From my experience, my personal thoughts are as follows:
1. Weight, Sailboats that are lighter are faster advantage LiFEPO
2. Size, the smaller and easier to store in a variety of ways-side, upside down, what ever advantage LIFEPO or Gel/AGM. This is big issue on a sailboat with limited storage like my Ericson 27.
3. Cost, for the life of the battery bank, what will be the return? This is complicated as one needs to consider application such as day sailor/cruiser, pushing the boat at hull speed or 50% hull speed, what kind of conditions are met (keep the boat on a river where there is a constant current to fight). The variables for this can go on and on. But for me personally, with my usage 80% day sailing, on Lake Michigan in varied conditions but mostly when it is blowing and likely waves with channel current, I am happy with 4kts to move me anywhere- I am content with my 4- 12v AGM 92ah bank which I paid $160 (on sale) per battery from west Marine 3 years ago.
4. How quickly can they charge-advantage LiFEPO, but noted you must have appropriate shore power to take advantage of this.
5. Ease of service-I have to say AGM as I can buy them anywhere and I don't do anything to them. Granted, I have never worked with LiFEPO, but if I have a problem while out cruising or even home at port, I don't think I could easily just replace a bad cell.
6. Future projected use. This is tough, but I would have to say LiFEPO hasn't been in use long enough for me to make the investment. If someone could show me a 10 year old system that has been in regular use for my application (or something more demanding) I would be much more comfortable making the change. I am willing to continue to work with my current system and wait for price and technology to be more in my favor.
I have likely left something out here, but as prefaced, this is just my thoughts from my own experience with AGM and recent thoughts about upgrading to a LiFEPO. I had thought very seriously about changing over to a LiFEPO bank when I started to plan on cruising and needed a much longer range. My solution was to buy a charger that would work with my generator. When my AGM's wear out, I will re address this topic.
Hopefully this won't be for a few years.
Brian
--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "Todd" <toddbates99@...> wrote:
>
>
> If you need more total capacity in a Pb system to compensate for Peukert losses then there is greater total ah consumption for a fixed usage, hence the need for a larger regenerative system. Other factors that need to be considered are financing costs over 5-10 years and how much one can expect technology to change. Can we expect the batteries to be cheaper and better in 3-5 years. My usage patterns are for mostly low DOD with an occasional (10 times a year?) 80% DOD. I'm using flooded Pb for my install and if they last 4 years I'll be very happy with the decision.
>
> --- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, Steve Spence <steve@> wrote:
> >
> > I don't understand your comment. pv array size has to do with ah
> > consumption, not ah storage. The type and size battery matters not.
> >
> > Steve Spence
> > Renewable energy and self sufficiency
> > http://www.green-trust.org
> > http://arduinotronics.blogspot.com/
> >
> >
> >
> > On 09/15/2010 07:47 PM, Todd wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Also if you use regeneration, such as solar or wind, they will have to
> > > be larger on with the Trojans as well. Not as big an issue if you can
> > > use shore power.
> > >
>
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