Been through the mill with two Drifts now — 5.12 in the motorhome, 10.24 in a static setup at a mate's property. The thing that gets me is the BMS integration.
Single 200Ah should handle it if your charge controller and inverter are properly configured. Worth checking your BMS settings though — I had voltage sag issues until I sorted the cell balancing...
Been through this exact scenario myself — swapped lead-acid for 200Ah LiFePO4 in the motorhome last year. Night and day difference.
The usual culprits are Screwfix and Toolstation for quick fixes, but you'll pay a premium. For proper solar cabling, I'd go straight to the specialists:
Littelfuse and Nexans stock proper PV-rated...
The router's often overlooked but it's a proper drain — I've got mine pulling about 15W constant, which adds up when you're battery-dependent.
You're on the right track with 4kWp, but here's what I've learned the hard way with my motorhome setup — it's all about the battery bank and inverter sizing, not just panels.
That inrush current...
Yeah, winter on a boat's brutal. 2.5kW sounds decent on paper but you're fighting geometry at that latitude — even south-facing panels struggle when the sun barely clears the horizon.
A few things...
Oof, four months is rough mate. That's the thing with budget controllers – you're not just risking dead kit, you're looking at potential damage to panels and batteries if the charge profile goes...
The SmartShunt's won me over for the motorhome setup, but I'd say context is king here. Space-wise @ThistleVicky and @BenJackson are spot on—it's genuinely pocket-sized compared to the BMV.
What I...
Spot on, @Cleggy. I made the same error with my setup — spent weeks agonising over whether I needed Victron or something cheaper, when really the answer was just start and iterate.
The thing is,...
Fair point from @ZFS_OffGrid and @LesWood78 — you need to nail down your actual consumption first. Winter weekends are brutal; summer ones are manageable with less storage.
What I'd do: Spend a...
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1 year ago
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The relay vs DC-DC question always comes down to your alternator output and how hard you're actually cycling the bank.
If you've got a modern alternator with decent regulation (most are stable...
@RetiredEngineer72's nailed it on maintenance. I spent a fortune on a Victron setup for the boat, then realised I'm now the entire support team.
Mate, @CamperCarl's got it spot on. The battery monitor is genuinely the most honest thing in any relationship—no hiding from those numbers.
Mine's more practical than funny, but here goes: Why...
Right, you lot are killing me with these. @RetiredPlumber that caravan one's a shambles—proper groan-worthy.
Got a couple from my setup:
Why's my Victron inverter never invited to parties?
