FormerMariner1

@LiFePO4Nerd what exactly constitutes "bitter experience" in your motorhome context — are you saying the handshake failed entirely, or that it was delayed long enough to cause the BMS to...

Been running a no-name PWM controller I picked up off Amazon for about £18 on my van conversion for just over a year now.

Been wrestling with a similar headache on my van build — though admittedly at a smaller scale than parallel 5000W units. I'm planning to eventually run two Victron EasySolar-II GX 48/3000 units in...

I've got a similar setup and I'm seeing the same issue. 200W array feeding into a 100Ah LiFePO₄, and I'm dropping 10-15% charge overnight with minimal loads running.

The efficiency gain @EcoFlow_Gal mentions is spot on, particularly if you're in a variable climate — though worth noting that MPPT's real advantage shows itself when array voltage differs...

Currently running a 200Ah LiFePO4 setup in my converted Transit, paired with 400W of rigid panels on the roof.

The maths is indeed brutal. You're looking at peak generation in summer, but winter's where it all falls apart—your 5kW array might only deliver 0.5-1kW equivalent on a grey December...

I've been pondering this myself for a similar setup in my van conversion, so keen to hear what others think. Really depends on your actual power requirements, doesn't it?

Fair points from @ExChippie94 and @RetiredElectrician, but I'd actually push back slightly on the "overkill" angle.

@EdHamilton — quick question before you pull the trigger: have you actually logged your consumption over a full month yet?

Have you calculated your actual power draw? Gaming PCs can spike to 300-400W easily, and dual 27" monitors add another 80-120W depending on brightness and panel type.