After installing lithium batteries, you may wonder about the discharge rate youll now experience. If you live in Europe check out Transporter Energy . Contact us for a free engineering consultation. 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. They might be as high as 240 A-h, for example. Next remove from the heater enable, keeping your 5mm screw, take the 25 wire with the smaller ring terminal, place your screw through and install onto the enable post. Other existing li-ion batteries currently available are just not suitable for the marine environment. What is the best battery for a lawn mower? Less Weight: Our batteries are 1/3 of the weight of our competitors. Youll naturally want to use someone with experience and familiarity with installing lithium batteries in an RV or boat. 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. 5. Kenyon Slimline 1800W Induction Cooktop (240V), Kenyon Slimline 1800W Induction Cooktop (120V). Before undertaking a large or expensive install, technicians should feel confident enough to show you photos of previous jobs or provide references. We hope we were able to answer some of the questions you may have once you have received your battery. For example, they should ask questions regarding the number of batteries youd like or need, the size of your inverter, and any solar, wind, or other power generation systems. These products can then be matched to your power system and adjusted as necessary, reports Nordkyn Design. To enable the internal heat functions of the battery, flick the switch on, turning on the internal heat functions of both batteries. Dakota Lithium batteries last 4-5x longer then a lead acid battery and are backed up by a best in class eleven year warranty. Copyright 2023 Dragonfly Energy. However, lithium-ion installations can be complex and problematic, and if not done correctly can be a serious fire risk. How long do electric power wheel chair batteries last? Check with your marine electrician before buying lithium batteries.). Besides, if you cant insure your boat with this type of battery installed, then why would you do it? (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. Its OK if you dont have immediate answers to these questions. Marine lithium batteries represent a relatively new alternative to lead-acid batteries for creating an onboard house bank. I spoke with the yards president, J.B. Turner, and systems manager, Ben Feeney, about what to consider when thinking of making the switch. The batteries we use are distributed by BattleBorn Batteries, located in Nevada USA, and have a built in Battery Management System that is top of the line. So keep these questions in mind, and youll have no trouble finding a quality installer wholl have your RV or boat running on efficient lithium power for years to come! Why pay the premium for starting batteries? The CSL is mounted between the battery and inverter on the negative side connected in series. Head out to sea with safe, lithium technology. Here are some tips for finding a trusted, tried-and-true technician you can rely on. Leave the main starting battery (or batteries) in place and connected. Installing Lithium Batteries on a Sailboat. Your vessel will have enough power to activate multiple items at once over a long period of time. But it can also be nerve-wracking to find a battery installer nearby that you trust. We plan on installing a small, electric convection oven. The Latest On Lithium Batteries. The point of such a hybrid system is that the LA batteries have far less work to do and are kept permanently topped up by the LFP battery. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. It also means the alternator diodes are protected if the LFP BMS shuts down for any reason as it can continue to charge the start battery as normal, and a DC-DC charger is also considerably cheaper than a smart regulator. In fact, they are happier to sit between 20%-80% SoC most of the time. Get access to exclusive deals, hear about new products before anyone else, and enjoy tips, tricks, and DIY hacks from our community of experts. If you sail in cold climates beware, lithium boat batteries wont accept charge when below 0C. So, if your battery box regularly drops to such temperatures, youll need to place them onto heat pads to keep them at 5C or more. One vital function to check if using a non-LFP shore power charger is whether it is configured to perform an automatic de-sulphation (equalisation) cycle, wherein the charging voltage is increased to 15.5V or more for several hours. Lithium Batteries Upgrade on a Sailboat. MUST KNOW - YouTube How to install lithium batteries on a sailboat // Ryan's Lithium cells are more picky about their voltages, so it is important to configure your charging system to the battery specs, in our case this means limiting the bulk charge to 14.4V . This parallel connection creates one large-capacity 12-volt starting bank. Installing Lithium batteries on a Sailboat (Sailing Nandji) Finally, you dont always have to change all the batteries. Electrically propelled yachts will usually have a higher voltage system (usually 48V, 72V or 96V), which needs a very carefully devised control system. Additionally, a high discharge specific capacity was maintained under different . Most wont work anyway as such an instant heavy current draw these devices demand can often exceed their BMSs output threshold. Lithium-iron batteries can last for thousands of discharge/charge cyclesthree, four, maybe five times as many as lead-acid batteries. Disconnect, remove old batteries, replace or upgrade components, and then install new ones. How to install lithium boat batteries - Yachting Monthly How to get your motorcycle battery to last longer. How to install lithium boat batteries For blue water cruising yachts, the modern solution to increasing electrical demand is to install a lithium-ion battery bank, particularly if one plans to eliminate the use of LPG for cooking. Its easy to mount and we were able to convert our old gimbal for the propane stove in an afternoon. For the 24 V battery we like to see a bulk charging voltage of 28.8 V. In the event you have multiple batteries in a series increasing the overall voltage, for example four 12 V batteries for a total of 48 V, in this case you would expect 14.4 x 4 is 57.6 V which if they are in perfect balance would work great. LFP batteries have a very low resistance compared to Lead-Acid (LA) types, thereby enabling them to be charged and discharged at a much higher rate even up to 1C (1 x capacity, or 100A for a 100Ah battery). This video we install our new Lithium batteries into our vessel. The batteries replace the genset, so theres no fuel burn needed to make electricity, no maintenance, no exhaust fumes, no annoying genset hum. Remove the flooded-cell trolling-motor or house-bank batteries. Whether or not this makes sense depends on how long you will have your boat, and how you use it. Cover the joint between the cable insulation and the connector body with a three-inch section of adhesive-lined heat shrink tubing. Electrical Design For a Marine Lithium Battery Bank - Nordkyn Design There is a natural self-bleed in the batteries that bleed is about 2-3% per month so if you bleed the batteries on empty, they will go below levels that will be saved by the BMS. With all batteries strapped down and wired up, inspect the repurposed cables. Always test it before adding the bank to your sailboat, however. We do not share customer information with any third parties. A lead-acid battery steadily declines in power and provides only 50 percent of its total capacity. In our case the batteries have a built in BMS that monitors these conditions, shutting the cells down before any potential damage can occur. Lead acid remains the preferred option for start batteries, as LFP battery management systems can prevent sufficient rapid output. Consider whether shore power is part of your regular charging regime. Were not talking about a 50/50 LA/LFP split here, more usually just a single LFP to boost the capacity of an existing LA house bank. Running any power-related device on a sailboat used to require lead-acid batteries. As with most things on a boat there are personal choices and practical decisions to consider, and many of these will vary depending on the size and type of craft. With battery and solar options evolving every day, however, you have more choices than ever before when it comes to power resources. Only thing is, cobalt is unstable, so if charged improperly, this type of lithium-ion battery can get hot and catch firenot the kind of thing you want on board. How to Find a Lithium Battery Installer You Can Trust It also means that the BMS can simply switch out the PV panels without damage when the batteries have achieved their prerequisite SoC. For a 12V battery such as the BB10012. Rate of discharge does not affect the capacity of a lithium battery because we do not have resistance in our battery. @SaltydogMarleyCheck out the Nandji store and grab yourself some Sailing Nandji Merch! How to Install Lithium Batteries on a Sailboat, increase the efficiency of the solar energy. Did They Ask All the Right Questions When Sizing the System? For this project, we installed two Discover Lithium Blue DLB-G24-36V batteries (36 DC volts, 30 amp-hours each) in parallel for a combined capacity of 60 amp-hours. 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. Lithium technology can also be discharged to astoundingly low rates. Lead-acid batteries will break down in rapid time when discharges . Is the future of agriculture battery-powered? Boat owners who plan to install their own lithium batteries onboard are being advised to seek professional help or risk, Duncan Kent investigates the technology used in lithium batteries and explains what to consider in matching them with a management, Boost the life and performance of your lithium battery by installing the correct charging setup, says Duncan Kent, Duncan Kent explains why you should opt for quality when installing a lithium-ion battery, plus our pick of the best. 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. Also we have much less waste heat in the galley because the induction cooking is just so efficient. On this install, some were three times the necessary length. Join us as we take you through everything youll need to know during the installation process. Lead-acid batteries will break down in rapid time when discharges drop below 50 percent. This will not damage anything in the battery, our battery will not be harmed due to our BMS being able to handle high voltages even in excess of 15 V. Installing heated lithium batteries is very similar to how you would install regular lithium batteries. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher on hand. As you add the batteries onto your vessel, be sure to incorporate a protection system into the design. While some BMS put out charging info, at Front Street they prefer using a shunt. Adding lithium boat batteries is more complicated than a straight swap. Our RB200 is a 12V, 200Ah lithium deep cycle battery. While researching this project I read this blog, which I found to be very helpful: http://nordkyndesign.com/from-lead-acid-to-lithium-new-battery-technology-for-power-on-board/. Consult your charger manual for connections and the charging profile. Knowing that your potential installer is considering these issues is a good sign that theyre well-informed and experienced. As a friend of Ryan \u0026 Sophie Sailing, you allow us to earn a small commission if you make a purchase through our affiliate links! Frankly, its not an issue with the batteries were considering. Dakota Lithium batteries are 60% lighter then a lead acid battery. TEL:1-855-743-3279 The three most common installation methods using LA engine start and LFP house batteries are: A subscription to Yachting Monthly magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price. Maryanov explains that its important to match the recharging capacity to the batteries when designing a lithium system, or you lose the advantage of fast recharging. Thedischarge rateis defined as the steady current in amperes (A) that can be taken from a battery of defined capacity (Ah) over a defined period (h). Do They Carry All Products Needed for an RV or Boat Install? Your boat batteries may need to be more firmly secured than similar RV ones due to the increased motion out on the water. They would like to increase their storage capacity. Stand by for part 2! This can be a great starting point, but without further investigation, you may not know about potential trouble until its too late. There is a shoestring method that Ive come across recently, often called long wire regulation. A good battery management system (BMS) will help you to avoid these conditions. Utilizing a LiFePo4 battery at discharge and recharge rates that are typically below suggested safe maximum discharge and recharge rates, as one will often do with the house bank battery on a boat. Get to know your lithium ion boat battery options with a call to Northeast Battery. But if its your alternator, then instantly cutting off the load will undoubtedly blow its output diodes. Installing Multiple Lithium Batteries in Series: Internal vs. 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. Hope you find this useful! If you need greater capacity, youre often better off building a custom bank from individual 3.2V cells and attaching a single external BMS to control the entire bank simultaneously. Do They Provide a Complete Walkthrough at Delivery? Thank you! Ensure your installer is confident in the parts needed to build a top-tier lithium system. 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? In the kit, you have a threaded body single pole single throw switch. 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. Now that you know the basics of the installation process, its time to start sorting through that list of RV lithium battery installers near me from that internet search. 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. We have had three distinct failures on Delos that left us unable to cook (a failed solenoid, a bad regulator, and a broken hose to the stove) . What is a Battery Management System (BMS)? We also recommend fitting solar charging facilities, however small, as these work hand-in-hand with LFP cells, even in the less sunny climes of the UK. A problem with drop-in type LFP batteries is once the BMS decides the battery is fully charged it will simply disconnect the charging source. I think well be seeing systems like Sea Rays on a lot more boats before too long, especially cruising boats for folks who like to anchor out but dont want to deal with a genset. The difference is in the electrolyte. Lightweight lithium batteries offer maximum power throughout the discharge cycle for optimal performance with electric trolling motors. Thats why the battery meter in your cell phone shows a full charge for a long time, you lose a bar, and then the phone goes dead in an hour. Let's look at where we are, and whether it's ready for prime time. You cant simply throw them in the trash. Go to www.dakotalithium.com and use code ryanandsophie for a 10% discount on your order (valid until May 31st) This week, Ryan guides you through installing lithium batteries on a sailboat! Read more: How to Winterize and Store Your Batteries. Youll increase the life on the batteries so that you arent recycling the productsshortly after their purchase. 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. Lithium Batteries for Sailboats | RELiON Then, they install the batteries themselves and connect them to your new system. Solar panels work well with lithium boat batteries, as they can store high rates of peak charge and dont waste solar energy as slower-charging lead acid batteries do. The main advantage of this method is that a DC-DC charger will limit the current being drawn from the start battery, and thereby the alternator, whilst also ensuring the output charge parameters are fully compatible with the LFP house bank. 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. (Note that the recharging system for lead-acid batteries may not work with lithiums, especially on boats with older electrics. DIY LiFePO4 Batteries On Boats - Marine How To One way to connect these batteries is to have an individual jumper on each battery connection, simply unscrew and place your heater enabled jumper down onto your enabled post, then connect your second jumper. Using a heat gun is the best way to apply heat shrink, although you can use a propane torch with a flame spreader if you are very careful. Also, join us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to learn more about how lithium battery systems can power your lifestyle, see how others have built their systems, and gain the confidence to get out there and stay out there. If you leave a LA engine start battery connected directly to the alternator output and incorporate a Voltage Sensing Relay (VSR) to charge the LFP leisure bank (as you would normally with a LA domestic battery bank), you will very likely overload the alternator, VSR or both. A lead-acid battery is usually able to be recharged about 300 to 400 times. Unplug the onboard charger and turn off house circuits (for example, a trolling-motor circuit breaker). This can occur when your charger is trying to equalize the battery which is common for a lead-acid battery system, or if you have an alternator putting out a high voltage if it is very cold out. Both said that since lithium batteries can be discharged further, you can either go with smaller, lower-capacity batteries and get the same effective output, or use lithiums with the same nominal capacity as the lead-acids theyre replacing but get more usable power. These batteries eliminate the concern of cold weather effects on your lithium batteries. Then connect the red cable from the battery switch to the closest red start bank terminal. No breaking your back installing heavy lead acid batteries. Why the 270Ah BBGC3 Battery is a Lithium Ion Gamechanger, How to Winterize and Store Your Batteries. How to Switch to a Lithium Battery for Your Boat Switching to Lithium Batteries on Your Boat - Power & Motoryacht He added that the Fathom-e system requires no special user inputits as easy to use as a hybrid car. Our electric convection oven was purchased at the hardware store in Grenada on a whim. Josh and. Lithium batteries for a boat is the latest trend. Here are some of the most important things to consider. 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. Next, take your 5mm screw, run your jumper to the next battery, remove the screw that came with it, place it through your daisy chain, and then through your main jumper, and install to the enable post. Finally, its worth noting that LFP batteries wont accept any charge at 0C or less. The vessel remains lightweight and agile in the water. 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. Starting with your wire with the heater enabled post (the smaller ring terminal) remove your jumper, take the 5/16 25 wire and install it, remembering to torque down to 10-foot pounds. The BMS can be purchased from from Battle Born Batteries, or Transporter Energy. 5. The beauty of the JL Marine charging system is the Monster app that allows you to select charging profiles on a smartphone. But when choosing someone to install lithium batteries in an RV or installing lithium batteries in a boat, its imperative to pick a technician or company with the proper experience and know-how. This process can be accelerated by using a multi-bank charger to make sure that on every charge cycle each one is on the same state of charge. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo. In comparison, our Ionic deep cycle lithium marine batteries are rated to last 5000 . Buy a good-quality AGM starting battery and use the money you save to buy more fuel. Are Lithium Batteries Super Expensive? They weigh less and take up less room. One of the most confusing areas of an LFP upgrade is how to set up alternator charging to suit your installation and any existing equipment you wish to retain. . 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. Remove those bridge cables from the battery and switch, and set them aside. In addition, it provides up to five times more charge cycles than comparable lead-acid AGM batteries. 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. The positive sensor wire labeled INB plus should be connected directly to the inverter on the positive side from the switch. A Simple Definition Anyone Can Understand, How to Find RV or Boat Lithium Battery Installers Near Me, Our Top Tips for Finding a Lithium Battery Installer Near You That You Can Trust. Intro How to install lithium batteries on a sailboat // Ryan's tech corner #2 Ryan & Sophie Sailing 68.4K subscribers Subscribe 85K views 3 years ago Check out Ryan's guide to Lithium at: . We took them to West Marine, which had a cutter and crimper on a bench. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The technology has advanced in leaps and bounds. Some manufacturers even recommend you stop charging at 0.1C to further reduce cell stress and extend their lifespan. Remember to charge the batteries, and run them down as far as possible. Split the power between your accessories and the motor or generator. What if the power fails? 1. Will you still be able to cook? Longer lifespan and better lifetime value. If you plan on winterizing your RV or not using your vehicle for a long period of time, you want to disable the heating function if using our heated battery. This works well, in reasonably sunny climates anyway, in that you can pour as much power into the bank as the panels will produce during their most productive part of the day. Strap down all batteries securely. RELION is a good example of a LFP battery with an internal BMS. It involves connecting the alternator (with standard in-built regulator) directly to the LFP bank, and then regulating the amount of current drawn by adjusting the size and length of the cable, using Ohms law to calculate the required resistance to reduce the charge current so that it is within the alternators safe working load limits. 12V LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Heated Battery Kits. We couldnt just talk about Ryans company without giving you guys a discount code! Read Next: How to Create Proper Terminal Crimps. Its also worth noting that, with many brands of so-called drop-in LFP batteries (ones with an integral BMS), it might not always be possible to join more than two together in series or parallel to form a larger bank. 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%. Yes, they absolutely can. For boats with a large battery bank that can mean a weight savings of hundreds of pounds if you upgrade to lithium.