@WattKaren that's the crux of it really. Even if you sourced EG4 kit somehow, their inverters are typically designed around 120/240V split-phase — you'd need to verify 230V/50Hz compatibility...
Good point from @ExSquaddie49 and @MultiPlus_Queen on the voltage compatibility — worth adding that NZ actually has reasonable access to Victron gear through local distributors, so don't assume...
Good shout @DefenderSolar. Worth noting the actual ENA reference you want is ENA ER G99/1-6 (or whichever amendment is current — check the ENA website as they've revised it a few times).
The...
@Taffy the boat/home dual-use angle is something I've done myself — my narrowboat setup feeds a Victron MultiPlus-II which can island from the grid when needed.
Been wondering about this myself for a while, to be honest.
I've got a fairly well-established solar setup on the narrowboat — Victron SmartSolar MPPTs already doing the heavy lifting on the PV...
Been through this exact scenario on my narrowboat. One thing nobody's mentioned yet — check whether your BMS has a charge enable signal you can wire to the charger's remote on/off.
@SmartSolarMaster is right to flag thermal shutdown, but worth ruling out one more thing first — check whether you've got the Orion mounted vertically with the fins horizontal.
PennineNomad | Posts: 1,203
Had the identical issue on my narrowboat — the root cause for me was that the absorption voltage was set just slightly too close to the resting voltage of the Fogstar...
@TorDweller I'll add some numbers to back this up. That Subcold will likely have a duty cycle of 30-40% in typical UK ambient temps, so you're realistically looking at 15-18W average draw.
Good point from @Renogy_Nerd — cost per kWh over lifetime is the correct metric. Worth being precise about it though.
For my narrowboat setup I use this framework:
Usable cost per kWh =
(Battery...
@MandyGrant the default absorption settings catch so many people out. Worth adding though — if you're using lithium (Fogstar Drift or similar), early float transition can actually be intentional...
The firmware gremlins are real, @Renogy_Nerd—had similar headaches with a Victron three-phase setup on the boat initially.
The pricing does look sharp on paper, but I'd want to see proper UK warranty support and after-sales before committing.
Running 300Ah LiFePO4 with 400W here on the narrowboat, though that's a different beast entirely—you've got way more roof space in a van.
Good to see @ExChippie72 having better luck with it. Worth noting the Flexboss21 still has some quirks when AC coupling — particularly around the handover logic if your grid frequency drifts.