Hello my name is Kevin, and I’m addicted to solar & LiFePO4 battery tech!

Hah, Kevin you are not alone mate. I stumbled into this rabbit hole about three years ago when I started converting a van, thought I'd just bung in a couple of leisure batteries and be done with it. Famous last words.

Fast forward to now and I've got a 200Ah Fogstar Drift LiFePO4 under the bed, a Victron SmartSolar MPPT, and I'm still reading datasheets at midnight wondering if I should upgrade the BMS or add another 100Ah. The boat project isn't helping either — now I'm pricing up a second bank entirely.

The EV charging side is where it gets really interesting for me though. Running the van off solar-stored LiFePO4 and then thinking about how that ties into wider V2G concepts... it's a proper obsession.

A few things I'm curious about from the group:

• Anyone else finding that once you go lithium you just can't stop optimising?
• What BMS are people running? I went JBD initially but eyeing up the Daly smart units
• Has anyone successfully integrated LiFePO4 storage with actual EV charging at home, keeping costs sensible?

The chemistry itself is fascinating — the flat discharge curve alone converted me instantly compared to AGM. Zero regrets on the switch, just an ever-growing spreadsheet of "future improvements."

Would love to hear how others got pulled in. Was it a camper build, going off-grid at home, a boat? There's usually a gateway drug somewhere in the story.

Welcome to the club @Chunk48 — we've all been there mate! 😄

"Just a couple of leisure batteries" is basically the gateway drug. Next thing you know you're on your third Victron MPPT, arguing about cell balancing at 2am and eyeing up Fogstar's latest drop.

I started with the boat, thought that'd scratch the itch. Spoiler: it did not. Garden office followed, then EV charging got added to the mix. The rabbit hole has no bottom, I'm afraid.

The good news? This community knows their stuff — you'll save a fortune in mistakes by just lurking the forums for a week before buying anything. Ask daft questions too, nobody bites here. Well, mostly. 🔋

@Chunk48 same story, different vehicle 😄 started with a static caravan, thought two 100Ah AGMs off eBay would sort it. Three years later I've got a 400Ah Fogstar Drift LiFePO4 bank, Victron MPPT, and I'm genuinely considering a second array.

The problem is once you understand why LiFePO4 is better you can't unknow it. Usable capacity, cycle life, weight... AGMs feel like a scam in comparison tbh.

Only warning - don't cheap out on the BMS or the MPPT. Learned that the hard way. Lost a cheap Chinese cell pack because the BMS was garbage. Victron gear isn't cheap but it just works and the monitoring alone is worth it.

Welcome to being permanently broke but well-powered 🔋

@Chunk48 boats are where the addiction really takes hold. Started with a pair of tired AGMs that came with my narrowboat, thought "I'll just replace like-for-like." That was four years ago. I now have 400Ah of Fogstar Drift LiFePO4, a Victron Multiplus, MPPT controller, and I've spent more time on battery forums than actually on the water.

The dangerous moment for me was realising LiFePO4 weighed half as much as lead-acid. On a boat, weight matters. That one practical justification completely dissolved any spending resistance I had left.

Now I'm planning a second alternator setup and rewiring the entire DC system. My partner just sighs whenever a parcel arrives at the marina.

Welcome aboard — quite literally in my case. 🚢

@Chunk48 retired now so I've got way too much time to obsess over this stuff 😄

Started with a single 100Ah Fogstar Drift and thought "that'll do nicely." Three years later I've got 400Ah of LiFePO4, a Victron Multiplus, and a spreadsheet tracking every amp-hour since March 2022. The missus has stopped asking questions.

The real danger is when you start understanding the tech. Once you know what a BMS actually does, you can't unknow it. AGMs start looking absolutely criminal value for money by comparison.

Welcome to the hole — it only goes deeper! 🔋