|
|
Post by gofast24 on Dec 21, 2020 11:11:52 GMT -5
Ok, I did advocate for our 5 year old BCI Group 8 D AGM house battery a while back (it is getting old like me) , but doing a lot of research etc a new 8 D AGM is $609 (NAPA) and found a LiFePO4 200 ah battery on Amazon for approx. $900, built in BMS, comes with free plug into battery 120 VAC charger, and digital voltmeter and $985 - 10% and free shipping = www.amazon.com/dp/B08KZQBMSL/?coliid=ITWJD2J1MLE5A&colid=1FEFI98U8V1TL&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it_imFrom what I have learned my Charles House battery charger will work fine (14.6 VDC bulk charge and 13.6 float?) but not sure about the propulsion engines alternators, which apparently do charge the house battery when running? Great spec's on discharging down to 10% of capacity without loosing too much recharge life cycles and maintaining this to almost full voltage during this torture test? Thoughts guys? Early Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! PS: Dont know how long this 10% discount will last? |
|
|
|
Post by jnelson90 on Dec 21, 2020 13:48:44 GMT -5
Assuming your setup is similar to mine (2006 - 3860) you should have a battery isolator where both the alternators connect (dual inputs) and each starting battery plus house battery connect. At each post where the battery connects, there is a lead from each channel of the Charles charger. So yes, your house battery should charge via the engine alternator(s). Here is an image of the wiring diagram from my manual. |
|
|
|
Post by lg260ss on Dec 21, 2020 21:25:09 GMT -5
I absolutely love my 2- 100 ah battleborn LiFePO batteries. The performance is unbeatable. I don’t know anything about the flypower brand but the few reviews there are look good. You’ll love being able to use 180 of 200 amp hours and still have full voltage feeding your components.
|
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Dec 22, 2020 10:28:06 GMT -5
Thanks guys! I am going to get the 200ah LiFePO4 battery and give it a try. only a $300 more than a new 8 D AGM from Napa and half the weight! When we pulled out the original flooded 8 D battery (about 120#'s, a pita to get out and the new AGM in, the LiFePO$ is half the weight, should only take a few beers to get old AGM out an one extra beer to get new one in  Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all! |
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Dec 25, 2020 10:54:01 GMT -5
Thanks guys! I am going to get the 200ah LiFePO4 battery and give it a try. only a $300 more than a new 8 D AGM from Napa and half the weight! When we pulled out the original flooded 8 D battery (about 120#'s, a pita to get out and the new AGM in, the LiFePO$ is half the weight, should only take a few beers to get old AGM out an one extra beer to get new one in Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all! Thanks guys! ordered the LiFePO4 200 ah battery this am! Possible the economic stimulus check of $600 (that the current POSUS said yesterday he wouldn't sign???) and wants a $2000 check (what's going on here) would pay for two of them paralleled! So, no more politics on this forum, but ?? Wont carry thi any farther. Merry Christmas an Happy New Year to all! |
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Dec 25, 2020 11:10:47 GMT -5
I absolutely love my 2- 100 ah battleborn LiFePO batteries. The performance is unbeatable. I don’t know anything about the flypower brand but the few reviews there are look good. You’ll love being able to use 180 of 200 amp hours and still have full voltage feeding your components. Yes, able to draw down LiFePO4 battery to about 10% of full charge and maintain almost full voltage (still trying to get a graph of voltage vs. load from mfg, Chinese website wont connect ?) With Order thru amazon at least I have 30 days to return under their policy if defective) , then recharge to full and very little loss of cycle life! Great, cant wait to try it with son blasting stereo system for 8 hours on the hook without starting gen set to bring back AGM from 12.4 VDC to 13.6 while gen also powering all Dc loads on boat! As this battery has built in BMS it should stop discharging / charging and balance cells automatically? Also interesting the battery includes a 10 amp /120 VAC charger that plugs into side of battery and a voltmeter mounted next to plug in? Have to wonder how this will all end up? The cost of this battery experiment is much cheaper than prop repairs, hull wash, some new eisenglass panels, and especially gas (oh, also monthly dock fees ) LOL! |
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Dec 29, 2020 10:37:21 GMT -5
Ordered the LiFePO4 200 ah battery Christmas day. ETA about mid/late Jan., of course, It is shipping from China:( Well, what isn't?
|
|
|
|
Post by lg260ss on Dec 29, 2020 20:54:52 GMT -5
Mine were assembled in Nevada. But all of the LiFePO cells come from China.
|
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Dec 30, 2020 10:43:25 GMT -5
Assuming your setup is similar to mine (2006 - 3860) you should have a battery isolator where both the alternators connect (dual inputs) and each starting battery plus house battery connect. At each post where the battery connects, there is a lead from each channel of the Charles charger. So yes, your house battery should charge via the engine alternator(s). Here is an image of the wiring diagram from my manual. Thanks, So, looks like B2 (going to cabin breaker) would be the house battery connection to all DC cabin loads? |
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Dec 30, 2020 10:55:04 GMT -5
Mine were assembled in Nevada. But all of the LiFePO cells come from China. Yes, the reviews of the Battleborn are great but price? Got a translated charge/discharge curve in English from Fly Power (they have responded to every one of my questions through Amazon in one day) , attached. Have to believe this is typical of most all LiFePO4 batteries? Paid $985 delivered for 200ah battery, includes a 10 Amp charger and volt meter on side of case, plus two USB charging outlets (dont really know what to do with them) . LiFePO4 Discharge Curve- 200 AH Fly Power B....pdf (49.67 KB) |
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Dec 31, 2020 10:53:58 GMT -5
Last (maybe) thought is the 200 ah LiFePO4 battery i am getting loves to absorb up to 100 amps when below 12.5 VDC and requesting a charge. From more research on the propulsion engine alternator(s) (when LiFePO4 is low it will hog a lot of amps from engine alternator(s) and may over load/over heat)? With schematic posted by jnelson (thanks) looks like both my engine alternators will share the charging load to the new house battery so, maybe, I won't burn up both alternators. maybe just one ? Guess I will have to just see what happens? will put a DC clamp on ammeter on new house battery negative feed cable when well discharged to maybe 40%/60% DOD (depth of discharge) or so and see what propulsion engine alternators are doing? With the 8.1 's , just after starting will bring back starting batteries to full charge in a few minutes, maybe then the alternators can handle the bulk charge of the discharged LiFePO4 battery? Comments, thoughts?
|
|
|
|
Post by jnelson90 on Dec 31, 2020 11:52:17 GMT -5
Another option could be to not charge your house battery via the engine alternators but that may cause other issues if you spend a lot of time away from shore power. You could simply remove the house battery leg from the battery isolator and directly connect to the Charles charger for charging via shore power or while running the generator. Just a thought to protect your engine alternators.
|
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Jan 1, 2021 9:50:25 GMT -5
Another option could be to not charge your house battery via the engine alternators but that may cause other issues if you spend a lot of time away from shore power. You could simply remove the house battery leg from the battery isolator and directly connect to the Charles charger for charging via shore power or while running the generator. Just a thought to protect your engine alternators. Great, that is exactly what I was thinking. Being on a small lake (Lake Lanier, GA) and only about 20 miles from one end to the other we dont cruise for hours/days. Just 1 or 2 hours puttering around, then anchor (biggest house load will be audio system, then heads) or back to dock and on shore power! Will test DC current draw from alternators to partially (30% or so) discharged 200 ah LiFePO4 battery. If over what our engine alternators are rated for (dont know but guess around 50/60 amps each) will consider disconnecting house battery from battery isolator and in worse case start the 7.0 kW gen to power Charles charger which can provide up to 30 amps. I am thinking that I wouldn't need to connect the disconnected lead from isolator and connect it to the Charles as believe the charger output gets to the house battery via main house battery shut of switch? Thanks for you comments and Happy New Year! |
|
|
|
Post by lg260ss on Jan 2, 2021 8:22:30 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by gofast24 on Jan 2, 2021 10:33:17 GMT -5
Thanks, great idea! Only question is if I install this (where?)the info on this unit indicates= "measures two voltage inputs (up to 75V) and one current shunt (up to 60A using the internal shunt), then "external shunt capable (up to 1000A) and can control external relay / SSR". So where did you install yours as the 60 amp max. built in shunt will not be anywhere what will be drawn from the battery ? If just going to and from the Charles 60 amps would work, but then what am I getting, just either alternator or house charger + charge levels.
|
|
