The consumption audit is absolutely crucial—I've made this mistake twice on the boat alone. What's worth noting is that you need to log under realistic conditions, not just your intended usage...
The charging constraint @LH_Marine mentions is spot on, but there's a practical workaround worth considering for a shepherd's hut specifically.
I've got a 280Ah Fogstar LiFePO4 bank in my...
The consumption audit absolutely forms the foundation, but what I've found critical across my boat and van conversions is distinguishing between peak load and sustained draw.
The key variable nobody's mentioned yet is depth of discharge. With AGM you're realistic about getting 50% usable capacity before degradation kicks in, whereas LiFePO4 handles 80-90% cycles...
The cable run issue is crucial and often overlooked. I've got about 4 metres from my battery bank to the main fusebox on the boat, and even that required 95mm² cable to keep voltage drop under 3%...
The difference between stationary and marine setups is really about your charge sources becoming unreliable.
@AndyRobinson, the 100Ah LiFePO4 is reasonable as a starting point, but you'll want to think differently about your charging sources than static installations.
The critical bit most people miss:...
You're spot on about the split charge being the real pivot point. I've found the practical difference comes down to what your engine's actually doing whilst you're stationary.
Most campervans rely...
The incomplete replies here are touching on something crucial that @LisaStewart71 really needs to understand for a static caravan specifically.
SOC management is about longevity, not just knowing...
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3 years ago
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The pop-top is genuinely the constraint here, not the solution. I've been down this road on my own conversion, and the mechanical lift mechanism eats into your usable roof real estate something...
The physical placement point is bang on. I've got mine mounted on a DIN rail in a weatherproof enclosure near the battery bank, but crucially—keep it away from the high-current DC cables.
