Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-11-2017, 11:20 PM   #1
Guru
 
MurrayM's Avatar
 
City: Kitimat, North Coast BC
Vessel Name: Badger
Vessel Model: 30' Sundowner Tug
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5,946
Ascension of Lithium

There's going to be a massive increase in lithium battery production in the next three to seven years. Might be perfectly timed for when our lead acid golf cart batteries need to be replaced

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...k-in-batteries
__________________
"The most interesting path between two points is not a straight line" MurrayM
MurrayM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-11-2017, 11:35 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
dw8928's Avatar
 
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Silver
Vessel Model: Helmsman 31
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 162
Probably will kill off propane on boats too
dw8928 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 12:06 AM   #3
Guru
 
C lectric's Avatar
 
City: Gibsons, B.C., Canada
Vessel Name: Island Pride
Vessel Model: Palmer 32'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,414
The batteries themselves are not the problem.
The charging and monitoring requirement are.
Those mfgr. doing a good job of chargers and proper monitoring are few and far between and their products are good but very expensive.
Failure to deal with the charge/monitoring g end will result in a very expensive failure of batteries.
It will come but be darn careful you do not get sucked into the hype.
Too many promoting without telling you the entire story.
Read CMS comments in a recent thread.
C lectric is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 12:19 AM   #4
Guru
 
MurrayM's Avatar
 
City: Kitimat, North Coast BC
Vessel Name: Badger
Vessel Model: 30' Sundowner Tug
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5,946
I'm waiting to see if there will be enough critical mass via cars and home storage that those problems get ironed out. Time will tell...
__________________
"The most interesting path between two points is not a straight line" MurrayM
MurrayM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 12:53 AM   #5
Guru
 
Xsbank's Avatar
 
City: Pender Harbour, BC
Vessel Name: Gwaii Haanas
Vessel Model: Custom Aluminum 52
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,791
I cant see electric cars lasting in the public's affection until you can recharge one as simply as a fill up of gasoline. When that happens, all bets are off.
__________________
Don't believe everything that you think.
Xsbank is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 02:21 AM   #6
Guru
 
BruceK's Avatar
 
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,329
South Australia (state), which is experiencing some difficulty supplying the State with electricity, is doing a deal with Elon Musk (Tesla) to build a massive lithium battery, the biggest ever made,with electricity supplied by wind farm generation. If it`s not built within 100days of the agreement (scheduled for mid October) it`s going to be provided free for SA.
I`ve read it could service 30000 homes overnight, but I`m really not sure of the projected capacity or lifespan. Or what happens if wind conditions are calm. As the largest ever built I assume it will take a lot of lithium.
__________________
BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
BruceK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 04:28 AM   #7
Guru
 
AusCan's Avatar
 
City: Adelaide
Vessel Name: Kokanee
Vessel Model: Cuddles 30 Pilot House Motor Sailer
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,218
Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceK View Post
South Australia (state), which is experiencing some difficulty supplying the State with electricity, is doing a deal with Elon Musk (Tesla) to build a massive lithium battery, the biggest ever made,with electricity supplied by wind farm generation. If it`s not built within 100days of the agreement (scheduled for mid October) it`s going to be provided free for SA.
I`ve read it could service 30000 homes overnight, but I`m really not sure of the projected capacity or lifespan. Or what happens if wind conditions are calm. As the largest ever built I assume it will take a lot of lithium.
Because South Australia has such a high percentage of small wind an solar power generation (over 40%), the system is lacking big baseload generators to keep the system stable. Lithium battery packs are going to provide the stabilization when upsets to the grid system occur. This battery pack will provide 129 million amp hours of power when required.
AusCan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 07:29 AM   #8
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,870
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xsbank View Post
I cant see electric cars lasting in the public's affection until you can recharge one as simply as a fill up of gasoline. ............ .
Yea, that's easy to overlook for some folks. An electric car is useless for long trips so if you buy one, you'll need to either buy or rent a conventionally powered car for trips.

Electric cars have an advantage over boats - They can generate electricity from braking and going downhill. Boats seldom do that.

I have wondered though; Do electric cars have air conditioning? If so, how much does using it reduce the range of the car?

Going back to the original post and the assumption that we will be driving lithium battery powered cars and boats, perhaps we will someday but many of us have learned not to be the first to buy into some new technology. The leading edge is also the bleeding edge.

When I see the mainstream boat manufacturers using lithium batteries, I'll consider them.
rwidman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 07:30 AM   #9
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,870
Quote:
Originally Posted by dw8928 View Post
Probably will kill off propane on boats too
Why do you say that?
rwidman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 07:33 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
dw8928's Avatar
 
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Silver
Vessel Model: Helmsman 31
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 162
Quote:
Originally Posted by WesK View Post
Why do you say that?


There is already a movement in the RV world to get rid of propane and stand-alone gensets for batteries and huge alternator/solar power recharge systems.
dw8928 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 07:51 AM   #11
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,870
Quote:
Originally Posted by dw8928 View Post
There is already a movement in the RV world to get rid of propane and stand-alone gensets for batteries and huge alternator/solar power recharge systems.
Why is that and why does it apply to boats? Who is promoting this "movement"?

RVs are a bit different than boats. RVs often use propane for refrigeration. Boats do not. I much prefer cooking with gas (natural or propane) to electric. It's going to take a mighty big bank of batteries to roast a turkey.
rwidman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 07:55 AM   #12
Valued Technical Contributor
 
DavidM's Avatar
 
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,784
Quote:
Originally Posted by dw8928 View Post
There is already a movement in the RV world to get rid of propane and stand-alone gensets for batteries and huge alternator/solar power recharge systems.
I haven't seen that trend yet, maybe because I have a light weight tow behind trailer and I suspect your comment relates to Class A motorhomes. But from what I have seen in my somewhat limited RV view is that 95% of RVer's camp at established campgrounds with plug in power.

Also to eliminate propane, the RV industry would have to switch to Danfoss compressor cooled refrigeration, not the current propane/electric heat based absorption cooling. And what do you do about heating hot water? No RV that I am aware of hooks up the propulsion engine's cooling system to the hot water heater like boats do.

And finally for our type of camping which is in rustic, NP, SP and USFS sites, we use very little power- 5-10 AH daily, but we do use significant propane for cooking, water heating, refrigeration and if really cold, the furnace.

These needs will never be met with solar for us, because we always camp in shade.

David
DavidM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 07:55 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
dw8928's Avatar
 
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Silver
Vessel Model: Helmsman 31
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 162
Quote:
Originally Posted by WesK View Post
Why is that and why does it apply to boats? Who is promoting this "movement"?

RVs are a bit different than boats. RVs often use propane for refrigeration. Boats do not. I much prefer cooking with gas (natural or propane) to electric. It's going to take a mighty big bank of batteries to roast a turkey.


LOL, have you really roasted a turkey in a boat ? I used to say this too!!

A company called Roadtrek has a system called Voltstart that works the way I described. They were just bought by the largest RV manufacturer in Europe.

The big problem is the engine on a boat isn’t the same quiet operator as an automobile engine.
dw8928 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 08:45 AM   #14
Guru
 
Jeff F's Avatar
 
City: Guelph
Vessel Name: Escapade
Vessel Model: 50` US Navy Utility trawler conversion
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,432
Quote:
Originally Posted by WesK View Post

Yea, that's easy to overlook for some folks. An electric car is useless for long trips so if you buy one, you'll need to either buy or rent a conventionally powered car for trips.

Electric cars have an advantage over boats - They can generate electricity from braking and going downhill. Boats seldom do that.

I have wondered though; Do electric cars have air conditioning? If so, how much does using it reduce the range of the car?

Going back to the original post and the assumption that we will be driving lithium battery powered cars and boats, perhaps we will someday but many of us have learned not to be the first to buy into some new technology. The leading edge is also the bleeding edge.

When I see the mainstream boat manufacturers using lithium batteries, I'll consider them.
I have had a Nissan Leaf - a relatively affordable electric car - for almost 4 years. Great urban car that has never been more than 100 miles from home. I'd call it a secondary car, but that's not quite right - it's our primary car for local use. Yes has A/C, and in hot weather usage reduces range by typically 10%. Bigger challenge is winter, where range is reduced by up to 50% in cold (< -20 C).

One mitigation is to preheat or precool the car while plugged in - which can be preprogrammed or done on demand through a smart phone app. An unexpected benefit for us is that my partner who hates cold has taken to preheating the car all the time, even if not plugged in. She loves that, and with a short commute has the power available to do it without concern for range.

And to an earlier comment, recharging is less onerous than visiting gas stations. Plugging it in at the end of the day at home has become automatic. Keeping the car charged has proven to be no more difficult than keeping a phone charged.
Jeff F is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 09:18 AM   #15
Guru
 
MurrayM's Avatar
 
City: Kitimat, North Coast BC
Vessel Name: Badger
Vessel Model: 30' Sundowner Tug
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5,946
Some have missed my point.

I don't think we'll all be driving electric cars in less than ten years, but there might be enough 'critical mass' in larger cities and China to drive innovation forward at an ever accelerating pace.

Mule skinner's used to laugh at those putt-putt vee-hickles struggling through the wagon ruts. Who foresaw how fast those weird diodes which emitted a soft dusky light would be improved? How long has the Internet been around?

If I was to improve our batteries today I'd go with carbon foam, but anticipate a rapid evolution of lithium battery system components once all these factories begin production.

Right now our alternator is limited by the size of our lead acid golf cart battery bank. Being able to install a much bigger alternator (or alternators) with batteries that don't need a float charge to reach full will be a game changer. So will availability of system components in remote locations. That's when I'll make the switch.
__________________
"The most interesting path between two points is not a straight line" MurrayM
MurrayM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 10:07 AM   #16
Guru
 
C lectric's Avatar
 
City: Gibsons, B.C., Canada
Vessel Name: Island Pride
Vessel Model: Palmer 32'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,414
Got your point.
I semi seriously looked at Li batteries two yrs ago but shied away because the charging and monitoring systems were still at the ( bit fiddler stage),my wife,s terminology.

I have had good success with my current batteries,gels, and another 10 years will likely see me out of boating or at least the longer range boating we do now.
The large extra expense, complications and hooplah , I determined, we're not worth it.

I agree that those problems will/are being overcome even as we discuss but for most of us
It will take a bunch more time that many don,t have. We need to change batteries now.

The auto and power grids will drive the changes but boating ,being small, will lag but will come.

For me, to late and far too expensive yet.
For you and many others another few years could be a game changer. Hope so.
C lectric is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 11:04 AM   #17
Technical Guru
 
Ski in NC's Avatar
 
City: Wilmington, NC
Vessel Name: Louisa
Vessel Model: Custom Built 38
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,194
I could easily see me going with an electric car and then renting a gasser for long trips. That might be a model that works.
Ski in NC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 11:35 AM   #18
Art
Guru
 
Art's Avatar
 
City: SF Bay Area
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 34' Tri Cabin
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 12,569
Couple things bout the coming proliferation [i.e., new age Batt-Craze] regarding transportation vehicle and building-power "Batteries":

1. Transfer power loss from new-power generation mode to the actual added-charge accomplished inside batteries generally runs from 10 to 20+ percent power loss. That equals a bit of a cost problem regarding solar, wave, wind and other eco-clean power generator sources... while creating sizable increased %age pollution conditions when batt-charging power originates from generator systems using fossil fuels.

2. Once the billion-plus vehicles throughout the many levels of transportation systems [cars, motorcycles, bicycles, small trucks, boats etc] and, in addition, billion-plus buildings actually begin to become a substantial %age of them all being battery powered [rather than clean-energy or fossil fuel powered] - The elements/bulk of battery waste created as/while aged batteries fail will develop enormous pollution conditions of its own volition. Recycling procedures will hopefully be able to handle the mass of waste materials that will be continuously created.

In effect... for enabling the necessary requirement for having continued energy availability... the world will be trading portions of some pollution creating circumstances for a whole new group of pollution creating sources, conditions and circumstances. Which means, we may be getting into ever deeper and more problematic pollution conditions/circumstances.

Partial solution to this problem of producing/storing/using energy by either ongoing or differently accomplished yet potentially increased pollution sources/methods: Full-Cycle <atmospherically accomplished> "carbon neutral" liquid hydrocarbon energy sources of fungible, drop-in diesel, gasoline and jet fuels. This truly clean-energy, eco-stable fuel opportunity can be and is about to be brought to fruition. Please... Keep your eyes open!
Art is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 12:14 PM   #19
FF
Guru
 
FF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
"Probably will kill off propane on boats too"

Doubtful,

nothing proposed can match 30-40 days of reefer operation for a $20 propane refill.

Or 2 -3 months of cooking for the same $20.

$10K for a noisemaker $5K for a fancy 5 year batt set?
That need maint and make noise, and eat fuel?

UGH!
FF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2017, 02:58 PM   #20
Guru
 
Lou_tribal's Avatar
 
City: Quebec
Vessel Name: Bleuvet
Vessel Model: Custom Built
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 4,375
Quote:
Originally Posted by dw8928 View Post
Probably will kill off propane on boats too
Damned it! I'v just finished to do my new propane installation aboard



L.
Lou_tribal is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:15 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012