T-Pain Is On A Boat: Re: [Electric Boats] battery bank upgrade

Friday, August 27, 2010

Re: [Electric Boats] battery bank upgrade

I do agree with you on the odors and noise from a generator. I just do not know of any existing battery system capable of moving any where near the distance of more than five or ten miles, unless you go with a complete backup system which would add weight, space, maintenance, and money. Hopefully in the near future, 3 to 5 years. bigger and better batteries will be developed. I think we are beyond infancy though with electric propulsion.

Don

On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:16:34 -0000 "drmsudo" <drmsudo@yahoo.com> writes:

Yes, I own a honda 2000. In my experience the generator is only good for charging. I have tried to use it to drive the dc motor and it is just not powerful enough. If I drove the batteries dead, I would just be waiting for the bank to get charged. Sitting, listening, and smelling a generator is not appealing to me and contradicts my reasons for electric propulsion. The currents in Lake MI are wind driven. Thus, if there are big currents and waves, I am sailing. The only times that I have seen myself motor is in dead calm conditions. The only occasions that I am pushing the motor in strong currents and waves is on a west wind going out our channel. But once out, again, I am sailing. Lake Michigan has ports about every 20 miles of coast on average. The only time I run into a longer distance is to go directly across and likely I would be sailing unless becalmed.

--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, postal6@... wrote:
>
> Brian, I converted my Ericson 27 about one year ago, but I really wonder
> if you could get the mileage out of even the Lifepo4 batteries needed to
> push five or ten miles against the current in Lake Michigan. Have you
> thought about a Honda generator ?
> Don
>
> On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:05:21 -0000 "drmsudo" <drmsudo@...> writes:
>
> I changed over my Ericson 27 Atomic 4 to electric propulsion three
> seasons ago. I have been running it on 4 group 27 92ah deka batteries.
> This has worked well for day sailing. But, we would like to start
> cruising and I would like to have a range that could take us across Lake
> Michigan (about 80 miles). Most of the time we are sailing, but I want
> the confidence that we could go the distance if needed. I am thinking of
> using a Lifepo4 batteries from a company called HiPower
> (http://www.evequipmentsupply.com). The cost of the batteries alone would
> run about 4k, then I would need a BMS and charger to complete the system.
> The main reasons for the Lithium batteries would be weight savings,
> ability to deeply discharge without damage to batteries, and the number
> of cycles (2k) that can be charged. Anyone have suggestions or experience
> with the LiFePo4 systems? Other sources for batteries and how to build? I
> did the conversion myself, but I have no other experience with DC
> systems. Any input would be helpful. Thanks.
> Brian
>
>
>
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