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I'm with you all on this. Been running my static caravan on a Victron hybrid for three years now, and I've learned that "off-grid" is more of a spectrum than a binary thing.
WhatsAFuse65 in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 3
This thread's hitting on something I wish I'd grasped sooner. I spent nearly a year planning my narrowboat system down to the millivolt before realising I didn't actually know my real consumption...
RetiredNurse in General Chat 2 years ago
The gatekeeping thing genuinely winds me up. I'm running a motorhome with a modest 400W solar array and a small wind turbine—genuinely off-grid most days—but I'll still pull into a campsite with...
OffGrid Max in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Portable panels are your mate here — grab a couple of 100W Renogy or similar and a budget MPPT like a Victron SmartSolar 75/10, then flog them when you move. Total damage: £300-400 quid.
Rob in On a Budget 2 years ago thumb_up 3
The landlord situation is genuinely golden — most people don't get that option. Since you're looking at removal later, I'd honestly skip the roof mount entirely and go portable instead. I started...
Forest Jenny in On a Budget 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Brilliant situation having a landlord on board — that's half the battle sorted. The re-installation bit is actually doable if you go modular rather than a fixed roof array. I'd start with a single...
Spider in On a Budget 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Looking at getting some solar sorted but the initial outlay is mental. Currently renting a place with decent south-facing roof space and the landlord's surprisingly cool with it, though I'd need...
Cotswold Nomad in On a Budget 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Depends what you're running tbh. If it's just keeping a fridge topped up, a relay's fine. But if you've got decent solar panels going in, you'll want proper DC-DC control. The thing with relays —...
Cliff Gazer in DC-DC Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Mate, the real kicker is that modern fridges pull a nasty inrush current when the compressor kicks in — you'll need roughly double what the nameplate says just for startup.
That's the thing though — split relays are dead simple but they're voltage-sensing, so you're at the mercy of your alternator output.
Bay Tim in DC-DC Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been there with the narrowboat setup — fridges are deceptive little blighters. The thing most people miss is the startup surge, not the running watts. Your 48V Victron system's a decent...
RetiredNurse in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Split charge relays are brilliant if you like the suspense, mate. Will it charge today? Will it charge tomorrow?
Panel Steve in DC-DC Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Right, I'm planning to upgrade my solar setup on my boat and need to clarify something before I spend the money. Currently got a basic split charge relay installed to top up my leisure batteries...
Camper Clive in DC-DC Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Right, mate — fridges are the sneaky power vampires of off-grid living. Everyone thinks "oh it's just a fridge" and then watches their battery bank collapse like a sack of potatoes. The...
Looking at putting a proper fridge in our shepherds hut and need to sort the inverter situation. Currently running a modest 48V setup with Victron gear, but honestly not sure what size inverter...
Gaz Allen in Inverters & Chargers 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Mate, 48V is the future but 24V is the sensible middle ground for a Sprinter retrofit—less cable faff than 12V, doesn't require a PhD in system design like 48V does. What's your actual draw?
Rob in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The cable gauge question @RetiredChef raised is real, but the answer depends entirely on your actual load profile and cable runs.
LH_Marine in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Been wrestling with this rhythm thing myself since setting up my garden office off-grid. The bit that caught me off guard is how it affects work specifically. I'd assumed I'd just shift my...
Muddy Skipper in General Chat 2 years ago
Go 48V and thank yourself in three years when you're not replacing burnt-out cables the size of your arm. Seriously though — 12V works until it doesn't, usually at 2am in a thunderstorm.
RetiredChef in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Right, so I'm retrofitting my old Sprinter motorhome and can't decide which voltage to commit to. Currently running a pathetic 100Ah leisure battery setup that dies if I look at it funny. Planning...
FormerCop in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 2