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Saying Hello from Lancashire

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 4:22 pm
by Barge17
Hi, another refugee from GBForum.
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I have been lurking for a while, not much to add yet.
Am thinking of setting up an additional invertor and 9kWh battery to take advantage of favourable Octopus tariff when we eventually get transferred from Shell, its gone wrong once already due to a wrong address delaying the job.

cheers, David

Re: Saying Hello from Lancashire

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 5:59 pm
by nowty
Sounds like you have arrived at the right place. :mrgreen:
What's your current system ?, and what tariff are you thinking of ?

With regards wrong address, I've been though that nightmare on my daughters flat move. :evil:
https://camelot-forum.co.uk/phpBB3/view ... f=9&t=1067

You might have guessed from my nickname that I am from Lancashire too. :D
Although I can't cope with the rain so I moved south. ;)

Re: Saying Hello from Lancashire

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 8:24 pm
by Joeboy
Welcome to the forum barge17. Are you barge living if I may ask?

Re: Saying Hello from Lancashire

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:02 am
by Barge17
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Thank you, " Are you barge living if I may ask?" - no, not any more, but we used to have a barge until 8 years ago when we downsized to a narrowboat for summer use only.
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"What's your current system ?" - we are just on a simple Shell Energy fixed rate tariff (got moved from Ecotricity)
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"what tariff are you thinking of ?" - I haven't got my head round it yet, there seem to be so many options and I have only just realised I could have two invertors, so avoid messing with the existing SMA which has been faultless since 2011 and has proved a great investmnt. So have also stopped planning a solar divertor for the immersion heater this year. The battery can do that if there is not enouh sunshine on a summer's day when the boiler is off.
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Re: Saying Hello from Lancashire

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2024 12:50 am
by AlBargey
Barge17 wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:02 am .
Thank you, " Are you barge living if I may ask?" - no, not any more, but we used to have a barge until 8 years ago when we downsized to a narrowboat for summer use only.
Hi,

Fellow boater! What kind of barge was it? Any renewable related things on either?

Re: Saying Hello from Lancashire

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2024 6:53 am
by Barge17
AlBargey wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2024 12:50 am [ What kind of barge was it? Any renewable related things on either?
It was a self - built replica Dutch barge and the only renewable stuff was home - grown logs for the stove(with back boiler) and about 500w of solar which was enough to run a mains fridge 24/7 in summer.
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Image
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The narrowboat has only 170w of solar through an Epever MPPT controller which is ample for maintaining the batteries in winter (no occupancy) and a 12v fridge nearly 24/7 in summer, but we do cruise a least a little most days. I am very impessed with your Victron control panel which even shows your various temperatures - very useful!
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the narrowboat has an old Victron invertor, excellent kit.

Re: Saying Hello from Lancashire

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2024 3:23 pm
by AlBargey
Barge17 wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2024 6:53 am
It was a self - built replica Dutch barge
Image


The narrowboat has only 170w of solar through an Epever MPPT controller which is ample for maintaining the batteries in winter (no occupancy) and a 12v fridge nearly 24/7 in summer, but we do cruise a least a little most days. I am very impessed with your Victron control panel which even shows your various temperatures - very useful!

the narrowboat has an old Victron invertor, excellent kit.
Did you build yourself, that would be fun!?

You can never have too much solar on a boat!.. as you might be able to tell from my signature / VRM :lol: Yes the Victron stuff is exceptionally versatile, it really does work well.

If you click the advanced panel in VRM, there's lots of interesting graphing of data as well, depending on the date range you choose to view. I find it very useful to check the live data or even change settings anywhere with internet, I particularly like the solar forecasting for up to seven days, handy! Victron have come on a long way in the last 10 years.