So either the entire corporate staff of the Loctite brand are subscribers, or their threadlocker range is good. Just a heads up for those about to post the same advice!
From my experience with firearms in subzero (Fahrenheit) conditions, Loctite has a tendency to act more like glass and shatter. My favorite lock nut since it can be removed and replaced a reasonable number of times is the flexloc nut. It really doesn't care how cold or hot it gets. Also they're cheap. Stover lock nuts are probably cheaper but they tend to make both the nut and bolt single use. If it absolutely must not fail, wire lock nuts (and bolts) are the industrial standard. (honestly you can just take a regular nut and just give it a good whack with a hammer to make a lock nut though)
My favorite locking system is free and fool-proof and works best for hardware that is meant to stay together and not be routinely removed and reinstalled. It's called a Mexican lock washer. Just take a pair of pliers and booger-up the threads of the bolt/screw and then install the nut DONE
@@scotte2815 You should try the smacking it with a hammer method. There's a lot of expensive lock nuts where thats basically all they are. You can can take them off and put them back on without the threads being all chowdered. Its a little hard to get the right amount of oval I guess.
@@htomerif yes and then there's the distortion in the vice method, the bent shaft method, the elmer's glue method, the wrong thread pitch method, the solder method, and if it fails the blame it on some one else method (very popular with Democrats
man you are killing it w/ these frequent uploads, its so nice to see progress no matter how little it is maybe thats because your narration is just that enjoyable have you done audiobooks of your works? might be worth it
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I find it difficult to pick up a book, but audiobooks I listen to on a drive all the time; it would definitely be amazing to have an audiobook to listen to!
Nice install. As an elevatorguy for 20 years i really appreciate clean installs that are easy to go through when fixing what has gone wrong. And nylon locknuts will never rattle loose. They come in m3,4,5 and alot bigger.
It's only charging under 0deg that Lithiums struggle with. Discharge is fine (indeed very good). It won't get that cold inside the boat where charging goes on.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals but think about your 24 V battery you want to use outside. It depends extremely on the lithium technology! Be careful and have a close look on the C-Ratings according to temperature in the Datasheets! Nice projects and videos! Wishes from Germany :)
Good idea with the lead batteries, not just the reasons you stated, but they're also less likely to catch fire. Which is a concern when you don't have a lifeboat, because you're IN your lifeboat lol
“Incandescent with rage”, pure gold. No matter what you decide to do there will always be those they just can’t help but condemn. I try to keep my comments more towards suggestions based upon issues that I personally have come upon, well and also what my two sons, both with years of military service in war zones, and my nephew who is a long distance hiker. These three people know a thing or two about preparing for the worst case scenario. So if you can glean just a small morsel of useful information from one of my verbose suggestions, great! If not I’m certainly not going to harangue you about your obvious poor choice. I look at these channels as a emotionally uplifting experience, and for knowledge. People out there doing! So, good for you! Never stop exploring, never stop learning!
This episode was fascinating. I'd love to see another episode dedicated to the electrical aspect - not so much the physical wiring and power and accessories, but rather how all of the thinking and decisions and knowledge you gained from your research guided you in the pros and cons of the different schools of thought you encountered.
Thanks for the tips. Not that we get arctic temps in Texas but nice to know about the silicone option. For the vibration issues (Loctite Blue-242) is your friend. Excellent performance for high vibration & shock environments and still allows for disassembly without special tools if needed. I totally agree with redundancy. Keep it up! Cheers!
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Be aware that the colours doesn’t match between manufacturers and sometimes not even within the same manufacturer, so check the label before applying!
As an industrial electrical engineer I really like the decision of going with 24V! That will give you a wide variety of industrial grade components... 12V might actually be worse because the landscape is gonna be flooded with cheap car/boat components... Can't say anything about 48V to be honest... Love the videos, great work!
With regards to nuts coming loose: Get some nail polish/nail paint in a fluorescent green or orange color. Paint a stripe that runs from the side of the nut to the bolt's threads/top. It is enough to keep the small stuff from vibrating loose, and you can do a quick visual inspection. Then if you notice some of them becoming loose over time, re-torque with Loctite. Saves time in the long run.
to be fair I don't think its going to be a problem I run a supercharged jetski long distance and vibrations are much higher amplitude and frequency, you wont have a problem with properly torqued fasteners in this application IMHO
Alex, an alternative to replacing your nut & spring washers. A small dap of silicone sealant to the nut and local area stops the nut vibrating loose and backing off from the spring washer. It may sound like it would not work or be too weak but is highly effective, long term and proven in many high vibration race car applications.
If you don't like spring washers, I use the smallest ever dab of silicon on the thread right after the nut. With a spanner it can easily be undone, will never vibrate off, can be very quickly applied after the nuts are fastened, and a tube of 'roof and gutter' silicone is about $3, which will do the whole boat, it isn't sealing any holes or anything so you don't need sika or some high quality corking, it's just a little snot that works perfectly to stop bolts coming undone.
Very, very interesting! I know what you showed us isn't the whole system, so my following thoughts might not have any use, but I thought I'd offer them anyway, if only for discussion's sake. One- it seems to me that there should probably be breakers or fuses as well as cutoffs on those main lines to prevent damage from an overcurrent? Two- would it not be advisable to have the engine able to start from either of the battery banks, in case one goes dead? Three- would it be more sensible to have the controls for the external lights up in the cockpit, where the helmsman could get at them without leaving his post?
Thanks Clifton. 1) Yes lots of fuses on the back. 2) Each of the four batteries can be used by just clicking on and off an Anderson connector. 3) These lights aren't navigation lights - but general flood lighting for the area around the boat. If another crew member can't throw the switches and the driver needed to for some reason, it's just a case of leaning down for 2 secs.
When you've removed over a ton of equipment from a boat, it's not a bad idea to use heavier batteries, especially when there's a tremendous cost saving. Very cool electronics system.
An alternative to spring washers you might want to look into are nord lock washers. However what you have will be fine with a blob of locktite on as Ben Dover mentioned below
+1 on the Nordlocks, they are excellent, except for a couple caveats. First, buy only the name brand ones, I’ve heard of a lot of people having trouble with the copies. Secondly, they only work properly if there’s no washers under them, so read up on the documentation on what stackups are ok. That being said, they are still better than a spring washer on top of a normal washer. Finally, be aware that sizes over 12mm can lock too aggressively, as the cam surfaces need the bolt to stretch before letting go, which if torqued down properly can actually cause the bolt to sheer before the Nordlock lets go.
It sounds like you have two mics on at the same time. Could just be odd reverb inside Alan, but you might want to check if you camera's internal mic is on and mixed in.
Unless I missed you saying it, you should run independent fuses throughout the entire system from where it terminates off the battery with a high rated fuse, and stepping down all the way through for all the different components, wouldn't want the lights to go out. And think about stepping up or down certain USB ports amperage for higher consuming devices like when charging portable battery banks.. (1, 2.1, 3.7, 5, X).
Nice job on the electrics. Good choice on lead carbon. Depending on how fast lead carbon can take a charge you might want to look at an alternator upgrade. For example lithium can take a charge so fast that it will fry alternators that out out low amperage because they aren’t designed to run at 100% of rated output for very long. So people often upgrade to 125-175 amp output alternators. If lead carbon is similar then you could have this issue. Also you don’t have to run as long to charge and when you’re running to charge batteries and so you don’t over tax and fry your alternator. You might want to look at installing some USB-C depending on your AV equipment needs. Like a laptop could be powered directly from the appropriate USB-C outlet and avoid using an inverter. Having USB is way better then running an 220 inverter. AC inverters waste a lot of power. You can buy cigarette style adapters for many laptops. Might want an red LED strip option inside in case you’re having to navigate at night. DAMAVO YM1218 USB C & USB A Dual Port Car Charger Socket Power Outlet Adapter Type C USB Car Charger Socket with Cap 12V/24V for Car, Marine, Golf Cart, Bus, RV, Automotive Marine ATV Truck (2 PCS) www.amazon.com/dp/B08K8Q74XL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8YVV1KKWEZZY6RFF6KCE Or depending on device type. Power Delivery 3.0 USB C Car Charger Socket, Ouffun 48W PD & QC 3.0 Dual Port 12V USB Car Outlet Adapter with Button Switch, iPhone Fast Charger DIY Kit for Car Boat Marine Bus Golf Cart RV Motorcycle www.amazon.com/dp/B08XLKX832/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_94DZVN0RN1QQ8DWQSBGS Cheers, Jeremy
Hi Jeremy Yes, on the USB charging topic I've been on the simplification bandwagon for a good while. When optimising power and charging systems for sledging ski journeys it's normal to go through these processes. The inverter though will be needed for things like running an electric chainsaw etc. Red LED - yep already made. It's just a case of not having the time to film 100 episodes straight away. Interesting on the alternator / Lead Carbon front. I may consider controlling the current as it's a 100A alternator. The batteries will also be charged by a diesel generator when not underway.
I know you have already gotten your solar equipment, but, one way you could have gone is to find a retired electrical standup forklift battery pack. A used one that has been changed out will be more then enough battery to supply a house, but, is also a ton of weight for ballast in the lifeboat. Nice work never the less. That is a great project to undertake, and perfect to convert into a living space. Aloha from Hawai’i, and if your ever close to the Hawai’ian island chain, more specifically the Big Island of Hawai’i. Don’t hesitate to let us know….!
Hey Alex, I see you’ve used quite a bit of victron gear in there! If you’d like a hand working out any wiring for anything I’d be glad to help. I work for a Victron dealer and design off-grid power systems for a living. Also, on that note. I think 24v was an excellent choice for a system of that size.
The toggle switch panel @10:30 needs a cover to keep the switches from getting bumped by people as they move past it. The tight quarters it being on a boat will cause people to bump the switches and turn them on and off. Some bent, metal bars on either side of each switch or just a full cover would be a very good idea.
Alex, You may already be doing this ... but you may find a printed manual of all that you have done useful. It is very easy to forget exactly how or why you did something a few months or years after the fact.
Have you considered an iron / steel keel to protect the underside of the boat and provide ballast? A 1" plate, cut to width and bent to curve up at the bow, would tick a bunch of design checkmarks for an expedition boat.
Good move on the lead carbons. Did you fit balancers to make sure the 12V batteries in the 24V series stay in balance? You talked about ammeters/precision. Electronic monitoring via shunts gives both and would be simpler, but too late now.
I've not - but have been checking them over the past months of casual use and the voltages always match within each bank. I have the shunts installed, so could wire in whatever is necessary. Electronic monitoring of what sort?
You have Victron gear. I was thinking of the smart shunt/BMV 712. They read about as accurately as anything else. And keep track of capacity/usage in a small unit.
....very nice. I have the thought that Lead based batteries can be much more forgiving when abused and much less lethal. They are also a lot less costly so I like the choice...
Alex, nylocs should take care of anything rattling loose. I understand your electrics fully and the choice of 24v but i am wondering why you introduced additional load using step downs when you could just pull 12v straight from the batteries and fuse accordingly?
Hi Neil. Because then I'd have current flowing at 2x what's necessary for far further, and the devices would have an input of anywhere between 11-14V, not a lovely regulated 12V. I also have some 24V devices. So for simplicity too.
Interesting work. Make sure to add fuses to your system, if not already used, so in case of a shortage in one of your sub-components the others still work. Also, fire hazards are reduced drastically.
hello a suggestion for the screws, use Loctite, then no screw will loosen if it shouldn't. it is very weather-resistant from -55 to +200 Celsius Greetings from Germany :)
Good choice in Electrical Hardware Vectron makes realy good stuff! The solar charging hardware will be added at a later point I guess? When you mentioned that you would like to use a big Lithium Battery on shore please have a lookout for there temperature rating as most of them degrade heavly when used below 0C°. A recommendation would be Battleborn Battery''s there are tough as a nail and survived heavy weather on boat pretty good. Even a little saltwater was okay. They also come with a pretty wide range of safety features. Perfect for Sailors :D They also have a low temp cut off.
Quick mention again that Lithiums perform excellently in cold temperatures under load - it's charging sub-zero when damage can be incurred. Another commenter states that a new generation of Lithiums - LTO - charge well in the cold too.
Nice industrial-looking panel, which is I figure exactly what you want for ease of maintenance at sea. Are you going to molly-guard that subpanel (fans and external lights) against accidental contact? It looks like it might be easy to clip it with a knee or elbow and turn things on or off without noticing when survival-suited ... then again I guess it's not exactly a critical emergency if that happens.
IMO, replace your spring washers with regular washers and nylock nuts. They're great at resisting loosening due to vibration, wont gall up surfaces like spring washers when disassembling stuff, and come in stainless, if you're using stainless hardware inside. The other option that I actually prefer is Type C nuts, but those don't come in stainless that I know of.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals True, but anything you're going to be taking apart enough times for that to matter, will also be significantly chewed up by the spring washers. I've used both a lot and had nylocks that I loosened probably nearing 100 times before the extreme vibration of my machine was enough to cause them to vibrate loose. Whatever vibrations you're concerned about, they'll be nothing like the vibrations of having stuff rigid mounted to a 35hp 4-cylinder lol
Noticed on your isolators you have them labeled left bank and right bank. Might I suggest you label them port and starboard just to keep everything standard on the boat?
Anything to protect the 30A ammeter if you accidentally turn on a high load without switching ammeters? Digital voltmeter or battery monitor to monitor state of battery charge? Do you only have 1 alternator? Maybe carry a spare. Especially in a lifeboat where engine use is expected to be limited the engine supplier might not have fitted a great one. Nice layout though for troubleshooting.
I can certainly carry a spare. Actually I haven't fully 'plumbed in' the second ammeter yet - I'm asking an expert for the best wiring solution for them.
Hi re Spring washer replacement could you not back up the existing fasteners with Loctite thread lock adhesive? Keep up the great work and series 👏 👍 By the way my labelling machine never leaves my boat.
I have LiPo4 house batteries, couple of times over last winter I had to run the engine to get the batteries warm enough to charge them, great batteries but they are not perfect.
Tissue and lotion on top of the electrical panel. You're definitely planning for a LONG arctic trip aren't yeh Easy jokes aside, your method of narration is fantastic. Keep up the interesting work, and glad to see the episodes are getting longer (clearly, the masses are winning!)
Battery chemistry effects voltage(peak, charging...). Can those be put in parallel without special management?? I am a fellow jack of all trades master of none... I do not have a boat or do arctic adventures but love these videos. Keep sharing your thought process. Love it!
It can be good to have an "emergency power" circuit. A 12v 20ah AGM or Lifepo4 battery connected to your LED lights and an emergency radio or something. That way, if your main panel fails or has to be shut off, you can still see what you're doing without having to use flashlights.
Nice vid again Alex, any reason your panel is not say wall mounted? I suppose getting at the back of it would be a pain, but it would be a bit more out of the way.
With the orginal plan being for a winter artic expedition did you make any plans for something like a sun lamp to help with seasonal affective disorder? Or are you taking the supplement route since only part of the trip would have been spent onboard?
Not really. I've done winters before and I just eat well, have a small Vit D tablet (no strong evidence they work, but no harm), and try not to feel sad!
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Frame of mind must help a bit as well. The "yay Adventure" mindset VS the "Ugh only 6 more months of winter" This year and the Covid lockdowns made winter particularly Unbearable.
Have a kill switch that will be able to kill power from batteries and into them. Maybe get some weaker backup batteries and hand crank shaft generator. Some kinda alert if your batteries are running low. And you don't want your batteries be cold so maybe have some electric heating for them or better have a small water tube run wrapped around engine exhaust to wrapped around batteries and small pump to keep water circulation. Water will heat up from hot engine exhaust and heat up batteries or just keeping cold away. You could keep alot of heat by capturing it from different sources and keeping in small water tube throughout the ship.
With regards to battery wiring, are they connected in parallel then series or series than parallel? The slight different is the first method connects all the batteries to each, such that one failing has a reduced impact on the overall system.
Apparently your USB Ports only provides 5V. Power Delivery over USB can be quite complex and charging power hungry devices with only 5V might be not effective (or maybe even not working). E.g. Laptops negotiate up to 21V over USB. But as your design is modular and you have 24V changing the "chargers" behind the panel to something that supports USB-PD might be something to consider.
Late to the party but i've only heard and read positive things about Lead-Carbon batteries in marine applications, from English canal narrowboats to smaller yachts and some small size Mediterranean research vessel with a bit too much energy requirement due to equipment.
Excellent vid Alex and I totally agree with everything you said and it's a good well laied out setup, great explanation of the system, however I'm a bit worried about the lack of fuses, shunts and re settable circuit breakers though mate, unless there away somewhere else. Seeya Rob
Hey alex should you not have a Aluminiumbar with threaded holes for the batteri terminal instead of grouping all the cables ? :P it is a nice to have thing if you need to remove just one of the cables and have everything else "running"
I have bus bars on the back of the electrics panel. On the battery terminals themselves there's only two or three connections, so I guess I could use bus bars, if there was space, but it only takes seconds to take a terminal ring on or off.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals everything is always nice to have, but that is what makes life worth while :P as long as you feel satisfied and it works nothing can be wrong :D
Lead carbon batteries are pretty reasonable. Even just a good quality deep cycle marine battery can last many years for what you're using it for. I'd say the biggest reason not to use lithium batteries on a boat is fire. Lead-acid batteries tend to fail safely whereas lithium batteries can and do fail catastrophically. If someone accidentally damages a battery or shorts it, what you have is much less likely to create an unextinguishable fire. If you're using a thermal labeler like a Dymo label maker I've learned the hard way that the printing will fade over a few years and that's definitely accelerated by certain chemicals in the environment. From my experience a cheap inkjet label maker with a covering of clear tape is the cheapest, longest lasting solution. For portable labeling I just use stickers and markers. I'm interested in the recovery process. I think you said you might recover Alan a couple of years after the expedition? I assume its going to be abandoned north of the arctic circle so nothing short of an RTG will keep it powered or above freezing. Some charge controllers have an automatic electric start. If you end up with a lot of excess fuel it might make it a long time on its own just starting the engine every few days to maintain a charge. It could make it a lot easier to find and recover if it still had a radio beacon working 2 years later. Some electrical components (especially batteries and electrolytic capacitors) are easily destroyed by extreme low temperatures or complete discharge. If your engine has an electric start, automatic charging might be something to look into to make the recovery easier.
Thanks for the labelling advice. The drift and recovery expedition is no longer happening, but the original plan would have involved two trackers, on bow and stern, powered by solar topped-up large cold-rated batteries. They would only ping satellites infrequently, and would have lasted years.
I would say that in an enclosed environment, I too would prefer the lead batteries. Lithium batteries are quite safe generally, but when they let go, i wouldn't want to be indoors with a lithium bank that size.
You should also take some double sheaved flexible welding cable of the same amperage or larger amperage so that if the silicone power cable strands break due to the cold which they will be more prone to do in frigid temps then your silicone cables will end up having a very high resistance & poor transfer of power. Having this type of welding cable will be your redundancy back up in case you need it.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I just don't want you to be out in the middle of nowhere & come up short on power because cables have frozen & snapped too much.
Also, be very wary of optimal battery operating temperatures. I can assure you, being at the bottom of a boat in the Arctic is not conducive to maintaining optimal operating temperatures. I know lithium can freeze even when fully charged and not allow any power output when frozen. Likewise, be very careful with temperature. If memory serves, some battleship plating becomes exceptionally brittle when exposed to extreme temperatures. It would be wise to ensure the same thing doesn't happen to whatever your boat is made of.
Lithiums have their performance/damage issues when being charged below 0deg C. Their discharge curve at very low temperatures is excellent, especially at lower currents. The composites that comprise the hull, and various other components, perform excellently at very low temperatures. It would likely be the resins that would fail first, and some collaborators and I had them flexing nicely at -40deg C.
Please use liquid tape ie. Silicone sealant on all connections. This will keep any salt water/ moisture from getting in to your wires. I've seen power cables that look good and the motor had trouble starting. Until I cut down the cable and 10 inch into it was all corroded. water/ moisture is a real bitch. You may want to consider a drop light. Especially if you have to work on the motor. This will enable you to have white where you normally don't have it. Stay safe. P.S. don't forget a multimeter on your trip.
Ouch, if you are going to be using batteries as ballast, make sure sure sure, they are waterproofed. i mean above and beyond. any water that comes in from open hatches during storms, any condensation, any melting snow... water will always try and settle at the lowest points in the boat, often in the ballast areas. Now this gets even more critical with Lithium batteries who can catch fire quickly. I would suggest, if you are going to run 1-2 lithium 24v banks mounted "high" as emergency backup, well away from any hatch. Then the Lead batteries low, in a sealed water tight container, with a moisture/bilge alarm in it. you might also want to keep or have some way to pump water out of said area if water does start accumulating in it. This might be as simple as a small waterpump or a wet/dry shopvac. Again you don't want water getting into your battery system, shorting it out, setting lithiums on fire, when you are 1000's of miles from any replacement parts.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals you never did, but its something that i've actually seen done in some boats... people have "moved" electrical panels, not thinking about waves. People have set up battery packs as ballast, in sailboats locally, and ended up with bad fires breaking out. For some reason even "professionals" seem to forget or ignore water infiltration into electronics. I have no idea why, so i thought always get cringy when people talk about mounting battery systems low. Hence i tend to suggest extra, care and planning in that with several layers of redundancy. Used to crew a rescue boat locally.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Sorry, autistic here, the ouch was more of, what i've seen happen... my bad. I think its a case of "house electricians" or Auto-electricians, who go to work on their own boats not thinking about the differences. but again sorry, i'll stop commenting.
I think there's a few ways that people comment on here - it's easy to frame an idea or suggestion in a way that appears to only make the commenter feel clever, and not actually mean well. Of course, intent and reception often fail to mesh. Do feel free to keep commenting - I only remove spam posts or those mindlessly attacking other viewers of mine.
are you going to install a radio(for communication with the rest of the world) in the boat? if so it would be really interesting if you did a video on that.
You are aware of Lithium batteries problem with below freezing temperatures right? (no charging below freezing, chemistry dependent of course for exact numbers)
Batteries at the bottom of the boat.... don't get a leak, apparently sea water and batteries can produce toxic fumes.. something I remember u boats had issues with.
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So either the entire corporate staff of the Loctite brand are subscribers, or their threadlocker range is good. Just a heads up for those about to post the same advice!
From my experience with firearms in subzero (Fahrenheit) conditions, Loctite has a tendency to act more like glass and shatter. My favorite lock nut since it can be removed and replaced a reasonable number of times is the flexloc nut. It really doesn't care how cold or hot it gets. Also they're cheap. Stover lock nuts are probably cheaper but they tend to make both the nut and bolt single use.
If it absolutely must not fail, wire lock nuts (and bolts) are the industrial standard.
(honestly you can just take a regular nut and just give it a good whack with a hammer to make a lock nut though)
My favorite locking system is free and fool-proof and works best for hardware that is meant to stay together and not be routinely removed and reinstalled.
It's called a Mexican lock washer. Just take a pair of pliers and booger-up the threads of the bolt/screw and then install the nut
DONE
@@scotte2815 You should try the smacking it with a hammer method. There's a lot of expensive lock nuts where thats basically all they are. You can can take them off and put them back on without the threads being all chowdered. Its a little hard to get the right amount of oval I guess.
@@htomerif yes and then there's the distortion in the vice method, the bent shaft method, the elmer's glue method, the wrong thread pitch method, the solder method, and if it fails the blame it on some one else method (very popular with Democrats
Yes but have you considered thread locking chemicals? One popular brand is Loctite...
Very clever to use robust yet heavy batteries as ballast.
man you are killing it w/ these frequent uploads, its so nice to see progress no matter how little it is
maybe thats because your narration is just that enjoyable
have you done audiobooks of your works? might be worth it
Thanks - appreciated.
No audiobooks so far I'm afraid. But I'll try and persuade future publishers!
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I’m a huge audiobook fan and will buy your books in a heartbeat if available.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I find it difficult to pick up a book, but audiobooks I listen to on a drive all the time; it would definitely be amazing to have an audiobook to listen to!
I find it really funny that he's working on a really cool project, but seemed to get genuinely really excited about having a labeling machine.
always enjoy the little things!
I'm on my 5th boat build as of today, I also got some white background and red ink tape for my label machine, can't wait to print a lifejacket sticker
Nice install.
As an elevatorguy for 20 years i really appreciate clean installs that are easy to go through when fixing what has gone wrong.
And nylon locknuts will never rattle loose. They come in m3,4,5 and alot bigger.
Thanks.
My reservation with Nylocs is that the nylon deforms after one use, and doesn't lock as well if you need to undo and re-tighten.
“Free ballast” sounds like a album of some local town band that everyone’s proud of but no one actually likes there music
Lithium cannot handle the cold with out a heater so i think you made the right choice
I mean it can to some degree. But lithium ion will not preform well under 0 degrees Celsius
My very first thought.
It's only charging under 0deg that Lithiums struggle with. Discharge is fine (indeed very good). It won't get that cold inside the boat where charging goes on.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals but think about your 24 V battery you want to use outside. It depends extremely on the lithium technology! Be careful and have a close look on the C-Ratings according to temperature in the Datasheets!
Nice projects and videos! Wishes from Germany :)
Good idea with the lead batteries, not just the reasons you stated, but they're also less likely to catch fire. Which is a concern when you don't have a lifeboat, because you're IN your lifeboat lol
I was thinking the same thing. Lithium is nice when it behaves but if it catches fire in a confined space then you are stuffed.
Alan will have a liferaft.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals YA, I remember that, I was being a bit tongue in cheek there. Should have given a :p to be sure my joke was clear.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals will the life-raft's name be MacAllen?
“Incandescent with rage”, pure gold. No matter what you decide to do there will always be those they just can’t help but condemn. I try to keep my comments more towards suggestions based upon issues that I personally have come upon, well and also what my two sons, both with years of military service in war zones, and my nephew who is a long distance hiker. These three people know a thing or two about preparing for the worst case scenario. So if you can glean just a small morsel of useful information from one of my verbose suggestions, great! If not I’m certainly not going to harangue you about your obvious poor choice. I look at these channels as a emotionally uplifting experience, and for knowledge. People out there doing!
So, good for you! Never stop exploring, never stop learning!
Cheers Bart
Alan is coming along nicely. I can only imagine how proud of him you are.
He's a modest fellow.
This episode was fascinating. I'd love to see another episode dedicated to the electrical aspect - not so much the physical wiring and power and accessories, but rather how all of the thinking and decisions and knowledge you gained from your research guided you in the pros and cons of the different schools of thought you encountered.
No worries Will - will do.
Thanks for the tips. Not that we get arctic temps in Texas but nice to know about the silicone option. For the vibration issues (Loctite Blue-242) is your friend. Excellent performance for high vibration & shock environments and still allows for disassembly without special tools if needed. I totally agree with redundancy. Keep it up! Cheers!
Thanks. I've only used Loctite red and undoing it was a drama with a heat gun!
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Be aware that the colours doesn’t match between manufacturers and sometimes not even within the same manufacturer, so check the label before applying!
As an industrial electrical engineer I really like the decision of going with 24V! That will give you a wide variety of industrial grade components... 12V might actually be worse because the landscape is gonna be flooded with cheap car/boat components...
Can't say anything about 48V to be honest...
Love the videos, great work!
24v is lorry/truck voltage so he can get lots of that stuff
@@the_retag Didn't know that... Sounds good!
Box of Tissues and a moisterising lotion on top of the cabinet? We all know what that means!
With regards to nuts coming loose: Get some nail polish/nail paint in a fluorescent green or orange color. Paint a stripe that runs from the side of the nut to the bolt's threads/top. It is enough to keep the small stuff from vibrating loose, and you can do a quick visual inspection. Then if you notice some of them becoming loose over time, re-torque with Loctite. Saves time in the long run.
An option for sure.
to be fair I don't think its going to be a problem I run a supercharged jetski long distance and vibrations are much higher amplitude and frequency, you wont have a problem with properly torqued fasteners in this application IMHO
Alex, an alternative to replacing your nut & spring washers. A small dap of silicone sealant to the nut and local area stops the nut vibrating loose and backing off from the spring washer. It may sound like it would not work or be too weak but is highly effective, long term and proven in many high vibration race car applications.
If you are worried about any nuts and bolts coming loose consider using torque seal paint on them. It will show you if anything has loosened up.
If you don't like spring washers, I use the smallest ever dab of silicon on the thread right after the nut. With a spanner it can easily be undone, will never vibrate off, can be very quickly applied after the nuts are fastened, and a tube of 'roof and gutter' silicone is about $3, which will do the whole boat, it isn't sealing any holes or anything so you don't need sika or some high quality corking, it's just a little snot that works perfectly to stop bolts coming undone.
Engineer here, definitely right choice with batteries, lithium aren’t ideal for all applications and have situations where they really don’t work well
Very, very interesting!
I know what you showed us isn't the whole system, so my following thoughts might not have any use, but I thought I'd offer them anyway, if only for discussion's sake.
One- it seems to me that there should probably be breakers or fuses as well as cutoffs on those main lines to prevent damage from an overcurrent?
Two- would it not be advisable to have the engine able to start from either of the battery banks, in case one goes dead?
Three- would it be more sensible to have the controls for the external lights up in the cockpit, where the helmsman could get at them without leaving his post?
Thanks Clifton.
1) Yes lots of fuses on the back.
2) Each of the four batteries can be used by just clicking on and off an Anderson connector.
3) These lights aren't navigation lights - but general flood lighting for the area around the boat. If another crew member can't throw the switches and the driver needed to for some reason, it's just a case of leaning down for 2 secs.
Thanks for the reply! As I suspected, I possessed incomplete information. :)
When you've removed over a ton of equipment from a boat, it's not a bad idea to use heavier batteries, especially when there's a tremendous cost saving. Very cool electronics system.
An alternative to spring washers you might want to look into are nord lock washers. However what you have will be fine with a blob of locktite on as Ben Dover mentioned below
Already on order arriving tomorrow!
+1 on the Nordlocks, they are excellent, except for a couple caveats. First, buy only the name brand ones, I’ve heard of a lot of people having trouble with the copies. Secondly, they only work properly if there’s no washers under them, so read up on the documentation on what stackups are ok. That being said, they are still better than a spring washer on top of a normal washer. Finally, be aware that sizes over 12mm can lock too aggressively, as the cam surfaces need the bolt to stretch before letting go, which if torqued down properly can actually cause the bolt to sheer before the Nordlock lets go.
It sounds like you have two mics on at the same time. Could just be odd reverb inside Alan, but you might want to check if you camera's internal mic is on and mixed in.
Hmm - just checked and the camera mic was muted. Sounds ok my end - probably just the result of the cheaper lapel mic over the SM7B I use for VOs.
Unless I missed you saying it, you should run independent fuses throughout the entire system from where it terminates off the battery with a high rated fuse, and stepping down all the way through for all the different components, wouldn't want the lights to go out. And think about stepping up or down certain USB ports amperage for higher consuming devices like when charging portable battery banks.. (1, 2.1, 3.7, 5, X).
Plenty of fuses installed on the other side. Should have mentioned.
I can see the USB logic, but I think 5V for all is ok for now.
Nice job on the electrics. Good choice on lead carbon. Depending on how fast lead carbon can take a charge you might want to look at an alternator upgrade. For example lithium can take a charge so fast that it will fry alternators that out out low amperage because they aren’t designed to run at 100% of rated output for very long. So people often upgrade to 125-175 amp output alternators. If lead carbon is similar then you could have this issue. Also you don’t have to run as long to charge and when you’re running to charge batteries and so you don’t over tax and fry your alternator.
You might want to look at installing some USB-C depending on your AV equipment needs. Like a laptop could be powered directly from the appropriate USB-C outlet and avoid using an inverter. Having USB is way better then running an 220 inverter. AC inverters waste a lot of power. You can buy cigarette style adapters for many laptops.
Might want an red LED strip option inside in case you’re having to navigate at night.
DAMAVO YM1218 USB C & USB A Dual Port Car Charger Socket Power Outlet Adapter Type C USB Car Charger Socket with Cap 12V/24V for Car, Marine, Golf Cart, Bus, RV, Automotive Marine ATV Truck (2 PCS) www.amazon.com/dp/B08K8Q74XL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8YVV1KKWEZZY6RFF6KCE
Or depending on device type. Power Delivery 3.0 USB C Car Charger Socket, Ouffun 48W PD & QC 3.0 Dual Port 12V USB Car Outlet Adapter with Button Switch, iPhone Fast Charger DIY Kit for Car Boat Marine Bus Golf Cart RV Motorcycle www.amazon.com/dp/B08XLKX832/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_94DZVN0RN1QQ8DWQSBGS
Cheers,
Jeremy
Hi Jeremy
Yes, on the USB charging topic I've been on the simplification bandwagon for a good while. When optimising power and charging systems for sledging ski journeys it's normal to go through these processes. The inverter though will be needed for things like running an electric chainsaw etc.
Red LED - yep already made. It's just a case of not having the time to film 100 episodes straight away.
Interesting on the alternator / Lead Carbon front. I may consider controlling the current as it's a 100A alternator. The batteries will also be charged by a diesel generator when not underway.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I’d consider limiting it to 75 amps for reliability.
Is the alternator 12v or 24v ?
12v. Thanks re: current suggestion.
I know you have already gotten your solar equipment, but, one way you could have gone is to find a retired electrical standup forklift battery pack. A used one that has been changed out will be more then enough battery to supply a house, but, is also a ton of weight for ballast in the lifeboat. Nice work never the less. That is a great project to undertake, and perfect to convert into a living space.
Aloha from Hawai’i, and if your ever close to the Hawai’ian island chain, more specifically the Big Island of Hawai’i. Don’t hesitate to let us know….!
Thanks Robert. Actually the solar system isn't done at all yet. The little panel on the deck is just a small rollable temporary one. More later on.
if u worried about bolt undoing themselves, u should consider using loctites. also using fan ducts and diffusers greatly improves it's efficiency.
I really enjoy this channel and appreciate your videos. It's fascinating and you've got a great sense of humor
Hey Alex, I see you’ve used quite a bit of victron gear in there! If you’d like a hand working out any wiring for anything I’d be glad to help. I work for a Victron dealer and design off-grid power systems for a living. Also, on that note. I think 24v was an excellent choice for a system of that size.
Jacob - that would be very useful. Thanks. If you get a moment wing me an email!
The toggle switch panel @10:30 needs a cover to keep the switches from getting bumped by people as they move past it. The tight quarters it being on a boat will cause people to bump the switches and turn them on and off. Some bent, metal bars on either side of each switch or just a full cover would be a very good idea.
Yes indeed - already on order.
Alex, You may already be doing this ... but you may find a printed manual of all that you have done useful. It is very easy to forget exactly how or why you did something a few months or years after the fact.
I drew a diagram before putting it together, but yes updating it with tweaks is a to-do!
Have you considered an iron / steel keel to protect the underside of the boat and provide ballast? A 1" plate, cut to width and bent to curve up at the bow, would tick a bunch of design checkmarks for an expedition boat.
Certainly something being considered.
Good move on the lead carbons.
Did you fit balancers to make sure the 12V batteries in the 24V series stay in balance?
You talked about ammeters/precision. Electronic monitoring via shunts gives both and would be simpler, but too late now.
I've not - but have been checking them over the past months of casual use and the voltages always match within each bank.
I have the shunts installed, so could wire in whatever is necessary. Electronic monitoring of what sort?
You have Victron gear. I was thinking of the smart shunt/BMV 712. They read about as accurately as anything else. And keep track of capacity/usage in a small unit.
....very nice. I have the thought that Lead based batteries can be much more forgiving when abused and much less lethal. They are also a lot less costly so I like the choice...
Whats the lotion for....those lonely cold nights in the Arctic?.... nice work on setting up the magic lightning systems!
Can't wait for the detailed video on those USB ports. Ready made options leave a lot to be desired.
Alex, nylocs should take care of anything rattling loose. I understand your electrics fully and the choice of 24v but i am wondering why you introduced additional load using step downs when you could just pull 12v straight from the batteries and fuse accordingly?
Hi Neil. Because then I'd have current flowing at 2x what's necessary for far further, and the devices would have an input of anywhere between 11-14V, not a lovely regulated 12V. I also have some 24V devices. So for simplicity too.
That panel looks great. You might consider adding a wiring diagram to the panel. Looking forward to seeing more progress.
Interesting work. Make sure to add fuses to your system, if not already used, so in case of a shortage in one of your sub-components the others still work. Also, fire hazards are reduced drastically.
All fused up out the back of the panel.
hello a suggestion for the screws, use Loctite, then no screw will loosen if it shouldn't.
it is very weather-resistant from -55 to +200 Celsius
Greetings from Germany :)
Good choice in Electrical Hardware Vectron makes realy good stuff! The solar charging hardware will be added at a later point I guess? When you mentioned that you would like to use a big Lithium Battery on shore please have a lookout for there temperature rating as most of them degrade heavly when used below 0C°. A recommendation would be Battleborn Battery''s there are tough as a nail and survived heavy weather on boat pretty good. Even a little saltwater was okay. They also come with a pretty wide range of safety features. Perfect for Sailors :D They also have a low temp cut off.
Quick mention again that Lithiums perform excellently in cold temperatures under load - it's charging sub-zero when damage can be incurred.
Another commenter states that a new generation of Lithiums - LTO - charge well in the cold too.
Nice industrial-looking panel, which is I figure exactly what you want for ease of maintenance at sea.
Are you going to molly-guard that subpanel (fans and external lights) against accidental contact? It looks like it might be easy to clip it with a knee or elbow and turn things on or off without noticing when survival-suited ... then again I guess it's not exactly a critical emergency if that happens.
Yes indeed - already on order.
IMO, replace your spring washers with regular washers and nylock nuts. They're great at resisting loosening due to vibration, wont gall up surfaces like spring washers when disassembling stuff, and come in stainless, if you're using stainless hardware inside.
The other option that I actually prefer is Type C nuts, but those don't come in stainless that I know of.
Nylocs aren't as good once tightened and released once, but yes sure they do have their uses.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals True, but anything you're going to be taking apart enough times for that to matter, will also be significantly chewed up by the spring washers.
I've used both a lot and had nylocks that I loosened probably nearing 100 times before the extreme vibration of my machine was enough to cause them to vibrate loose.
Whatever vibrations you're concerned about, they'll be nothing like the vibrations of having stuff rigid mounted to a 35hp 4-cylinder lol
Noticed on your isolators you have them labeled left bank and right bank. Might I suggest you label them port and starboard just to keep everything standard on the boat?
No. Because the battery box can be rotated 180 degrees.
Right on I will continue to enjoy your videos and shut my stupid mouth lol.
Great videos thanks! What are you doing for fire suppression?
Jumping into the sea.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals 😂😂👍
@@AlexHibbertOriginals well id recommend at least some extinguishers
@@the_retag Two already onboard. More likely to be added.
Alex, I love the way you pre-empt all the troll comments in advance!
This must drive them absolutely crazy. 😂
Keep it up mate! 👍
There's no reason why this can't be fun, eh.
Anything to protect the 30A ammeter if you accidentally turn on a high load without switching ammeters? Digital voltmeter or battery monitor to monitor state of battery charge? Do you only have 1 alternator? Maybe carry a spare. Especially in a lifeboat where engine use is expected to be limited the engine supplier might not have fitted a great one. Nice layout though for troubleshooting.
I can certainly carry a spare. Actually I haven't fully 'plumbed in' the second ammeter yet - I'm asking an expert for the best wiring solution for them.
Hi re Spring washer replacement could you not back up the existing fasteners with Loctite thread lock adhesive? Keep up the great work and series 👏 👍 By the way my labelling machine never leaves my boat.
Have you considered having a separate less powerful battery system as redundancy
Great choices all around
Make sure to have bearings for wind generation or several vertical wind 🌬 💨 turbines are best to use ..
Left and right bank? According to what perspective? And to whom? How about port and starboard.
Answered ad nauseum already.
THREAD LOCKER? on spring washers?
I have LiPo4 house batteries, couple of times over last winter I had to run the engine to get the batteries warm enough to charge them, great batteries but they are not perfect.
Right - no battery chemistry is faultless.
Tissue and lotion on top of the electrical panel. You're definitely planning for a LONG arctic trip aren't yeh
Easy jokes aside, your method of narration is fantastic. Keep up the interesting work, and glad to see the episodes are getting longer (clearly, the masses are winning!)
Thanks Joel. For the second bit.
Cool project and great videos! Yet I'm kinda disappointed that there is no red lighting for a little nighttime submarine feeling
You're in for a treat. My ex-Royal Navy father made sure I made a red light wand to maintain night vision.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals alternatively eye patches would be okay as well 😉
Wow, so much effort! Do you already have designed the space designated for the electronic devices at the charger stations?
Just a slip-proof shelf.
Battery chemistry effects voltage(peak, charging...). Can those be put in parallel without special management?? I am a fellow jack of all trades master of none... I do not have a boat or do arctic adventures but love these videos. Keep sharing your thought process. Love it!
Thanks Joel - the battery charging system takes care of management, and will charge the batteries as individual units.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I assumed you had this covered... Never hurts to ask.
It can be good to have an "emergency power" circuit. A 12v 20ah AGM or Lifepo4 battery connected to your LED lights and an emergency radio or something. That way, if your main panel fails or has to be shut off, you can still see what you're doing without having to use flashlights.
Yes indeed
Nice vid again Alex, any reason your panel is not say wall mounted? I suppose getting at the back of it would be a pain, but it would be a bit more out of the way.
Yeah it's about access to both sides. And it's an area of the boat that would otherwise be dead space.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals nice, makes sense!
Very satisfying and love to see the progress!!
Cheers
With the orginal plan being for a winter artic expedition did you make any plans for something like a sun lamp to help with seasonal affective disorder? Or are you taking the supplement route since only part of the trip would have been spent onboard?
Great question! Im curious as well.
I live in Canada and have to take vitamin d all winter to keep up.
@@monkeylordofdoom14 yeah I'm a Canadian aswell and it's a big deal six months of the year
Not really. I've done winters before and I just eat well, have a small Vit D tablet (no strong evidence they work, but no harm), and try not to feel sad!
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Frame of mind must help a bit as well. The "yay Adventure" mindset VS the "Ugh only 6 more months of winter" This year and the Covid lockdowns made winter particularly Unbearable.
Have a kill switch that will be able to kill power from batteries and into them. Maybe get some weaker backup batteries and hand crank shaft generator. Some kinda alert if your batteries are running low. And you don't want your batteries be cold so maybe have some electric heating for them or better have a small water tube run wrapped around engine exhaust to wrapped around batteries and small pump to keep water circulation. Water will heat up from hot engine exhaust and heat up batteries or just keeping cold away. You could keep alot of heat by capturing it from different sources and keeping in small water tube throughout the ship.
Looks/sounds good and hopefulll the lead acid batteries you have chosen are AGM one?
They are Lead Carbon, which is a similar technology but with advantages.
If you are going to change all the spring washers, you might want to blue loctite the nuts when you put them back.
With regards to battery wiring, are they connected in parallel then series or series than parallel? The slight different is the first method connects all the batteries to each, such that one failing has a
reduced impact on the overall system.
Series, then parallel. As if there were two 24V batts connected in parallel.
Usually cut off switches are connected to negative cables.
Lots of online searching found that this is only the case for certain hull types. Pros and cons of both options.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals fair enough.
Do not place the positive cable next to the negative one. Place them on each side of the boat so you know where to go when you feel down.😁
I actually laughed out loud. Well done.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Greetings from Sweden, where for some reason we always seem to have the "negative cable" nearby ...
Apparently your USB Ports only provides 5V. Power Delivery over USB can be quite complex and charging power hungry devices with only 5V might be not effective (or maybe even not working). E.g. Laptops negotiate up to 21V over USB. But as your design is modular and you have 24V changing the "chargers" behind the panel to something that supports USB-PD might be something to consider.
For anything demanding more than 5V at 3A, we'd just use 12V outlets.
Late to the party but i've only heard and read positive things about Lead-Carbon batteries in marine applications, from English canal narrowboats to smaller yachts and some small size Mediterranean research vessel with a bit too much energy requirement due to equipment.
to secure bolts and nuts you can use blue loctite
Excellent vid Alex and I totally agree with everything you said and it's a good well laied out setup, great explanation of the system, however I'm a bit worried about the lack of fuses, shunts and re settable circuit breakers though mate, unless there away somewhere else. Seeya Rob
All on the rear of the panel Rob. You can sleep in that safe knowledge.
Hey alex should you not have a Aluminiumbar with threaded holes for the batteri terminal instead of grouping all the cables ? :P it is a nice to have thing if you need to remove just one of the cables and have everything else "running"
Can you elaborate? I'm not sure what you mean.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals ua-cam.com/video/8Ho2syEYVpA/v-deo.html here is a link for example.
I have bus bars on the back of the electrics panel. On the battery terminals themselves there's only two or three connections, so I guess I could use bus bars, if there was space, but it only takes seconds to take a terminal ring on or off.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals everything is always nice to have, but that is what makes life worth while :P as long as you feel satisfied and it works nothing can be wrong :D
Received your book you recommended yesterday, looking forward to reading it
Hope you enjoy it!
Lead carbon batteries are pretty reasonable. Even just a good quality deep cycle marine battery can last many years for what you're using it for. I'd say the biggest reason not to use lithium batteries on a boat is fire. Lead-acid batteries tend to fail safely whereas lithium batteries can and do fail catastrophically. If someone accidentally damages a battery or shorts it, what you have is much less likely to create an unextinguishable fire.
If you're using a thermal labeler like a Dymo label maker I've learned the hard way that the printing will fade over a few years and that's definitely accelerated by certain chemicals in the environment. From my experience a cheap inkjet label maker with a covering of clear tape is the cheapest, longest lasting solution. For portable labeling I just use stickers and markers.
I'm interested in the recovery process. I think you said you might recover Alan a couple of years after the expedition? I assume its going to be abandoned north of the arctic circle so nothing short of an RTG will keep it powered or above freezing. Some charge controllers have an automatic electric start. If you end up with a lot of excess fuel it might make it a long time on its own just starting the engine every few days to maintain a charge. It could make it a lot easier to find and recover if it still had a radio beacon working 2 years later. Some electrical components (especially batteries and electrolytic capacitors) are easily destroyed by extreme low temperatures or complete discharge. If your engine has an electric start, automatic charging might be something to look into to make the recovery easier.
Thanks for the labelling advice.
The drift and recovery expedition is no longer happening, but the original plan would have involved two trackers, on bow and stern, powered by solar topped-up large cold-rated batteries. They would only ping satellites infrequently, and would have lasted years.
Ok what's the big old bottle of "Lotion" on top of your electrics for??
For pulling cables.
I would say that in an enclosed environment, I too would prefer the lead batteries. Lithium batteries are quite safe generally, but when they let go, i wouldn't want to be indoors with a lithium bank that size.
You should also take some double sheaved flexible welding cable of the same amperage or larger amperage so that if the silicone power cable strands break due to the cold which they will be more prone to do in frigid temps then your silicone cables will end up having a very high resistance & poor transfer of power. Having this type of welding cable will be your redundancy back up in case you need it.
The silicone cables are cold rated, but your idea for backup is good nonetheless.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals I just don't want you to be out in the middle of nowhere & come up short on power because cables have frozen & snapped too much.
Appreciated!
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Yep yep
Also, be very wary of optimal battery operating temperatures. I can assure you, being at the bottom of a boat in the Arctic is not conducive to maintaining optimal operating temperatures. I know lithium can freeze even when fully charged and not allow any power output when frozen. Likewise, be very careful with temperature. If memory serves, some battleship plating becomes exceptionally brittle when exposed to extreme temperatures. It would be wise to ensure the same thing doesn't happen to whatever your boat is made of.
Lithiums have their performance/damage issues when being charged below 0deg C. Their discharge curve at very low temperatures is excellent, especially at lower currents.
The composites that comprise the hull, and various other components, perform excellently at very low temperatures. It would likely be the resins that would fail first, and some collaborators and I had them flexing nicely at -40deg C.
How do you plan to heat Alan? Is there a possibility to use the Heat produced by the Engine more efficient?
Either ambient heat from the engine, or a diesel heater when the engine is off.
Any electrics for the radio system for internet and your coms for ports and emergencies not using sat phone for back up.
Yes. All of that.
Please use liquid tape ie. Silicone sealant on all connections. This will keep any salt water/ moisture from getting in to your wires. I've seen power cables that look good and the motor had trouble starting. Until I cut down the cable and 10 inch into it was all corroded. water/ moisture is a real bitch. You may want to consider a drop light. Especially if you have to work on the motor. This will enable you to have white where you normally don't have it. Stay safe. P.S. don't forget a multimeter on your trip.
Ouch, if you are going to be using batteries as ballast, make sure sure sure, they are waterproofed. i mean above and beyond. any water that comes in from open hatches during storms, any condensation, any melting snow... water will always try and settle at the lowest points in the boat, often in the ballast areas. Now this gets even more critical with Lithium batteries who can catch fire quickly. I would suggest, if you are going to run 1-2 lithium 24v banks mounted "high" as emergency backup, well away from any hatch. Then the Lead batteries low, in a sealed water tight container, with a moisture/bilge alarm in it.
you might also want to keep or have some way to pump water out of said area if water does start accumulating in it. This might be as simple as a small waterpump or a wet/dry shopvac. Again you don't want water getting into your battery system, shorting it out, setting lithiums on fire, when you are 1000's of miles from any replacement parts.
Hi Jennifer,
I'm confused as to what part said I planned to have unsealed batteries sat in a flooded, un-emptied bilge area.
Thanks for the input.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals you never did, but its something that i've actually seen done in some boats... people have "moved" electrical panels, not thinking about waves. People have set up battery packs as ballast, in sailboats locally, and ended up with bad fires breaking out. For some reason even "professionals" seem to forget or ignore water infiltration into electronics.
I have no idea why, so i thought always get cringy when people talk about mounting battery systems low. Hence i tend to suggest extra, care and planning in that with several layers of redundancy.
Used to crew a rescue boat locally.
Would it make sense to not lead with 'ouch', then?
@@AlexHibbertOriginals Sorry, autistic here, the ouch was more of, what i've seen happen... my bad. I think its a case of "house electricians" or Auto-electricians, who go to work on their own boats not thinking about the differences.
but again sorry, i'll stop commenting.
I think there's a few ways that people comment on here - it's easy to frame an idea or suggestion in a way that appears to only make the commenter feel clever, and not actually mean well. Of course, intent and reception often fail to mesh.
Do feel free to keep commenting - I only remove spam posts or those mindlessly attacking other viewers of mine.
Any review on the lead carbon battery after 3 years usage??
Still going great 👍
are you going to install a radio(for communication with the rest of the world) in the boat? if so it would be really interesting if you did a video on that.
Yes. Semaphore would be too time consuming.
Are you planning to have a 3-d printer on board in case a part breaks or something needed comes up?
Not onboard! What luxury that would be.
You are aware of Lithium batteries problem with below freezing temperatures right? (no charging below freezing, chemistry dependent of course for exact numbers)
Indeed. Although some have pre-heaters built in,
AMAZINGNES!!!
Tho where is.... ALAN!!! ?
do you have a high output alternator ? or are you using solar to charge the system ?
I think he is using solar
Solar just to trickle charge at the moment. Eventually solar, wind, and a diesel generator. Plus a 1200W alternator.
Do you have any circuit breaker's installed in case of an leak (whether through faulty equipment or maybe even a person)?
The panel is fused at various stages.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals okay that's great to hear (since you didn't directly speak about it). Thanks for the information.
@@burnstick1380 Thanks - yep it's just a case of dividing up the episodes as best as I can.
@@AlexHibbertOriginals okay that's great to hear
Silicone is a great choice, just be aware that it's not diesel/oil protected
Love it, very clever and we'll explained. Great videos.
Nice lighting Alex, not going to put some red light in for night time vision, or is that coming 😉
"positively
I N C A N D E S C E N T
with rage"
I hope you take a couple of spare batteries and maybe wrap them the cold weather is a killer for batteries
Batteries at the bottom of the boat.... don't get a leak, apparently sea water and batteries can produce toxic fumes.. something I remember u boats had issues with.
Sealed battery box on supports :)
LiFePo4 batteries would have been cool, though I'm sure lead acid systems are vastly more available and straightforward for this application.
you'll probably want to add a collapsable shelf with a raised rim to sit the device you are charging below the usb ports
There actually is one - sorry - just out of shot.
Love the giant tub of lotion on top the electrics
That is huge
Udder cream is my prefered wire pulling lube.....good for chapped hands in the cold too.
Many of you need to educate yourselves on the reaction present when water and lithium are introduced.
Dangerous substances are frequently used in proximity. Electricity and petrol for example. What's needed is a reasoned risk analysis.