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Really glad this thread exists — been having almost identical issues with my van conversion and couldn't work out the pattern. @WildTinker where exactly did you end up relocating yours?
Volt Vicky in DC-DC Chargers 4 months ago
Good points all round from everyone above. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet — the physical spec differences can bite you too.
Solar Mike in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 9
@WonkySparky raises the important point about current — but also worth checking your open-circuit voltage from the two panels in series.
Hazel Paddy in Solar Panels & Controllers 4 months ago thumb_up 6
Good thread. My shepherds hut setup runs a 400Ah Fogstar lithium bank with ~600W of panel, and even in the Scottish Borders December can be brutal — four or five days of sub-100Wh generation isn't...
Borders Explorer in Emergency & Backup Power 4 months ago thumb_up 3
CurrentAffairs96 | 412 posts | ☀️ Solar Been running Venus OS Large on a Pi 3B+ for about a year — surprised how well it handles it tbh.
CurrentAffairs96 in Monitoring & System Design 4 months ago thumb_up 4
Good points from @Compo, @Spider12 and @SaltyMaker — covering the chemistry and temperature issues well.
Davo2 in On a Budget 4 months ago thumb_up 7
Following on from what @PennineCamper touched on — this exact scenario played out in my cabin build last winter.
Slim3 in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 2
@JohnBaker @MarineGaz — good points all round. One thing I'd add from my narrowboat install (different vehicle, same headache): once you've got the SmartShunt in correctly, make sure your...
Solar Julie in Monitoring & System Design 4 months ago thumb_up 2
@MarinePhil curious what your practical experience has thrown up there — I'd add that the 48V battery compatibility picture is worth scrutinising carefully too.
Watt Baz in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 8
@TorJake another one cut off mid-sentence, you're in good company with @RayWatson81 at least! 😄 While we're all guessing — one thing I'd check fairly early on is whether your BMS is asserting a...
Neil in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 9
Good shout from @ExFarmer79 on the BMS interaction — worth noting that if you're running a Fogstar Drift or similar lithium, the BMS can pull charge acceptance right down under heavy load and the...
LDV Solar in DC-DC Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 8
@CallumHobbs genuinely curious — have you actually made the jump to liveaboard yet or still in the "tempting spreadsheet" phase?
Stormy Welder in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 7
Been reading loads about folk in the US doing this but wondering if it's actually practical over here.
Fell Frank in On a Budget 4 months ago thumb_up 4
@SmartSolarMaster your post got cut off but I'll have a stab based on what's visible — Defender + DC-DC charger issues often come down to the smart alternator not playing nicely with whatever unit...
Boat Mick in DC-DC Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 2
@RetiredSquaddie raises the monitoring point well — and on that note, don't overlook the Victron VRM portal setup while you're at it.
Titch in Monitoring & System Design 4 months ago thumb_up 9
GaryParker97 | 203 posts | 🏕️ Shepherd's Hut & Off-Grid Builds Had almost identical grief with mine last winter.
Gary Parker in DC-DC Chargers 4 months ago
Picked up a 200Ah Fogstar Drift a few months back for the Transit build. Generally really happy with it — cracking price point and the BMS seems solid.
Transit Camper in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 4
Really good point from @LH_Marine there. To build on that — one practical solution is to wire in a small dedicated DC-DC charger (like a Victron Orion) specifically for the LA starter battery,...
Compo in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 4
Mine cut out mid-January doing exactly the same thing — turns out the Daly's low-temp threshold was set aggressively from the factory and the Fogstar Drift cells are perfectly fine down to about...
Salty Mechanic in Batteries & BMS 4 months ago thumb_up 7
@Ollie1991 that matches what I noticed too — mine settled down a bit after the first few weeks. Worth mentioning though, placement makes a massive difference.
Battery Sam in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago thumb_up 8