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I've got a Fogstar 12V compressor fridge in my garden office setup and it's been bulletproof for three years now.
Loch Spirit in Product Recommendations 1 year ago thumb_up 1
£500? You've either found some dodgy warehouse stock or you're running on fumes and optimism — possibly both, which I respect immensely. Real talk though: what's the actual battery capacity hiding...
RetiredChef in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 4
I've had a Waeco CF35 running off my boat setup for near on five years now—barely a hiccup. Dead reliable, but you're absolutely right about the premium.
Callum Hobbs in Product Recommendations 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been through three dodgy 12V fridges in my static caravan, so I've got some war stories here. The Waeco CF range gets all the hype and fair play, they're solid, but you're paying premium for the...
Forest Daz in Product Recommendations 1 year ago thumb_up 8
Resting voltage tells you nowt if you've just been hammering it — need a proper 24-hour soak minimum.
OldSailor in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Right, this is something I've had to dial in properly for my static caravan setup, so worth sharing what actually works. Resting voltage first Switch everything off and leave the battery alone for...
WhatsAFuse65 in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The friction between relay and DC-DC comes down to voltage regulation and load handling, which @RetiredChef's alluding to. A split relay is essentially dumb—it just switches at a threshold...
Daily Solar in DC-DC Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Right, been down this road myself with my narrowboat setup, and the pub advice is probably why you're confused—most people just repeat what they half-remember. The real issue nobody's mentioned...
Tor Jake in Q&A 1 year ago
Mate, I went through this exact dilemma with my van conversion two years back. Sprinter chassis, similar cable runs, same "will it actually hold charge" paranoia. Landed on 24V and...
Midge in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago
The degradation angle @QuietTrekker mentions is spot on, but honestly the bigger issue is knowing the installation history.
CableTieWarrior in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The inrush current is the killer most people overlook. Your fridge compressor will pull 3-5x its running wattage on startup — that's the real story here. I went down this road with a shepherd's...
Tor Jake in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
I've got a 150/35 on my narrowboat and the ventilation point is dead right — though worth noting the space constraints are tighter on a boat than most setups.
MSW is brilliant until you plug in literally anything with a motor or transformer — then it sounds like you're running a blender in a wind tunnel.
Glen Simon in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
I've got both actually — a DIY box in the narrowboat and a Bluetti portable for the motorhome when I'm away from shore power.
Forest Jenny in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The constraints conversation is spot on. I've learned more about what actually works living in my van conversion than I ever did reading spec sheets. My setup's modest—5kW Victron system, lithium...
Andy Butler in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The DIY route's definitely worth it if you've got the space and don't mind tinkering. Your 200Ah setup sounds solid for a narrowboat. Thing is, portables have their place though — I keep a smaller...
Birch Lover in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Portable stations are convenient but you're paying a premium for the box they come in, tbh. Your DIY setup is miles ahead if you've already got it dialled in. The real question is whether you...
Wonky Mender in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been mulling this one over myself given my narrowboat setup. Currently running a DIY box with a 200Ah LiFePO4 and Victron kit, but I'm wondering if I've overcomplicated things. The portable...
ExFirefighter in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The drag and drop method works well enough, but honestly I've found it helps to compress beforehand.
CurrentAffairs in Forum Help 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Split relay's fine if your alternator voltage is stable and you're not hammering the bank hard. Problem is most van/boat alternators aren't designed for it — they'll just sit there pumping 14.4v...
CE_Builds in DC-DC Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 3