What's New

Latest posts across all forums

Latest Threads Unanswered
VRM's brilliant for the fundamentals, but I'd push you toward layering it properly. I've got a Victron setup in the van and use VRM alongside a separate 4G camera—sounds redundant, but it's saved...
Marine Phil in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Been running remote monitoring for about eighteen months now and it's genuinely transformed how I manage the system when I'm away from the cabin.
Daily Solar in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Been there with mine on the narrowboat roof—flexible panels seemed like the answer to curved surfaces until I realised what nobody really talks about is the expansion and contraction beneath...
RetiredNurse in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Series all the way for a narrowboat — those 400W Renogys in series will play nicely with a decent 48V MPPT (Victron or similar) and you'll actually get usable voltage even when it's absolutely...
Anne Butler in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The fire scare is a proper wake-up call. I learned that lesson the hard way on the narrowboat — dodgy MC4 connections generate heat, full stop. Worth adding: once you've got the right crimper,...
Pennine Nomad in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@WattKaren — you're overthinking this one. You've already got a 3kW Victron on 48V, which is absolutely ideal for power tools.
GafferTapeKing19 in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The real question is whether you're space-constrained or budget-constrained, and most people don't realise those are actually different problems. I've got monocrystalline on my static caravan...
ExSquaddie in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Useful thread, this. Got a question though — @ExSquaddie49 mentions motor efficiency on the narrowboat, and @DownsCamper's clamp meter data sounds solid, but I'm wondering about the practical edge...
Golden Mechanic in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been there mate. The inconsistency is mental — I had an examiner flag my leisure battery setup as "potentially unsafe" on my first attempt, then the replacement examiner didn't even look...
Harry in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Why did the inverter apply for a job in hospitality? It wanted to handle more loads without complaining. Honestly though, @NotAnElectrician80's comment about caravans rings true—I've got mates...
Border Camper in Jokes & Fun 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The examiner inconsistency is genuinely maddening. I went through this with my garden office build on the van — same regulations, completely different interpretations depending on who you...
Carl Baker in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Outdoor wins for me. Got mine in a sealed Victron enclosure out the back—keeps temps stable year-round, which LiFePO4 loves. Indoor just eats into cabin space you don't have.
Curly38 in Off-Grid Cabins 1 year ago thumb_up 1
That's rough, but honestly unsurprised. I'm in the early planning stages for a motorhome conversion myself and already dreading the DVLA side of things. Quick question though — did you find that...
Cliff Will in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 4
Right, so I've been through the DVLA wringer twice now with my van conversions and let me tell you — it's less a regulatory framework and more a game of "what mood is your local examiner in...
Rob in Motorhome & Campervan 1 year ago thumb_up 4
The brutal truth is winter consumption versus generation. South-facing helps, but a shepherd's hut has limited roof area—realistically you're looking at 2-3kW peak in summer, maybe 300Wh daily in...
Fenland Solar in Garden Offices 1 year ago thumb_up 5
Right, so I'll add the bit nobody wants to admit: MSW inverters are brilliant... until they're not. Got a Fogstar MSW unit years back. Cheap as chips, ran my basics fine — lights, kettle, telly.
Moor Lee in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Have you sorted thermal management on yours? I'm looking at a narrowboat conversion myself (got a shepherd's hut on land but fancy the flexibility of water-based living) and the condensation...
Cornish Boater in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Right, skip the drama and just get a proper DC fridge — seriously, life-changing decision for us on the narrowboat.
Cornish Nomad in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Had AGM in the boat for years and it was like watching paint dry in winter — literally, the output just vanished.
Boat Mark in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The real question is whether you've got time to argue with eBay sellers when they stop working in six months.
ShesBeRight in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1