fmueller wrote:John. The thing about the lithium jump pack is that it has other utility. It can charge any phone/tablet type device and it is an amazing work light and emergency strobe. Blinding actually. They hold full charge for months and months. And for what they are - tiny. I did not get it for these reasons but welcome the perks just the same.
Trojan has a new Trillium series LiFePo4 battery. They would physically drop into place where I now have my bank (right under the cabin sole on top of the keel ballast). Interestingly this series is setup in its battery management system to charge on AGM parameters. So it just becomes a question of cost. They are very expensive. Commonly boaters will tell you that “lithium” is a fire hazard. But that is only true lithium of hexoflurophospate batteries (what’s in your phone). Lithium iron phosphate batteries are far more safe and all the brands sold for RV/Marine type use are lifepo4 type. And they still have the same depth of discharge and cycle count typical of lithium chemistry. What you don’t ever want to do is leave a lithium hexoflurophospate device charging unattended. Your phone or laptop for instance. On the other hand how many house fires have you heard about that have resulted from cell phones being left charging unattended. ? The risk is overstated imho.
I’m figuring in another 3 years when my AGMs will be 8 years old the price of lithium might be in a range I can handle. These are things I amuse myself thinking about. Cheers and deeply appreciate these threads and the civil and informative discussion
Fred, I don't understand why it wouldn't be civil.... I would not be on this forum if it wasn't civil...though I certainly think we (forum members writ large) can and do sometimes just disagree. It would be weird if we didn't. I have learned some valuable things on the forum though I admit many of my views are very much in the minority. That's OK I think.
I think it's great you are happy with your system and exciting about how you can improve it.
Anyway, I want something simple and affordable. My power requirements are ridiculously small and I plan to keep them that way. Usually in the 3-4 ah per day at anchor and maybe 5-10 ah offshore due to transmitting on the AIS and soon to be burning LED navlights vice kerosene. It would probably cost about $2000 for 200 ah of Lifepo4. The T105s will run less than $300 for 225ah and very likely last just as long. (The Lifeline AGMS would only run about $600). If I get just six years out of the T105s that equates to $50 a year. And with my low usage I might get 8 or more years. Hard to say. So the LiFePo4s would not make sense.
It is my observation that more power available almost always leads to more gadgets which means more solar panels (plus the supporting hardware to mount them) plus maybe a wind generator so more sophisticated battery monitor which leads to more wiring which means a bigger electrical panel and a more sophisticated "smart" alternator, and it is just a never ending spiral. That would drive me nuts. For sailors that feel this kind of technology improves their life afloat or enhances their sailing experience I say right on...go for it.
As a general rule, I want less. I want the least I can get by without feeling like I am punishing myself. I want everything to work and I want to be able to fix everything myself and not have it feel like a grind. I like sailing a simple uncluttered boat. I like using my sailing skills. I like using my wits to plan and execute difficult maneuvers. I like challenging navigation and using my sextant--which I hope to more and not less. I like rowing my hard dinghy in the early evening and lighting off my kerosene anchor light as darkness falls. I like a quiet boat so I can hear the sound of water lapping on the hull or the wind ruffling the canvas, or coming down through the foredeck hatch. I want to spend my time reading a interesting book vice reading a technical manual. I'd rather spend time studying a useful knot from Ashely's Book of Knots vice a wire diagram. That's just me. I do have to acknowledge though that the FR has gotten more complicated with the installation of an inboard and a depth sounder. I have been contemplating adding a second small solar panel on a flexible cord like the one I already have. Hey, I am doubling my battery bank so I need more solar. See what I mean?
I hate the thought of putting in the 2" ID exhaust hose and drilling a hole in the transom for the spartan exhaust flange. I'm like everyone else...trying to find the sweet spot. Who knows, one day I might wake up and decide I have to have a 10" touch screen chart-plotter networked to a complete set of wind instruments and an auto pilot. But, I don't think so.
