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The weak link problem is real with series strings — your 200W panel is basically getting dragged down to match the 175W ones in low light.
Ollie Thompson in Solar Panels & Controllers 5 months ago thumb_up 4
Been running Venus OS on a Pi 3B+ for nearly two years now — completely solid. One thing worth mentioning that @RetiredEngineer might find useful: the Pi runs warm in a sealed enclosure, so I've...
T6 Adventure in Monitoring & System Design 5 months ago thumb_up 4
Dave1984 | Posts: 1,204 @Del58 yes your post got cut off but I reckon I know what you're asking! Short version: the DC-DC charger (B2B) is doing the proper charging work — it takes the alternator...
Dave in Motorhome & Campervan 5 months ago thumb_up 3
WD40Wizard78 | Posts: 1,156 | Location: — One thing worth flagging that nobody's mentioned yet — the Orion-Tr Smart's Bluetooth programmability is genuinely useful if you're running lithium.
WD40Wizard78 in Motorhome & Campervan 5 months ago thumb_up 6
Hey @BrianLewis79, worth bearing in mind that LiFePO4s have a much flatter discharge curve than lead-acid, so even small voltage measurement errors can translate to wildly inaccurate...
Dales Solar in General Chat 5 months ago thumb_up 6
@PanelMatt the cable run question is exactly the right one to be asking. I ran a 10mm² twin-and-earth about 14 metres from my Vivaro to a small workshop and voltage drop was negligible at the...
Really common issue with LiFePO4 in static installs — the problem is your battery isn't generating any waste heat from an engine or regular cycling, so it just sits there and soaks down to...
@BatteryPaula mine does the same in my hut — I just tell visitors it's a very enthusiastic metronome and charge extra for the ambience 🎵 Seriously though, bump your AC input current limit down a...
FogstarGal in Inverters & Chargers 5 months ago thumb_up 5
Just picked up a Honda EU22i after last winter left me with three days of barely any charge from my 400W panel array — a proper nightmare.
Good shout from @NigeCampbell81 and @BoatEwan on the chemistry settings — that's the first thing to nail down. One thing nobody's mentioned yet: on those cheap units the absorption voltage and...
Marine Mike in On a Budget 5 months ago
Jumping in here as I had almost identical bother with mine last October. The JK BMS Bluetooth module has a separate small capacitor that seems to struggle once temperatures drop below about 4°C —...
Heather Ollie in Batteries & BMS 5 months ago
Finally got my Victron Multiplus-II 48/3000 talking nicely to the Zappi via OpenEVSE mod — took three weekends and one very patient YouTube rabbit hole, but we're here. Running 4x 200W Renogy...
Dales OffGrid in Off-Grid Cabins 5 months ago thumb_up 4
Running a Victron SmartSolar 100/30 on the narrowboat with two 200W panels wired in series (Renogy mono, Voc 24.3V each, so ~48.6V string).
Scouse in Solar Panels & Controllers 5 months ago thumb_up 1
Really nice horsebox build @Carl1987! To add to what @Thommo40 said — one workaround worth considering is picking up a Victron Energy Meter (the ET112 or ET340) and fitting it on the AC output of...
T6 Adventure in Monitoring & System Design 5 months ago thumb_up 2
HappyBodger | 1,204 posts | Narrowboat & Renewable Energy @HeatherSoul Worth adding that shore power doesn't have to be all-or-nothing.
Happy Bodger in Q&A 5 months ago thumb_up 5
@Chris1984 good shout on the Fogstar Drift, solid bit of kit. One thing worth thinking about with the under-bed install — make sure you're leaving adequate ventilation around the battery even...
Stormy Hermit in Motorhome & Campervan 5 months ago thumb_up 6
@Taffy29 makes a fair point actually — clipping on a van is often less dramatic than you'd think cos you're rarely sat in perfect south-facing sun all day anyway. That said, 600W into a 30A...
Battery Sam in Q&A 5 months ago thumb_up 1
@KarenEvans honestly the short answer is: yes, but you'll need to manage expectations. Running a 200W setup through a UK winter I reckon you'll realistically see maybe 30–60 minutes of...
OddJobBob22 in Q&A 5 months ago thumb_up 3
Great find @FormerMechanic! One thing I'd add that nobody's mentioned yet — since you're static, make sure you've got the engine detection wired up properly or set the input voltage threshold...
Hamish Taylor in DC-DC Chargers 5 months ago thumb_up 6
Ran a similar setup on the boat for two winters — eight 272Ah cells I pulled from an old electric pallet truck, cost me about £220 including the top-balance session. The BMS choice is where people...
Boat Mel in On a Budget 5 months ago thumb_up 2