A guy that truly uses his mistakes to alert other people not to do the same instead of hide his fault is not dumb, but a great person. I admire you, Billy boy.
@colinboniface1942 жыл бұрын
Bill, don't be so hard on yourself. I've been living on boats for 20 years, solar, batteries, wind generators etc. Your brilliance in installing the fuses saved the day. That's a win in my book...
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Colin.
@ronelroux97822 жыл бұрын
Everybody makes mistakes from time to time. Good thing you had the fuses. Bill is trying so hard to keep the adventure going. Good job Bil🤙
@markhottman26522 жыл бұрын
20:20 Bill We the viewers are Rooting for you and the Battery 🔋 project. Not EVERYTHING goes RIGHT the first time with “electrical”. A cheer, for THAT fuse !
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Guess this is very true!! Yes so thankful :)
@olemanjim14152 жыл бұрын
Bill, you are one of the smartest persons I know. In my recent trip down the ICW, there were times when markers or course corrections were not clear and conversations took place between the crew. We need to make the correct decision. It was at these times that we brought up the fact that you navigated the ICW solo. You didn't have the luxury of talking things over with someone else, you made all those decisions, you did it. You're a good Captain and a good man, I'd crew for you in a heartbeat. Well, if Grace tosses in one of her wonderful meals, that is : ) I learn from watching you and I'm happy you put this out there. It's good for the soul. Be well my friend.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for your heartfelt feedback Jim. It’s good to know you’ve got my back! Good on you for your ICW trip. There was a first time for me as well :)
@jimfernish51432 жыл бұрын
I have Battleborn batteries in my RV. I made the mistake of not securing all of the wires during the install process. I had a direct short between the positive & negative posts with a small 18-awg wire on one battery. The BMS within the battery shutdown the voltage to the posts. Called Battleborn for help, hoping that I didn't ruin the battery. They had me jump the battery with another 12-volt source to wake up the battery. This solved the issue and battery worked perfectly. I learned that if the batter BMS shuts down the battery, you have to wake it up. Sometime later while the RV was in storage the shore power was shutoff. The inverter continued to run until it depleted the batteries (all 6 batteries) and the BMS shutdown all the batteries. I restored the shore power to the inverter but the batteries would not charge the battery bank. After thinking about the situation, I remembered about having to wake up the Battleborns. Ended up connecting the start battery to the Battleborn bank and they woke up and inverter starting charging the bank. The moral to my store is we learn for dumb mistakes. I appreciate you sharing your mistake, as it will help others not to make the same mistake. We all have learned something by you having the courage to share.
@stephhart7893 Жыл бұрын
Right now aint the time for my overdue long discussion of my extreme fascination and respect for the both of you... have been a marine professional/ liveaboard/cruiser/freelance repair guy/commercial fisherman for decades, in a variety of locations -- been right next to you thru all the planned work and the surprises, but this biz with the starter batt. and yr show of honesty n humility had me drop to my knees almost in tears. Bill, most of us have been right there, same moves, same calendar. Good on ya, ya both.
@CalicoSkiesSailing Жыл бұрын
Aww thank you!
@MichaelBuck2 жыл бұрын
Electrical stuff alwasy seems to confuse me a bit, plus it doesnt help I am colorblind. It was really smart to have the fuses on there, that saved you from further problems. I dont know if I would have done any better. I think the lesson learned is to alwasy properly mark the battery terminals clearly, take your time, and double and triple check before turning on any switches. Yes, it could have been a major disaster and 6K worth of batteries down the drain, or worse a battery compartment fire in your boat. But fortunately you had your backups in place and in the long run no damage, no foul as they say. Thank you for being honest and real as most people dont see the value in a showing others their mistakes. In reality this will stick in my mind as I am sure it will for others, so in that respect you probably SAVED alot of headaches for alot of people! Well done!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks! We hope so! We debated whether to show but if we can save someone the hassle than thats amazing! Next time I will certainly being going more slowly and triple checking everything!
@swrxs2 жыл бұрын
Coming from an Automotive Mechanic, rushing is when simple mistakes happen to the best of us. I borrowed a saying from USMC. "Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast.". This is also something I try to instill in all the new techs I come across. No worries brother! Fair winds & following seas.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
I like that saying!!!
@skohaya2 жыл бұрын
Glad you two are safe. The cushions look great! I wish someone could design the mechanically accessible boat where panels are removable to access all equipment. Blessings. Create a boat birthday and have an Amazon list where people could buy presents for your boat.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Suzanne! I’m dreaming of that day as well lol. That is a fantastic idea!!!
@scyz28072 жыл бұрын
Shocking absolutely shocking! I re-fuse to accept what happened here! I say it's curtains for you. Yes curtains! ; - ) Enjoyed the episode. We all learn from our mistakes. Well, most of us do. lol
@brucerhodes81972 жыл бұрын
I'm like everyone else, mistakes happen, we've all made them.... the difference is many people wouldn't share their mistakes, the fact that you'd rather own it and make sure it doesn't happen to someone else, shows us what kind of person you are and that's way more important than making a mistake that only proves your human...
@charlesgonzalez32372 жыл бұрын
Thank you bill team calico skies.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the words of encouragement! Def felt pretty dumb after this mistake 😂
@harborhobo2 жыл бұрын
Don’t beat yourself up too bad, Bill. You’re not the only one to do something similar to that and I’d be the first to admit that I have. Thank goodness for fuses.
@bmag19642 жыл бұрын
If you have some red paint or nail polish put a dab on the posi side of the battery so in case you have to mess with the wiring in bad or dark conditions, its a lot easier to know which side of the battery you got. Keep up the good work!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
That’s smart
@freetochooseornot Жыл бұрын
Brother you are not the first nor will you be the last. It happens all the time. You guys do a great job on your boat. Awesome channel
@CalicoSkiesSailing Жыл бұрын
😂😂😂 glad I’m not the only one! Lol
@kevbjork12 жыл бұрын
Never seen one of those terminal fuses. Thanks for sharing.
@granthenry58062 жыл бұрын
Beautiful video once again. Dont feel bad Bill, stuff happens. Enjoy the new batteries.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Grant appreciate that. We are 👍🏻
@EAOK882 жыл бұрын
Bill, don't worry about it, we've all done it at some point. You were smart enough to put the fuse block on and do a correct design for the installation, and thats why we take precautions like that. Go easy on yourself and just think about being able to run Aircon on that sweet sweet lithium.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Ha the ac! Very true. Thank u
@silverfoxes652 жыл бұрын
Been there done that. Makes one feel humble and thankful that nothing worse came of it. You will remember this event forever.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
This is very true. We’ll never make this mistake again!!
@michaelvanwinkle79192 жыл бұрын
Grace, I really like the way you illustrated your trip plan,
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thank you!! We thought maybe it'd be helpful to provide the big picture 😃
@marisaconner6282 жыл бұрын
It was fun to see this after watching the live stream! Your interior cushions are amazing and that custom mattress will be life changing I’m sure!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Super nice upgrade! Our cushions we’re original and super aged after 7 years of full time living aboard 😃
@richardbecker56142 жыл бұрын
Mom used to say, "Haste, makes waste". Yep, I've done stupid stuff before when I'm tired or rushed. Shit happens. Have a safe trip.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Very true! Thanks Richard!!!
@karenrussell96722 жыл бұрын
I love your honesty. I also love the pace of your videos, interesting how when you were tight for time your safety fuse saved the day.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much Karen! Super happy you’re enjoying them :)
@matthewmwalker2 жыл бұрын
Awesome. Everyone makes mistakes, even seemingly big ones - just happy it wasn't bad and that you're under way again!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Yep still getting over it…dumb mistake but gotta move on and keep on trucking!
@AbNomal6212 жыл бұрын
Having worked with electricity a LOT, I would say absolutely put those fuses on. And always double perhaps triple check. Great job on having the protection.
@miketcq82 жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing, we all learn from these videos. Glad the "small" fast blow fuse caught the problem and saved the day. I enjoy your channel and the creativity and skills you share with us.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for your feedback Michael :) happy you’re enjoying the journey!
@JCrook10282 жыл бұрын
Damnit, Bill is Human. You've totally let me down! Hehehehehe. Love you guys.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
😂😂😂
@markbuskens60702 жыл бұрын
Bill I admire the things you do,it’s an easy mistake 🥴be happy for no fire or damage to the other electrical parts.Thanks for being real and honest.love watching your adventurous life style 👍👍😉
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Mark :)
@pattiauburn91092 жыл бұрын
Great video - I appreciate the transparency. I'm going to be converting my RV to solar, and I like to think I am learning from your mistakes. I watch a woodworker regularly on KZbin and he showed a video today where he got lazy in his safety procedures and almost cut off 2 fingers. At least you don't have a gigantic bandage on your hand! Looking forward to your trek up the west coast!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Wow that’s very true Patti!! Glad u liked it :) good luck with the solar!!
@wizardgmb2 жыл бұрын
Big batteries always always make for big fireworks when something goes wrong. I once visited a very overcrowded radio hut to do some testing and repairs. The hut contained two dozen 2 volt batteries about the size of a dorm fridge for backup power; because of the overcrowding, equipment was mounted to the wall above the batteries, a very rare breech of safety protocols. I had been advised to take along a large sheet of cardboard to place over the batteries before working on the equipment and to cover all tools with exposed metal, especially screwdrivers, with tape. I forgot to pickup cardboard and tape because I was running late so when I dropped my screwdriver the shaft became one very large fuseable link! 🎆 After my vision returned, my shorts were changed and the batteries were determined to have survived my foolishness, I called it a day and headed to a very nice restaurant for drinks, food and more drinks! Just a few doors down from the restaurant in Hollywood was a very famous hardware store so I popped in there first to purchase a replacement screwdriver, a roll of tape and beg for a cardboard box... Keep up the great videos and above all STAY SAFE! ⛵❤️😁
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Ha wow!! That must have been a spark! I often worry about working with metal tools over the exposed terminals! Could see if welding a wrench onto the terminals 😂. Glad you were safe from that incident. We did have some fall out from our mistake. The alternator eventually failed as did the wind gen charge controller. Guess we had some uphappy diodes 😂
@wizardgmb2 жыл бұрын
@@CalicoSkiesSailing Those diodes gave their all in service to Calico Skies, ensuring current only flowed in the correct direction!
@barbricottone30562 жыл бұрын
You guys are great...keep your spirits up...safe travels😉
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks much Barb!
@over-there2 жыл бұрын
Happy it worked out, thanks for showing us, we will also store that in memory, it will save others, have a good sail, oh and the install looks good, I like the use of space at the watermaker, and 1100 watts solar thumbs up
@jamescarid34482 жыл бұрын
Very informative, only five Li installed? How did you dispose of the old Li batteries, is there a fee etc.? Cheers.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
We couldn’t find a spot for the 6th as we had to add a starter but it nice to have a spare onboard in case of lightening or something. We gave the batteries to some local Panamanians. We were walking then to the marina office for disposal and we got stopped and a couple cab drivers took them. I told them the capacity was reduced but wanted them regardless 🙃
@petebart1472 жыл бұрын
Thank God for that fuse I have been on the wrong side of an exploding battery I can't imagine if all of them popped easy way to burn down a boat so happy you had protection be safe can't wait till you catch up to Delos you guys make great content together
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks much Pete!!
@davidl8523 Жыл бұрын
Often we learn more from mistakes than successes. Use a fuse and double/triple-check polarity! That's my takeaway from this. Thanks for sharing; sharing is caring :)
@CalicoSkiesSailing Жыл бұрын
Very true!
@allmomomosthomebus38952 жыл бұрын
Having installed a big 16 cell lithium battery bank (16s 48v nominal at 280 ah) on our bus conversion I can say don't feel bad. It's easy to make mistakes, especially when you're not fully rested or in a hurry. That is indeed why lots of fuses and breakers are key in electrical systems. Those Battle born batteries are indeed incredibly expensive. That is why I used prismatic cells. I was able to build a bank of about 15,000 Watt hours for about $2000.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
wasnt my finest hour that for sure! LOL
@allmomomosthomebus38952 жыл бұрын
@@CalicoSkiesSailing you're being way too hard on yourself Bill.
@HopeOfJoe2 жыл бұрын
Awesome episode guys........again. Happy for your Lithium upgrade. Smart‼️ The soft start is also a good idea. Also smart‼️ Now time to resume having fun.✨ 🌊 💨 ⛵️ 🏝 👙 🌞 ✨
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks much Richard!!
@Joshua-dw8wu2 жыл бұрын
Real is interesting. So is being honest. Thank you.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Happy this one resonated with u & thanks for watching:)
@jonalirez67102 жыл бұрын
Prior Air Force Electrician (and plenty of hobby experience too! ;-)) and I can say I would have 110% done the exact same thing. Great work on the fuse and it served its purpose. Appreciate you sharing and hopefully you save someone else (maybe me!). Totally going to go check my boats battery banks as I reinstalled this spring but have yet to flip the switch. We plan to be on the water this weekend. Great timing!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who could make this mistake!! 😂 Not my brightest moment but at least fuse protection was in place!
@jonalirez67102 жыл бұрын
@@CalicoSkiesSailing completely agree!
@marklapierre56292 жыл бұрын
Yes, it could have been a lot worse if not for some forethought installing those fuses. You did good Bill.
@sailingarista2 жыл бұрын
Love you both and thanks for sharing. Not ready yet for the Li but know they will fit thankfully! #lovemySabre
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Ohh they fit and it’s amazing! Lol.
@Carsten-Berlin-Wi2 жыл бұрын
Well done, try and error on the one hand and being honest on the other!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Hopefully someone can learn from my mistake!
@barbaralane98252 жыл бұрын
Audio is fine. No problem.
@AtlanticPicture2 жыл бұрын
All's well that ends well. Also, that was a well spent 40 bucks 👌😅
@Furree_682 жыл бұрын
I'm glad that all went well with the batteries. You can't say this enough but check and check again when dealing with electricity. It's devistating to make misstakes with it.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
This is true!
@martincrick21582 жыл бұрын
Interested that you’ve opted to use battery to battery charger FROM engine battery TO house. On my boat, the installation engineer advised doing it the other way. This means my Balmer high output alternator is both configured for Lithium, and integrated to the BMS. So when running the engine, the charge goes at as high a current as the BMS regulates directly into the Li house batteries. When the house batteries are full, the BMS turns the alternator off. (It’s a bit bizarre to see the tachometer go to zero while the engine is running, but I’ve got used to it). The DC to DC charger keeps the engine start battery topped up, and gets it recharged at a rate it is happy with after the engine start. Doing it the other way around, as you have, makes teh lead acid engine start batter a bottle neck to charging the house batteries. May not matter too much if solar is your primary charging, but if you go north again you may regret it!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
That’s how I wanted to install it as well! Plus the dc to dc is limited to 30 amps. Right now we are running off our spare internally regulated alternator so I’m using the dc to dc to protect the alternator from the low resistance of the lithium and lack of temp compensation. I’ll have to revisit the installation when we a new alternator onboard
@btrent92442 жыл бұрын
Great video. Important info for everyone. Thank you for sharing 👍🇺🇸...
@seanrice12222 жыл бұрын
Bill, I still think you’re a pretty smart cookie. ✌️
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Just gotta learn my shapes better! + is different than - 😂😛🙃
@jenrdemldeml83282 жыл бұрын
New cushions make the boat feel new. Great video I think you’ll love the lithium. I’m an electrician by trade and they are definitely a game changer. Great video. Costa Rica is awesome. I hope that you enjoy.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
They’ve made a huge difference already! We love the batteries. Give us all the power!!! Lol. Costa Rica was simply amazing. Editing those videos now and it’s a dream :)
@jamesbrewer67892 жыл бұрын
Wondering if your fall season will be set in the pacific north west, or perhaps further north... I'm eager to keep watching and find out!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Before we started cruising I would have been dreaming about doing that but with KZbin and life it’s a much slowerrrr experience than I ever imagined! I think realistically we’ll be in the sea of Cortez :) but maybe next season if we don’t cross the pacific! It looks like an incredible area to explore 🥰
@loniallorenz20092 жыл бұрын
As an electrical engineering student at the University of Cincinnati in the 60's, Al and his buddies connected a load board incorrectly and cause a 10,000 ampere short through the main rotating machines lab on campus at Swift Hall to bring down the engineering quadrant electrical supply in an instant. Thankfully no one was hurt in this 1967 mis adventure. Loni & Al The wires under load did repel one another and jumped violently apart.....
@loniallorenz20092 жыл бұрын
Al decided computer science was safer and went off to have and over 50 year successful career in that new discipline. Loni....
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Oh wow that is crazy! Made us laugh over here 😂 All’s we’ll that ends well ?!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Too funny. I guess a good choice lol
@mikeoreilly50652 жыл бұрын
Great that you had a fuse there. Have a look at the damaged fuse as I suspect based on the spark, that although it worked, it may not be rated for such a short circuit current. Lithium batteries can provide many thousands of amps during a short. The best fuse for this application is Class T. This would contain the spark and limit damage to surrounding items. Most importantly though, you had a fuse!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
So thankful for that fuse!!!
@timmitchell87842 жыл бұрын
It happens to the best of us. I work in hvac and have for 50 years. A few months ago I was installing a new high end system. The electrician on the job just had to hook up L1 and L2 to power. Well he hooked up power to the terminals “1 and 2” on the control side not the ones clearly marked L1 and L2. When it was powered up by the electrician it blew several thousand dollars of the equipment. If a pro can make that mistake. At least you were on top of it enough to protect the systems. No reason to feel bad.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Jeez that’s wild! Makes me feel better ha!
@rickkwitkoski19762 жыл бұрын
So real. Thank you.
@SGudur2 жыл бұрын
Hey Bill and Grace.. Thank you for being honest on what to watch when someone installs a new battery.. I did the same mistake... I was installing a small batery for my 20mins backup for my router and got a nice one back!! Hahaha... Nice to see you guys crossing the Panama canal... Eager to see what's your next plan... Are you and Delos have any plans to cross the ocean to reach Europe / to arctic circle? All the best for your awesome journey.. Loads of love from India..
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Hi there - thank u for your feedback:) sounds like we are not alone lol. We are going to slow down and enjoy Mexico for awhile and make some upgrades to Calico Skies so we are budgeting a nice amount of time for that :) then we will cross the Pacific! We actually sailed to Europe from the Caribbean in 2018! Our very first videos are from the transat back :)
@dreupen2 жыл бұрын
I should add, that with at least 6 Battleborn LiFePO4s. one should not need an A/C start capacitor. If you do, then you have other problems. Your inverter would likely be the limiting factor. A start capacitor would probably be necessary for traditional lead acid batteries, but not for lithium(unless ones inverter is borderline) . I can run my Flagship Marine 16,500 BTU A/C off of my 560AH LiFePO4 12V bank for about 5-1/2 continuous hours. It draws 100A from the 12V bank which is near the same amps as what my microwave uses. While my battery cells are also 1C rated (i.e. 560A max load), I have a 200A BMS, but only a 2kW inverter and therefor should not run the A/C and micro at the same time ( 2kW/ 13.2V = 2000 V*A/13.2 V = 152A). BTW, we all do stupid things, but it takes smart person to admit it. We learn from our mistakes, and sharing the mistake can help others. For that we all thank you!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
That was my thought process as well! With so many in parallel I didn’t think starting would be an issue, I don’t really know the answer but figured wire to what the warranty says ha. We were able to start the air con without a capacitor on the inverter but it often threw off all sort of error messages on the inverters end….like voltage ripple etc. with the soft start it is super easy now. Our air con is is nearly 6kw to start but only runs like 1.2kw
@johnchilds41562 жыл бұрын
Bill and Grace, love your videos even the problems. When you have a chance, I would change out your battery switch to a Blue Seas On/Off dual circuit with combine "Series 5511E" to protect your alternator". Keep your alternator connected to the starter battery (non Lithium). Just a suggestion.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
I’ll have to check that out! They battery switch is original so would be smart to swap that out at some point! Right out we have our alternator to starter then the dc to dc to keep the lithium bank charged. Our “smart” alternator had some issues so we are running off a spare.
@johnchilds41562 жыл бұрын
@@CalicoSkiesSailing You are doing it right. You might remember which type of battery goes to a bank but....... The big issue is the alternator needs to be on a battery that doesn't cut off and blow the diodes like lithium would do.
@formhubfar2 жыл бұрын
Re rushing the battery install there is an old saying, work in haste repent at leisure.., glad it all worked out.
@markw30182 жыл бұрын
No harm , no foul. Keep plugging away. I once was flying upside down in my jet, and forgot to take off my 3rd Medal of Honor, it almost caused me to crash.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Woah now that sounds like a story!!!
@klmams142 жыл бұрын
Loved the music in this episode. Bill, do you have a list of cordless power tools you have on board Calico Skies?
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Thanks!! Let see...we have the following cordless tools: Drill Impact Driver Angle Grinder Plug in power tools we have jig saw, sawzall, heat gun, Dremel multimaster & rotary, solder iron
@klmams142 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@FantomsNephew2 жыл бұрын
precautious! 👍
@R.E.HILL_2 жыл бұрын
Nice one.. What happened to the delos lithiums you got, how did they get buggered?
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
We donated them to some local Panamanians. They were operating at a diminished capacity and we are not 100% sure why. Some factors we’ve considered are 1) They were an older generation with old BMS technology and heavily used so the starting point in terms of their health is not known for sure 2) We didn’t have a soft start or a starter battery while we using them both of which would have voided our warranty and caused the performance problem.
@larrymiller42 жыл бұрын
It is always best to have self-acknowledgement and admit that we are fallible, flawed human beings with an innately imperfect nature. This is how we learn, and we become better people because of it. It's better than always defending oneself and trying to cover up our faults and mistakes. Others will respect us more if we just humble ourselves and not try to preserve our own honor and pride. And others can benefit, as you say, from hearing about our mistakes.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Very true Greg
@lowellmccormick69912 жыл бұрын
Bad experiences are good learning tools. Why were the previous lithium batteries replaced?
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
This is true! The ones Brian gave us were operating at a diminished capacity and we are not 100% sure why. Some factors that could be considered are 1) They were an older generation with old BMS technology and heavily used so the starting point in terms of their health is not known for sure 2) We didn’t have a soft start or a starter battery while we using them both of which would have voided our warranty and could have caused the performance problem.
@scubaseas12 жыл бұрын
It's only a problem if you loose the smoke out of the wire. Fun fact on top post/auto start batteries the positive is always the bigger post. Good on the MTBFs. If you find you can't balance or fully charge the LiFePo4s make all the + and - feed wires the same length which is easily done if terminated on buss bars. Reverse polarity can fry diodes. Like toast pretty much everything with a circuit board. ABYC TE-13 is a good read.....
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Good tip on the buss bars, I’m considering that when we get a location where I can more easily get parts. We did loose our alternator about a month after this incident…went down below and say negative amps while motoring. Checked the alternator and it was red hot, but a diode was damaged from the reverse polarity. So the two casualties are a wind gen for controller and alternator 😵💫
@scubaseas12 жыл бұрын
@@CalicoSkiesSailing good thing you have solar. If you're going to charge your house bank off the engine you really need a K frame alternator or at least a dual fan like the new Balmar XT series. I was talking to Rod from Marine how to/Compass and he suggested running the XT170 at 100 amps to keep the temps down . Obviously you should also have a temp sensor on the alternator and a smart regulator.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
For sure! We have 1100w of solar plus a Honda 2200 when needed. I installed our spare alternator that’s only 55amps and internally regulated so it’s charging the lead acid and we are using a dc to dc in order to top off the lithium. Our balmar 80am I had tunded down to 55 so it wouldn’t overheat ps think the reverse polarity fried the alternator
@scubaseas12 жыл бұрын
@@CalicoSkiesSailing Even at 55A the early AT and HT Balmars would start to get hot on a lithium bank. Anything above about 205*F will drastically reduce the life of the alternator. Victron had a good video of frying an alternator in less than 10 to 15 minutes when charging a LFP battery. My old boat I ran a 4" blower with the pickup right at the alternator. It helped but small frame, single fan alternators are simply not designed for high heat operation. A K frame alternator is designed for heavy service like ambulances, busses, etc. Problem is they are huge compared to what you have. LiFePo4 can charge so guickly that it'll cook an alternator in no time, even a detuned one which is why a properly mounted temp sensor and a regulator that can use the temp sensor data are so important if it's going to last. And having an alternator that can handle the longer/higher loads involved with a LFP bank. DC to DC charger through the start battery is one solution but won't charge the house bank very quickly. Smart way to do it though if you don't have the right alternator.
@scubaseas12 жыл бұрын
@@CalicoSkiesSailing you're probably right on the reverse polarity popping the diodes. Especially the isolation diode. I pushed a wrench for a living for over 50 years and have seen a lot of bad things happen when you hook the jumper cables up the wrong way....
@rwbishop2 жыл бұрын
Good thing you had them fused! Curious, do stock spares?
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
We do keep spares onboard, we’ve been know right pop a fuse or two in our day 😂😜
@albion10162 жыл бұрын
You're still the wiz kid, you saved yourself
@karlfair2 жыл бұрын
It's an easy mistake to make. I learned by burning up a VHF. On batteries that are not well marked, I use paint or a red marker on the positive side, before installation. Good thing you had a fuse.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
That’s a great idea, remove the possibility of this issue happening again!
@DowneastThunderCreations2 жыл бұрын
👍👍👍
@svkoukla9842 Жыл бұрын
Why did you switch from Dragonfly to Battleborn?
@CalicoSkiesSailing Жыл бұрын
The dragon flys were early beta batteries, we were having some issues holding charge so we upgraded to the newer batteries and BMS
@ae7v2 жыл бұрын
Shit happens and yes schedules suck. No one was hurt and you won't do it again. Let's go sailing. Cheers!
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Like your attitude Todd!
@RA-gk5zg2 жыл бұрын
What fuse? Do you have a link to Amazon?
@bry29bry2 жыл бұрын
Blue Sea MRBF Terminal Fuse I'm going through a starter battery installation on my boat currently and I am using these as well. High quality and easy to use. Edited to fix the name of the fuse
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Yep exactly like Bryan said!
@svBluePearl2 жыл бұрын
We need new upholstery as well , as you are so satisfied can you share David’s info ?
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Yea he did a great job and very quickly. +507 6659-5789
@garibaldi9292 жыл бұрын
I’m hoping there was no leaks 😮
@dreupen2 жыл бұрын
While Battleborn's (BBs) are lithium batteries, lithium batteries are not BBs. I say this because of the "general lithium battery" statements which you say that may only apply to BBs. First off, it not clear why you are replacing the older dragonfly(aka Battleborns) batteries? Next, LiFePO4 batteries can make better start batteries than lead acid (FLA) batteries. A single 100AH BB has a 1C rating, that is they it is rated for 100A continuous current. Since an diesel starter can draw about 60A - 120A, this can be above the BB 100A spec, and so the BB recommendation. Note that the BBs can draw 200A for short periods. That said, one should have no issues starting with a BB. BUT you have how many in 12V parallel? With 6 BBs, each would provide 10A-20A at most. So it is clear that you should have no issue starting with BBs. That said, there is a good reason to use a FLA and it is for Alternator charging. When charging, the battery's BMS can and will disconnect the battery from charging for several reasons: i.e. over charge and temperature protections(both low and high Temp). Alternator diodes don't like sudden load disconnects and this should be avoided. The easiest way is use a FLA start battery and connect the alternator directly to it (NOT the battery switch!). And then to charge the LiFePO4s, use a battery combiner, DC-DC charger, or a switch with battery disconnect protection(i.e. TVS diode). The problem with DC-DC chargers are low charging capacities (i.e. 30A). Victron solution is to parallel DC-DC chargers so that 30A + 30A gives 60A. DC-DC chargers are a poor choice for most marine systems where the alternators are rated at about 100A. I use a smart controlled BlueSeas ACR to charge my 560AH LiFePO4 bank with my 120A alternator.
@thomaswbennett48572 жыл бұрын
I make it a point NOT to tust the cap colors. I do a polarity check, and then mark the positive post. (Hint, red nail polish works fine,)
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
That’s what I’ll be doing going forward! Thanks for the tip
@TraneFrancks2 жыл бұрын
"WTF was that?" -- A gift from the Feral Aussies, brother. You just never know when they'll strike. [Edit to add: Boat yoga is an inevitability in my future. I should probably lose some weight before said inevitability.]
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
😂😂😂😂😂
@SaYeager2 жыл бұрын
It happens
@riversbrink87642 жыл бұрын
I thought Delos gave you their bank of lithium batteries. They didn’t last?
@richardelder2562 жыл бұрын
When a modern sailboat needs $ 6,000 worth of Li grenades on board just to keep up with all of its electrical wishes it says a lot about how the adventure of sailing has degenerated since the days of Moitessier.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Yep totally different ball game these days! You can certainly go without the fanciness but since we have been living onboard for 7 years straight some creature comforts have creep in HA
@dennishively59942 жыл бұрын
We are only human,
@vinnyconneiiy78642 жыл бұрын
👍🎣🌊⛵💯
@billygrahamyachtsinc7532 жыл бұрын
Bill, this Bill commenting. Shit happens man, slow down and relax. I am 75 yrs of age, and I want to sea at age 14. I live aboard a 49 ft Colvin junk rigged steel schooner. The best lessons in life are mistakes, and I have made many, and I remember them all.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Wow that a lot of years at sea!! I won't soon forget to triple check polarity! LOL
@jimh.52862 жыл бұрын
Don't tell anybody, but I've done things a lot dumber than that. But I usually get the job done - completely blowing up, melting and frying expensive things.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Haha thats def us for sure! All’s well that ends well 😉
@timothytrespas Жыл бұрын
Your mistake happens. You didn’t destroy anything. And I bet you will double check every time now. And you have convinced me to buy a fuse and circuit breaker for my new battery install. Sadly I can only afford lead acid batteries at the moment on our boat. Enjoy!
@CalicoSkiesSailing Жыл бұрын
Nice! We had AGMs for years that served us very well
@Gpcas92 жыл бұрын
Oh I love these moments, same happened to me on several car builds over the years. I had builds where I asked myself "What were you thinking" when I worked on the car into the late hours. When you´re on these things for a long day you tend to get fatigued. You make mistakes and you don´t see them even if you try to check the circuit afterwards. What you do instead is only recapturing everything you have done (even wrong) for the last hours since everything is still fresh in your mind (and you thought was alright in the first place ;-) ) Best thing is to have someone else have a look at it and make some sense out of it, or wait a day and look at it with an other mindset. And as always , measure twice , don´t burn your car(boat ) even once ;-)
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Very true!! There’s so many things I could have done that would prevented this issue, but as the say hindsight is 20/20!
@robertsupon15042 жыл бұрын
No sound
@ratbert12 жыл бұрын
So you made a mistake, everyone does, the genius was fitting a fuse to ensure the impact of the mistake was minimised. I would congratulate yourself rather than beat yourself up.
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
Good way to look at it.
@robertsupon15042 жыл бұрын
Fix the sound and send again
@CalicoSkiesSailing2 жыл бұрын
hmm thats strange!! We have sound on our end, maybe youtube is still processing something?? We had a few friends check and they also have sound, does it work with this link? kzbin.info/www/bejne/larSlGBsh62Hd5I