In-depth guides, comparisons and how-tos for power stations, solar and backup power.
A Victron mini split setup is one of the best off-grid and RV heating and cooling options. Most modern mini splits use inverter-driven compressors that ramp up slowly, so there’s no big startup surge. The questions are voltage (120V or 240V), continuous watts and battery energy. Here’s how to size it with Victron’s datasheets. Electrical […]
Charging a 300Ah lithium bank takes a long drive: this Orion XS charge time guide works through how many hours the Victron Orion XS 12/12-50A needs to fill one. The math uses the charger’s official 50A rating and the battery specs, and it explains why real drives often take longer. Orion XS Charge Time: The […]
The Victron MPPT 100/30 vs 100/50 choice comes down to one number: how many amps of solar charging you need. Both are SmartSolar controllers with the same 100V input limit, the same case and the same weight. Victron’s datasheet shows where they differ. Victron MPPT 100/30 vs 100/50 Specs Spec SmartSolar 100/30 SmartSolar 100/50 Battery […]
Victron Lynx Shunt vs SmartShunt comes down to how your DC system is built. Both measure battery current and calculate state of charge. The SmartShunt is a standalone shunt with Bluetooth. The Lynx Shunt VE.Can is a busbar module that adds a main fuse holder and talks to a GX device. Here are the official […]
Here’s the Victron lithium Starlink runtime math for the most common van battery: the Victron Lithium Battery 12.8V 200Ah Smart. It stores 2,560Wh at 25°C, according to Victron’s datasheet. How long that lasts depends mostly on which Starlink you have and whether it runs on DC or through an inverter. The Inputs Item Figure Source […]
The Victron Orion XS fuse size and cable gauge both come straight from Victron’s Orion XS 12/12-50A manual. Getting them right matters more than with most chargers, because the XS cuts its charge current when its input voltage sags. Thin cable means less charging, not just more heat. Electrical work can be dangerous: follow the […]
Victron SmartShunt vs cheap shunts is one of the most common debates in the comments under battery monitor videos. A no-name Bluetooth shunt can cost a fraction of the price. So what do you get from Victron? Below we list what the SmartShunt’s official datasheet and manual promise, and the questions to ask before buying […]
Victron Lynx Smart BMS vs smallBMS (and the VE.Bus BMS V2 in between) is a choice every Victron Lithium Battery Smart owner has to make. Victron’s batteries don’t protect themselves. They need an external BMS that switches loads and chargers off. Victron’s BMS overview datasheet compares these three, and here’s what it says. Victron Lynx […]
Working out what size Victron lithium battery you need is easier once you stop thinking in amp-hours and start thinking in watt-hours. A 100Ah battery at 12.8V and a 100Ah battery at 25.6V store very different amounts of energy. This guide converts Ah to kWh using Victron’s own datasheet figures, then sizes a bank from […]
Victron Lynx Distributor wiring looks intimidating, but it’s really a set of busbars that bolt together. Victron’s manual lays out the module order, grounding, fusing and a commissioning checklist. Here’s that process in plain steps, plus the system layouts Victron shows. Electrical work can be dangerous: follow the manual, fuse and size every cable correctly, […]
