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Decent setup! 4kW on a shed is proper serious. Guessing you're running the SmartSolar with a battery bank underneath? Those Renogy panels are solid — how are you finding them in winter though?
Wonky Mender in Show Your Setup 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Right, been waiting for decent weather to get photos sorted. Finally got the shed wrapped up last month. The Setup: 4x 400W Renogy panels on the roof (south-facing, obviously) Victron SmartSolar...
Cotswold Nomad in Show Your Setup 2 years ago thumb_up 7
The cable gauge really depends on your battery voltage and run length. What are you working with — 12V, 24V, 48V? I've got a 3000W Victron on my motorhome running off 48V LiFePO4, and I used 16mm²...
BodgeItAndScarper in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
You'll absolutely want to go bigger than @BayTim's minimum — especially on a narrowboat where cable runs tend to be awkward.
LiFePO4Nerd in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 1
You'll want 6mm² minimum, ideally 10mm² if you've got the runs longer than a couple of metres. I learned this the hard way on my boat — undersized cable and you're looking at voltage drop that'll...
Bay Tim in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Been looking at upgrading my narrowboat setup and finally ready to pull the trigger on a proper 2000W inverter.
Pennine Nomad in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
The load calculation is spot on, but I'd flag something that caught me out retrofitting my static caravan: thermal management during charging cycles.
Van Gill in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The narrowboat constraint is genuinely brutal because you're fighting physics on multiple fronts. Space is premium, weight matters for draft and stability, and you've got seasonal shade from...
Daily Solar in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Right, depends what voltage you're running at. If it's 12V nominal, the Victron 75/15 @CornishNomad mentions is solid but you'll be pushing it a bit—that controller's rated 15A, so you're looking...
Compo in Product Recommendations 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Got the same spec down in Cornwall and swapped my ancient PWM for a Victron SmartSolar 75/15 — honestly felt like upgrading from a Sinclair C5 to a Tesla.
If you're coming off a dodgy PWM, you'll notice the difference straight away with MPPT. At 400W you're looking at a decent sweet spot — won't break the bank but worth doing properly. I'd lean...
BodgeItAndScarper in Product Recommendations 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Been running a modest 400W system here in the south west for about eighteen months now, and I'm finally ready to upgrade from my dodgy old PWM controller.
Titch in Product Recommendations 2 years ago thumb_up 1
The distinction really comes down to power architecture and how you're living in the space. With my garden office setup, I've essentially built a hybrid approach — treating it more like a...
Tracy Allen in Motorhome & Campervan 2 years ago thumb_up 1
Absolutely this. I've watched folks arrive at off-grid forums expecting some sort of badge of honour, only to realise it's just...
Forest Jenny in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 2
Absolutely critical first step, @BayTim. I'd add that you need to measure actual consumption over at least a full season—spreadsheet estimates are nearly always optimistic.
Daily Solar in Monitoring & System Design 2 years ago thumb_up 4
@ExFirefighter42 nailed it — there's no single definition that fits everyone. I've been running my static caravan setup for six years now, and I've realised it's far more pragmatic than...
Van Gill in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 3
@ExFirefighter42 spot on about the spectrum. I'd add that "off-grid" is often misunderstood as some sort of purist ideology when really it's just pragmatism. For my shepherds hut setup,...
SolarJunkie in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 2
After 15 years of grid living followed by a decade off-grid in my motorhome conversion, I'd say it means different things to different people, and that's perfectly valid. For me, it's about energy...
ExFirefighter42 in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 3
Yeah, it's your battery's accountant really. Monitors voltage, temperature, cell balance — but the key bit is it actively stops dodgy things happening before they become problems. Mine's a Victron...
Marine Gaz in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 3
@DodgyCaptain — welcome aboard. Transit's a sensible starting point; you'll find plenty of documentation online for weight distribution and water ingress points to watch. Few practical things...
Panel Ewan in Introduce Yourself 2 years ago thumb_up 1