Started a new project

[Simi 60]

The real question, one that I believe is unanswered, is how long will they, in fact, last. We won't know that until a bunch of first users have had them for more than 10 years.

Plenty of users have passed 10 years now
I personally know a few that have had them on boats longer than that
Threads on cruisers forum asking this question go back to 2010

One last thought - what about fire danger? If a lithium battery causes a fire on a boat, the boat is doomed. No fire suppresion system is able to squelch a lithium battery failure. There are more than a few examples of Teslas catching fire. They burn, very hot, until the batteries' energy has all been used. There are examples of Teslas burning for as long as 20 hours. I read of one case where a fire department used 65,000 gallons of water just keeping the wreck contained..

Different battery chemistry entirely
Lifepo4 is damn near impossible to kill as demonstrated in these videos

The only batteries that catch on fire are the ones they actually set on fire themselves

 

[BCRyan]

Following with great interest.

I'm guessing, but I suspect that we were both inspired by GoneDiving's thread back in late July. My 16 LFP cells are finally out for delivery today... 3.5 months to receive them from China!

 

[GoneDiving]

Following with great interest.

I'm guessing, but I suspect that we were both inspired by GoneDiving's thread back in late July. My 16 LFP cells are finally out for delivery today... 3.5 months to receive them from China!

I'm still alive ?

The solar battery project stalled for a while as my refit has dragged out longer than expected. The biggest issue now is that Aus seems to be nearly out of stock of nearly everything and like you, freight times have blown out. My ultimate plans haven't changed from my original post though.

 

[Tator]

My project got put on hold as well as I had to be medevaced down to Seattle last summer. I ended up hauling my new uninstalled LiPo4s and the new inverter back home to Bainbridge Island so that I could partially discharge the batteries and store them for the winter. Planning on doing the install this coming May.

Tator

 

[Simi 60]

And here I am still waiting on a 1 oz tube of Noalox to arrive from the US so I can do the final assemble of the batteries.

Has been held up by customs for a couple of weeks now
Order placed over a month ago.

 

[GoneDiving]

And here I am still waiting on a 1 gram tube of Noalox to arrive from the US so I can do the final assemble of the batteries.

Has been held up by customs for a couple of weeks now.

Bunnings had ONE sausage of Sikaflex Pro left yesterday. ?

 

[Simi 60]

And here I am still waiting on a 1 oz tube of Noalox to arrive from the US so I can do the final assemble of the batteries.

Has been held up by customs for a couple of weeks now
Order placed over a month ago.

Bloody DHL

Goes into post office this morning to pick up some bits and here's the Noalox.

Been sitting there for the last 12 days yet DHL shows it as being in customs and when I called a few days ago they said the same.

2 more days and it would have been sent back

 

[Simi 60]

Well, hooked up 4 cells yesterday to the bench power supply to start top balancing to 3.65v
Started at 3.31v and at day's end they were at 3.32v - that's going to take forever to do 24 cells.

Today I changed tack and assembled as 24v again, put the BMS on and connected to the spare Victron 24v/50amp we have onboard.
Flicked switch and straight to float.
Flat charge profile of LFP has these at 26.5v so going straight to float

Googled a solution, opened up charger and flicked dipole 8 to continual bulk and away we go

Bats started at 45% SOC and now well on their way

Get them all to around 3.6v,
dissasemble
Top balance all to 3.65v with benchtop power supply
Reassemble
Then do it all again for the other 2 assemblies.
All while at anchor over at Moreton Island. (See second line of sig) (-;

It's going to be a while yet me thinks

 

[Simi 60]

Two 12 hour days later and we have one of three completed
280ah of 24v goodness fully charged

Rest day tomorrow,
Some bottom time giving the hull a tickle up.

 

[Simi 60]

Started the 2nd one this morning and it went much faster

Didn't bother dicking around with top balance as cells were binned and matched before sending so all registered as 3.1v

Polished and cleaned terminal, Ox gard to protect, busbars on, BMS wires on and torqued down to 7ft/lb

Had it fully charged before breakfast this morning, all cells registering 3.5 to 3.53V

 

[Barking Sands]

Great project. At first I just read 840AH. Then of course noted @24 volts. Thats a nice set up and provided the BMS, cells and wiring job are decent it should be a great source of worry free power storage for years to come. Certainly take your time and do all the little things to ensure reliability over the long haul with your wiring and set up.

I put in some drop in lifepo4 batts in my golf cart about 2 years ago. And I can say that based on that experience I am completely sold on Lifepo4 batteries. Its just such a game changer for so many different reasons. I dont think the people who poo poo them really understand all the ways they are better and how it translates into being a net positive in your time, enjoyment, confidence, and capability when replacing lead acids.

Even things like basic charge and discharge are much more straight forward. Its just a simple addition and subtraction problem in how long to charge and how long to discharge.

The reason I say to take your time and do it right is because if you do...you likely will not touch the entire thing again for many years. I used to mess with my lead acid golf cart batteries frequently. Watering them, cleaning terminals, changing them every few years (we use the cart a lot) addressing corrosion. Since I put these Lifepo4 batteries in 2 years ago I haven't done anything other than occasional lift the seat to make sure its still there...lol. If I would have had the lead acids in there at 2 years they would now be diminished to the point we would have much much shorter trips around the area, we used to get range anxiety, occasionally I would run out and have to push the last few feet, etc. People claim to get XX many years out of lead acids but in reality the last few years you are just putting up with crappy old batteries until you cant stand it any longer...lol.

Will you be running any AC units with this bank? Thats what i want to do eventually. The ability to shut down the gen for the night but run a small DC powered Air Con unit for 6 to 7 hours while sleeping.

 

[Helmsman]

Jim Healey writes for MTOA, advises ABYC, and has a web page that details different boating topics with an emphasis on electrical projects/issues. A lot of good information in the articles. This is part 1 on lithium batteries. Part 2 can be found in the index to the right side of the article.

https://gilwellbear.wordpress.com/c...-topics/lithium-chemistry-batteries-on-boats/

 

[Scooby5959]

I don’t speak your language it’s like a foreign language battery technology is. I’m all for technology I’m looking forward to the electric vehicles especially semi trucks ,however what are you using that needs all that power . I don’t understand I know my boat is very simple even when I had my 40 foot aft cabin I barely needed any power at all just enough to run my diesel heater at night, LED lights my tablet for navigation a water pump or short use handheld VHF radio and some LED running lights that’s about it I know most people have a reefer I don’t use one anymore But I know most people do spending 5 to 10,000 on a battery system I can’t even imagine it

 

[Simi 60]

what are you using that needs all that power .

Probably the same stuff you run in your house.
This is ours

I don’t understand I know my boat is very simple even when I had my 40 foot aft cabin I barely needed any power at all just enough to run my diesel heater at night, LED lights my tablet for navigation a water pump or short use handheld VHF radio and some LED running lights that’s about it I know most people have a reefer I don’t use one anymore

First several boats were like that but I never considered them a full time cruiser and neither did the financier.

If I was to get her to quit work it had to tick some comfort and niceties boxes

But I know most people do spending 5 to 10,000 on a battery system I can’t even imagine it

$5 grand on batteries is neither here nor there.
What's your household power bill for 5 years?
In Oz for a two person house and no A/C or heating it would be every bit of that.

 

[Simi 60]

.

Will you be running any AC units with this bank? Thats what i want to do eventually. The ability to shut down the gen for the night but run a small DC powered Air Con unit for 6 to 7 hours while sleeping.

Thanks and Yes, taking our time
Have done plenty of research, am following others that have done same with same gear living off grid in Ontario, Alaska and the like for several years .

And no, we don't have A/C
Even though we cruise sub tropical to tropical waters we don't find it necessary, well maybe for a couple of nights a year but big fans sort that out.

Plenty of overhangs, opening windows, tinted glass and the main sleeping area on top level away from ER.

People claim to get XX many years out of lead acids but in reality the last few years you are just putting up with crappy old batteries until you cant stand it any longer...lol.

Yep, but plenty also kill them off in two.
I thought we weren't doing bad getting 5 from a cheap set of AGM
I was initially dissapointed but further research suggests we were doing well.

 

[Simi 60]

Well, liking them thus far.
Batts have been in for a week
Boat sitting in maintenance shed so near zero solar

Turned shore power off and ran for near 40 hours before the alarm went off and that still had the batts showing 26.3v and 35% SOC.

That was running a 180:litre 240v hot water system, left on for the first time ever to heat when it wanted
An electric jug a couple of times a day
A 550 litre Samsung fridge @ 240v
120 litre bar fridge X 2 @ 240v
110 litre freezer @ 240v
A couple of PC
Most lights.

Turned shore power back on at 8:30am and by mid-day we were at 100% again

Me thinks I need to adjust that alarm

 

[Barking Sands]

Sounds fantastic. But as you pointed out one of the best parts to this entire thing is the second part you mention. How rapid, consistent and linear the charge time is. And if you know what kind of amps you can throw at that pack you can quickly know with mental math when you will be topped. Sounds great.