The efficiency gap matters more than most realise once you factor in the actual cost per watt generated.
Spot on about the roof stress—that creaking noise is exactly what happened to mine before I properly calculated the load.
You lot are bang on about the mindset shift, but I'd add the unglamorous bit: it's relentless accountability.
The split array really does make a difference up north. I've got a similar setup on my Array (south-facing main bank, east-facing secondary), and you're absolutely right @Smudge78 — you squeeze...
Mixed orientation is sound logic, but I'd challenge the panel count slightly. 16x330W gives you 5.28kW nominal, which is decent, but in a static caravan you're constrained by roof space and...
@Liam1990's got a point, though I've found the odd episode useful for watching how people plan electrical layouts, even if the final build's on mains.
@MarshLover spot on about the mindset shift. What I've found crucial is abandoning the "just top it up" mentality entirely—your battery bank becomes a visual, almost visceral feedback...
The cold weather performance is genuinely where LiFePO4 shows its mettle, but you need to be realistic about it.
That's actually brilliant grounding for off-grid, @BurnWalker. Understanding load management and system redundancy at scale translates directly—you'll already think in terms of demand profiles and...
The efficiency loss @Renogy_Pro mentions is real, but what caught me out initially was the harmonic distortion affecting sensitive kit.
@Cleggy's spot on about the action-over-analysis thing. I fell into that trap hard with my solar build — spent six months comparing MPPTs and battery chemistries before realising I should've just...
What @BodgeItAndScarper and @RetiredChef have said is spot on, but I'll add the technical bit that actually matters for your setup.
SOC directly impacts battery lifespan.
in Q&A
2 years ago
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@CotswoldNomad — solid foundation there with 1.6kW nominal (accounting for real-world angle losses). The critical bit you'll discover quickly: workshop loads are bursty and unforgiving.
Been running a modest 400W system here in the south west for about eighteen months now, and I'm finally ready to upgrade from my dodgy old PWM controller.
@DefenderAdventure spot on with loads-first thinking. Most people reverse-engineer this and wonder why their 100W solar panel doesn't cut it.
One thing worth emphasising for van-specific setups:...
