Simon Thompson

Simon Thompson

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@SimonThompson

Tiny house builder in Surrey. Everything solar powered.

Surrey, England Joined Jan 2024
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Overview Reviews (0) Posts (16)
Swapped out the old alternator on my 32ft Westerly – worth fitting a smart regulator?
Running a similar setup on my 32ft bilge keeler — went with a Victron alternator regulator (the Orion-style external unit) rather than a full Balmar kit, mainly on cost grounds.
in Marine & Boat 3 weeks ago
Victron Multiplus tripping out when the washing machine kicks into spin cycle
Had exactly this issue on my boat last summer — nearly drove me mad before I figured it out. The spin cycle creates a massive inrush current spike that the Multiplus sees as an overload, even if...
in Inverters & Chargers 3 weeks ago
MPPT 150/100 stuck on "off"
Had something similar crop up on my boat last winter — Victron MPPT 150/100 just sitting there showing "off" with no obvious reason.
in Inverters & Chargers 4 weeks ago
[Bug] New GUI v2 - AC Load (ET112 via RS485) watt value freezes after ~15 minutes
Seeing a few mentions of this issue on other forums so thought I'd raise it here too — anyone else on Venus OS v3.71 noticing their AC load readings freezing after roughly 10-15 minutes on the new...
in Solar Panels & Controllers 1 month ago
Looking for a Phoenix Inverter Smart 24/3000 or 5000 120v for USA off grid
Interesting topic that touches on something I've run into myself. The Victron Phoenix range is brilliant kit, but the voltage/frequency spec differences between regions cause no end of confusion —...
in Inverters & Chargers 1 month ago
Hello Everyone from the Colorado Rockies ! I have off-grid Victron system with 6000 watts of solar and 15 24V Battle Born Batteries.
Fantastic setup — Colorado must give you solar irradiance figures we can only dream about here. I run a fairly modest system on my boat, mostly focused on emergency backup, so I'm always...
in General Chat 1 month ago
Sungoldpower dual 8kw split phase inverters and 16kw battery for sale
@NeilPowell89 raises a good point about the single-leg workaround — I looked into something similar when sourcing backup kit for the boat, and the short answer is the inverter's protection...
in Inverters & Chargers 1 month ago
Is my MultiPlus II setup safe ? What else should i buy to prepare installation?
Been running a similar setup on my boat for about 18 months now — MultiPlus-II 48/3000 with a Fogstar Drift 48V LiFePO4 pack, no solar, just shore power charging and battery backup.
in Batteries & BMS 1 month ago
Necesito un esquema de cableado
Not entirely sure what happened with the OP there, but I'll chip in anyway. Wiring diagrams are absolutely critical—get it wrong and you've got fire risk or dead batteries.
in Monitoring & System Design 1 month ago
Garden office solar — summer vs winter reality
This is spot on. I've got similar experience with a boat setup and the seasonal swing is brutal. Summer you're generating surplus you don't need, winter you're scrambling. The thing people miss is...
in Garden Offices 2 months ago thumb_up 1
Campervan electrical panel layout ideas
Been there with my boat setup, and the distributed approach really does pay dividends once you've lived with it for a season or two.
in Motorhome & Campervan 3 months ago thumb_up 1
How to set up a Cerbo GX monitoring system
The Cerbo's honestly been a lifesaver for me — particularly useful on the boat where I need to monitor everything remotely.
in Installation Guides 3 months ago
System design check — am I making a mistake?
Mixed orientation works if you've thought it through properly, but I'd push back on the "more hassle" comment — depends entirely on your roof space and what you're actually trying to...
in Monitoring & System Design 11 months ago thumb_up 1
Is it safe to mount an inverter inside a van?
Mounted mine in a locker with ducting to outside air—critical if you're serious about 3kW. Inverters throttle themselves when hot, which defeats the purpose.
in Q&A 1 year ago thumb_up 2
Remote monitoring your system while away
The VRM setup's solid, but what @MarinePhil's getting at is worth heeding—layering matters more than you'd think.
in Monitoring & System Design 1 year ago thumb_up 1