Are Lithium Batteries a Choice ?

[warrior 90]

Hi Everybody

Today I was recomanded these batteries

CA100_CA Series_CALB

Don´t just think chinese crap OK
Battery manufacturing is very bad for health and enviroment. So You don´t want it to happen in Your back yard.
Just using this web page to show the actual progress of the tech.
The positive points are known. High energy density,You can fully discharge more life cycles and less weight. No toxic explosive gases. Saves a lot of space, low maintanace.
Obviously all of those are very atractive advantages.
On the other side there are safety issues. They can heat up, explode and controlled charging is required. A more complicated BMS system takes care of that....but when it come to agressive marine enviroment there is an aditional source for risk.
Now trying to be objective as far as danger there are also technologies on board that I would categorize the same.
So how big are the risks ?
For instance on this particular web page they recomand allmost all applications less marine.....yes a small beach hopper.They show big public transportation applications, but they don´t show a nice yacht
They talk about high safety and qualify to UN38.3/MSDS、RoHS、CE、TUV、UL .....lot´s of prestige companies are associated
Also prices are coming down but as of yet in boats the good old deep cycle battery still seems to be dominant.
Yes, lots of people talk about but in their boats they have half a ton of Deep Cycle batteries........

[nimblemotors]

The only downside I see is the cost and its associated concern over lifetimes.
If they have the projected lifespans, the cost is not a big issue.
If they don't, they are an expensive option.
Yacht market is insignificant to battery makers.
Portable electronics consume bazillions of cells today.
A million new cars are made EVERY MONTH.

Heat up and explode? LiFePo4 cells will not explode.
A123 manufactured them in Michigan until A123 went bankrupt, Tesla is going to make them (not LiFePo4) in Nevada, making them isn't a polluting process as far as I know. Now lead acid batteries, that is toxic nasty stuff.
My hope is they can get zinc oxide problems solved. real simple basic and safe.

[warrior 90]

Yes zinc batts are promissing but until fully developed that does not help us a lot.
Mean while I share Your concerns on the Lithiums.
With my consumers I will need the full space underneath a berth for a lead acid batt bank and weight will be around 1/2 ton
This friend from Honkong says those batts cost allmost the same than the lead acid......well in my case plus transport etc.
But lead acid batts also have to be transported and the Lithium weight a lot less

He said those particular batts take the typical 14 volts easy.
He also so said the 123s due to lots of small batts are much more difficult to balance then very few of those and that is what´s killing life expectancy
Till here it makes sence
He said he has them guys right around the corner and allready bought a set for another boat and so far he likes the results.

To keep the batts happy I try to stay 20% DOD. With 1000 amps that means 200 amps. Since the Lithium can be discharged 100% DOD that would be a mayor progress...on top of that now only slightly more expensive.
Maybe it´s time to reconsider

There is still the issue with the BMS and another source for headaches while the lead acids are a no brainer.

Anybody can confirm with real life experience over extended time ?