Sailboat Tech - Lithium Batteries & Why We Chose Them (vs AGM)
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2024
- The first (of many) Sailboat Tech Tours. Today we're sharing our #1 sailboat tech upgrade: Lithium Power.
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It's our first "Tech Tour" as promised and we're starting with the heart of our system: Our Lithium Batteries. We've been living off lithium battery power for the past couple years and it has completely changed our off-grid lifestyle.
In this video we're diving into why we chose Lithium and why we feel it's a better investment than going for AGM batteries. We dive deeper into the points we're making on our website, so please, if you have questions click over and read a bit...you'll hopefully find what you're looking for and more: www.gonewiththe...
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Music:
Andrew Applepie
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Okay, we're going to address some of the most common questions here:
1) FIRE: there are several different types of lithium batteries. Ours are Lithium Iron (LiFePo4). They have a very low risk of fire and are very safe to operate. Our batteries are NOT the same ones in the Boeing Dreamliner. Lithium Cobalt chemistry is used in a lot of small appliances and phones, and those are the ones that can catch on fire when they're abused. They're still pretty safe if used and charged properly.
2) TESLA POWERWALL: These are great but they are not rated for marine environments, they must be mounted on an exterior *stationary* wall for ventilation, and they're pretty darned heavy.
3) COST: yes, we said right up front that they are an expensive initial investment, but if you look at it from the standpoint that we are powering our home, then it isn't so crazy. Would you put a cheap roof on your house that will have to be replaced in a few years, or would you try to put the best roof on that you can afford and that will last years longer?
Great information, great explanation all around.....
I did a similar calculation for my off-grid home (on terra firma). Although my system will necessarily be larger, the same calculations apply. And although I like the lithium-Iron tech, I'm looking at salt water batteries (Sodium-Ion) which can be stored at deep discharge without harm. Take your batteries to 0% DOD for 3000 cycles (better even than lithum). Again, upfront costs are high (like Lithium, but still cheaper), but you won't replace them in 2-3 years like AGM so the long-term cost of ownership is lower (like lithium). My calcs put Sodium-Ion tech above Lithium and the availability of sodium (salt) is must better and more sustainable and safer too.
Also, in terms of your calcs on cycles... You won't get more cycles just by doubling your AGM batteries. Wouldn't it be more correct to say that you would replace the 2 AGM batteries at half-life of the Lithiums. Same net result, except the weight comes in to factor then.
Love your vids, guys.
Mountain Point Brewing Ya they sort of messed up the weight, but you will still pay to ship that weight so I let it slide. 😆 Only error in an otherwise great intro video.
Heya,
Interested in finding out more about Lithium systems so thanks for taking the time to put together the vid. And your solar panel test was very truly informative - have watched it a couple of times.
It was difficult to ascertain from the quick 'tour' you did but I'm curious how you have the batteries housed.
My limited knowledge of Lithium batteries leads me to understand that charging them outside a temperature range of 0 - 45°C will lead to significant degradation of the battery. Given you're using a solar system to charge your batteries, it stands to reason that they will charge most when it is hottest and certain enclosed areas of boats - especially in direct sunlight - can far excede the ambient temperature of the day. Ergo they're charging most when they're most likely to degradate.
Just curious if this is a consideration for the batteries you're using? Have you made any adjustments if so?
Cheers,
Andrew
Just c
If it's just an introduction and there will be more detail coming, I agree. I was curious how their charging sources were connected, if any adjustments were necessary (very likely), how they solved the "what happens when the battery disconnects" problem. It's a professional installation so I'm assuming they solved these issues (it certainly can be done) and that's for me the really interesting part of integrating lithium-ion batteries.
Otherwise... Well, if you fail to adjust your sources and use one of the "drop-in" replacement batteries (drop-in here means they set up the protection to be more benevolent so it doesn't trip all the time), not much will happen; lifespan will be reduced, but it will take time for that to manifest itself. However, failing to solve the battery disconnect issue means that if it ever has to protect itself, it might just wreck your electrical system (and thanks to Murphy, it will surely happen in the middle of an ocean :-) ). Disconnection protects the battery, that's the purpose. But it throws the rest of the system overboard. Some people just fail to contemplate what happens if you suddenly remove the battery from the system. It can get very expensive. Which is why the "drop-in" batteries are more benevolent - otherwise they would get a lot of complaints and perhaps lawsuits. Just so they can claim it's a direct replacement with no adjustments needed. If it's executed well, it will still protect it from going out spectacularly, but it will allow significant abuse (it has to; lead-acid charging systems are just not, you could say fully, compatible).
Hi guys. I just wanted to take a minute to thank you. I found your channel several months ago as I was searching for boats. I'm moving back onto a boat now that my oldest is graduating from high school and like you I hope to document the journey. My financing just came through this week and I found my boat. A 50' Trawler that a couple has lived on and traveled on for the last 30 years. I appreciate everything that you take the time to show from the travel to the tech. Thanks for inspiring me.
M.
You kids are awesome at put out all the info in a lite-hearted & amusing way that was the quickest 17 minutes of info.... Thank you for all the time a research your willing to put into providing the best info you can find.... I've hear professionals explain it and they didn't do half as good and explaining it at almost twice as much time to explain about the batteries ....
I just wanted to say, I just started to watch your show and my daughter and me love it, she is only 5, she comes home from school and says that she wants to watch RV's or boats lol You two do an amazing jobs and have fun doing it. I hope you two can keep it up for years to come yet.
Another great job guys. I'm sure many don't understand how much time, hard work and expense goes into making an informative video like you two have. I started doing some research into batteries and it can drive a sane person nuts. The one major factor I've learned and believe is most important is the fact that if you accidentally discharge AGM batteries completely or below 50% many times, it renders them useless and need replacement. That hurts. Thanks for all of your hard work and sharing your hard knocks. Fair Winds!!!
You are correct. Lithiums on the other hand should have a BMS built in that keeps them from discharging past the safe zone.
For those that are not super technical and just want to understand why you would want to invest in Lithium for a boat, tiny house, RV, etc. this video is generally accurate.
If you’re super technical you’re not going to like this video. There are holes in our comparison like there’s holes in Swiss cheese…but how can we simply explain the apples to oranges comparison and not go into excruciating depth? Sure we may have been a bit hasty in adding the weight and size of our theoretical 4 AGM bank, of course you wouldn't buy them and install them at the same time, it would be 2-3 years later while the lithiums are going strong.
We are not engineers and we prefer to share general knowledge, based on our experience and research, that the average person can understand. If you’re compelled to educate us, or any of the viewers that may watch this video, please, by all means, share in the comments below.
We learn something new every day and if you have a simpler explanation than we’ve provided, we’d love to hear it.
In the end the result is the same: When batteries go head-to-head, Lithium will blow an AGM out of the water!
As I mentioned there are lots more technical specs, links and explanations on our website for the people that want to dive in and do more research: www.gonewiththewynns.com/sailboat-tech-why-lithium-batteries
Frank we've explained Solar, Batteries and other tech for years now, we are not fish out of water. We share based on our experience in a way that we can understand...which helps other non-techie people get the jest.
You're absolutely right about Lithium batteries... when you are talking about portable use. So for a boat or RV, Lithium is the way to go.. but you will have to replace them every 5 years or so. And yes, AGM High C batteries, in common use in marine applications, are WAY too expensive for what they provide (in terms of cycle life and cost per AH). So for marine use, AGM makes no sense when Lithiums are in the room, unless you are a daysailer, weekender type.
For stationary use, where weight and space don't matter, and we are talking being off grid in a house, then Lithium is not the way to go.
1) Lithium batteries degrade over time, regardless of how you use them. After 5 years, Lithium generally needs to be replaced (10 years or so for backup applications)
2) Lithium are MUCH more expensive per cycle, per year (lifetime cost per WH extracted) as compared to high quality FLA.
This is the big dirty secret that battery manufacturers don't want you to know :-) Basically, top quality Lead Acid (like Surrette) will last 20+ years and cost less than Lithium, even when taking into account oversizing your bank to 50% DOD drawdown AH, and adding an AGM "High C" bank in parallel for spot loads. In other words, top quality FLA batteries have an enormous cycle life, and don't degrade spontaneously as Lithium's do. Surrette's have a good warranty as well.
Believe it or not, the very best batteries in this class, when talking about longevity, are Edison batteries. So far, they don't seem to have an end of life that is meaningful (80 year old Edison batteries made in the 30's are still being used for a few applications) so there isn't a cycle life rating because.. as far as anyone knows.. it's infinite. They also use non toxic materials (Nickel, Iron and Carbon), the electrolyte is potassium hydroxide (a chemical that is used to make soap, and breaks down very quickly in nature) and so are not a hazard in any way.
Of course.. this is why you can't easily find Edison batteries. There isn't any degradation, thus they can't generate repeat sale over time.
Great info. Thanks.
Google 'Edison battery' and have fun :-) They are similar to FLAs, except they have a bit less power density.
Timothy Zyg Gave you a thumbs up, purely for the Surette cite. Probably the best watt/$ in boat batteries, IF you can locate them so that gassing and spilling is not an issue, even a remotely possible issue.
The way the Wynns use their batteries, (pounding the crap out of them with their high-demand A/C loads via their inverter), would kill even a Surette in no time.
The best batteries for their specific use is Lion.
Edison batteries are not all beer and skittles, they're extremely heavy, require water top-up, chemical top-up, are ridiculously large, and don't support high specific output. They're great for standby, as, as you say, they last a long time, but day to day, high loads, not very good.
***Very Very good batteries for dummies explanation!*** One thing you guys didn't touch on was rate of charge too....Lithiums will re-charge faster and with much more efficiency (70%-90%+). Voltronics are running about $5400 for 1100 amp hours and I have seen Winston's 1000 amp hours as low as $3200. Again great simple explanation!
+Johnny Gerhart we covered that info in the post (link in description box). I haven't looked into either brand so just make sure it's a good reputable company before purchasing. But those are great prices.
Wow! reading some of these comments, there are some really "less informed" people out there! We sold our boat in May/16, it had 540Ah of agm's but the RV we are buying i'm putting lithiums in. How much capacity would you guys recommend to run a single 15000btu AC unit for 4-6 hours?
Johnny Gerhart Not going g to happen imo. You're probably looking at 200 amps (including loss at the inverter and wiring so that's 1200AH worth of batteries. Even if you had a big enough battery bank it would be tough to charge that monster
I love going back to the basics to explain a concept. You two did that in spades. Very, very well done.
This video topic is perfectly timed for me! I bought a caravan a few months ago. Last weekend, I realised my battery was completely flat and had a stressful few days hoping it would recharge. I've learnt a valuable lesson! I completely agree with your comment about learning through trial and error. I'm now strongly tempted to change to lithium. Still trying to learn how damaged the battery is from my mistake. Thank you for this informative video.
+Travelling K If the battery wasn't that old, the most likely way it died was from being discharged too far. Discharging lead acid batteries below 50% of their power will shorten their lives considerably. If you use the caravan a lot, we'd strongly recommend that you get a good battery monitor to help you figure out how much power you're using in the first place and help you avoid excess dishcharge. Good luck with it! www.gonewiththewynns.com/how-to-monitor-batteries-rv-sailboat-tiny-house
Gone with the Wynns i'm slowly learning. Thank you for the link! Will definitely read up more on the subject.
You guys are doing us all a great service. I never miss a video. You're so inspiring. This is all I think about doing lately.
One of the best most simple debunking explanations as to Lithium vs AGM . SOOOOO informative. Thanks for taking the time to do this. Clears up a lot of myths.
Excellent, explained better than anyone else ever has on any other video.
Thanks for a very good explanation of the cost difference justification. My wife needed to see this to get a better understanding as I am not able to explain the difference very well.
Yay! We love it when we get this kind of feedback. It keeps us motivated. Thanks for sailing with us!
I love the way you did this analysis break down. This is exactly the way most American family's need a product break down and comparison. Thank you
Well presented. I'm loving my 600 AH Lithionics battery I put in my RV. No anxiety about power usage at all now.
I just watched Catamaran Impi explain why they went with Lithium batteries. This was after I watched you guys explain why you went that direction. I should have stopped!! Thanks for making it simple to understand and quick!! Love you guys!!
Thanks Cliff! You get it 100%. We try to share and explain our tech in language that we understand...assuming the majority of people out there would prefer the simple "cliff's notes" vs. the extremely technical. Of course we also get burned by the people that are techie...but that's ok with us :)
I didn't know Impi shared, we'll have to watch.
Hey guys - we are actually trying to share a 'few part series' to share the 'installation side of it' more than the 'why we did it' scenario because we struggled to get information on the actual install side. Your experience of Lithiums actually made us look in that direction in the first instance! Anyway - love your vids and certainly taking notes from you ... we all share because we care - right! Well done on a great vid you guys :)
You two are just so damn good at telling a story. True professionals. Love your personalities too...so full of energy and joy
For those of us who get somewhat baffled by all these numbers and terms/abbreviations/acronyms, thank you for going to the effort of the VISUAL lesson. Your lesson made it make sense for me. Thank you.
And I agree, you have to do the math first to determine if an item really IS more expensive. You cannot rely solely on the "sticker" information.
As an Engineer I could shoot some holes in this but I'm not because I think you did a very good job in presenting a "dry" but important subject in a realistic and humorous light. Really well done and enjoying your take on the live-aboard boating life.
Seems that you're finally getting back to what drew me to your RV videos! Keep up the good work and stay safe!
Way to put visuals to the specs! There are lots of pros\cons to each, but you hit the major points for me | Weight, DoD, and Life Cycles. Like the saying goes, "You get what you pay for".
Great job you two!
So nice to see a video on why to do solar with lithium. The usual ones are how to solar on the cheap and then they have a multitude of problems.
We'll explained! Great job. When you do your "day in the life usage" video, I'd be curious to hear what you could get away with on a 300 AH vs 600 AH vs 900 AH vs 1200 AH system. We're brand new to all the battery stuff and we'll have to build up our capacity over time but have no idea what'd we'd need to start out with for basic electrical necessities.
We will 100%.
Jessica and Ryan.. love your vids as well. As far as building battery bank up in time goes,,just like lead acid lithium should all be purchaced at the same time and same age. I have added to my lithium bank after a year, and dealer said that was about the max . these will be the last batterys you will need to buy so look at it that way it's a bargin.
especially running the AC off the inverter. You won't find many boats that can do that.
Great break down of the comparisons. Love you guys I can't wait to see your next video. I've been waiting you since your RV videos and you inspired me to talk my husband in to getting a camper. We don't travel far yet, still in the learning process and still working full time jobs. We love to travel.
Can't express what your videos mean to us, thank you and keep em coming!
Thanks guys for simplifying this complicated subject, as a full time off-solar contractor I try to explain this concept to customers all the time, unfortunately most people ruin multiple sets off batteries before they learn, Also because of my occupation I look forward to more videos on the tech side of your boat.......Keep up the great work
Good to see you have switched to relion as well. I switched to them after my year of misery from the company that will not be named that went bankrupt after selling me a bad cell. Relion is great! The other factor that the tech told me was that these batteries have better reliability at various temperature ranges and better stability on high draw applications.
Thanks for such a brilliant and clear video. This and your other battery videos were a massive help when we started to look for batteries for our little project narrowboat. We've gone for lithium, and through our research met a really lovely bloke who's a bit of an expert - and the main supplier for ReLion here in the UK. Thanks again! :)
Small world isn't it! I bet you are loving the new batteries. Thanks so much for the kudos and I so do love all the narrow boats! One day we're going to make it to over to the UK and meet up with all you lovely people.
What a terrific graphic explanation of Lithium batteries for dummies! What kind of batteries did you take out of the RV & why did you not use those on Curiosity? Swanson's solar law + Lithium batteries reductions in costs are increasing efficiency for sustainable off-grid power!
Great job breaking it down. Enjoy the weather.....
Thank you for this video, you two are always informative and fun to watch!
This is an excellent presentation on batteries for battery banks. I have been checking out Nickel-Iron (Ni-Fe) and Salt Water Batteries but due to their weight/KWh, they would be better for a stationary application like solar. As you guys noted, Li may seem far more expensive for a large sailboat battery bank.....until one looks at DOD and weight/KWh. One can learn bunches and gobs at this channel.....thank you.
We may need to replace our batteries this spring, so this was very timely AND very informative; thanks!
Jason and Nikki, don't listen to the jealous haters! I've been following your travels since you bought Windy so many years ago and you two have a lot of experience using Lithium batteries. Love your videos, keep it up!
+Austin Weideman thanks for the ❤️!
Like Donald Trump.
Looking forward to the follow up on this. Thank you for sharing-thumbs up!
Nicely done, y'all !! Even after dodging bad weather and high waves, you still did a great job of presenting the material ... and made it funny! Thank you!
Wow! You two just gave the best possible sales pitch I can imagine for lithium batteries. Very well done!
In my opinion, that company you mentioned (that I won't) really dropped the ball.
Thanks guys! For doing the math for us! Great vid. And noticed the calm day...Great warranty help!
awesome! we have about 5 rigs in my family and batteries often come up. this was very good info and I shared it with them all!!
Thanks Ken!
I thought you moved the lithium batteries from your RV to the sailboat?
No, they sold the old lithiums.
You guys crack me up. That was crazy good ! Good job the wind wasn't any stronger otherwise your demo would've been in the water. Looking forward to the next sailing and discovering video.....
Nice work ! A twist in the world of sailing couples.This is great information and well presented. Keep up the great work..Always good to do your homework.
Lithium and BRUSHLESS are the way to go. Brushless tools have so many advantages over the old brush tools.
Nikki, your comment about your vacuum reminded me of my friend that owns a vacuum cleaner repair business. His motto is, "Our vacuums really suck."
Love your videos, great info. I only found your channel recently but I'm loving it. I see boating in my future too after I'm done with the motorcycling :-)
You too have great chemistry and that makes the videos very enjoyable. Thanks
You guys are awesome. Great videos and so great to see a couple so happy with what they are doing and being successful due to their hard work which they seem to love. Congrats.
Very entertaining! It's obvious you have researched the subject and have an enthusiasm for it. It's always enjoyable to watch someone that is enthusiastic about a given topic. I personally would choose lithium, but then I understand why people don't... that initial sticker shock.
Excellent discussion! The best explanation I have seen on lithium batteries! You two are the bomb! Thank you for sharing!
Okay, I'm just starting to watch this and I must say: You are doing it wrong... The most important tech is the espresso machine, the ice cream maker, and the beer fridge! ;D
It's a chicken and egg problem. You can't have those items without power.
True, but you must generate that power to charge your batteries. All that power has to come from somewhere. I just figured out the next video! lol...
lol
George Kozi lolololololol
nasanction
Solar panels --> charge controller --> batteries --> invertor
great explanation Jason and Nikki, thank you!
Great, Great job guys! Learned quite a bit, very informative. Fair Winds, JC
Hello from Trinidad and Tobago guys...............gotta say that i absolutely enjoy your videos, i have no experience in sailing whatsoever and i must say that it's quite refreshing, informative and entertaining watching your videos...............keep up the great work..............maybe one day we'll see you guys in the southern Caribbean :)
Thank you very informative! All boaters should watch!
I imagine the drying cycle on your washing machine eats up a ton of power. Could you not air dry your laundry instead, or is salt in the air the issue?
Awesome, looking forward to the rest of the tech tours...
Explaining things in layman terms is great. Well done.
7 years off-grid is incredible! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience Jason and Nikki: Rossella and I are very careful when we spend money and we always do our research to find the best deals possible. Your experience in this field is invaluable though because having lived with the results of your purchasing decisions on a daily basis, you can help us avoid making some of the 'mistakes' that you guys have made over the years. We will definitely consider Li-ion Batteries thanks to your recommendations. Keep up the great work and fair winds! Chris (& Rossella) 👍
Very Well Done....Loved the paper display's.....REALLY Shows ( the visual with the verbal) how you are comparing your fruit ...looking forward to the next installment....wished I had started the adventure earlier in life...Have the 4x4 Sportsmobile.... traveling the country but SS just won't cut the cost of a sailboat lifestyle...so...keep bringing it....
k K Jan
Great information, and more than I ever knew about lithium...the comparison to the batteries in high-draw power tools was helpful and definitely a plus. Also, can you post a link to where to get that vacuum...I'm looking for a better option for my RV that isn't 110 reliant.
I think the biggest difference for most people is the upfront cost which is pretty steep. I certainly couldn't afford even one Li battery, but 4 good quality and well reviewed (not Lifeline) 100AH AGM batteries (for a total of 400AH) cost me $700 which is more doable for most people. I think Li batteries are the best choice for a boat since you are so much more reliant on them, but for the majority of people in an RV, where power isn't as critical, I think the AGMs are a more budget-friendly option for most folks.
Wow.. I learned something today!.. thank you!
thanks folks really appreciate the visual. great job..!!!!😆😆😆
just spent the last 3 days catching up on all your videos.
Love,ed them all. you guys are doing a great job and your inspiring me to get my own cat, eventually, and take to the high seas. I actually miss being on the water.
keep up the good work and be safe out there
Thanks so much Ron, maybe we'll see you on the water soon?
Awesome job! Loved the use of the graphics!
You guys are wonderful; I enjoy your videos so much! I loved your battery illustration 😊
awesome video, bought my boat last May, haven't really started going through and upgrading everything yet ... great info, keep it coming ...
Excellent presentation, as always... very entertaining and informative.
Absolutely great presentation! Thanks for the vid, can't wait for the next one. Cheers
Hey that's coool - I asked once for a all technical episode - and here it is. Thanks!!! BTW sailing la Vagabonde has also lithium batteries on their new outremer 45. The yard puts it in (Mastervolt). On our boat 5 years ago, I changed back to lead acid (after blowing not charged AGMs in a cold winter) because it was so cheap....however next time will be lithium ;-)
The video was very informative and the visual should help people who are unsure if the investment is worth it. I love the power output, weight and life of lithium packs. It can sometimes be difficult to explain to people with a budget. Knowing that the initial sticker shock will be overcome by so many benefits should help people make the leap.
Imagine how much faster you can go with the lighter batteries.
Imagine how much extra space you will have on the boat.
Imagine how safe you feel when your battery bank remains trouble free for those difficult times when you need it the most.
Imagine all the free time you will have to explore more places, to watch more sunsets or have more cocktails because you were not doing all of that extra maintenance when a cheap battery bank needs to be replaced over and over.
Thanks again for sharing your adventure.
Thanks for the easily understood explanation. This is good basic info for me to start my own research for my RV batteries.
No problem. If you decide to purchase you should call Just Catamarans in Ft. Lauderdale. They can ship batteries anywhere and they've promised they'll take care of anyone that follows our blog. Good luck.
I thank you for this video. I too am leaning towards lithium batteries. Treated correctly they are safe. And as you said, they are amazing. Cool!
Thanks for this. It will help me with my own decisions about solar.
Good demonstration. If I ever need to buy a battery...I'll remember your input. Keep safe.
You guys could not explain it any better.
ohhhhhh nooooo, the video is over =( such good information and stories I didn't want it to end lol. you guys do an awesome job! !
I always say.. "Reduce the need for power"!! But with Lithium it seems we can spoil ourselves a bit :)
Explained in a nice and simple way, well done.
So if one currently has 220AH (127 Usable), and that is all one needs, then going Lithium of about 140AH means reduction in weight but cost will be similar. Much better battery as well.
Thank you all for the info!
It's a well explained video. The other videos in this series are going to have to be done to correlate various points about the battery system. Chargers and inverters optimized for Lithium battery use since they have different power curves than do wet cell lead acid or AGM or "GEL which are going by the wayside". But yes, in the long run, Lithium is the way to go if you are power hungry. Just be sure you have a charging system that will keep up with demand and a power delivery system that is designed to work with and manage Lithium output.
more great info, thanks. You two make learning fun!
Thank You! That explains alot. Now maybe I can ask some intelligent questions when I try setting up a decent battery bank. I know there's a lot of experts and non experts out there telling everyone what is what. It confuses me. I like the idea your telling what works from your experience. Any kind of system will fail if you abuse it. It all comes down to knowing what your using and not over doing it.
but the most important question remain left out,
"how much total did it cost?"
its not just buying the batteries you have the lithium charger, safety monitoring, charging display, wiring, labor etc
Thanks for your insights guys, what about recycling? After all, I hope we sailors don't want to drop the old batteries over the side right?
So true with the batteries! 24 volts is what we had so Batteries did last longer. Do yours have automatic shutdown? I've seen these are out!
2 questions that you could answer in a future technology video.
1) What is your typical over night power consumption ? Or the same question asked a different way, assume 100% "State of Charge" at sundown, what is your battery bank SoC at sun up, assuming your normal appliance usage (A/C, freezer, etc).
2) Typically, how many hours of full sun does it take to replace the power you used overnight ?
Thank you! Goal zero just came out with a lithium yeti generator....? What say you? We're only trying to power a 17ft. Casita off grid.
So .. if you have a big, expensive cat with amp-days of electrical needs beyond the engine and have the cash, get lithium.
But if you have a 28' Hunter that uses a battery only for nav lights, a 4" display, recharging a tablet, and starting the engine, and are just barely keeping ahead of existing maintenance items, lead acid is probably just fine. :-)
I think you created a very well done video that will help people make the decision that is appropriate for them. Like everything else on a boat, there are costs and tradeoffs. What I 'want' and what I need and can afford are often two different price ranges. Your amusing and informative slide show has some very valuable real-world information in a very concise format. Great job!
I agree 100% with the decision to buy them if you can afford them and 'need' them. On the other hand, that $3,500 for similar AGM can be spread out over several years, allowing for other boat bucks to be spent. Sure, battery failures and other things can happen in the interim and it may end up costing more. But I'd hate to drop an extra $2,600 on batteries and exhaust my boat fund to save some money in the long run when the next weekend my engine blows up. Or dozens of other expensive things that can happen to a boat happen. Spending boat bucks is usually a prioritization issue for many boat owners .. I only have $X dollars, but if I need $X times 10 dollars worth of maintenance, what do I fix today.
Another consideration is solid-electrolyte battery tech is looking very promising, suggested to have 5x the power of LI-ON, and none of the life cycle issues and might be available in a few years. Is it worth the gamble to wait? Who knows ....
Well done! A very "quick" battery information. I build and fly RC airplanes and use Fromeco brand Lithium ion batteries for receiver and servo control. Weight is the major issue in airplanes, as is long life and reliability.
Awesome, this is the way to explain cost-benefit analysis.
Great Video. I understood without you saying that the comparison to 16 AGM batteries was over time and not all at one time. Great explanation and analysis of the technology. Can't wait until we see electric engines in boats in the future. That would be great for the environment and great for getting more power on board!
Excellent video, thanks for the information. Look forward to seeing the rest of the series.
If I can like this video a million times I would... super informative guys.. thanks so much!!
good info thank you :) really enjoy watching you guys
Enjoyed the video guys. I've heard it said the a boat (anything that won't fit on a ship), is a hole in the water, you pour money into. Hope you enjoy the humor. Great video. I've been researching battery powered landscaping equipment. Impressed with choices available.
Great tutorial on Lithium batteries. I would love if you guys would show your entire electrical system. That is a huge battery bank. I am curious how much the solar replaces from the draw of running your air conditioner at night, how much you run the genny, etc. Have you thought of adding a wind generator or a hydro generator? Great video.
More tech videos are coming!
Great battery comparison information! Thank-you!
how much does your solar panel work? have you thought about wind gen. helping charge also
Great job, love the presentation!!
Well that helps explain why the Lithium battery powered tools are so much more. Nice video with good information.
Loved this video, learned a lot and you are helping with my TO DO list when the time comes. THANK YOU!!
This is all such great advice helping us prep for our adventure. Thank you! Keep it coming!
Guys that was a really great post..thank you. We are about to convert our Beneteau mono to being "off grid" also😀. Still looking at the brands that will look after us. ⛵👍
Awesome!!! Very informative, thanks.