Like how we grow crops in summer to take us through winter can the same be done for solar or do batteries not hold charge for long enough for it to be feasible?
I know you could do what my mum does with the solar on her roof and sell solar back to the grid and buy that back again but that does...
Saw this users postings after someone on that sub suggested it and that some user, this one I guess, had brought it up as an alternative source to solar in the winter.
This seems just the ticket for UK because when the weather is awful, with next to no solar, it is more than likely also going...
Reading about diesel heater and fumes it seems a little leakage is common and somewhat expected. A quick search showed a lot of results of people asking similar questions.
Since diesel is known to be super toxic and will even be banned in some years in the UK what does this mean for our long...
I have two of these from renogy in series. 12v, tracer bn 4215 controller.
Could I add more of these to existing array so that 200 would give more mileage on the same surface area?
I would actually prefer to buy elsewhere than renogy since I do not like that they are sneakily shipping from...
For reference this is for UK weather and using diesel (aka dry) heating.
Isn't that like putting on the heating and opening all doors and windows? It seems extremely wasteful no?
Currently I see heating is not enough for me because I will run the heating for an hour say and see the...
Currently heater is at mid level of the van, placed right at the rear and facing the front. As such the heat spreads in a jet from the 30cmx6 approx aperture rising to the ceiling.
I am only in a transit connect and thought it would be so small that it wouldn't matter and the whole space would...
I haven't so far as when doing research I read that it is questionable if it is required and so didn't. Something about how it self earths anyway or something. Don't remember exactly but since it seemed optional I did not dig into it.
I see some comments on various places that people do though...
My lifestyle is more like that of a static caravan and no I don't want to live in a caravan! I explored that idea before getting a van and decided van was the way because I would easily be able to move it when I want. Also since I am in a small van (transit connect) I am able to drive down the...
Looking for land, especially woodland, finding south facing plots is rather rare.
Would you say it is an absolute essential for power or are there other options which could prove equally as good as solar - at an accesible price of course? I will still have very modest electrical needs for now...
If I am understanding right so far overpanelling is just taking advantage of the fact that the panels will never achieve maximum rated output so we are using more to eek out what we can of those lower solar days. Also once summer comes round and they would be achieving the highest output they...
I am looking to overpanel to take me through the winter months but I thought that to make use of the excess that will be gathered in summer perhaps induction cooking on electric stove could be an option. Bear in mind I have barely any other electrical draws aside from tiny things like tablet...
I know that the tablet charges via dc but it is with an ac to dc adaptor. How to charge direct from dc source in van?
Can usb be used as I have 2 ports? If so how? I am not sure what connections are needed.
I looked at the ac adaptor last night and it stated, from memory, 1.5a input and 1000ma...
The mt50 doesnt seem much help here.
It just shows how many watts you are bringing in but what does it pertain to? I was told it is "real time" but then what use it that? I want to know how much I am drawing and saving over x time to be able to calculate efficacy.
Also how much is in the...
I have to get electrics in before heating can go in so it is a chicken or the egg thing.
Want heating in large part to deal with the persistent ddamp but said damp will also then be able to get on the electrics.
I havent fully enclosed yet, just the main ply board with components screwed to...
Everyone shit on flexibles but just these 2 x 200w flexible renogies are performing better than I would have ever anticipated from all the shit people gave it online before buying them. I noted the highest peak I have seen so far the other day at around 121w. All this and still only on the cusp...
If you don't what I mean look up wallas xc duo. It is a diesel heater just with cooking ability 99% the same internals with just a cook top above the glow plug as far as I understand. Mine isn't that make. I bought a chinese knock off for about 1/2 the price but same type of deal. Unfortunately...
The fan says 0.16 amps draw but no information on the wire since it is made for a pc which doesn't use fuses for individual parts I guess.
The wires are super tiny though, like only 2 mm totoal and maybe .5 mm of the wire itself. I only have 2 amp fuse as my smaller ones currently. Should I buy...
I had held off buying the 3rd 100w panel for the roof given that I might explore a wind turbine.
Can you guys helpe with the calculations? Comparing how much juice I would likely get from wind given it is transient and I would have to chase higher climbs probably vs given that solar is in short...
I saw that lfp04 as well as lfp08, rather than only having user settings to set them, are options and my battery seller said this would be the one I should choose (fogstar drift 105ah).
Every time I switch the power back on though the setting defaults to "sealed" in the options. I set again and...
I am so at a loss I have no idea what to look up online to try and diagnose the issue.
So I was just doing what I thought was some routine tidying up, just reconnecting a light which came unplugged at the plastic screw terminals and adding a couple of blade terminals to connections which I had...
Hi I am new to all this and just bought all my gear. I eschewed the newer epevers and went for the older tracer bn on Wills recommendation that it is heavy duty and robust.
Very pleased with it as it seems exactly as described but could someone guide me on how to setup my lifepo4 battery with...
Still wanting some clarification on how parallel increases your power. Does it still increase it, just less so than if the same panels were in series?
People have recommended to group them in parallel to overcome the voc limits of the scc. Could I do 4 of these parallel and 3 series to achieve...
Even though I barely drive now, upon people's recommendations, a battery to battery charger does seem like a good idea to supplement my charging capabilities for these poor solar months. It would be good to always have it as an option without having to resort to shore power.
As mike fitz kindly...
I spent the past month or more setting up electrics buying all the gear and solar and it just dawned on me the solar is probably going to be as good as useless now. I only got it mainly to power diesel heater electrics.
Of course the electrical system is now almost in place so can be powered by...
1. How or moreso where to install starter battery disconnect? I know the process generally of how from doing leisure battery electrics though with installing a starter battery disconnect I am not sure where you fix it since there is no circuit board under the hood that I could see like with...
I have not bought anything from them so far but see all the song and dance about how they are the greatest thing since sliced bread.
I do have my eye on their battery monitor bmv 700 which seems like it might be suitable for me.
I am wondering if their gear is actually head and shoulders above...
I just want to know state of charge first and foremost but then maybe what loads are being drawn and the basics whatever most people recommend.
Things like this. Or another one I saw around mentioned is the DROK though someone mentioned in another post, referring to that linked video, that the...
Not a solar question, but tangentially related as the highest priority reason to get my solar up and running is to have power for a heater, most which require electricity in some form for startup and background operation. Someone else posted a similar post here which apparently went unchallenged...
I initially was following a youtube schematic where he says to fuse and also use a dc isolator.
This article though from a well respected shop in the UK says it is not necesary and detrimental to efficiency.
As a few others on different threads also said it is redundant I have opted not to but...