Lithium Conversion

There were 600kgs of lead acid batteries on Sea Crusader and to charge the batteries with a generator to float from 50% takes 14 hours at 4L per hour together with all the noise. These batteries were supplied when the boat was new and are 13 years old so are due to be replaced. The simplest thing would be to change like for like although interestingly the batteries have been up-rated from 600aH to 680aH if I bought new ones.

I have decided to through caution to the wind and switch to Lithium and to go with the Victron system. It is not the cheapest option but everything that goes with it is designed and made by Victron and everything will talk to everything. In addition there is a Raymarine app that monitors the whole system. It was a big decision and it will either be one of my worse mistakes or one of the best decisions there is no in between.

I am having to replace my alternator for a 140aH Blamar which is Lithium compatible with a seperate regulator. The Lithiums themselves should with the Skylla-i should be able to charge at 300amps. I have bought 3 X 24V 200aH batteries for this install giving a total of 600aH at 24V. To charge the batteries from 50% should take just 1 hour on the generator, and two hours if motoring. In addition, it will accept all the solar we can generate without losses further reducing the charging time and making the boat both greener but also less dependent upon the supply of diesel. The quattro 8kw inverter is powerful enough to run the watermaker, washing machine and if we really was to the air conditioning. This might sound crazy but you might want to charge the batteries whilst you are ashore and use the aircon when you are on board. This system should offer that flexibility.

It is being installed right now but we won't know how well it works until the boat launches in three weeks.