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Old 04-09-2010, 04:10   #46
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You can email me through this site, try that and give me more info on what you think I need. Or give me your email addy so I can contact you directly. I'm all ears.

Thomas
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Old 04-09-2010, 04:27   #47
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You can email me through this site, try that and give me more info on what you think I need. Or give me your email addy so I can contact you directly. I'm all ears.

Thomas
Thomas, yourself (or any other forum member) who may require further information, technical specifications or contact details for other boat owners using LiFePO4 batteries so as to gain a first hand opinion from real world users please feel free to contact me at info@lifetechlithium.com

I will do my best to provide all the information you will need to research the subject further and learn more about LiFePO4 battery technology so that you can make a well informed decision about all the LiFePO4 battery products and manufacturers on the market.
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Old 04-09-2010, 10:45   #48
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Thanks, I just sent you an email to that addy.

Regards,

Thomas
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Old 29-10-2010, 02:40   #49
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I have a Yankee 30, currently cruising the Med, equipped with 350Ah total nominal capacity of Diehard Platinum Marine batteries (made and spec'd by Odyssey), 260W worth of solar panels. My Universal M25 has an 90 A Delco and MaxCharge MC-612 voltage reagulator. I selected the Optima battery pre-programmed profile. There is no profile available for Odyssey on the smart MC-612 and Balmar tech support says they weren't able to get any recommendations from the Odyssey people about use of the expensive batteries in cruising sailboat application.
My experience so far is pretty good, (June to October 2010), they seem to take whatever you throw at them in terms of charging, or discharging. Although: One lone voice on the internet seemed to warn about sulfating when not charged with the recommended high current (40 A per battery!!) and the sales rep at a boat show stressed the iportance of buying a large charger that can supply that kind of current (yikes, my housebank would require modest 140A to keep the babies happy). He was more of the salesman type and he dodged the somewhat technical questions. Refused to answer, just looked up at the tent roof whan I asked: does that mean that your batteries are totally unsuitable for a cruiising sailboat, what with wimpy solar or wind chargers?
Anyone care to comment ar has a question or experience with similar set up? I do sailboat electrics for living in Tampa, FL, when not cruising. Wonder if I can ask Nigel Calder, my guru.
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Old 29-10-2010, 03:07   #50
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Just put on a bigger alt, 90A is nothing! ...;-) Besides, why NOT charge them faster and save fuel?

Regarding preventing sulfation, with the TPPL the float charge voltage (after they are topped off) is actually at least as important as the bulk charge voltage/current. Set the float at (a temp compensated, of course) 13.6V. If they can sit there at float for long periods that is supposed to help keep them from sulfating. I got this direct from the Odyssey engineers.

I'm no Nigel Calder, but he lives not far from me here in Maine and we talk a lot...

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Old 29-10-2010, 07:14   #51
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Cap, if Odyssey is selling them to Sears for use as car SLI batteries with car SLI charging systems, that would indicate that they can be successfully used with conventional "car wet lead" charging profiles. It might not be optimum for them, but apparently it works.

Surely Odyssey provide suggested charge profiles for deep cycle users as well? So, you come as close as you can. that's what you've got to live with for now.

Usually it is not a matter of "do not exceed xx volts" but rather "do not exceed xx volts at ## Amps" and the amperage is actually more important, voltage for any specific amperage must be limited. (But mfrs provide a single voltage spec instead, rather than throwing books of multi-curved charts at consumers.)
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Old 29-10-2010, 07:32   #52
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Good information here, starting on pg 12 regarding charging:
http://www.odysseybattery.com/docume...M-001_0406.pdf
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Old 29-10-2010, 07:36   #53
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OceanPlanet, do you have any other recommendations from Odyssey engineers? Specifically, can I go slightly above 14.4V during bulk charge? I've been nervous about doing that even though the Odyssey specs seem to encourage it.

I have a bank of Odyssey batteries that are performing well (but only a little over a year old). I've been especially happy with the their high charge acceptance up to and beyond 90%. When on the hook, I used to charge to 80%, now I go past 90%. This means that I typically don't go below 65% charged. I'm also careful to be sure they spend time at 100% and in float at least once a week (usually underway during a long motoring as I'm not at a dock that often).

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Old 29-10-2010, 07:47   #54
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Sure, you can go above 14.4V...Odyssey is happy with 14.7V for the absorbtion period. But be SURE to have this temp-regulated!! If the batts are warm (from charging, or from a hot ambient temp) the voltage must be reduced. Conversely, if it is cold then the voltage can (and should) be higher to properly charge at a level to prevent sulfation. However, note that you don't want to FLOAT at the high absorbtion voltage, longer than 8hrs max (according to the Odyssey literature).

FWIW...charging lithium batteries is much simpler...
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Old 29-10-2010, 07:50   #55
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OceanPlanet, do you have any other recommendations from Odyssey engineers? Specifically, can I go slightly above 14.4V during bulk charge? I've been nervous about doing that even though the Odyssey specs seem to encourage it.

I have a bank of Odyssey batteries that are performing well (but only a little over a year old). I've been especially happy with the their high charge acceptance up to and beyond 90%. When on the hook, I used to charge to 80%, now I go past 90%. This means that I typically don't go below 65% charged. I'm also careful to be sure they spend time at 100% and in float at least once a week (usually underway during a long motoring as I'm not at a dock that often).

Carl
Btw, if more people do what you do (charge fast and float at 100% now & then), then the world would not be so littered with dead lead/gel/agm batteries...good on ya!
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Old 29-10-2010, 08:48   #56
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(charge fast and float at 100% now & then), then the world would not be so littered with dead lead/gel/agm batteries
Right you are Bruce!!!

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Old 29-10-2010, 10:10   #57
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A larger alternator might exert more side load on the M25 drive pulley than it can live with. That could cause some $pendy problems down the line
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Old 29-10-2010, 12:38   #58
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A larger alternator might exert more side load on the M25 drive pulley than it can live with. That could cause some $pendy problems down the line

Those bearings are pretty robust except for the water pump. In order to get 140 amps hot rated you'd need an alt considerably larger than 140 amps. Fitting this alt to an M-25 is going to be a challenge as the manifold is right in the way and will not fit a large case alt without serious custom made brackets and custom dual pulleys. Could it be done, sure, but at what cost...?

The biggest problem I see, just saw it again last week, is the banks acceptace, with AGM and thin plate lead and even gels has far exceeded what sailboats in the 30-45 foot range can normally supply via alternator charging. It is great these batts accept tons of current but you can't reasonably get 300+ amps of charge current out of a 25-35 hp motor.

I have also seen numerous alts fried by large banks that accept tons of current if the alt is not temp regulated. Just replaced an 80 amp Hitachi/Yanmar alt last week that had literally melted the insulation off the stator windings. This alt had fed the identical size bank in wet cells for 8 years without issue and cooked itself within 4 weeks with the new AGM bank after the first deep discharge. I will be replacing it again as the owner refused to upgrade to external regulation listen to why his alt cooked. Eventually he'll get it but in the mean time I make some easy dough doing the two bolt alt replacement.....
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