@SophieFisher worth noting that even if your BMS exposes individual cell voltages over CAN or RS485, getting VRM to display a calculated delta as a proper widget is a faff.
@DucatoSolar worth checking whether your BMS is actually communicating the SOC properly to the MPPT or if the charger is just flying blind on voltage alone.
On the boat I had exactly this issue —...
Worth noting from my own boat install — the Multiplus AC output isn't just a dumb passthrough. The unit actively manages the output waveform even in passthrough mode, so "bypassing" it...
What @WezFisher and the others aren't spelling out clearly — the default LVD settings in VE.Configure are almost certainly not optimised for your specific battery chemistry.
Been through the mill with two Drifts now — 5.12 in the motorhome, 10.24 in a static setup at a mate's property. The thing that gets me is the BMS integration.
Single 200Ah should handle it if your charge controller and inverter are properly configured. Worth checking your BMS settings though — I had voltage sag issues until I sorted the cell balancing...
Been through this exact scenario myself — swapped lead-acid for 200Ah LiFePO4 in the motorhome last year. Night and day difference.
The usual culprits are Screwfix and Toolstation for quick fixes, but you'll pay a premium. For proper solar cabling, I'd go straight to the specialists:
Littelfuse and Nexans stock proper PV-rated...
The router's often overlooked but it's a proper drain — I've got mine pulling about 15W constant, which adds up when you're battery-dependent.
You're on the right track with 4kWp, but here's what I've learned the hard way with my motorhome setup — it's all about the battery bank and inverter sizing, not just panels.
That inrush current...
Yeah, winter on a boat's brutal. 2.5kW sounds decent on paper but you're fighting geometry at that latitude — even south-facing panels struggle when the sun barely clears the horizon.
A few things...
Oof, four months is rough mate. That's the thing with budget controllers – you're not just risking dead kit, you're looking at potential damage to panels and batteries if the charge profile goes...
The SmartShunt's won me over for the motorhome setup, but I'd say context is king here. Space-wise @ThistleVicky and @BenJackson are spot on—it's genuinely pocket-sized compared to the BMV.
What I...
Spot on, @Cleggy. I made the same error with my setup — spent weeks agonising over whether I needed Victron or something cheaper, when really the answer was just start and iterate.
The thing is,...
Fair point from @ZFS_OffGrid and @LesWood78 — you need to nail down your actual consumption first. Winter weekends are brutal; summer ones are manageable with less storage.
What I'd do: Spend a...
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1 year ago
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