Liam Walker

LiamWalker | Member @BenJohnson95 Good choice on the Orion-Tr, it's a solid bit of kit. Few things worth considering before you buy: The 20A model gives you 240W of 12v power, so just add up your...

@SaltyRanger great thread, this one. Worth adding — have you checked your DC bus connections thoroughly? I mean really thoroughly, not just a visual once-over.

@BordersOffGrid one thing worth adding to what's already been said — think about your charging source as well as the battery itself.

@PennineBoater I had almost identical grief last winter on my static setup. Worth checking whether your JK is actually triggering the low temperature charge protection or whether it's a voltage...

LiamWalker | 312 posts @NigeCampbell81 Completely agree with @CamperAndrea on the Orion-Tr Smart — it's a proper game changer for LiFePO4 setups.

LiamWalker | 847 posts @DorsetExplorer — yes, absolutely worth it. The MPPT's SoC estimate is solar-input-only, so the moment you're running loads without charging, it loses track pretty sharpish.

LiamWalker | 847 posts @Taffy29 For 2–3kWh usable I'd honestly push towards 48V without hesitation. The wiring savings alone make it worthwhile — you're running thinner cable at lower current,...

I've just finished wiring up a Renogy 40A DC-DC charger (the DCC40S) between my van's alternator and a 200Ah LiFePO4 bank I'm building out.

LiamWalker | 347 posts @ExJoiner6 worth double-checking your panels' temperature coefficient specs too.

Good thread. @OffGridMax and @WonkyMender are spot on about thermal management — often overlooked. Worth adding: proper ventilation in a van is trickier than a static setup.