Aqualine Narrowboat Lithium on Pura Vida

Lovely Aqualine Narrowboat gets 460Ah of lithium from Fogstar.
Including buffer battery and Sterling Power Buck Boost battery to battery charger.
Visit Lee and Kat on Pura Vida
/ @narrowboatpuravida
#narrowboats #fogstar #lithuim #battery #sterling

[@narrowboatpuravida]

Thanks again Martin, we're loving our new lithium! Not sure Lee makes a very good glamorous assistant though...😂

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Well Lee was the only one available at the time lol

[@wonderingworld119]

I'd be tempted to wire a 12v outlet with maybe even 5v usb somewhere to that buffer battery. Then if the system does ever lock up (BMS) and they have trouble resetting it at least they would have a full battery of 12v and usb 5v to charge stuff up with. It would then be a buffer backup battery.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Yeah I could see why you'd want to do that.

[@markmangan845]

Very enjoyable martyn 😊😎👍

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pulsenation]

Great video, I was wondering why you included a battery to battery unit? The Fogstar lithium battery has a BMS built in to it that acts in the same way as including the B to B system. I’ve had mine a while as an auxiliary battery charging direct from the alternator no problem. 👍🏻

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Hi, Fogstar recommend a buffer battery and B2B, even if they say different on their web site. I have had a few conversations with them on this. Without the buffer battery, the alternator is very much at risk. A BMS is not a B2B

[@pulsenation]

@@narrowboatelectrician in that case then a Victron Agrofet isolator that only allows the current to flow one way without damaging the alternator would suffice, and is also half the price.

[@kennethkoehler8758]

Martin, I am confused by the use of a buffer battery, I am not familiar with the term or its purpose, can you recommend a link for further information. Thank you

[@narrowboatelectrician]

You cannot connect an alternator directly to a lithium battery, it will blow the reg pack when BMS shuts off. ( having said that, this manufacturer says you can, I have to look into that) The buffer battery is always in circuit so it keeps the alternator happy, no loads are connected to it so it spends its life fully charged. I use this method when there is one alternator and the starter battery becomes the buffer battery. You could also use an alternator to battery charger, even though I have installed them, I am yet to on lithium, maybe I'll do that next time.

[@robtheplod]

Nice one Martin. When you're supplying, do you tend to recommend Sterling or Victron or not fussed as i've seen you with both?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

It depends on the job mate to be honest. There are some gaps in both ranges which can affect the choice. I get good results with both.

[@Terencebaude]

Great video, thank you so much! I have a few questions if you have the time and patience to help me out? I’ve just received my new lithium 460 ah from another company called roamer which looks the same size as this one in your video. I want to install it on my aqualine, replacing the current lead batteries. The lead batteries are currently outside and I want to have the lithium battery inside under the entrance stairs to keep it warmer than outside in engine bay. It would be next to the inverter. Would it be easier to use one of my exiting leisure batteries as a buffer as I’ve got two alternators? Or connect it through the starter battery?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Sorry for delay, I'm on winter break. Use one of your existing leisure batteries as a buffer, and keep the starter battery charging seperate. This is the way I have installed lithium on a few boats now. Does that brand of lithium have its own heating?

[@BritishAnts]

Lol, looked up that company, they do some big old batteries! One was 7kw! Still with my Renogy lithium in our house!

[@narrowboatelectrician]

They do some big ones yes, prices are good too.

[@narrowboatpuravida]

We were tempted by the next size up as it didn't cost much more but it weighed another 12kg and we decided 38kg was heavy enough!

[@Tivolaire]

Hi Martin so by using a B2B charger this isnt a hybrid system then? Great and informative video as always. What are your thoughts on the Victron Cyrix Li devices?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

When people say hybrid, they normally connect the lithium straight to lead acids. I wont do that.

[@marcobrian1619]

Just asking, why haven't you used a smart charger from alt to lithium battery. That would eliminate the buffer battery?? I know the reasons why you can't go from alt to lithium...but you can to sla.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

I have used this method where the engine starter battery is the buffer battery, when there is only one alternator. Its worked very well so I have done the same sort of thing here, I like the idea of a battery being in circuit the whole time, having said that I have also used the A2B chargers from Sterling as well, but not direct to lithium yet. In most cases tried and tested is my go to place, I know these buck boost units give good results. The documentation on the battery stated you can connect directly to the alternator, so I have to look into that as well.

[@trevortrevortsr2]

Fogstar is a good firm - we get all our E-bike batteries from them - in a world where so many cells have fake outputs, Fogstar only supplies genuine up-to-spec cells - just one small point has the battery got a heater? As you probably know Lifepo4 chemistry cannot be charged when sub-zero - my RV has a small silicon mat 12v 8 watts that the battery sits on in an insulated battery box which switches on a 2deg C

[@narrowboatelectrician]

That's good to know. Yes this version is heated.

[@trevortrevortsr2]

@@narrowboatelectrician That is brilliant - so many of the available batteries have no heaters

[@alanmills1213]

Whats a buffer battery? Please.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

You shouldn't connect a lithium battery directly to an alternator. When the BMS in the battery shuts off it will (or can) blow the regulator pack. By adding a buffer battery, there is always a battery connected to it. Then the buck boost charger sits between the batteries to handle the lithium charge.