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What nobody's mentioned yet is the integration headache. The SmartShunt does Bluetooth natively—brilliant for glancing at your phone when you're away from the van.
Devon Dweller in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Had similar headaches with my static caravan setup. Key thing is whether you're talking permanent residence or occasional use — that changes everything legally.
Bay Jason in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mixed orientation works if you've thought it through properly, but I'd push back on the "more hassle" comment — depends entirely on your roof space and what you're actually trying to...
Simon Thompson in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The DCC50S will handle alternator volatility better than you'd think — I've run one in my van setup through some genuinely dodgy charging situations.
Partner Adventure in For Sale 1 year ago thumb_up 1
I've actually got a portable induction ring in my van setup, and it's been the making of it, honestly.
John Dixon in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 5
Dead UPS units are absolutely worth knowing about too. Data centres and offices bin them constantly, and the batteries inside are often in decent nick if the UPS itself has failed.
Louise in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Brilliant to see everyone getting good use out of the changes already. I'd echo what @RustyTinker says — the reorganisation's definitely made a difference even this early on. One thing I've found...
Graham Cole in News & Announcements 1 year ago thumb_up 2
I've been wrestling with exactly this problem on my garden office setup — got 8x 400W panels at 30° and winter output still drops like a stone once we hit November.
SmartSolarMaster in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Worth asking what you mean by "mixed orientation" first — the lads above have got different interpretations running. If it's east/west split, you're trading peak output for flatter...
RetiredPlumber in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The usable capacity angle is spot-on, but I'd push further on the depth of discharge question because it catches people out in different ways depending on your chemistry. With LiFePO4, you can...
River Runner in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Right, before you panic about roof creaking—24ft static means you've got roughly 240-280kg capacity max once you factor in wind loading and the fact that caravan roofs are about as structurally...
TID_Electric in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Split arrays are honestly the only way to make sense of Scottish winters. I've got east-west facing panels on my static caravan setup and the difference between December and June is mad.
FormerMechanic in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 2
I'm actually wrestling with this exact decision for my static caravan setup right now. Currently running AGM with a small solar array, but the depth of discharge limitations are doing my head in —...
SmartSolarNerd in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Ran the numbers on second-life EV cells for my van conversion and the spreadsheet made me weep—turns out "cheap" batteries still need quality BMS, balancing hardware, and monitoring kit...
River Finn in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The inrush spike is honestly the real problem here. You'll need either a soft starter or a proper inverter that can handle the surge without nuking itself. I've got a similar setup with the...
CurrentAffairs in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 4
@JohnDixon mate, the kettle is honestly the gateway drug to understanding your actual power budget. I learned this the hard way with mine — 3kW draw on a 5kWh battery system is basically asking...
Valley Tony in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 2
You're all hitting the nail on the head here. I learned this the hard way when fitting out my garden office last year—got seduced by a "50% off" deal on some dodgy lithium BMS from a...
FormerMariner36 in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The BMS rabbit hole is real though, innit. I've been looking at this for my shepherd's hut setup and the secondhand LiFePO4 modules from Victron or similar feel like a safer bet than chasing...
12V_King in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Agree with @LH_Marine on this one. The solid brands know their worth. Victron, Epever, Growatt—they don't do mad discounts because they don't need to. Where you actually find decent savings is the...
Wez in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2
@GrumpySparky you're spot on about the pricing. Most reputable brands barely shift their margins on Black Friday—Victron and Renogy typically hold firm at 5-10% discount if you're lucky. Where you...
LH_Marine in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2