We Built a MASSIVE Lithium Battery Bank with Alibaba LifeP04 Cells!

Episode 2 - This is our DIY Battery Bank for the boat we live on!
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[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We hope you enjoyed this video! If you have any comments or questions about our house bank - please don't hesitate to comment. We try to answer every comment. Also - check out our other channel - Exploring the World Onboard Tangaroa! Cheers Janis

[@oldk4tz]

on big banks of lithium cells in cold environments they should be in 1. a heated environment or 2. have a heating element to keep the cells above 33 degrees F. that is triggered by the brms. i would recommend a heating element regardless in any cold environment.

[@davefroman4700]

Have a look around at some of the bus solar systems and how they rack and expand. No reason in the world that you cannot two racks that go out to the sides. Cheers from a land lubber neighbor up the Gorge.

[@mikeriverajr4447]

build your self a light way solar gazeebo for the top deck

[@trevorwenzel2428]

Back in the early 1980s I had a job making 51ft aluminium boats which had twin V12 GMs which were virtually bullet proof our battery bank was always in the wheelhouse we also had twin Onan gensets for charging the battery bank's. One of the biggest problems was just keeping the the electrical system free from the boat itself . It's nice to see someone who knows what they are talking about well done.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! I am steadily working through all of the electrical issues. There was definitely a lot of BAD onboard. We will get there. Thanks for watching!

[@shanebrownrigg8632]

hi there,great vid,lived on a boat for 15 years,got through led acid like anything,then got lithium,saving on diesel paid of the difference in know time,they was fantastic,good luck

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! It certainly has been a nice addition.

[@bbrut3332]

Thanks for your informative video. We live aboard a 40' steel sailboat for 9 yrs and did convert to solar panels and an all led lighting system. You are way ahead with the lipo battery system. I will look forward to your progress on you new to you motor vessel.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you enjoyed it. There are definitely things I can improve with this bank and I am continuously doing so. It has been quite fun. We have had the boat for about 4 years now so its not quite new to us anymore. Lots has been done in that time. Take care and happy travels! Blaine

[@Proost1]

Thanks for sharing. If understand what you're saying correctly starting at 24:00, watching Will Prowse, not charging to full 100% SOC will prevent your cells from balancing properly and actually affect the longevity of your cells. Definitely setting a floor voltage to prevent over discharge through your settings is fine but you definitely need to charge to 100% SOC and hold it there periodically for balancing across your bank. Did I misunderstand that? Thanks again for the watch and sail safe!

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you enjoyed it! Will Prowse is not incorrect regarding the need to occasionally balance the cells however that is oversimplifying things. Once balanced, cells will typically take a long time to fall out of balance to the extent that they would reduce your usable capacity. The biggest thing to realize is that the point of bringing the battery to higher SOC% is to get to the point where the cell voltages start to show a disparity. This does not require 100% SOC as you will start to hit the upper knee a fair bit before 100%. My balance points are programmable in my BMS so I can tell the bank when to start balancing. Over the last 3 years I have learned where that voltage disparity starts to happen and have adjusted my balance threshold to that point. An occasional charge to 90% or so keeps the cell balancing in check and keeping the voltage lower increases the cycle life of the batteries as I am not bringing the voltage so high. The last time I did a long term balance where we were plugged into shore power for a while was beginning of august. At the upper knee my high and low cells are still within .02v of each other. Also , having the cells out of balance will not directly hurt your cells. What it will do is decrease your usable amp/hours. If you regularly deep cycle your batteries being out of balance can also cause the high and low cells to be constantly worked closer to their respective limits which will reduce their lifespan. I hope that make sense Thanks for watching!

[@honumoorea873]

You do not need to charge 100%, my packs (since 2020) are used with conservative parameters, I charge to 95% and never under 10% SOC. The BMS balance starting somewhere in the 90% SOC. Cells do not need to be balanced to last, abusing them reduce their life. Taking this video as an example, there are 7 cells in parallel and there is no "control" on those cells meaning ...you could inject 400A, let's say 2 cells could be weak or even dead and the remaining cells would have to hold an abnormally high current....the BMS would not know there is a problem. This situation is unlikely to happen ..but still is possible. To avoid that...I would periodically test each cell voltage or better...create 3x24v pack with 3 independent BMS and 8 280Ah cells in serie, this way all cells are controlled and as a bonus you can remove a pack for repair or replacement without cutting the power in boat.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

While I do agree that the bank you describe would be very robust in failure detection it also would be a substantial added expense to solve a problem with miniscule probability. For example, the maximum sustained discharge this bank sees is around 350 amps. With 7 cells in parallel you would have to fail 5 cells before current overload on the remaining cells exceeded specs. At that point your registered SOH would be ridiculously low. The BMS I use has the ability to set faults for cell capacity based on individual open cell voltage and average open cell voltage. This would certainly pick up cell failures even in a parallel group. It tells you the cell ID and at that point its easy enough to diagnose an individual cell in the group. To match the capacity of this bank with 280Ah cells you would need at least a 4P and even then you would be lower capacity. An additional 3 BMS units is a pretty significant expense and complexity. While being able to shut down individual groups is an additional ability I can't think of a time that this would have been useful to me over the last 4 years that I have run this bank. I am all about added safety but that would be a little over the top for me. Sorry, this is not meant to insult or offend. We all have our ways of doing things.

[@rando7th]

Depends upon the details of the actual BMS used. For generic consumer grade stuff, many do only resistance top ballance. So if it is a sealed unit that you don't know / can't program the BMS. Then yes need to occasionally hit 100% top engage automatic top ballance.

[@jordandoes352]

Cool video! about your batteries freezing, in my DIY battery bank I had silicone heating mats between the cells to warm them up if needed. You could also use engine coolant to warm them much faster but the coolant manifold would be complicated.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I like the silicone heating matt idea. I do have a little ceramic automotive heating element that I have been debating using to heat the space. The new location is fairly small so it wouldn't take much to keep it warm. That being said, the temp outside right now is -1c and the batteries are at 16c so it seems just moving them has helped a lot. Blaine

[@DemaGeek]

Just an idea: Are you able to raise your solar panels up on posts, or a framework, to form a canopy? This may not only allow more panel area for expansion, but it also has the potential to give you your deck space back, now sheltered under the solar canopy.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

It would certainly work well for the reasons you listed. There are a couple of reasons why we would not go that way though. The first would be that it would raise the weight quite high on the boat. Whether it would make a substantial difference I couldn't say but I assume it would be noticeable. The second is more of an aesthetics thing. A canopy up top would break up the lines of the boat. We love the lines so much that that's a deal breaker for us. Thanks for watching! Blaine

[@DemaGeek]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial Absolutely, only you can make that call. Thanks for the good discussion!

[@Ulbre]

So glad to find this video. I am about to buy these very same batteries to start my solar journey in my house in Thailand. Even though they are very heavy compared to some of their more expensive competition, they are the best bang for the buck. Glad to know that they have served you well. And when you were putting the battery frame in the new location I thought "Wow, this space was made for this battery bank". Awesome, thank you. Oh and how the price has been dropping for these batteries. I can get 4 of these cells, here in Thailand, for $110- including delivery!!

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you liked the video! These cells have been discontinued so anything you find will be old stock. That's not to say they wont work but its something to be aware of. We have been very happy with ours.

[@brianmcneil5215]

Great job on this video guys!! Lots of really good info in there!

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you enjoyed it Brian!

[@helicopter12345678]

The bad egg smell is Sulphur 😂

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We just said it wrong. Our apologies.

[@ssteele1812]

The rotten egg smell from an overcharged lead-acid battery is due to hydrogen sulfide gas (H₂S), which can be produced under certain conditions when the battery is overcharged. Overcharging causes the electrolyte to break down, leading to the release of hydrogen and oxygen gases through electrolysis. Hydrogen gas is flammable and can carry small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, which has the characteristic odor. This is why lead-acid batteries are installed outside or in vented compartments in RVs to prevent gas buildup and mitigate the risk of explosion.

[@colmoconnor1349]

Thank you....very informative.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks. I'm sure we will revamp it in the next few years and make another follow up video. Thanks for watching. Janis

[@healthfullivingify]

Thanks for a great video on your yacht's battery system. You did a super job and your sharing it helps all of us think through our own plans.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! There are definitely things I would do differently if I were to do it again such as cell level fusing and such but it works for us. Blaine

[@StephenJG1]

Consider making a storage space for your tender + enclosed in the same space you keep them now, only with a roof that can be raised for access to your toys and lowered for mobility. Consider using the mechanism from an old pop-up camper to make the convertible roof and then mount your solar panels atop it. I don't know if this will work but with your skills it might be adaptable. If it is it will give better protection to your toys like keeping them in a garage when not in use. When lowered it would need to be just tall enough to cover the tender and hoist. Hope this helps! 😁👍

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Oh man, I could definitely do something like that but it would take a long time to make it to the top of the priorities list. Our new tender is all aluminum so will be less impervious to sun damage fortunately. Would just have to cover the motor. I am always mulling over options for more panel placement though.

[@rexpayne7836]

Stumbled across this channel and mighty glad i did. After 3 videos, I'm subscribed. I'm looking forward to more of your content. Great content and presentation. 🇦🇺🦘😀

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you enjoy the videos! Hope we can keep you entertained. Tons of video to come. Blaine

[@mochouinard]

An idea. Use bifacial solar panel, and keep 2 row folded on each other. So when you don't use your hamack, you can have your solar panel expanded, and since it bifacial, they will work even when it folded. Also you could have a set going over the water line

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

That's what I was thinking as well. It's one of the few viable options. I'm not sure that I would put any on the hammock side but folding over the water on the starboard side would work well. Blaine

[@MaxStevenson-ih5ji]

that wont work well.

[@jitmasterdan]

you can get small heating pads that only draw about 50 watts and turn those on when temps get too low

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

So far this winter the new location has worked out well. We have had plenty of subzero days and the batteries haven't been dropping so low. The heating loop for the hydronic system also runs under this area so I could sneak a little air handler in there as well. Thanks for the tip though! I never know what I am going to do until I do it. Blaine

[@Rob-r2s]

This is a really good video about batteries. Sailing Life on Jupiter also uses Lifepo batteries. Not sure what model but they have had theirs for ten years and love them. In fact, they have several other sponsored brands for their 5th wheel camper but like the Lifepo best and are going to keep them for their boat even though they are ten years old and they have new batteries to replace them when they sell their 5th wheel. When I get my aluminum sailboat like they have, I'll be getting Lifepo as well.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

They do really work well. There are things I certainly would have done differently with this bank if I were to do it again but it does well. I have future safety upgrades planned. Take care and good luck with finding your dream boat. Blaine

[@FutureSystem738]

Great job, enjoyed your video. I have Winston cells in my caravan, approaching nine years old, and my capacity loss is under 10%. I could NEVER EVER go back to lead acid. Cheers from down under. 🇦🇺

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Its a pretty amazing technology and they are always improving.

[@Paul.kelly24]

Watched the First episode, loved it. Now watching more. :)

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you enjoy the channel. Thanks for watching! Blaine

[@BlondieHappyGuy]

What an excellent video! This kickass system you built would also be perfect for a home too. As for the cold battery bank thing, I'm surprised that you haven't decided to install one of those "Chinese Diesel Heaters" that are so common today. Most run on 12V while others will also accept 24V. They are a super simple design, super easy to install and some of the "newer upgraded" ones now have actual thermostatic temperature control, rather than just low, medium, high settings. Especially now, with the batteries in that new location, it looks like one of these heaters would easily fit there and vent out to one of the sides. At some point, I may decide to rebuild my "backup power system". If I do, I'll also use those types of Lithium battery banks, but have a diesel heater at the ready, because, if I do this again, the system will be installed in our garage (the shed portion) which has no heat. So long ago, I had my system for emergency backup. Back then, I had to use marine deep cycle batteries. I also kept a desulfator running on them at all times. I got just over 12 years out of them, before the batteries gave up the ghost. LOL Much longer than anticipated. I really like your design.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! We do have a diesel heater onboard but the engine room is not heated. The new location should be much better. The forward heated water loop goes right under the new location as well so it would be easy to put a little register in there. They do make better cells than these now but in a metal case. The case is typically live to cell positive as well with only a thin plastic sheath around the cell. Gives me the creeps but that's just the way the are. They have great power density though! Blaine

[@BlondieHappyGuy]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial I don't know much about those kinds of batteries, but live case? I hope that they have another option where the case is either negative or floating. Anyway, thanks for showing your setup. Very inspiring.

[@docwatson1134]

Take a look at bifacial PV panels. They generate power from sunlight on both sides, top and bottom. You can mount them vertical. Really helpful for catching sun early and late in the day, not just midday like with flat mount. I suggest an open kick space of about a foot, and mount panels long edge parallel to the deck. You will need to spend extra money on aluminum to create frames for this orientation, but it gives you back deck space for walking/gear storage.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I have looked int the bifacial panels. That is what I was hoping to use when I add some. I was thinking more along the lines of slide outs. There would be plenty of reflected light from the water surface to reach the bottom side of the panels. We are very reluctant to mount anything high as we don't want to disturb the lines of the boat.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

My brain says those hammock posts can be turned into vertical axis wind turbines and still function as hammock posts.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

You have my brain going now. We don't like the standard mills as they are too noisy but those axial ones have peaked my interest.

[@evil17]

Not a bad idea. I was thinking he could have a set of biracial panels that folds down over the sides out from those posts also.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Bifacials overhanging the outside of the boat would be pretty effective for sure.

[@SiriusSolar]

that'll slice your cheese

[@deadheat]

Can you build some sort of plexiglass or tempered glass decking overtop of the solar panels? Allow you to walk over top of them.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I'm not sure if the plexiglass would be strong enough to spread the load well. I wouldn't be able to add a support frame either due to shading. Would have to be pretty thick plexi I imagine but could potentially work. Blaine

[@ericmaclaurin8525]

Individual solar cells would allow you to cover smaller surfaces that wouldn't fit a normal panel. A bifacial installed like a flag off the back or hinged somewhere on the boat where it can be moved out of the way or against a wall?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I am definitely looking into some slide out bifacial panels. Those are very appealing. Blaine

[@evil17]

Good job buddy, nice setup, good info. LifePo4 chemistry is a game changer for any off gridding applications but does require a certain level of professionalism to make it great and safe. I have seen some extensive abuse of these cells being driven through with a crowbar and just smoked and fizzed a little, but after a second blow it burst into flames, I think it was te extra air getting into the cell. Another example: a poor guy left his brand new 16 cell setup on top charge in parallel with a lab power supply set to 3.6v/cell all in parrallel, something happened to bump the Lab PSU unit up to 4.3v just as he left the garage for several days and when he came back they were all like footballs at 4.3v/cell, I would have cried but he took it well and made a 48v battery out of these cell after deflating them some,and after a year of heavy abuse with loads (heaters, compressors, workshop gear, etc), he got them back to a reasonable size and they still pulled nearly 260Amps, so they are pretty robust.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! There are certainly things I could do to make this bank safer such as individual cell fusing but it does the trick. I had 96 cells balancing on a lab psu at one point. I cant even imagine how devastated I would be if that same thing happened to thoose cells!

[@shorty430551]

Have put any thought into wind? Being on the water you wouldn't even need to get them very high of the boat probably just enough to not be hit by the blades. It won't replace solar, but could help out particularly in the winter when solar is lacking.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I have debated it in the past. In our current location we just don't get wind consistently. This may be a possibility when we get to other areas that suit wind generation though. Blaine

[@rhiantaylor3446]

One thing to keep in mind is that when the BMS sees max volts it will normally turn off charging current quite abruptly. If the charge was coming from an alternator, the output voltage can spike high enough to kill any connected loads. A simple way of mitigating the risk would be to leave some lead acid batteries in parallel since they don't have a bms and will remain connected. Doesn't have to be a very large battery.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I have several safeguards in place to prevent a load dump from happening. The first one is simply the charge profile in the alternators. By and far this typically keeps the voltages in check as long as I balance once in a while. Secondly, I have a general purpose output on my bms that shuts down the regulators at a cell voltage lower than my main contactor. This keeps things from going south if my cell balance gets out of whack. Thirdly, the CANBUS feed from my BMS sends charge current limits to the regulators which they obey. I am also installing a 2 second off delay relay on my main contactor. The BMS feed will feed the relay that controls the regulators as well as feed the off-delay relay. This will shut off the regulators 2 seconds before the main contactor trips off. The only way to see a load dump is is the contactor itself were to fail which is extremely rare. I think it should be pretty well covered. Blaine

[@KCM25NJL]

Great video, enjoyed geeking out while I ate my takeaway :). Just one question regarding the flat SOC curve from 20-80...... I was wondering if one way to control for Drift, would be to profile your power use over time and use it to tune a usage monitor, which when paired up with your BMS reading, could give you a more contextual idea of where your charge might truly be sitting? Whether or not such a thing is necessary, I have no idea..... heck I can barely change the batteries in my TV remote..... but it was just a thought that occurred to me as I watched. Best of luck for the future :)

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you are enjoying the content! I can't really say if that idea would work or not. I know the BMS I use has a learning feature. It does seem to keep it fairly close these days. Thanks for watching!

[@TimotheFillionBrunet]

the good thing also that you didn't mention, the price of LFP since you bought them have considerably lower. It is a lot more affordable now and they have more capacity

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

It sure is and there are exciting new battery technologies in the works as well.

[@Salty_kreol]

Have you thought of diesel heaters especially heating the battery compartment

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We have a couple of diesel heaters onboard and in the new location the hydronic lines run right under the battery bank. It would be quite easy at this point to put a heat register in the battery compartment. I am tempted to do that when I get the forward loop reworked. Blaine

[@elrobo3568]

I just had your channel put on my page and I watched your first (I think) video. It's nice to see two knowledgeable mariner's buying this boat. I owned a boat repair shop and am more of a "below deck" guy and like engine room and systems being checked and fixed. I subscribed and am looking forward to your progress.I really enjoy seeing your approach to problems and your attitude when you find something needs attention. And yeah, I would have fixed things also while waiting for the trial run.Have you thought of elevating the solar panels about 6-7 feet above the deck. This would give access to the whole deck and provide shade for the deck and also have open area for sunning. Of course being an engineer you would need to consult a marine surveyor to check the center of gravity etc. Just a thought. There are now flexible panels that may be a consideration for weight. I am not up on the latest tech but I know there are great new products. I am a retired firefighter and I would recommend a CO 2 automatic (smaller than eng room) for the battery pack to give enough time to evacuate if there is a fire. There are new dry chemical lithium systems but you would have to see what is legal in Canada.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you found us! I definitely don't shy away from much. Interior woodwork is kind of my kryptonite. Raising the solar panels for access would definitely help but it would alter the lines of the boat a bit too much for out taste. While we are function over fashion that would be a bit of a push for us. Those new flexible panels seem good but I would have to wait for the price point to come down. At the moment they are outrageously priced per kw, at least for the higher output per sq/ft models. Thanks for the info on the fire supression. This is one big thing on my list and is rapidly reaching the top.

[@ChadBlondiau]

Dude you reply to everyone!!! Just got another sub

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I try my best to every day but sometimes its a couple of days. Welcome aboard! Blaine

[@ChadBlondiau]

I’m planing on doing a huge box truck build with around 28 300ah 3.2v from china. I think if you did a comprehensive video on how you managed to keep the batteries safe you would get a lot of views. Like how you protect from surge and things like that

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I will see what we can do. Good luck with you build!

[@studentofscience]

Nice video, I played around with some batteries like AA. What i noticed is that when in series total voltage will go to 0 but only have of the batteries are dead. If there would be a switching method that can remove low voltage batteries and use full batteries then charge all batteries in parallel i believe it would make a difference.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I'm sure there are ways you could do that however the switching hardware would have to be substantial due to the current capability of these cells. Typically all BMS systems do offer some sort of cell balancing whether it be passive or active. Thanks for watching!

[@5885ronny]

Schöner Batterie Speicher sieht gut aus 🤗👍

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks!

[@AnthonyVaitkunas]

I’m in the research phase of adding lithium to my boat. I was wondering if you would bring willing to spend a little time via video call to help with a few questions that I have?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Can you reach out to us on our email? Crew at onboardtangaroa dot com? Thanks. Blaine and Janis

[@rogerbrandt6678]

Also would it not be a good idea to have a little heater under the seat and a 12 volt battery that kicks in if the temperature drops too much.?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I have some plans to do just that!

[@junkerzn7312]

Nice. With the size of that battery you probably need a T-Class main battery fuse for safety (even if the BMS is rated for short protection), The ICC for that bank is probably north of 30kA which breakers wouldn't be able to handle on their own if the BMS FETs were to fail during a short. In terms of temperatures, if moving it wasn't enough you can also insulate the battery compartment (all six sides). Charging and discharging generally won't generate a lot of heat with LiFePO4, so if that still isn't enough a little heater would be easy too... like 30W. Some heating pads or a little PTC heater on a thermostat or something. Having access to real power makes so many thing convenient, its easy to get hooked on it. There is never enough solar 🙂 -Matt

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We run a Littelfuse 1000 amp L15S series fuse. The ICC is closer to 24,000 amps for this bank which is actually just a tad high of the interrupt of our fuse which is the same interrupt as the T-Class. I may switch it for a NH1 style fuse in the future as that is what I use on bigger banks. This was the first bank I ever built so I have learned a few things since. I have a little automotive electric assist heating element which would likely work well here as its a pretty small space. We do love the power though. It has been amazing.

[@kevindowd7769]

Love the video… very impressed with your knowledge and ability around the batteries. how are you covering the top of the battery bank… what would happen if someone (not you) tossed something (perhaps metal) under the seat and crossed connected between batteries? Something huge happened that the seat cushion fell off and debris fell on top of the batteries?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! I will have a cover over it for sure. There is already a cover underneath the seat cushion but I will put something just above the batteries just to be safe. I just haven't got to that point yet. Blaine

[@Leosarebetter]

That is the second time I have know of a battery blowing its top off, happened to me with a whole bank going at the same time - also had battery bubble/warp like the one you showed. The smell cant be ignored!

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Its definitely offputting 🤣.

[@Josh-jj5hk]

Build a solar sun shade so like a patio roof

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

That would be very effective but it would also spoil the lines of the boat. We are trying to not get too excessive with function over fashion. Blaine

[@philparrott4424]

Did it affect the handling of the boat by moving the batteries higher and changing the center of gravity?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Haven't really noticed any adverse affects. The bank weight is a fair bit less than lead though. The boat not being very tall helps as well. She is pretty inherently stable. Blaine

[@cdsailor]

It appears there's no cell compression/restriction. Is that correct? If so, have you noticed any physical change in cell dimensions during the four years of service?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

You are correct. I have noticed no dimensional changes over the years. I just changed location of the bank this year and everything fit as it had 4 years ago. That being said, my charge profiles and usage are very conservative. Blaine

[@MP-cq9tp]

Nice build. I have done something similar on a smaller scale for a sail boat. For cells I am using 100ah Frey (sometimes re-marketed as "Fortune" cells) in a 4P4S configuration. The Frey are big and heavy but have beefy M10 terminals and their own racking system which makes tie down easy. I also use a BMS managed, mechanical contactor (BlueSea 7713) for the load bus (only) and direct alternator charging from a Balmar regulator (which the BMS also manages). System has been doing well for a few years now.... I am also in the PNW

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Right on! Sounds like a well thought out build. The m10 terminals are great. That is one of the gripes I have with the newer batteries. It seems to be all m6 stuff and super short if they are studs. I have some big alternators going in soon running off of wakespeed regulators. Looking forward to playing with those! Whereabouts are you? We are in Brentwood Bay.

[@MP-cq9tp]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial The Frey terminals and the "module" hold-down system (see their web site) was the big selling point on the Frey cells. On the downside, 100 ah cells is small and I would rather not have to put 4 is parallel in case one had an internal short. Wakespeed seems like the gold standard for a regulator. The Balmar works well (for less $) will with a simple on/off relay for HVC = but no can-bus of course, which seems to be the future. Im in Richmond.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Right on. We just spent 3 months at the Steveston Harbour authority doing a repower. Nothing wrong with the Balmar Regs. They were the top dog for years. I have a pair for my 12v engine run alternators.

[@shawnriley8909]

Your knowledge is amazing im trying to suck it all in

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We learn as we go along. Blaine spends almost every night doing research and reading manuals. It helps that we are passionate about refitting Tangaroa.

[@markbond6196]

Great video. There are hundreds of videos on lithium installs on RV's. But yours is the first I've seen on a boat. And your right. With a good sized bank, even if you didn't have solar. Running your generator an hour or two per day to top of is significantly less costly in fuel and wear and tear on it. And silent nights of sleep help too. Have you thought about diesel fired heaters like espar? We use them in big rigs during winter, and they trickle use of electricity and fuel. And are quite small in size. Since obviously nobody told you nomads go south in the winter and north in the summer.😂 Just saying.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks for the compliment! It has certainly been pretty amazing having this bank. Really changed things for us. As for the heat, our next video will be live today and is all about the first step in getting heat aboard (We actually have two heaters on Tangaroa). Stay tuned. Lol, we are trying to get south, just taking the long route 🤣.

[@StephenJG1]

Could be wrong but, I think running the diesel gens every day or two would be a good thing, as I have noted the worst thing for an engine is to sit unused.

[@billhooghuis6819]

Well done!

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks!

[@grahamkearnon6682]

Surely putting the invertor(s) in with the batteries would deal with 0 degrees charge cut off ?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

The inverters won't fit in the new location but it should stay warm enough now for the bank anyway. Blaine

[@beetlebailey]

Do the extra solar panels hang over the side of the deck like a shade on a hinged setup, lift them and put a pole under them to hold them up.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I'm thinking of a slider system. That way I don't have to lift anything.

[@philgardner3617]

Great videos. Here in Australia, lithium battery banks now have to be sealed from the living area in RV's and marine vessels and vented outside. Due to our catamaran design it is a show stopper for upgrading to lithium in our catamaran. I am surprised Canada hasn't followed suit. I am very envious of having so much relatively light weight power on board.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

It's never a bad idea to have them in a sealed box. Same goes for lead acid. I will likely eventually build a metal enclosure for these and vent them up through the stack. That's a future project though. I can't imagine any other battery these days. We have become so spoiled with the capacity of the lithium setup. With a good solar setup it's the best for cruising.

[@jackdbur]

You can get lifepo4 packs that are sealed in their own metal casing with vent pipes! 😊

[@johngray4476]

For the placement of the panels go up build a frame above the deck high enough to support the panels and still have room for your toys under.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We could do that however it would move weight pretty high and I think it would negatively impact the aesthetic of Tangaroa. We do love the lines of the boat currently. Thanks for watching!

[@jacobhn2]

Nice boat you have there. You could have insulated the batteries and piped down to circulate warm air from up deck. You probably don't want to get rid of the big motors in the back and replace them with electric ones. You can keep one of them for charging batteries when you sail. You could use the batteries from 20 to 80%, they will last a very long time, just put more batteries on the system if there are too few Watts.😀

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

They should work well in their new location but I do have a heater planned for them. I would love to do a hybrid setup but unfortunately that is not in the bodget.

[@richardnwilson]

Another great thing about lithium iron phosphate is that it can be at 50% state of charge and that is actually it's happy place. With lead acid or gel or AGM when the battery is at 50% do you feel like you need to charge it up right away so that it won't damage the battery. Lithium iron phosphate will also accept hi amperage charging even when it's 90% charged so it's easier to charge up quickly.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Absolutely! I do bring it to the top occasionally though to allow the BMS to balance the cells.

[@WilliamDerbyshire-y8q]

We use a rv gray water heat mat under our 48v lifepo4 will auto heat to keep them charging

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Great suggestion. Thanks!

[@DavidWilhoyte]

I like your new channel! Those dreaming of living their lives aboard a yacht should pay close attention to these stories to understand the skill sets necessary to maintain and upgrade the myriad of systems of modern (and even not so modern) boats. P.S. Your other channel is really enjoyable as well. Safe travels!

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks David! We appreciate the input. It definitely takes a lot of work to keep these older boats maintained. It saddens me to see the condition of many of the boats at anchor in many places that have just been left to rot away.

[@truckercharlied6056]

Mabey add a wind mill / turbine to help on the non sun days I've seen a few other channels have one. If you was on a river mabey a water wheel one

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

That's an idea. Solar seems to provide more energy so Blaine is going to install more panels. Once we get south of the 49th parallel or north where there is more sun then here we should have no issues.

[@Race1]

I'm new. I'd go south for the winter. 😉😊

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

That is always a good option! Blaine

[@dennismusch1623]

are those aluminum bus bars ?..if so they may get hot when oxidation occurs

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

They are and they do. The trick is to keep them from oxidizing. These are in a dry area and easily monitored. One of the terminals on most cells are aluminum as well. Thanks for watching!

[@billhooghuis6819]

Consider using the bigger commercial Canadian Solar bifacial panels in an area of the boat that requires shade.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I have been keeping an eye on those. I do like the capacity of them for sure! Blaine

[@Actrealsurprised]

Sucks you had to move all of those but man they do have a ton of storage. Well worth even moved twice.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I didn't mind so much I never really did like the original location as it was too far from the main electrical distribution. The new location plants them right next to everything. Blaine

[@pirateatfourty]

looks like they added the stern deck at a later date, id move the running gear back at least 8 ft, will handle a lot better, also the rudder is to far forward, other than that it looks like a nice house

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

It was indeed extended some time in the 80's. We definitely wont be moving props and shafts as that would be a ridiculously extensive project with minimal rewards. I have been thinking of rudder options though. May end up adding a single large rudder at the rear for assist. Maneuverability is not as bad as you would think though with the rudders so far forward. Thanks for watching! Blaine

[@pirateatfourty]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial right now my tug is out of the water in seattle, getting a new paint and bottom job, well maybe put on 2 large rear rudders a stern thruster would be a big help.i tun my 120 ft tug by myself always have, lots of cameras in the engine room, all color cameras, with zoom, then to the boat house when it is done and spring head to italy,

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Right on! Sounds like a very nice vessel. A 120ft tug is no joke!

[@1964Mooney]

How do you avoid "stray current" from eroding away the hull material when you use the hull for the battery ground? Or did I miss something about the battery ground? Great education on LiPo batteries

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

There are several trains of thought on grounding. Having the AC system grounded to the hull at a single point is a must for safety reasons. The DC ground is also usually connected at a single point to the hull. The big thing keep in mind is to NEVER use the aluminum hull as a return path ground for other components. In other words, don't ground individual components to the hull. Some people isolate the DC negative from the hull completely but its difficult to maintain this isolation and takes special components on the engine side such as isolated ground starters and alternators. Proper monitoring is a must.

[@mick00000000002]

So cold climate. Why no heater blanket. ?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

It typically doesn't get incredibly cold here in victoria and we live onboard so there is always some heat going. That year was just considerably colder than the norm. The batteries didn't actually drop completely below freezing, the BMS had just massively reduced charge current limit as it was interpolating between 2 data points. It was close though. The new location should keep them well above freezing and I am also working on a thermostatically controlled heater for them.

[@evil17]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial I know they have professional solutions for this battery heating issue. You could consider a quick diy cheap solutions like 12v pet blankets or aquarium heating pads, they dont use much power to run and could be used as required easily without needing to start the motor. Nice vid, boat and setup. Cheers.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! I have some bits and pieces of things kicking around to put together a heater setup. They are also in a fairly small area so keeping them warm should be easy. Take care!

[@Alaskasnowcrystal]

You should have gone with Gel batteries. We have an off grid solar Cabin in Alaska on the Kenai Península. We used Gel batteries and we have no problem with below freezing days.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We rarely drop below freezing here and the new location won't be an issue even if it drops considerably below. I am not expecting any further issues like that. Thanks for watching!

[@oemoem7131]

Have you considered a wind turbine, that could be raised like a sail mast when anchored, and lowered when sailing, understand Victoria could be quite windy as it’s near the coast

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I have started to look at some recently. The big thing is noise. The new axial style generators look appealing. That being said we don't actually get much sustained windy conditions. Mostly just during winter storms that pass through occasionally.

[@Lana_Warwick]

Solo Island hopper, mine will be ~45ft ex commercial ali fishing boat, small wheelhouse/cabin, very large outdoor living rear deck with solar roof on frame, no ceiling, catwalk down center for cleaning, hinged frame panels off side to enclose area when required. For inverter I got new PowMr 10.2kW AIl-in-One hybrid off ebay for $800 aud. Could buy 5 for less than victron. Battery is Gobel Power 51.2V 280Ah 15kWh Server Rack Battery for $4.5K aud

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

That sounds like a great setup. I love the hinged solar panel Idea as well. The PowMr inverters look like good units and 10.2 kW is plenty hefty. The server rack batteries make life a lot easier as well. I went with the Victron just because it all integrates well with the entire system as well as the NMEA2000 network and that's what I was after. Blaine

[@Invisiblehand123]

By water maker I assume you mean your RO unit? Can you tell me what type you are using and how much can it purify?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Yes indeed. Our unit was made by a company called Watermakers Inc. out of Ft Lauderdale. I have modified it a fair bit though. It produces 30 gph. Thanks for watching! Blaine

[@jeffreylowes]

Have you thought of adding a small wind turbine? 2 x 150 W units? I know they say you can get 300 W or 400 W units but they might be too big and I have yet to find one that is consistently above 200 W.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Janis grew up off grid in northern Ontario and had a wind generator. Her family found that solar provides more power and the wind generator was loud. We will be adding more panels and heading to places north with more sun then eventually south. Thanks for the idea.

[@geofferyrobertson6608]

with the solar panels on the roof , why don't you put 3 or 4 panels on hinges on both sides that can fold down or have them up ......... just an idea where you can still walk around as you normally do

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I have debated something like this over the years. Maybe some slide out system?

[@kchiem]

Could you build a rack overhead for the panels, so all the stuff you store and the hammocks and stuff are under it?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thatbis a good idea. It may ruin the lines of the boat. Right now there is enough room under them to store the windsurfer masts...fish net...and hammocks rolled up.

[@kchiem]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial A giant rack of solar panels looks pretty good to me. You won't even need to run your generator during the winter time to top off your batteries if you had more solar. And it'll protect your stuff up there from sun damage.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

That is a fair point.

[@typxxilps]

22:34 - I do not know about the Calb Cells but the EVE LFP need compression to avoid issues due to the cell expansion. Without the amount of cycles will be lower. We had calb cells and winston cells before since 2013 but both arrived in compressed packs and had been used this way for now over 3000 cycles in 10 years and still at 89% capacity.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Some do recommend compression for sure. Its usually more of an issue if the pack is being heavily loaded or charged frequently to the upper thresholds. These have been going for 4 years and show no signs of swelling but we are pretty easy on them. I spoke with the US supplier for CALB last year when I was building another bank and he said he did not feel compression was necessary in that application so who knows. Thanks for watching!

[@ChipMIK]

I made a 43 kWh LFP battery 2 years ago by 16S X 3P of 280 Ah cells. Max. charge/discharge = 220A which has been utilized daily since it was made. I have not compressed my cells as the current vs. capacity is very low. I visually inspect the pack ever so often and there's absolutely 0 expansion or sign of it.

[@LorenApel]

I've installed about 40 solar systems on mountain tops. The batteries and panels have come along way.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

They sure have! The output of the panels are coming up on double what they where when I did my setup. Mind you, they are a bit larger too. The cells now are 50% higher capacity in a smaller package. One of the things I do not like though is that the new metal case batteries are live to cell positive on the case At least the ones I have dealt with). Not sure what the thought process was there but that terrifies me. I would take less capacity in a plastic case any day. Blaine

[@robertkehlerjr.8258]

I’d like to make a suggestion to you guys …. Build a frame to go about the hammock poles and have it go around the outside of your upper deck you can use aluminum Framing you could easily fit 20 of those 300 watt panels above you… not hard to make and this would give you more then enough excess power.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks for the suggestion! While it would certainly work we are very reluctant to mount anything high as it would change the lines of the boat greatly. One of the things we fell in love with on this boat were her lines and we would hate to lose that.

[@ArcticSeaCamel]

Great explanation, thanks. One thing with lithium is that their prices have fallen dramatically this year. I bought cells for my electric boat about year ago. The price was something around 120€/kwh. Now I checked that you can have cells down to 72€/kwh. Four years ago it was around 360€/kwh! So there’s not single reason anymore to even consider anything else than lifepo! EDIT: Typo with the price

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

That's wild! So much less. Blaine

[@ArcticSeaCamel]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial Typo with the price. :P

[@rogerbrandt6678]

Could you not have flip over panels that go over the water.?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I had thought about some some type of slider assembly but sadly that will have to wait.

[@evil17]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrialI know you dont want to compromise your hammock space, but you could have a biracial setup that folds down over the water from there, possibly even fold out and down for better sunlight catching.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

True. I need to figure out exactly how much more we need and what space it will require.

[@Advillin]

wow you sure are a fantastic engineer. I've had the same dream as you guys. Unfortunately I'm severely disabled and can no longer wrench on anything anymore. I'm not ready right now but I was wondering if you could be higher as a consultant in the future to help me do the same thing. I would like something just like yours. I love the whole solar idea. I was wondering if I could even install big electric motors instead of the diesels. Just an idea but would love to discuss this further if you are so inclined. Thanks so much, Jim

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks. Its not perfect and is a work in progress as with everything it seems on this boat. I have though some about consulting over the years. Liability is always a concern. I do not know everything although I am always learning. This was the first bank I ever built and I have made many improvements of subsequent banks but there are certainly still things I could do better. At this point I don't think I would be comfortable in a consulting role. I do wish you the best with your future project though!

[@N1ghtR1der666]

one idea for the cold issue would be to have one of those cheap portable diesel heaters to pop in there and heat them up for a bit, good for emergency heat too and cheap to run

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

They are in a much warmer place now. I don't foresee having an issue like that again however I did pick up a little electric auxiliary heating element from an SUV that I might blow a fan through and thermostatically control it. Wouldn't take much to maintain above freezing temps in that locker. Thanks for watching!

[@canitbefixed9287]

Another video down in the weeds of details on your battery bank would be great. At the pivoting point on 50’ Viking and lots of battery banks all over the place. 22 lead acid batteries to be exact across 6 banks. How did ?you manage the boats 12v system with a 24V bank?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We will see what we can do. For our 12v system we use both a dc-dc converter and a single 8D battery. It has worked well over the years. We used the 100 amp victron DC-DC converter. Good luck with your system!

[@IronManHoddy]

Have you considered a Tesla battery pack like Sailing Dauntless? I am considering them when I change my diesel out for electric on Colvic Quest. You have a stunning boat. Love it

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I did look into a few different automotive based batteries and they do offer great packaging and power density however but at that time they were NCA batteries which were definitely more volatile than the LiFePo cells. Tesla didn't start using lifepo4 until mid 2020 I think which was after I purchased these cells. If I had to do it again with todays technology there is lots I would do differently. Thanks for the compliment! We do love the boat for sure.

[@andrewt9204]

​@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrialI like raw cells, I built my own bank for home battery backup. But if I was to do it again or your situation, I think I'd go with server rack batteries. They're not that far off of raw cell anymore. And the nice thing about those if one cell or BMS has some kind of catastrophic damage they each have their own fuse and breaker in their metal enclosure and a lot of them now have extinguishers built in. Plus your whole bank wouldn't go down, just one rack battery. In your setup if one cell does go bad the whole thing does go down. You do lose a little space efficiency and add some weight for the casing with server rack batteries though. And I do like victron stuff but man it's hard to beat the EG4 6000 right now. Two of them in parallel gives you lots of power and redundant split phase 240V and solar charge capability. And just the compactness of having everything in one unit is pretty nice. But you've got a pretty nice setup it's so hard to beat LFP for stationary storage. I'm also hoping sodium ion technology improves in the next handful of years. If it can get power density parity with LFP that would be so awesome. Mostly because it's even safer and has a much more linear voltage charge curve. And likely cheaper when economy of scale kicks in.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I try not to tease myself with with what I could have now vs then. I'm am also keeping an eye on the sodium ion stuff. It looks very promising. Maybe by the time my bank needs replacing they will have something readily available.

[@bertharris9748]

I see the line drawings. Do you know where and when it was extended? Bernie Little extended hos yachts, two or three times.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

She has been extended by 13ft. From what we have found it was done in Mexico soimetime in the 80's.

[@honumoorea873]

In this kind of pack, cells in parallel on which you got no control, I would keep a conservative charge/discharge power and high/low voltage, that would be something like 250A, and 24-27.4V range. Of course a temperature controlled charge, which the BMS should already include (no charge under 5°C, or at a very low rate, discharge is not a problem).

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thank you.

[@stephengorin3059]

Great video. Just one question, do you have a current bridge built in to thr negitive lead from your battery bank. This will give you ( amonks other parramiters ) a fuel guage as to the amount of capacity in % of the battery bank. In my caravan and useing Victron . i have the 500 Amp Victron smart shunt.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! We do in fact have something for that but our current measuring device works a little differenty. Instead of a bridge like a shunt this system uses an inductive loop. It has two circuits built in. One measures larger currents and the second has high resolution for small currents. I can't say whether it is more or less accurate than a shunt but it pretty well works in the same way. The BMS pulls that data in and transmits it via CANbus just like the Smart shunt. The GX device actually doesn't even know its not talking to another Victron unit. Its pretty awesome.

[@TRS-Tech]

When you next work on the batteries it would be a great idea to wire the contactor via a smoke detector that has a relay. That way if a problem does happen any smoke will trip the sensor in the battery box, drop the contactor supply and will not only be safer but could save a lot of money or damage.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Great recommendation! Easy to implement as well. Thanks!

[@TRS-Tech]

@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial I hope it helps. I have batteries protected with a normaly closed loop through the smoke alarm and a few thermal fuses. I find it reassuring to have a very simple analog circuit as backup. I have had a BMS lock up and fail to protect a pack so I added this loop via 2 telecom relays so both have to de-energise to break the contactor coil supply. Telco relays are rated to millions of operations and are very reliable. I hope you find the idea helpfull 👍

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I do indeed! Thanks!

[@thomasmixson7064]

A small wind generator seems to bring a very helpful trickle of power to offset lights etc

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We actually don't get substantial winds consistently up here. It would spend most of its time just hanging out. If we were somewhere down in the tradewinds it would be much more appealing for sure. Thanks for watching!

[@OneIdeaTooMany]

Loved the video by the way... But i couldn't help but notice the name Tangaroa. In my culture, that the name of the god of the sea.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you enjoyed the video! Janis and I spent a lot of time working in New Zealand and other parts of the South Pacific. It holds a very special place in our hearts. The name was our way to pay homage to the area and that time in our lives. Thanks for watching! Blaine

[@kitt2000car]

I wonder if BC Hydro is concerned with all the people changing to solar power??

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Not sure, currently they are promoting it.

[@jameslucas5658]

Hoping all of that electricity doesn't affect the compass or navigation equivalent

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

The compass is far away and the nav equipment uses a satellite compass on the mast which isn't affected by much of anything. There are no flux gate compasses onboard either. Thanks for watching! Blaine

[@jqmark]

Hi I'm new but really interested in what you are doing and have similar dreams of sailing away. What about making the panels so you can tip them up towards the sun. Tip comes from a camper van builder he had no more room for panels so he devised a system to tip them up in one of four directions to catch more sun and he states gains of up to %30. Have you looked in to a wind generator would adding a couple of those make a difference? Do you know what your average fuel per knots is or how ever they say it?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Unfortunately we don't spend any time at a dock so the boat is always moving which makes adjusting the panels difficult. I could do some sort of self tracking system but with it constantly adjusting the efficiency gain would probably be minimal. I have looked into the axial vane wind generators but only minimally. We typically don't have consistent winds up here. We measure fuel burn in gallons per hour. At our cruise speed of 9 knots we burn 5.5 to 6 gph. Take care! Blaine

[@jqmark]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial Thanks for the response. I will be following your adventure and all the build vids. They are great you go in to detail with your thought process which is really cool for those of us that like to geek out on details LOL.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

When we split the channel the idea was to add more detail to the tech stuff including the though process. I am glad its coming across as intended and appreciated! Our other channel is dedicated to only travel and exploration now. Blaine

[@toneault7499]

you should have tried ... battery hookup .. on your door step.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We are happy with what we have. Thanks for watching.

[@evil17]

Why so? Shorter battery cable runs? Ease of access maybe? Would it not be more susceptible to getting wet or dirty in a step area? Just curious.

[@rogerbrandt6678]

Would it not be a good idea to put fireproof panels under your seat where the batteries 🔋 are.? Or even better yet .375 steel.?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I will likely do something in the future like that but unfortunately I have bigger priorities to handle first.

[@paulreading8980]

Your work is very neat so I congratulate you on that. Interestingly that installation would not be legal in the UK or Europe because there are rules which require batteries to be in a battery container and strapped down. I suspect the regulation about the container is to capture acid if batteries leak and so is probably out of date but it is still part of the regulations. Strapping them down is however sensible. LifePo4 have an electrolyte that is really non-flammable but the main risk is not the batteries catching fire it is the wiring,. When switching to Lithium it is really important to upgrade the wiring to carry the current because Lithium can deliver and accept far higher currents than lead acid and so there have been many fires caused by undersized cables. That main red cable you were holding is a lot smaller than the cables fitted to my boat and I only have 14.4kwh of lithium fitted. Lastly I would consider re-locating that master off switch outside the battery storage area. If there was a fire for any reason you would not want to open that box and let oxygen in to have to disconnect the batteries.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks! On my newer builds I do put the cells in metal enclosures to contain the cells. Definitely makes for a more comforting install. This bank sadly is not quite finished. The cables are only temporary as I will be using solid busbar material all the way to the main busbars. As is sits the BMS is set to disallow any amperage exceeding cable capacity even though this cable is adequately sized to support the continuous loads it would see in this setup. That is a good point on the master switch. I will be building a partition toward the end of the bank on the positive side. It would be easy enough to mount it on the outside of that. The cells will also eventually be strapped down. Just haven't reached that stage yet. All good points! Thanks for the input.

[@charlesmalone1854]

hi there just found your channel is there a video of your re-engine work ?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Glad you found us! We just started this channel so there aren't many videos yet but they will be coming at least weekly. The repower my take a while to come out.

[@mertzjeremy]

You can definitely walk on rigid panels.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We hesitate to do so, especially as there is a gap under them. We will just let the seagulls do the walking.

[@williamhamill813]

Almost all new liveaboards have lithium banks. They make you put them in a steel or aluminum box in Australia and NZ.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Someone else told me that recently about Australian Regs. I had always planned to put them in a box, just haven't got to that yet. Maybe one day when I have nothing to do.......🤣.

[@ChipMIK]

Your sure its applicable for LFP & not just Li-Ion cells? Data sheet on my 280 Ah LFP cells tells they can't burn and will only release the moisture as steam if penetrated by ex. a nail/overcharged/short circuited, even heat will just have the cells boil of with no fire.

[@jackdbur]

​@@ChipMIKAustralia is the Nanny Country & the government always goes safety first even if it it totally illogical & insane.

[@FutureSystem738]

@@OnboardTangaroaSeatrialYeah in Australia now, we must have a sealed system vented to the outside due to toxic gasses produced in the rare event of a failure.

[@leehwhiz]

Of course now that you've put this video up and it's 4 years later there has been significant changes. For instance, I have a diesel motorcoach that I just converted the house battery system to lithium. I have just under 1000 watts of solar power, and at the moment a 300 Ah battery that was only $1000. It replaced six lead acid batteries that one battery weighed more than one lithium battery so there is significant weight savings. And of course I plan to add some more lithium batteries this year yet, along with potential higher wattage rated solar panels. Good show though.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

I try not to let advances in technology bother me. When these batteries are done I can get some fancy new ones! It is wild to see how fast its advancing though. Glad you enjoy the channel!

[@joeldelamirande5792]

Congrats on your new old boats

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Thanks!

[@dallasgombash5381]

What is the cost for equivalent usable capacity of lead acid?

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Considerably less on initial purchase but I don't have a dollar amount.

[@anthonygray5581]

Did ypu put the battery's on a BMS....

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Always. I am using an Orion BMS2 from Ewert Energy systems. Its a nice bit of kit.

[@1akmason]

Building your own is definitely the way to go especially now with lifepo4 batteries being as cheap as they are when I built the system for my house, I doubled my weekly use so if the sun just disappeared for a week, I wouldn’t even have to worry about it in after that I’ve got some generators that’ll kick in on their own is the best choice I’ve made I even avoided putting panels on my roof in the ground a raise so even in the winter, I can go out there and just wipe the snow off

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

It has been pretty amazing for sure. We sure love our setup!

[@mitch9198]

Really enjoyed your video however you only compared lithium against lead acid and never used AGM as a alternative.

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

Sorry about that. We were replacing lead acid so it kind of just went that way. The comparison is still fairly similar though with the AGM having a few benefits over the lead acid. Thanks for watching!

[@WadeKratzmann]

Make a roof out of solar panels on the lower deck if possible

[@OnboardTangaroaSeatrial]

We are trying to disturb the natural lines of the boat as little as possible. I think we will be good if I can squeak 3 more up top. Blaine