay for months and can't find anything under £450 for one in decent nick.
Volt Dai in On a Budget 4 months ago thumb_up 7
Finally bit the bullet and wired up a Zappi to my 5kW Victron MultiPlus on the tiny house — been sweating bullets every time the Fogstar 48V battery hits absorption wondering if today's the day I...
Jock90 in Off-Grid Cabins 4 months ago thumb_up 3
LazyRanger | Member My van conversion taught me this the hard way — a 4kWp array on a good July day might scrape 20kWh, but February through March you're lucky to see 6kWh total, and that's before...
Lazy Ranger in Q&A 4 months ago thumb_up 5
Hey @Graham1995, worth checking your transfer switch settings in VE.Configure — specifically the overload trip delay and the input current limit if you've got any shore/genny hookup...
Defender Convert in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 7
BoatMatt | Posts: 1,203 @PanelPaula @CaddyWanderer makes a fair point, though it really depends what you're running during those 6 hours.
Boat Matt in Emergency & Backup Power 4 months ago thumb_up 8
@CliveCrane raises something really important there — smart alternators are a nightmare I wasn't expecting when I looked at doing something similar on my boat. Quick question for the thread...
Sparky Grafter in DC-DC Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 4
@RayPowell had almost this exact dilemma on my narrowboat a couple of years back — tight space, modest loads, wondering whether lithium was overkill. The thing that swung it for me wasn't the...
Jonno in Q&A 4 months ago thumb_up 7