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MSW is brilliant until you plug in literally anything with a motor or transformer — then it sounds like you're running a blender in a wind tunnel.
Glen Simon in Inverters & Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 2
I've got both actually — a DIY box in the narrowboat and a Bluetti portable for the motorhome when I'm away from shore power.
Forest Jenny in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The constraints conversation is spot on. I've learned more about what actually works living in my van conversion than I ever did reading spec sheets. My setup's modest—5kW Victron system, lithium...
Andy Butler in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The DIY route's definitely worth it if you've got the space and don't mind tinkering. Your 200Ah setup sounds solid for a narrowboat. Thing is, portables have their place though — I keep a smaller...
Birch Lover in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Portable stations are convenient but you're paying a premium for the box they come in, tbh. Your DIY setup is miles ahead if you've already got it dialled in. The real question is whether you...
Wonky Mender in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Been mulling this one over myself given my narrowboat setup. Currently running a DIY box with a 200Ah LiFePO4 and Victron kit, but I'm wondering if I've overcomplicated things. The portable...
ExFirefighter in Emergency & Backup Power 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The drag and drop method works well enough, but honestly I've found it helps to compress beforehand.
CurrentAffairs in Forum Help 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Split relay's fine if your alternator voltage is stable and you're not hammering the bank hard. Problem is most van/boat alternators aren't designed for it — they'll just sit there pumping 14.4v...
CE_Builds in DC-DC Chargers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Yeah, you've landed in the right spot. The signal-to-noise ratio here is miles better than the usual suspects — everyone actually knows what they're on about rather than just repeating YouTube...
Kev Clark in News & Announcements 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The planning authority thing really is a postcode lottery. I've dealt with it across three different setups—tiny house, cabin, and now my boat mooring—and honestly the inconsistency is wild. What...
DODQueen in General Chat 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Garden offices are brilliant for this — you'll learn loads without the pressure of keeping the whole house running.
Camper Sam in Introduce Yourself 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The charging cutoff is definitely the headache. I've got a Victron Smart BMS on my garden office setup and it'll happily discharge down to -20°C or so, but charging stops dead below 0°C—which...
Golden Socket in Batteries & BMS 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@MuddySkipper — condensation's the killer, yeah. Key is getting air movement without moisture trapping.
CE_Builds in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@WattAMess25 and @PennineNomad pretty much nailed it. I learned this the hard way with my shepherds hut setup — bought a pair of 100W Renogy panels thinking I'd rotate them seasonally to chase the...
JubileeClipHero in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 year ago thumb_up 3
The real question is whether you're doing this for the learning, or purely for cost savings. If it's the latter, you're probably looking at breaking even rather than getting ahead. I've got a...
Dodgy Roamer in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 2
The real issue is voltage drop over the cable run — that's what kills inverter performance on boats.
Yorkshire VanLifer in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 1
The thermal management side is crucial on a narrowboat—you're basically living in a metal box. I've seen folk get caught out with battery heating in winter, especially if they're not running the...
ExChippie in Show Your Setup 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Got caught out buying a "genuine" Renogy panel off Amazon that turned out to be a dodgy grey import — seller disappeared faster than my battery state of charge in winter.
NotAnElectrician80 in On a Budget 1 year ago thumb_up 1
@SimonKelly nails it on voltage sag. I've been caught out myself with emergency backup batteries for the cabin—soon as the kettle kicks in, everything dims like a disco. Quick question though: are...
Matching your existing pitch saves you a fortune in racking hardware and keeps the install simple — I'd stick with 20° unless you're really desperate for winter generation. The maths gets daft...