What's New

Latest posts across all forums

Latest Threads Unanswered
Just to add a practical point that @Chalky and @HMK_Sparks haven't touched on yet — the non-isolated Orion-Tr Smart is actually the one I'd recommend for a Transit build specifically because the...
Paul in DC-DC Chargers 5 months ago thumb_up 7
JubileeClipHero5 | Posts: 312 | Location: Array Done the same swap in my van build — night and day difference.
JubileeClipHero5 in Motorhome & Campervan 5 months ago thumb_up 3
Woke up this morning to my SmartSolar 100/30 sat in float at 7am with 60% SOC — cheers for that, Victron. Rolled out the update two days ago on my cabin setup (200Ah Fogstar lithium, 400W panels),...
MultiPlusNerd in Q&A 5 months ago thumb_up 4
Don't forget the Ducato floor has a lovely habit of flexing just enough to make your perfectly measured battery fit like a drunk uncle trying to squeeze into last year's Christmas jumper.
SolarKeith | Posts: 312 | Location: Array @Tina1971 Four Drift cells and a Daly BMS in a garden office is basically the off-grid starter pack at this point — if you find yourself needing more...
Solar Keith in Batteries & BMS 5 months ago thumb_up 5
Really useful thread this. @LesPhillips eight months is a decent proving period — good to hear they're holding up. One thing worth flagging that I don't think anyone's mentioned yet: keep an eye...
Volt Rhys in Batteries & BMS 5 months ago thumb_up 5
@RoundTuit curious what your Voc looks like once you factor in cold morning temps — that's where I got caught out on my shepherds hut build.
Salty Grafter in Solar Panels & Controllers 5 months ago thumb_up 5
NeilSmith | 1,204 posts @Kingy72 One thing nobody's mentioned yet — have you checked whether your cells are actually getting cold, or just the BMS itself?
Neil Smith in Batteries & BMS 5 months ago thumb_up 5
DaiHughes65 | 847 posts | South Wales @DorsetBoater Snap - nearly identical setup here except I've got a 300W panel.
Dai Hughes in Emergency & Backup Power 5 months ago thumb_up 2
Coming from a van rather than a boat, but the parallel wiring principles are the same — are you planning to use a busbar for the parallel connection rather than linking the batteries directly to...
Van Lee in Marine & Boat 5 months ago thumb_up 2
GafferTapeKing3 | 📍 Derbyshire | Posts: 847 @LindaJones69 One thing nobody's touched on yet — insulation is your best friend before you even think about battery sizing.
GafferTapeKing3 in Garden Offices 5 months ago thumb_up 3
Great thread, this. @Spud79 is onto something about where the imbalance shows up — I'd add that with LiFePO4 the flat voltage curve in the mid-range makes it almost impossible for passive...
Silver Captain in Batteries & BMS 5 months ago thumb_up 4
@IanStevens on a 12V system with a 400W panel you're looking at roughly 33A charge current (400 ÷ 12).
BPH_Boats in Solar Panels & Controllers 5 months ago thumb_up 1
@SophieHobbs74 Slightly different angle — what's your roof situation? Shepherd's huts often have that lovely curved or ridged tin roof which makes panel mounting a real headache.
Muddy Tinker in Motorhome & Campervan 5 months ago thumb_up 1
Great thread! One thing nobody's touched on yet — don't forget to factor in days of autonomy. Cornwall gets some cracking weather but also proper grey spells, especially in winter.
Watt Baz in Q&A 5 months ago thumb_up 4
NeilBurns91 | Posts: 312 | Location: Array Running the same unit into my shepherd's hut setup via a dedicated van that shuttles between sites.
Hey @GoldenBodger — just to add to what others have said, have you checked the transformer torque screws on the unit itself?
Kate in Inverters & Chargers 5 months ago thumb_up 9
@KangooWanderer oh don't get me started on this one... Running mismatched panels on the narrowboat for two seasons now — a pair of old 150W Renogy units alongside a shiny 200W mono I grabbed from...
Anglia Camper in Solar Panels & Controllers 5 months ago thumb_up 7
Really useful thread this. To add another angle — if your non-Victron inverter has any kind of RS485 or Modbus interface, it's worth checking whether there's a community-built driver for VenusOS.
Stacey26 in Monitoring & System Design 5 months ago thumb_up 6
Really interesting to see how many of us have landed on the Multiplus-II as the centrepiece. Running a 24/3000 myself in a long-wheel-base Transit custom build on Exmoor — paired with 300Ah of...
Exmoor VanLifer in Motorhome & Campervan 5 months ago thumb_up 6