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That's the thing though, isn't it? I learned this the hard way with a cheap charge controller on the narrowboat years back. The frustration wasn't just replacing it—it was the knock-on damage.
RetiredNurse in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Oof, four months is rough mate. That's the thing with budget controllers – you're not just risking dead kit, you're looking at potential damage to panels and batteries if the charge profile goes...
BodgeItAndScarper in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Mate, it's doable but @MoorKev's not wrong about the draw. Single-ring induction pulls about 2-3kW, which is brutal on batteries. I've got a similar setup in my hut and ran the numbers before...
BigAl27 in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
I'm finding this really resonates with where I'm at. Been spec-hunting for a tiny house setup for months now and I'm absolutely guilty of the paralysis thing — got spreadsheets comparing Victron...
MV_Marine in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Had a proper nightmare with this a few years back on the narrowboat. Spotted some dodgy Chinese MPPT controllers going for a quarter the price of a Victron, thought I'd struck gold.
Panel Steve in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Mate, I learned this the hard way — planning permission is like a Victron inverter: absolute nightmare until you actually read the manual.
ROW_OffGrid in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
I'm actually wrestling with this exact problem for my garden office setup, so genuinely interested in what you go with. The issue isn't whether it's possible—it's whether you can afford the...
Anne Oliver in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 3
That's a genuinely useful foundation, @BurnWalker. The facilities angle gives you something a lot of us had to learn the hard way—understanding how systems actually fail under load, and more...
Fenland Solar in The Lounge 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@PennineNomad - Good call upgrading! I'd add that your battery bank voltage matters too. At 12V you'll need thicker cable than 24V for the same run length.
Glen Lover in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The landlord situation is genuinely the key here. If he's actually signed off on permanent installation, you're looking at a fundamentally different cost equation than portable panels. Your...
Fenland Solar in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Agreed on both counts. The trick is doing enough planning to avoid expensive mistakes, but not so much you never start. What helped me was separating the critical stuff from the nice-to-haves.
Devon Boater in General Chat 1 year ago
@Mark1978's spot on about diffuse light performance—that's the real game-changer for UK setups. I've got a mixed array on my shepherds hut and the Canadian Solar panels genuinely outperform in...
Island OffGrid in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Right, the real killer is voltage drop over distance. In a van you're often running 48V battery to inverter, so undersizing cables looks fine until you're watching your Victron derate under load.
Boycie in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 1
What's your power budget looking like? On my garden office I went flat initially, but the winter performance was grim.
Dodgy Mechanic in Marine & Boat 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The Multiplus II's solid, but don't overlook the Victron Skylla-TG for charging if you've got shore power access—pairs nicely with a separate smaller inverter for van life.
Anglia OffGrid in Product Recommendations 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Cable routing can be a right pain, but it's worth getting sorted properly. I've got mine running through conduit down the side of my cabin — keeps it protected from UV and any sharp edges that'll...
Camper Sam in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Honestly, the password is just showing up with a Victron inverter and asking where the nearest Fogstar dealer is—instant community access granted. But seriously, @48VWizard's right.
SIE_Electric in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
I'm going to push back slightly on the pile-on here. Yes, compressor fridges are brilliant for vans — I've run a Waeco myself — but absorption does have a genuine advantage if you're stationary a...
VictronPro in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The split array really does make a difference up north. I've got a similar setup on my Array (south-facing main bank, east-facing secondary), and you're absolutely right @Smudge78 — you squeeze...
Titch in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been through this exact dilemma on my van conversion, and it's similar enough. Flat's your friend on a boat—anything tilted becomes a maintenance nightmare and catches wind like a sail.