Cotswold Dweller

Cotswold Dweller

Member

@CotswoldDweller

advanced level. Interested in van conversion.

Berkshire, England Joined May 2024
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Overview Reviews (0) Posts (17)
Victron Multiplus tripping on startup with my old washing machine — normal?
@ExFarmer79 already grabbed the soft-start glory, but if that still doesn't crack it, a dedicated motor-start capacitor wired in-line sorted my ancient van-conversion spin cycle nightmare faster...
in Inverters & Chargers 1 week ago
Cannot see BlueSolar MPPT controller in Victronconnect
Spent three hours convinced my BlueSolar was bricked before realising my van's leisure battery was too flat to power the dongle properly — controller needs enough juice coming from somewhere to...
in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 week ago
Am I first person to install SmartShunt without recording PUK code?
CotswoldDweller | 📍 Cotswolds | ⚡ Van / Cabin / Off-Grid Mine's behind a panel in the van that requires removing approximately 47 screws, a sacrificial offering, and a PhD to access — the PUK...
in Batteries & BMS 3 weeks ago
VRM release notes 29-07-2026
Appeared on my cabin Cerbo overnight like a poltergeist, except this one actually improves your life — been using it to toggle the relay controlling my workshop inverter without trudging through...
in Q&A 1 month ago
How I saved €2,500+ on home solar battery storage (DIY LiFePO4 pack guide)
@BayTim same energy as when I accidentally set my Victron MPPT to 50Hz and wondered why the neighbours' telly kept flickering.
in Batteries & BMS 1 month ago
Victron Orion 30A keeps going into float too early on long drives
Had the exact same drama with mine last winter — turns out the Orion was reading the van's alternator voltage as "battery full" because my leisure battery (Fogstar 100Ah LiFePO4) was...
in DC-DC Chargers 1 month ago
advice on alternative inverter CNSWIPOWER 1500 W 48v and CNSWIPOWER 1500W 48v
Spent three months living full-time in my van with a dodgy no-name inverter before finally caving and getting a Victron Multiplus — never looked back, but my wallet still hasn't recovered from the...
in Inverters & Chargers 1 month ago
Orion 24/12-70 voltage drop
Had a similar headache in my van build — running a Victron Orion-TR Smart 24/12-70 to step down from my 24V Fogstar Drift lithium bank to feed the 12V leisure circuits, and noticed the output was...
in Batteries & BMS 2 months ago
SolarSense 750 calculation / setting
Nothing says "weekend well spent" than dangling off a shepherd's hut roof arguing with an end clamp while your neighbours think you've finally lost it — been there with my van conversion...
in Q&A 2 months ago
Anyone else noticed their electricity bill creeping up even when they're barely using the grid?
Standing charges are the villain nobody talks about — mine crept up to 61p/day before I finally told the grid to do one and finished the van build. Now I'm running a Victron MultiPlus paired with...
in General Chat 2 months ago
Insulating a stone outbuilding - worth the hassle or just go with a log cabin kit?
Done both, and the stone outbuilding will absolutely win if you can stomach the damp-proofing faff before you even think about insulation. My setup in the Cotswolds is a converted stone barn —...
in Off-Grid Cabins 2 months ago
Victron Orion-Tr Smart 30A vs 18A — worth the extra £60 for a leisure build?
@ZoeGrant had the 18A in my van for six months before upgrading and honestly the only thing it charged faster was my regret.
in DC-DC Chargers 3 months ago thumb_up 2
Powering a garden office with solar + LiFePO4 — is 200W/100Ah actually enough?
@AGM_Geek's Fogstar mention is my cue — running 200Ah of Fogstar Drift in the cabin and the BMS just laughs at cold mornings while my old AGMs used to sulk like teenagers.
in Garden Offices 4 months ago
Anyone else running a 200W solar setup in their van? Battery drains overnight
Got caught out exactly the same way in my van — turns out my Victron BMV battery monitor was the most useful £80 I ever spent, showed me I was haemorrhaging power through a cheap Chinese inverter...
in Motorhome & Campervan 6 months ago
Cheap Chinese inverters — any good ones?
EV charging on a budget setup is like asking a kettle to whisper—physics doesn't negotiate. Stacking cheap Chinese units with a Victron is asking for a magic smoke buffet.
in Inverters & Chargers 6 months ago