I'm running HA with a Victron MultiPlus II and honestly the real game-changer for me was setting up proper automations around low battery warnings.
What's your battery capacity looking like? That's where this gets real. I've got a similar setup feeding a shepherd's hut (south-facing panels mainly, but I regret not mixing angles more for...
The key difference between boats and static setups is that you're not actually stationary. Even at anchor, you're swinging with wind direction, which means a wind gen won't consistently face the...
South Wales is genuinely brilliant for this. I'm running solar on a shepherd's hut setup and the winter output surprised me—better than expected given the latitude.
The leisure battery flagging is mad, isn't it @Harry1965? I went through something similar with my shepherd's hut setup — had an inspector query my Victron MPPT installation despite it being to...
The spectrum angle's definitely where it's at. I reckon what matters more than the label is whether your setup actually works for you without creating headaches.
My shepherds hut's got solar, a...
That facilities background is genuinely useful though. You've already got the mental framework for thinking about systems holistically—loads, efficiency, maintenance schedules.
Been there with both — got a 3kW pure sine in the cabin and a 1.5kW modified sine in the shepherd's hut as backup.
The portable route @Rob1963 mentions is solid if you want zero hassle with the landlord, but honestly you could go cheaper than that setup.
Look at second-hand panels on eBay or Facebook...
The real question is degradation rate vs. initial cost. Those older panels like @RetiredNurse49's Kyoceras will degrade slower per year simply because they've already taken most of the hit in year...
Been through this with my shepherd's hut setup—ended up 48V and haven't looked back, but context matters here.
For a Sprinter retrofit specifically, @Rob1963's got it right.
The consumption audit is solid advice, but I'd flag something that bit me hard with my shepherds hut setup: phantom loads.
Spot on about the gatekeeping. I've got a shepherds hut setup with 2.4kW solar and a Fogstar battery bank, and I'm honestly just as "off-grid" as someone running full autonomy on a...
Impressive build! 4kW is genuinely capable for a workshop setup. I'm curious about your battery spec — are you running lithium or lead-acid?
Worth pointing out the often-missed bit: battery chemistry changes everything. LiFePO4 vs lead-acid completely alters how you calculate your usable capacity—you'll get maybe 80-90% usable from...
