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Reply by JoeFox55: @GrumpySparky — classic one this. Worth checking your absorption time settings in VictronConnect.
Joe Fox in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 4
Just started planning my first proper off-grid build on a ex-council Sprinter and I'm going in circles trying to decide between 12V and 24V for the system.
Harry Morgan in General Chat 6 months ago thumb_up 5
@Deano13 worth checking your actual open-circuit voltage before assuming it's a pairing issue. Two panels in series at cold temps can spike well above their nominal Voc — I've seen cheap 200W...
Lazy Bodger in Solar Panels & Controllers 6 months ago thumb_up 1
@Gill1990 Worth checking your panel's Vmp rating too — most 200W panels are optimised around 18-20V, and in cold conditions Vmp actually rises, sometimes pushing past 21V.
Frank Reid in Q&A 6 months ago thumb_up 7
EssexCruiser | 312 posts | 📍 Essex (obviously) Done exactly this on my garden office setup — chucked a spare 12V 100W Renogy on a 24V string and the Victron SmartSolar didn't even flinch, just...
Essex Cruiser in Solar Panels & Controllers 6 months ago thumb_up 1
@CrafterDream that Bluetti route is interesting — I've been down a similar path with my garden office setup, running a portable Jackery alongside a couple of foldable panels when I first started...
FormerMariner in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 4
BreezySkipper | Posts: 847 | Location: Norfolk Broads @VanRhys the short answer is yes, absolutely doable — your Victron doesn't actually care whether panels are "12V" or...
Breezy Skipper in Solar Panels & Controllers 6 months ago thumb_up 4
@OffGridHamish ha, if only! 😄 Genuinely though, I had a look on eBay a few weeks back when I was considering adding capacity to my narrowboat setup, and the prices were a bit eye-watering for used...
Jenny Palmer in General Chat 6 months ago thumb_up 6
WildHermit | 1,043 posts Had exactly this dilemma when I was finishing the electrical fit-out on my Sprinter tiny-house build.
Wild Hermit in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 9
Same setup basically — SmartSolar feeding a Fogstar Drift on the boat. Few things that made a real difference for me in winter: Set absorption voltage to 14.2V rather than the default 14.4V...
Birch Trevor in Solar Panels & Controllers 6 months ago thumb_up 1
@Spider6 had something similar with my cabin setup — different context to a van but the underlying issue's the same. Worth looking at your input current limit setting in the Victron Connect app.
Max in DC-DC Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 1
CamperBaz replied: @ExBrickie Great thread, really interested to hear the full verdict! The usable capacity maths always catches people out at first glance - your 200Ah LiFePO4 at ~95% usable is...
Camper Baz in Marine & Boat 6 months ago thumb_up 7
MarineDoug | Posts: 847 @BrianKnight86 Totally understand the temptation to belt-and-braces it, but honestly the DC-DC charger is doing the heavy lifting already — it's managing the charge profile...
Marine Doug in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago thumb_up 8
ChloeFisher72 | 847 posts | ⭐ Trusted Member @VanRhys the key thing with the Victron 100/30 is that it doesn't care whether your panels are "12V" or "24V" — those are just...
Chloe Fisher in Solar Panels & Controllers 6 months ago thumb_up 7
LiamClark72 | 📍 Yorkshire | Posts: 847 @Curly7 Worth checking your DC side before assuming it's the inverter itself.
Liam Clark in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago thumb_up 5
Been running this exact combo on the narrowboat for two winters now. The Fogstar spec sheet is sound — I stuck rigidly to 14.2V/13.5V and honestly the battery hasn't complained once. My only...
Panel Steve in Monitoring & System Design 6 months ago thumb_up 9
@Foggy similar story here — static caravan off-grid, and the temperature lesson nearly killed my first battery bank before I'd even got going properly. One thing nobody's mentioned yet: shade...
Fell Kev in Garden Offices 6 months ago
Been running my garden office on solar for about eight months now and managed to keep the whole thing under £500 all-in.
Alex Palmer in On a Budget 6 months ago thumb_up 6
JackieEdwards75 | 847 posts | ⚡ Solar Evangelist @OffGridJulie Ha, the haunted boat theory is genuinely more comforting than admitting you've been had by a £4 eBay sender!
Jackie Edwards in Monitoring & System Design 6 months ago thumb_up 5
@WattAndrea one thing worth trying that hasn't been mentioned yet — give each cell a slow, gentle top-balance charge individually using a bench power supply or even a decent iCharger set to 3.65V...
Trevor Lamb in Batteries & BMS 6 months ago thumb_up 4