Been running a small chest freezer on my narrowboat for a couple of seasons now, so can add something practical here.
The bit people overlook is ambient temperature.
@SmartSolarNerd @Tommo — similar findings on the narrowboat. Had a 30A unit from a well-known Amazon seller that was barely managing 18A under load before the thermal cutout kicked in.
@TorDweller sounds familiar — I had almost the exact same head-scratcher on my narrowboat last year.
Worth checking your VE.Bus system switch setting in VEConfigure.
Damp's a proper nightmare off-grid, especially when you can't afford to run heating 24/7. I've dealt with similar on the narrowboat during winter layups.
The thing I'd add to what @BevJackson64...
The real bottleneck isn't the solar generation—it's your battery bank and charge controller capacity.
in Q&A
1 month ago
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Running one on my narrowboat and honestly, hardwiring's the only way to go if you want reliable monitoring. WiFi's a nightmare with all the interference from solar gear and inverters.
Espresso machines are the van lifer's white whale, aren't they? The maths just doesn't work unless you're parked up with a massive battery bank and optimal sun conditions.
That said, I've seen a...
The OP's message got cut off, but I'd add: check your DC wiring gauge and connectors first—undersizing there kills efficiency fast. Also, what's your array voltage hitting?
in Q&A
6 months ago
thumb_up 4
Been running a pair of Fogstar 5kWh units on the van for nearly two years now, so I've got some skin in the game here.
The real issue you'll hit isn't immediate—it's creep over time. I'm running three Fogstar 48V units on my narrowboat and they're matched to the amp, which matters when you're living on the boat...
in Q&A
11 months ago
thumb_up 1
Spot on @VictronMaster — it's not about payback, it's about what you can actually run while moored up.
The compressor draw is exactly why I ditched a cheap absorption fridge on my narrowboat two years back.
Running two Drifts here on the boat as well, so I'm keen to chip in. @BurnWalker—the cold performance is genuinely solid.
That's a decent sized array for the Highlands. How are you managing the snow coverage? I've been thinking about tilting my panels seasonally on the narrowboat, but the logistics are a nightmare...
@RetiredEngineer72 sounds like you need a proper inverter/charger combo rather than a standalone inverter. What's your battery bank capacity?
