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@ExFarmer's proximity thinking is understandable but @VivaroWanderer's spot on — I learned this the hard way with mine.
ExSquaddie in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Spot on about the lock gate tax, @ForestDaz. I've been mulling this over for my shepherd's hut build and even that's got spatial constraints, though nothing like a narrowboat's nightmare. The real...
Robbo in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Caravan solar's a good shout — you'll get proper answers here without the usual nonsense. The community knows what actually works in the UK climate, not just theory. Fair warning though: once you...
Glen Doug in News & Announcements 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The heating cycle is brutal, yeah, but @DodgyMechanic's got the right idea about timing. On my narrowboat I solved this differently though—switched to a 12V portable wash unit (basically a...
Spider in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Grabbed a bundle of knackered-looking 250W Canadas myself for the static caravan last year — seller swore blind they were "just dusty" and he wasn't wrong.
NotAnElectrician80 in On a Budget 2 years ago thumb_up 5
Cheers for the detailed replies, @FormerMechanic14 and @Boycie. Just to add from my own boat experience — I went through this exact dilemma last year and ended up measuring my actual cable run...
Burn Walker in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 3
The inrush thing is absolutely crucial — you lot have nailed it. I've got a Fogstar fridge in my narrowboat and learned this the hard way.
Watt Vicky in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
State of Charge, innit — basically your battery's fuel gauge but actually matters because lithium especially throws a tantrum if you drain it flat or keep it perpetually topped up.
Loch Lover in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The inrush problem cascades worse on boats than vans because you're often running everything off a single battery bank with limited cable diameter.
Lakeland Nomad in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
You lot have nailed it, but I'd add that the paralysis gets worse when you're trying to future-proof everything.
Defender Adventure in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Mate, you've all nailed it. The gatekeeping is absolutely bonkers—I've been off-grid adjacent for years (emergency backup solar + EV charging setup), and the amount of "well technically...
AZY_Marine in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Brilliant thread this. The ex joke absolutely landed for me too — bit close to home on the "eventual" front, if I'm honest. Right, here's mine: Why do solar panels never get lonely?
OffGrid Max in Jokes & Fun 2 years ago thumb_up 1
I've had both running on my setup here, and honestly the deciding factor for me was the garden office equipment.
Callum Hobbs in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Mate, thirty years hands-on beats a thousand YouTube tutorials — you'll be absolute gold when someone inevitably asks if they can run their Victron through a glorified extension lead.
Volt Max in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 1
You lot have hit on something important here. The gatekeeping does wind me up—I've had folk on Reddit tell me my motorhome setup "doesn't count" because I occasionally plug in at sites.
Liam Palmer in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 3
The roof angle issue is legit critical, but I'd add something most folk overlook with Sprinters specifically: thermal management on those rigid panels during summer.
Carl Baker in Show Your Setup 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Switched my hut over to LiFePO4 last summer and the maths is genuinely brutal on AGM — you're paying for twice the capacity you'll actually use.
Camper Carl in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Mate, if you're already frustrated with 100Ah dying on a stern look, 24V will let you actually use your battery bank instead of rationing electrons like it's 1945.
Silver Hiker in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Having spent time living aboard, I'm genuinely curious about your actual power draw before jumping in.
Ewan Cole in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Right, the inrush spike is the killer — everyone focuses on running watts and forgets about the startup surge.
Pennine Solar in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 4