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john61ct · 29-11-2017, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellosailor

And somehow, that's way more info than CALB-US manages to put up on their own web site. Funny how that works, huh?

I don't understand your point.

Are you trying to say you don't trust CALB as a result?

I didn't even know they had much of a presence here.

I'm sure their larger customers (military) get all the details they want, individual consumers must be .00001% of their sales.

We're lucky IMO they're even for sale from stateside sources.

DeepFrz · 29-11-2017, 13:57

Quote:

Some people dream of aircon running off batteries

Some people in the RV world are already running aircon off LFP.

**newhaul** · 29-11-2017, 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joli

I really don't get the rush to move to LFP? .

essentially I have a blank canvas. The boat I just purchased has no engine installed . (Was set for atomic4 I am installing md2b. The house battery is a 1000 cca car battery so I have a clean slate house wise. No marine charger. I installed 4o0 watts solar with programmable PWM controller. Seems like a good time to convert to LFP. More usable ah for the same size bank 80% DoD vs 50% DoD. Less weight. Longer lasting by factor of 3 or so. Which would mean cheaper over the lifetime. Almost no maintenance vs monthly watering.

john61ct · 29-11-2017, 14:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Some people in the RV world are already running aircon off LFP.

I think you'll find they're mostly running a **tiny** aircon and mostly off the panels directly. Which is doable, and appropriate as a science experiment in the desert.

A bigger unit, and past 3-4 hours at night, things starts to get (even with LFP) past what most of would want to cart around all the time.

Now in an off-grid **house** it's just a matter of money.

Maine Sail · 29-11-2017, 14:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Some people in the RV world are already running aircon off LFP.

I worked on the well known ex-racing vessel Ceramco NZ with Bruce S., down in PR, installing a massive Genasun system so the owner could run air-conditioning when guests were on-board for dinner parties. Boaters are doing it too..

Done right LFP has no qualms running AC but you then have put that used energy back in at some point...

Maine Sail · 29-11-2017, 14:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by newhaul

essentially I have a blank canvas. The boat I just purchased has no engine installed . (Was set for atomic4 I am installing md2b. The house battery is a 1000 cca car battery so I have a clean slate house wise. No marine charger. I installed 4o0 watts solar with programmable PWM controller. Seems like a good time to convert to LFP. More usable ah for the same size bank 80% DoD vs 50% DoD. Less weight. Longer lasting by factor of 3 or so. Which would mean cheaper over the lifetime. Almost no maintenance vs monthly watering.

But if you don't understand the technology, how to use it, how to protect it and how to safely charge it, is is absolutely not going to be longer lasting or less expensive. I have a whole folder dedicated to correspondence from folks who dove blind into LFP and have ruined thousands of dollars in batteries. I have a few here in my shop, one that cost 10K that are scraps of plastic & metal... These are no your fathers lead acid batteries and should not be treated as such..

You can cycle any quality deep cycle battery to 80% DOD, you'll just get less life out of it, especially if you combine PSOC and 80% DOD.. GEL and Firefly batteries tend to tolerate 80% DOD best but you can really do it with others too... Course $200 +/- bucks on some flooded golf car batteries every couple years (if your doing 80% DOD) is still going to be a lot less than ruining 3k in batteries you're using or charging incorrectly. Discharge a GC battery to 50%, charge it & absorb it correctly, and you'll wind up like the 2012 Trojan GC battery I have on the test bench right now that is still delivering over 94% of its original capacity. This inexpensive flooded golf cart battery, like many others I have out there, will easily go a total of 7-12 years if the owner keeps up his current use practices.

**newhaul** · 29-11-2017, 15:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

But if you don't understand the technology, how to use it, how to protect it and how to safely charge it, is is absolutely not going to be longer lasting or less expensive. I have a whole folder dedicated to correspondence from folks who dove blind into LFP and have ruined thousands of dollars in batteries. I have a few here in my shop, one that cost 10K that are scraps of plastic & metal... These are no your fathers lead acid batteries and should not be treated as such..

You can cycle any quality deep cycle battery to 80% DOD, you'll just get less life out of it, especially if you combine PSOC and 80% DOD.. GEL and Firefly batteries tend to tolerate 80% DOD best but you can really do it with others too... Course $200 +/- bucks on some flooded golf car batteries every couple years (if your doing 80% DOD) is still going to be a lot less than ruining 3k in batteries you're using or charging incorrectly. Discharge a GC battery to 50%, charge it & absorb it correctly, and you'll wind up like the 2012 Trojan GC battery I have on the test bench right now that is still delivering over 94% of its original capacity. This inexpensive flooded golf cart battery, like many others I have out there, will easily go a total of 7-12 years if the owner keeps up his current use practices.

I'm a very fast learner. And seems like now would be a good time to learn. Within the next 5 years I will be cutting the docklines and cruising full time not liveaboard and only a couple weeks a month out. I am learning even here with this thread. I also read most threads here and some on RV sites. Kill a single 100ah battery now learning how to later care for 400ah.

DeepFrz · 29-11-2017, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by john61ct

I think you'll find they're mostly running a **tiny** aircon and mostly off the panels directly. Which is doable, and appropriate as a science experiment in the desert.

A bigger unit, and past 3-4 hours at night, things starts to get (even with LFP) past what most of would want to cart around all the time.

Now in an off-grid **house** it's just a matter of money.

Certainly I've only been researching Class B motor homes that are, usually, much better insulated than most boats. However, with solar and 400 Ah LFP battery bank and a generator/engine automatic start system one can have a very comfortable system even in very high ambient temps. Some Class B motor homes are now being sold with 800 Ah LFP installations. That system would not require an automatic start mechanism on the motor and wouldn't even need a generator in most cases.

One of the big caveats here is insulation. A well insulated aluminum boat, for instance, could get by with a quite small aircon unit. I mention aluminum because well built aluminum boats are very well insulated out of the box while very few plastic boats are.

**newhaul** · 04-08-2018, 13:08

Well finally took delivery of a 100ah rated lifepo4 pack just arrived yesterday it will be undergoing its first testing this week it weighs about 20 pounds ( don't have scale to weigh accurately). We shall see what it does .
The cost to me delivered was 243.00 so not really a big hit if it doesn't meet specs.

hellosailor · 04-08-2018, 13:46

"The cost to me delivered was 243.00"
Sounds dirt cheap, in fact, "too good to be true" cheap. That's a what from where in what kind of dollars?
You sure there isn't some fine print about "equal to a 100A lead acid battery" somewhere on it?

**newhaul** · 04-08-2018, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellosailor

"The cost to me delivered was 243.00"
Sounds dirt cheap, in fact, "too good to be true" cheap. That's a what from where in what kind of dollars?
You sure there isn't some fine print about "equal to a 100A lead acid battery" somewhere on it?

nope its Lfp and I will be testing this week on the boat with my ah counter we shall see.

john61ct · 04-08-2018, 19:41

Too cheap even if you live in Shenzhen, unless secondhand or factory reject, too many scammers out there.

Link to source?

**newhaul** · 04-08-2018, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by john61ct

Too cheap even if you live in Shenzhen, unless secondhand or factory reject, too many scammers out there.

Link to source?

reread the thread its all in here and I'm testing next week

Delfin · 04-08-2018, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by newhaul

Just got a message from the supplier and these $1.50 an ah batteries are what I am going to get . Turns out they are lifepo4 not Lipo now do I get 4 of the 100ah. Or 2 of the 160ah batteries. Replacing 440 ah of Fla gc2's. I estimate my daily to be about 50ah a day once I install the refer.

If your daily use is only 50 amps, 100 amps will do you. We use 300@24vdc and a 600 amp LiFePO bank is more than enough. Managed correctly, you'll get 1000's of cycles at a higher, more stable voltage with 1/4 the charging time.