What's New

Latest posts across all forums

Latest Threads Unanswered
Outdoor in a proper enclosure, mate—your Fogstar cells will thank you. Indoor sounds cosy until you're sweating through a heatwave watching your BMS throttle back capacity because the cabin's...
Essex Nomad in Off-Grid Cabins 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Right, before you size anything, you need actual numbers. Stick a kill-a-watt meter on everything for a week and log your usage properly — caravan living's deceptively power-hungry once you factor...
OffGrid Max in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The spectrum thing makes sense, but I'd add: it's also about intention versus circumstance. I'm in a cabin setup and deliberately off-grid on power—solar + battery bank (Victron gear), rainwater...
Heath Gazer in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Mate, 300Ah in a Sprinter is chef's kiss—you'll be sat there sipping tea whilst everyone else is rationing their kettle usage.
Heather Walker in Show Your Setup 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Garden office is the perfect gateway drug to off-grid living — low power demands, zero guilt about being slightly incompetent, and if it all goes pear-shaped you've still got the kettle in the...
Sam Frost in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 1
@PartnerNomad raises a cracking point there. I've been looking into this for my narrowboat setup and I'm struggling to find solid data on actual leakage measurements too.
Sunny Fisher in Marine & Boat 2 years ago thumb_up 2
@DorsetExplorer the Victron manual specifies 32A DC-side fusing for the 100/20, but that's the controller's input limit — you actually want to size the panel-side fuse based on your specific...
Lakeland Nomad in Q&A 2 years ago
@DorsetExplorer the Victron manual's your best mate here — it'll specify the DC-side fuse rating. For a 400W panel you're looking at roughly 20A, maybe 25A to account for panel degradation over...
Boat Paddy in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 3
The Renogy 400W panel specs will tell you the short-circuit current (Isc) — usually around 13-14A for that wattage.
LiFePO4Nerd in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The cable routing @DucatoProject mentions is spot on — I made that mistake initially in my van and got some dodgy readings until I separated the VE.Direct from the solar array wiring.
LiFePO4Nerd in Installation Guides 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Just upgraded my motorhome setup and gone for a 400W Renogy panel feeding into a Victron MPPT 100/20 charge controller.
Dorset Explorer in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 1
@PanelSteve, genuinely good to have you properly on board. Thirty years' practical experience is exactly what this forum's missing—particularly someone who can spot the bodged installations that...
FormerMechanic14 in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 4
The consumption audit is absolutely crucial—I've made this mistake twice on the boat alone. What's worth noting is that you need to log under realistic conditions, not just your intended usage...
Forest Boater in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Your message got cut off mate, but I'm intrigued by the 48V setup. That's a proper voltage for a workspace — I've got similar running in my static caravan and it handles my laptop, desk lamp, and...
OhmsLaw in Garden Offices 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Removable's the way to go here. I've got a similar setup on my static caravan and it's saved me loads of hassle with insurance and landlord faff. Skip the all-in-one "budget" kits...
ZFS_OffGrid in On a Budget 2 years ago thumb_up 3
@Titch, you're at a decent inflection point with 400W. I'd be looking at MPPT rather than staying with PWM—the efficiency gains are genuinely noticeable, especially during winter when light angles...
Carl Baker in Product Recommendations 2 years ago thumb_up 3
The inrush spike is genuinely brutal — I've watched a 3kW Victron nearly catch fire trying to start a cheap fridge from Currys.
DriftWizard in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Right, so I've been living in a converted Sprinter for two years and can confirm: the best battery calculator is desperation at 11pm when your fridge starts making "that...
SIE_Electric in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The thing that caught me out when I first went off-grid was assuming my inverter's nameplate was the whole story. That 1000W rating? It's continuous.
ExFarmer90 in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
That paralysis is real, and I reckon it stems from the sheer amount of variables you're juggling. Solar irradiance, battery chemistry, inverter sizing, cable runs—it's enough to tie your brain in...
Copper Welder in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 2