One of the goals achieved by installing lithium batteries is a reduction in battery anxiety. Our collection of boat batteries can solve most of your sailboat-power dilemmas. Its called the Fathom-e Power System, and the first one is installed onboard the new SLX-R 400e. However, they are generally charged at between 0.5C-1.0C until the charge current drops to between 0.015C-0.03C, when charging must cease so as not to overcharge the cells. SEATTLE, WA 98108 On this install, some were three times the necessary length. As you add the batteries onto your vessel, be sure to incorporate a protection system into the design. Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct where you can also find the latest deals. They are looking to cut weight off their boat. Cables too long add resistance to current and rob power. Not all lithium batteries are alike, after all, and not all are lithium-ion, the term commonly used to describe all lithiums, whether inserted in a tablet or camera, or mounted in an engine room. Our RB200 is a 12V, 200Ah lithium deep cycle battery. Get access to exclusive deals, hear about new products before anyone else, and enjoy tips, tricks, and DIY hacks from our community of experts. We also have an external BMS from Victron to monitor our system as well. At the top of the charge cycle, balancing happens and the cells are always in balance. Lead-acid batteries will break down in rapid time when discharges drop below 50 percent. The BMS can be purchased from from Battle Born Batteries, or Transporter Energy. 5. When storing your batteries, it is important not to store them empty. They may also query you about cables and wires or fuse preferences. To disable, simply remove the connections. For example, I found a 110 Ah Group 31 AGM battery at West Marine listed for $272; a Northstar High Performance AGM, also Group 31 but with 102 Ah, costs $440. Not sure about cooking with induction power? A lead-acid battery steadily declines in power and provides only 50 percent of its total capacity. Using the original cables, connect one red terminal to the next, and then connect the red wire from the breaker to the red terminal closest to the battery. Theyre not as valuable for starting batteries, but come into their own for deep-cycle house usage, and maybe as dual-purpose batteries in boats with simpler electrical needs. Our Reno, Nevada-based sales and customer service team is standing by at (855) 292-2831 to take your questions! Lithium Batteries Dominate Liveaboard Sailboats | Dragonfly Energy What Is Energy? A battery monitor tracks power use more accurately; installing one is a good investment even for lead-acid battery systems. Choosing Lithium-Ion Batteries for Sailboats | Cruising World Although possible, it isnt advisable to use LFPs for engine starting or anchor windlass and bow thruster operation. Consider an installation that involves three or four banks of batteries. Most captains opt for the engineered batteries that are carefully balanced at the manufacturing facility. This effectively rules out the use of old electric car batteries as there is no real way to transfer the same complex protection system they were originally designed to operate under. Starting on the enabling post, keep the original screw and install the jumper wire onto the enabling post. Dakota Lithium batteries last 4-5x longer then a lead acid battery and are backed up by a. Lithium Batteries for Sailboats | RELiON Many owners are understandably wary of plunking down a big chunk of change for sensitive work using expensive parts if they dont fully trust the person doing it. First and foremost, the only type of lithium-ion cell chemistry currently recommended as safe for use on board a boat is Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LiFePO4), usually abbreviated to LFP. Saving weight allows your boat to move . It is the latter that marine insurance providers will listen to when formulating their policies. If you do notice that the batteries are hitting high voltage disconnect sooner than you would expect at 14 V or hitting low voltage disconnects at around 11.5 V, then you want to re-balance the battery cells internally by charging up to 14.4 V. After installing lithium batteries for the first time over lead-acid, you might also wonder how they handle being stored for long periods of time. If you have a 48 V bank and you are keeping them regularly at around 57 V on each charge cycle, then they will remain in balance. Its time for installing your lithium batteries! With lithium batteriesavailable in 12-, 24-, 36- and 48-volt modelstheres no decline in power throughout the discharge cycle, and nearly 100 percent of the battery capacity is available. Inside each battery pack are 4 cells in series, each one has an internal BMS system that ensures all cells stay balanced. Our Reno, Nevada-based sales and customer service team is standing by at (855) 292-2831 to take your questions! If they have a specialty that fits your rig or boat, even better. In some cases, you may be able to use lithium batteries that are drop-in ready to replace your lead-acid ones, but most of the time, you'll need to switch out some other components as well. Fire safety is always a concern on a sailboat, and lithium batteries are incredibly safe. He added that the Fathom-e system requires no special user inputits as easy to use as a hybrid car. You get access to the Patron only treasure chest on our website with weekly feature videos, photos, extra info and the captains detailed sailing log.http://www.patreon.com/NandjiCheck out our other social media and follow along:https://www.instagram.com/sailing_nandjihttps://www.facebook.com/sailingnandjihttps://twitter.com/sailingnandjiMarley's on Instagram! DIY LiFePO4 Batteries On Boats - Marine How To Do They Carry All Products Needed for an RV or Boat Install? You also have to match the recharge voltage to the battery; newer chargers have a switch on the back, or dip switches inside, to set them for lithiums. It is possible, however, to use a standard, single stage LA battery charger in AGM mode, provided you monitor the state of the batteries constantly and disconnect the charger immediately the desired SoC or peak voltage is reached (definitely no higher than 14.6V 14.2V is safer). Your boat batteries may need to be more firmly secured than similar RV ones due to the increased motion out on the water. Head out to sea with safe, lithium technology. RELION is a good example of a LFP battery with an internal BMS. While this theory does work, using a wire as a resistor will heat the wire and is not recommended by professional marine electrical institutions and would certainly be frowned upon by insurance companies in the event of an incident. To see the product on Amazon CLICK HERE. That way, youll know about any possible problems long before your next camping trip or journey out on the water. This is not the same chemistry used in mobile phones, laptops, and most electric vehicles! Less Weight: Our batteries are 1/3 of the weight of our competitors. Usually, the devices installed to manage the charging of your lithium batteries will take care of this for you, but there are circumstances where you might need to assist the process. Installing Lithium Batteries on a Sailboat - SV Delos I also think Propane is one of the most dangerous things on the boat. With the ability to accept and discharge very high currents, any associated wiring and circuit protection for LFP batteries must be up to the task and tailored to suit. Once the bank drops below the LFPs BMS low voltage threshold it simply switches off and lets the LA batteries continue to work as normal. How long do electric power wheel chair batteries last? The Latest On Lithium Batteries. Here are some of the most important things to consider. The Sea Ray SLX-R 400e carries triple Mercury Racing 450R outboards, each with a 115-amp alternator, so the boats batteries will recharge quickly once the engines are running. The benefits of lithium batteries arent lost on boatbuilders, and installing lithiums versus lead-acid batteries in a new boat is free (well, almost free) compared to the cost of the boat. A BMS is necessary to monitor the cells and make sure you are not doing any damage due to out of spec voltages, temperatures, or currents. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher on hand. Installing lithium batteries in your boat is similar in many ways to installing them in an RV. In your add on kit, there is a 14 jumper wire, a 5mm long screw, ring terminals, and heat shrink in case you want to make your own harness. It is possible that you will exceed the high voltage limit on one of the batteries in the bank, if one battery cell exceeds that threshold it will cut off the charging cycle to all the other batteries. Looking for advice on what battery solutions work best for your boat? 12V LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Heated Battery Kits. Whether or not this makes sense depends on how long you will have your boat, and how you use it. How to Use and Install a 36 Volt Lithium Battery | BSLBATT - wsd This must be disabled as it will destroy the LFP cells if activated. Time for Lithium? Unplug the onboard charger and turn off house circuits (for example, a trolling-motor circuit breaker). A 100 Ah Group 31 lithium battery from Smart Battery in Clearwater, Florida, a drop-in replacement for lead-acid Group 31s, with a built-in battery management system, or BMS, costs $1,250 on the company website. By choosing an equivalent, you take on the task of matching the ratings as carefully as possible. Copyright 2023 Boating Magazine. Electrical Design For a Marine Lithium Battery Bank - Nordkyn Design Lithium boat batteries make induction cooking on board a possibility. Are they an option for your boat? The second way to connect multiple batteries is to daisy chain. Disconnect, remove old batteries, replace or upgrade components, and then install new ones. Our backup plan is to run our generator if the inverter or battery system fails. In our case the batteries have a built in BMS that monitors these conditions, shutting the cells down before any potential damage can occur. The batteries replace the genset, so theres no fuel burn needed to make electricity, no maintenance, no exhaust fumes, no annoying genset hum. Your vessel will have enough power to activate multiple items at once over a long period of time. While this may sound like an exceptionally large sum, there are a few things to consider here. Get to know your lithium ion boat battery options with a call to Northeast Battery. Jun 162016 Last Updated on 22 February 2020 by Eric Bretscher This article is part of a series dealing with building best-in-class lithium battery systems from bare cells, primarily for marine use, but a lot of this material finds relevance for low-voltage off-grid systems as well. Lead-acid batteries are so 20th century; lithiums the future. this sailing video reviews the advantages of lithium iron phosphate . What do Lithium Batteries Cost? They weigh less and take up less room. However, we would recommend that you consider installing a LFP house battery bank when you next upgrade as the benefits of rapid charging, greater useable capacity, longer life and ability to leave them half-charged for long periods, far outweigh the slight increase in initial cost and the need to change a few aspects of the charging system. Why the 270Ah BBGC3 Battery is a Lithium Ion Gamechanger, How to Winterize and Store Your Batteries. The look is cleaner, and troubleshooting is easier. Even if you don't live on a boat Purchase one of these, put it on a gimbaled platform, or your current propane stove, and you're good to go! This video we install our new Lithium batteries into our vessel. Before you install lithium boat batteries, understanding their benefits is a must. Bottom line, no matter which kind of batteries you have, dont discharge them too deeply, and recharge promptly afterwards, for the best service life. To enable your internal heat battery, remove the screw, place the other end of your jumper wire down onto the post, and tighten the screw only enough to where you engage the lock washer feature on the ring terminal so that the vibration does not rattle it loose. Take the positive terminal connection and put your washer on the 5/16 side of your enable wire and next to the nylon. The CSL is mounted between the battery and inverter on the negative side connected in series. Because the higher charging rates will place a heavier load on your alternator, youll need to ensure your drive belt is up to the job. We couldnt just talk about Ryans company without giving you guys a discount code! No breaking your back installing heavy lead acid batteries. Some manufacturers even recommend you stop charging at 0.1C to further reduce cell stress and extend their lifespan. For many, the process begins with a simple internet search for RV lithium battery installers near me or something similar. Has the Installer Done an RV or Boat Lithium Install Before? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL FOR FREE! It also means that the BMS can simply switch out the PV panels without damage when the batteries have achieved their prerequisite SoC. What is a Battery Management System (BMS)? Did They Ask All the Right Questions When Sizing the System? Your vessel will have enough power to activate multiple items at once over a long period of time. What Is a Shunt Used for in Electrical Systems? They may also remove any hardware that wont work with your new batteries or is worth replacing or upgrading. We have already changed out the battery bank on Delos three times during this voyage, if this technology was available when we started it would have already paid for itself by now. They are rock solid and work great! However, there is one key additional difference hooking up and enabling the heat function! Cover the joint between the cable insulation and the connector body with a three-inch section of adhesive-lined heat shrink tubing. With both jumpers connected, both battery heater functions are now enabled. The broken stove actually led to a gas leak inside the boat and a flare up in the galley, so I am quite happy not to have this worry anymore. We decided to go with Lithium Phosphate batteries, which are a much more forgiving and stable battery chemistry. This lack of available data resulted in setting up a test lab at Compass Marine Inc. (parent company of MarineHowTo.com). And their only downside is initial cost, but thats more than offset by their increased lifespan. At the dock, a separate ChargeMaster charger keeps the starting batteries topped up. The latest versions feature lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry, minimizing the risk of fire or explosion associated with older lithium-ion batteries. Marine lithium batteries represent a relatively new alternative to lead-acid batteries for creating an onboard house bank. What is the best battery for a lawn mower? Youll not only want to ask whether theyve done a lithium install, but how many and whether they work on all models of RVs and boats or just some. TEL:1-855-743-3279 Why Replace Lead Acid Batteries with Lithium in a Boat or RV? Always test it before adding the bank to your sailboat, however. If one or more of your lithium trolling-motor batteries are connected via a switch to the starting bank, separate them. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo. (A battery management system protects against high or low voltage, short circuits and reverse polarity, and it balances the charge state of the internal cells and disconnects the battery if anything goes wrong. Also its important to consider that your usable capacity doubles, so effectively 4 lithium batteries has the same capacity as approx 7 lead acid batteries (assuming you discharge to 85%). In lithium-ion batteries assembled with LiFePO 4 as the cathode material, after 50 cycles at 0.2 C rate, the discharge specific capacity of the PU/PAN lithium-ion battery diaphragm could still be maintained at 147.1 mAh/g, with a capacity retention rate of 95.8%. Additionally, a high discharge specific capacity was maintained under different . Steve D'Antonio For instance, if one of your four batteries is higher in its state of charge, that means when you get to the top of the charge cycle around 57 V the battery could exceed its 14.4 V limit and maybe get closer to 15 V in that case you can have all the cells above the threshold internally and they will all start to bleed down, keeping the bank in balance. Here are some tips for finding a trusted, tried-and-true technician you can rely on. Before undertaking a large or expensive install, technicians should feel confident enough to show you photos of previous jobs or provide references. Starting a properly functioning engine takes maybe 5 percent of battery capacity, and it gets recharged right away, so a lead-acid starting battery will last for thousands of cycles, and maybe years of service. Schematic from How to Install Lithium Batteries on a Sailboat by Ryan and Sophie sailing. Hauling these heavy batteries around was your only choice. Depending on the capacity, each 12V lithium battery usually costs at least $500 and often $1000 or more. To enable the internal heat functions of the battery, flick the switch on, turning on the internal heat functions of both batteries. We really appreciate your support!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** CONTACT **Say hi, ask us a question or send us feedback at: [email protected] is short: Meet someone on Tinder Quit your job Sell your apartment Buy a boat Go sail the world So, with all this bad press, why swap out the safe and reliable lead-acid batteries in your boat (whether flooded, AGM or sealed gel) for lithium? Northeast Battery, a Stored Energy Holdings, Inc. Company, Trojan T-105 and T-875: The Only Golf Batteries You Need, Five Steps to Take If You Think Your Lawnmower Battery is Dead, 3 signs you need to replace your alarm system batteries. They might be as high as 240 A-h, for example. You can check the state of charge of these batteries with the Discover Bluetooth app on a mobile device. Strap down all batteries securely. Open M-F, 9-4pm PST. You need a battery monitor, not just a voltmeter, to oversee a lithium battery. The actual lifespan of a battery in recharge cyclesfull discharge followed by full rechargedepends primarily on how deeply its discharged before recharging. The power is approx that of the induction stove, so I think it is doable. In addition, it provides up to five times more charge cycles than comparable lead-acid AGM batteries. Leave the main starting battery (or batteries) in place and connected. Attach the positive (red) terminal of the first battery to the positive (red) lead on the motor. All Rights Reserved. wordpress.com, patreon.com, woocommerce.com, https://battlebornbatteries.com/product-category/battle-born-bundles/sailboat/?afmc=svdelos_bb77, http://nordkyndesign.com/from-lead-acid-to-lithium-new-battery-technology-for-power-on-board/. Kenyon Slimline 1800W Induction Cooktop (240V), Kenyon Slimline 1800W Induction Cooktop (120V). Here is Engineer Patricks Step by Step Installation of our Battle Born Heated Lithium Batteries. That means you loose less energy when in storage, and if you take a break from sailing you wont return to dead batteries. First, your installer will disconnect your rig from any power and remove the old batteries. Not the case! Lithium-iron batteries, on the other hand, use a lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO) electrolyte thats more stable, not combustible and can better resist mishandling during charging and discharging. From what to think about before you install your batteries, to mapping the electric system, changing the settings of our charging devices and wiring the system, Ryan takes you through it all step by step. For more answers, please check out our FAQ page, email us at [emailprotected], or give our team a call at (855) 292-2831. How to Install Lithium Batteries on a Sailboat