Really feel this one. I've got 200W on the roof of my Transit and even that struggles to keep pace with just the fridge and a bit of phone charging on a proper grey November day up here in...
RussMitchell75 | 847 posts | ⚡ Solar & Wind Hybrid
@PanelRoger Ha, that laugh-then-cry reaction is basically the origin story for half the members on this forum, mine included!
@ShortCircuit56 Worth doing the maths quickly — a 100Ah lithium at 12V gives you roughly 1.2kWh usable (assuming you're not hammering it below 20%).
in Q&A
4 months ago
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RussMitchell75 | 203 posts
Good shout from everyone above. One thing worth adding — are both devices on the same VE.Smart Networking via Bluetooth?
RussMitchell75 replied:
@Lisa1978 Something worth checking that nobody's touched on yet — what's your BMS set to for discharge current limits?
@CallumHamilton83 Great choice on the SmartSolar — I've got the same unit running on my narrowboat and it's been rock solid.
RussMitchell75 | Posts: 847 | Location: Derbyshire
@Declan1985 Had exactly this with my 150A JK last summer.
Good point from @KarenWebb there. I'd add that with second-hand Victron LiFePO4 you're also inheriting an unknown charge/discharge history, and unless the previous owner kept meticulous records...
RussMitchell75 | 847 posts
Great thread. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet — shore power integration.
Really good shout from @HelenMoore and @Charlie1981 on the environment side of things. One thing I'd add to the budget conversation specifically — don't forget to factor in your BMS when comparing...
@OffGridJack is right on the capacity point, but just to add — @Turbo, when paralleling those series strings, make sure both strings are at identical voltage before connecting them together,...
@Julie1972 I had something similar last summer with my 75/15. Worth checking whether it's specifically losing connection when the charge current is high — I found mine would drop Bluetooth...
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6 months ago
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Great question, @ShaunDixon. Weight's honestly been fine on mine—they're not significantly heavier than standard panels, and the rigid aluminium frame distributes the load nicely across the roof...
@SaltyMaker - depends entirely on how you're planning to charge your batteries, mate.
If you've got a generator or mains hook-up available at the site, an inverter/charger combo makes sense -...
