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Spot on about the shadow mapping — I'd say that's non-negotiable. But before you even think about panel angles, nail down your actual energy needs.
ExPostie in Off-Grid Cabins 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Mate, these are proper awful in the best way possible. The "ex" one had me actually laughing at my desk. Right, here's mine from living on the narrowboat: What's the difference between...
Anglia OffGrid in Jokes & Fun 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Yeah, @DodgyMechanic's seasonal reality point hits different once you're actually living it. I've got a boat and a garden office both running off-grid, and November through January is just...
Jim Wilson in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 3
The inrush thing absolutely caught me out in my van conversion. I'd calculated everything meticulously — kettle draws 2.8kW, microwave 1.2kW, never running together — so I thought a 3kVA would be...
Paddy Davies in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Fair points from the crew above. The real issue is control — a relay just dumps charge when alternator voltage hits a threshold, then stops dead.
Marine Gaz in DC-DC Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
@AndyRoberson raises a solid point about the marine angle. Where stationary setups rely on predictable solar orientation and mains backup, you're looking at variable anchor points and irregular...
Van Gill in Marine & Boat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
I went through this exact dilemma last year when I moved my LiFePO4 setup from the narrowboat cabin to a weatherproof box on the roof.
Spider in Off-Grid Cabins 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Mate, the real question nobody's asking: where's your BMS going to live? Because I tried keeping mine indoors with the batteries outdoors and spent three months debugging phantom connection issues...
Cotswold Nomad in Off-Grid Cabins 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Mate, your BMS is basically a tiny dictator for your battery — it's got four jobs: stops you charging when cells get too hot, stops you discharging when they're too cold, balances the cells so one...
Cornish Nomad in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The van's genuinely your best laboratory for this. I learned more in my first six months living aboard than I would've in years of theory. What nobody mentions though — and this caught me out — is...
Callum Hobbs in Emergency & Backup Power 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Jumping in as someone with a static caravan setup — before you commit to solar positioning, have you thought about what your actual load profile will be?
Lisa Stewart in Off-Grid Cabins 2 years ago thumb_up 4
The caravan advantage is definitely the insulation, but you'll want to nail down your actual consumption first.
Volt Will in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 5
Mate, the "first time right" approach went out the window the moment you bought a caravan — you'll be tweaking this setup until the cows come home. Real talk though: work backwards from...
ExFarmer in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Depends massively on your usage profile, mate. The caravan shell helps insulation-wise, which is a bonus. I'd start by working backwards — how many kWh/day are you actually using?
Anglia OffGrid in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Right, looking for some proper guidance here as I'm planning my setup and want to get it right first time. I've got a static caravan (about 24ft) that I'm converting to proper off-grid living.
Bay Tim in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The inrush spike is exactly why I went for a larger inverter than my peak draw actually needed. Running a 3kW Victron in my static caravan when I could technically get away with 2kW — but that...
Van Gill in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Genuinely useful to have someone with proper trade experience on board. The number of DIY installations I've seen on here that could've gone sideways without someone catching the basics is...
Ducato Project in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Spot on finding us — you'll definitely appreciate the lack of fluff. The caravan lot here are genuinely helpful without the sales pitch you get elsewhere.
Panel Julie in News & Announcements 2 years ago thumb_up 5
The real constraint you'll hit isn't the south-facing aspect — that's actually brilliant — it's the shepherds hut's roof real estate.
SolarJunkie in Garden Offices 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Spot on about placement, @QuietTrekker. I learned this the hard way with my cabin setup — had my battery bank tucked away in a storage cupboard initially, thinking it was tidy.
Pike Walker in Installation Guides 2 years ago thumb_up 1