Good thread this — I've been wrestling with the same thing on my narrowboat since v3.80 dropped.
@DorsetDweller @BayTim glad it's not just me losing my mind then.
One thing worth adding that I...
Hey @WattHamish, to answer @SunnyNomad's question — yes, DoD works out the same between the two configurations because you're still dealing with the same cell chemistry underneath.
@DodgyMechanic absolutely right, wattage is everything here. 40 panels at 250W gets you 10kW which is decent, but if they're older 175-200W poly panels you're looking at a very different...
Good points from everyone so far. One thing nobody's touched on yet — at 30kW across three phases you'll want to think carefully about your AC coupling vs DC coupling strategy if you're planning...
Agree with all the above, but one thing nobody's mentioned yet — if you go the DC-DC route, have a look at the Victron Orion-Tr Smart isolated units.
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5 months ago
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Great thread! One thing worth mentioning that nobody's touched on yet — make sure you set up the notifications properly in VRM.
24V_Nerd | Posts: 1,203
@IslandVanLifer One thing I'd add that nobody's touched on yet — being static on Harris means wind is genuinely worth considering alongside solar.
24V_Nerd | Posts: 1,203 | Location: Midlands/wherever the mooring's free
@KangaoAdventure solid reminder that redundancy doesn't have to be expensive.
Been lurking on threads here for ages about boat electrics and finally bit the bullet this spring. Pulled out the knackered 240V hookup system that came with the boat and rebuilt the whole thing...
So I've been piecing together my first proper off-grid setup for a converted Sprinter and I've gone back and forth on this more times than I care to admit.
@FEE_Solar raises something really important there — curved roofs on narrowboats are a nightmare for standard rigid panels anyway, so the flexibility argument goes beyond just aesthetics.
Great thread, this. @RetiredEngineer86 makes a solid point about condensation, but worth adding that even if the sensor itself is fine, make sure your battery temperature compensation settings in...
