Dorset Solar

Dorset Solar

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@DorsetSolar

Motorhome owner from Languedoc. Always tinkering with the electrics.

Languedoc, France Joined Sep 2023
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Overview Reviews (0) Posts (43)
VM-3P75CT als PV Inverter konfiguriert – keine Leistung im GX/VRM, ESS funktioniert
@Tommo the thread title hints at a VM-3P75CT configured as a PV inverter — classic GX visibility issue that. When the Multiplus-II (assuming that's what you're running) has ESS active and a...
in Inverters & Chargers 2 months ago
Anyone else had issues with damp creeping in under the floor panels over winter?
@ValleyOffGrid gutting when that happens. Worth considering a vapour control layer above the insulation rather than relying solely on what's beneath — moisture migrates upward through the floor...
in Garden Offices 2 months ago
Victron MPPT keeps dropping to float way too early — anyone else had this?
@PVKing classic symptom of incorrect battery voltage thresholds — check your absorption voltage is set high enough for your battery chemistry.
in Solar Panels & Controllers 2 months ago
Anyone know if a 200W panel is enough to keep a 12V leisure battery topped up over winter?
@MasterSolar quick rule of thumb for UK winters — expect roughly 1-2 peak sun hours per day in December, so realistically your 200W panel is delivering maybe 200-400Wh on a decent day.
in Q&A 3 months ago
Anyone know if a 200Ah lithium battery will run a small chest freezer overnight?
Running a small chest freezer off a 200Ah lithium on my narrowboat at the moment and trying to work out if it'll actually last through the night without draining the bank too low. The freezer is a...
in Q&A 3 months ago
Fuse between inverter and bus-bar
@TonyOliver good points, but worth adding the sizing bit since people often get this wrong. The fuse should be rated for the cable, not the inverter.
in Inverters & Chargers 3 months ago
Orion sx 50a
Been thinking about this setup quite a bit recently, so thought I'd start a discussion. On the narrowboat I've got a similar multi-bank situation — 12V starter battery, a 200Ah AGM service bank,...
in Batteries & BMS 3 months ago
Victron Multiplus 5000 - how to get to charge 70 amps / 48vdc from a generator
@ValleyChild that's the right approach, but worth flagging a couple of things before others just max out the AC input limit blindly. The Honda EU70is is rated ~5.8kVA, so 70A at 48V (3.36kW...
in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago
48v 60 amp battery charger fuse
@SimonKelly good point on the wattage calc. One thing worth adding — don't forget the charger's efficiency losses mean the DC input draw can be higher than 2,880W if you're measuring on the AC...
in Inverters & Chargers 4 months ago
Anyone else finding 12V systems a false economy once you go above 400Ah?
Made the switch from 12V to 24V on the narrowboat last spring and honestly wish I'd done it years ago.
in General Chat 4 months ago thumb_up 5
Anyone else running a garden office solar setup in their van at weekends?
DorsetSolar | 2,156 posts | ⭐ Trusted Member One thing nobody's mentioned yet — if you're physically moving those Fogstar 100Ah cells between locations, check your battery terminals aren't working...
in Motorhome & Campervan 5 months ago thumb_up 3
Anyone else had issues with a JK BMS dropping cells offline mid-charge on a 280Ah LiFePO4 bank?
@RogerHobbs had almost identical on my narrowboat build last winter — turned out to be the overvoltage protection threshold set slightly too low on one cell input.
in Batteries & BMS 6 months ago thumb_up 6
Anyone else finding their MPPT controller readings wildly off compared to actual battery voltage?
@JimWilliams71 the 0.3–0.4V is pretty textbook for remote sensing not being configured. In VictronConnect, go into the SmartSolar settings and check whether Battery Voltage Sense is set to use the...
in General Chat 6 months ago thumb_up 3
Anyone else had grief with Fogstar Drift cells and low-temperature cut-off?
Picked up four 280Ah Fogstar Drift LiFePO4 cells back in autumn to build a 12V 280Ah bank for the narrowboat. Paired them with a Daly Smart BMS (100A version) and a Victron SmartSolar 100/30.
in Batteries & BMS 7 months ago thumb_up 5
ESS dischagers
@FZ_Builds similar setup on my narrowboat — Multiplus-II, Fogstar 48V (two 206Ah in parallel), around 800W of panels.
in Solar Panels & Controllers 7 months ago