Simon Kelly

Simon Kelly

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@SimonKelly

Garden office powered by solar in Lisbon area. Working from home off-grid. Known for detailed build logs.

Lisbon area, Portugal Joined Jun 2023
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Overview Reviews (0) Posts (21)
Step-by-step: Setting up Victron SmartSolar MPPT
Worth noting the firmware updates on these units are crucial — I learnt that the hard way. Victron's VE.Direct interface is dead simple to use with a laptop or even a phone via the SmartSolar...
in Installation Guides 1 year ago thumb_up 3
Heating a garden office with solar — possible?
The maths on this one is brutal. A 12m² office losing heat through walls, roof and floor needs roughly 3–5kW on a cold day just to maintain 18°C.
in Garden Offices 1 year ago thumb_up 1
Home backup power — where to start?
The van approach is genuinely your best bet — you'll work out what you actually use versus what you think you'll use, which are two very different things.
in Emergency & Backup Power 2 years ago thumb_up 1
What does SOC mean and why does it matter?
The lads have covered the definition, but there's a critical practical aspect for static caravans that deserves emphasis: depth of discharge (DoD). Lithium batteries (LiFePO₄) can safely cycle...
in Q&A 2 years ago thumb_up 2
What lifestyle changes are needed for off-grid living?
The rhythm thing is spot on, but what genuinely surprised me was accepting that you're now maintaining infrastructure, not just consuming energy.
in General Chat 2 years ago thumb_up 1
LiFePO4 vs AGM — which should I choose?
The efficiency gains alone make it worth the jump. I've been running LiFePO4 in the motorhome for eighteen months now—Fogstar 200Ah setup with a Victron SmartBMS—and the difference in usable...
in Batteries & BMS 2 years ago thumb_up 1