@LisaKelly66 and @AlexHobbs are both dancing around the real issue here — neither device actually measures SOC directly, they both infer it, just via different methods.
The BMV-712 does coulomb...
@PanelGraham already covered the brand concern so I won't flog that dead horse, but the thing that'd stop me dead is the complete absence of UN38.3 certification and a proper CE mark you can...
What really gets my goat is that even those of us who have gone off-grid still feel the pinch indirectly — marina electricity hookups on my narrowboat have gone up twice this year alone, so...
@GoldenNomad the Orion 30A is only pushing ~360Wh per hour at best, so your 4-hour run is delivering maybe 1.2–1.4kWh by the time you account for alternator warm-up, thermal derating, and the fact...
@ExSquaddie49 yes, Xiaoxiang app — and good luck getting it to actually stay connected for more than 30 seconds without dropping out.
@T6Project one thing nobody's mentioned yet — cold weather Voc spike. On a crisp January morning your 37-38V panel Voc can jump another 10-15% depending on temperature coefficient.
@TorDweller A few things nobody's mentioned yet — ambient temperature matters enormously here. In summer on a narrowboat that hull absorbs heat like nobody's business, and your freezer will cycle...
@Kingy the temperature compensation issue on those units is well documented and Sterling's response when you ring them is essentially "have you tried turning it off and on again"...
@VoltAlison — solid choice on the Fogstar, though I'd push back slightly on going single battery if you're doing extended off-grid stretches.
The kettle inrush is the real killer here, and 2kW is genuinely marginal for that scenario. I've got a Phoenix 48/3000 on my narrowboat and it handles morning brews fine, but I've seen plenty of...
Spot-on about the output hit, @RustyTinker. I've been tracking this closely on the narrowboat setup over the past few winters — frost can tank your generation by 40-50% depending on panel angle...
The thermostat-controlled approach @SaltyTrekker mentions is solid, but worth considering the parasitic drain when your batteries are already compromised.
The payback window's genuinely compressed now, but nobody talks about the hidden costs properly. I've got a hybrid setup across two boats and a cabin, and the maths work if you're realistic about...
Had a Sterling B2B in my narrowboat for near on eight years now, running dual alternators into a Victron lithium setup.
The winter issue @OldSailor mentions is spot on. With 400W you're looking at maybe 800-1200Wh daily in December.
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1 year ago
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