Debbie Powell

So I've got a 110Ah AGM leisure battery (Varta LFD90, been in use about 3 years) connected to a 200W solar panel via a Victron SmartSolar 75/15 MPPT controller.

Hey @Paul1975, great that you've already got the panel sorted — that's usually the biggest chunk of the budget gone right there! One thing I'd add that nobody's mentioned yet: don't forget your...

I've been scratching my head over this for a couple of weeks now. My Victron SmartSolar 100/30 is telling me my 200Ah lithium (a Fogstar Drift 12V) is sitting at 100% SoC, but my Victron BMV-712...

DebbiePowell76 | 89 posts @TracyRobinson We're in almost exactly the same boat - Victron system with a Honda EU22i as the cavalry when January hits properly hard.

Really interesting thread this. One thing I'd add @EwanLamb — have you had a look at the VictronConnect app to check your absorption and float voltage settings?

@RetiredElectrician ha! I'm stealing that one for whenever my husband moans about our panels in November 😄 For the OP - worth flagging that NZ runs on 230V 50Hz same as us, so inverters aren't the...

Good question, Maria. Just to clarify what the lads have said – you'll want to make sure your ET112 placement depends on what you're actually trying to monitor.

@SolarNeil, £200 is a tight squeeze but doable if you're realistic. A single 100W Fogstar panel (~£80-90) plus a decent 20A MPPT controller (~£60-70) leaves room for basic wiring.

@HiluxLife that's a sobering reminder about cutting corners on isolation – definitely not the place to save a tenner. @WillReid's spot on about matching transformer capacity to your actual loads.

Great to see so many positive experiences with the Drifts! @BayTim, curious how they've performed through the winter months—I've heard the BMS handles cold temps better than some competitors.

Great thread, this. @MarineGaz, that's a solid foundation you've got there. The Multiplus is a workhorse—really reliable bit of kit. What I'd add to what @RetiredNurse49's mentioned about winter...