sailaboutvic
Well-known member
I'm sure your right regarding cells 1 and 4 and it worst for me as we have 8 cells working off one bms , also the other boat I fitted lithium on ( talk about the blind leading the blind) as the same problem actually Simon is cruising with us at the moment as he like my way of getting around the 90/180 days rules but that's another thing
And we offen Compair reading although I do use a lot more Amps then he .
As you probably remember I wasn't impressed with the smart 123 and knowing what I know now I would had brought something else and much cheaper too ,
I was even less impress when after just three weeks it came to light that one of the relay wasn't working , I may have shorten it out sticking them stupid wires maybe it was just faulty who know and when I call them for advice they said they didn't keep parts and best they could offer was to buy a new unit, not even send it in to check it or has Its only three weeks old we give a bit of a discount . But hey that's company's for you.
I'm not sure if the bms ever packed up I would replace them , charging at 13.8v they need to be a long way out to top one cell out , it just mean keeping an eye on them and balance then if they did go too far out and we watch them like hark anyway.
I'm sure many may think it's a bad idea, ut until it's tried who know.
I'm finding by mid day on a good day and on a bad day late afternoon they charged and we having to turn on the hot water heater to draw power , there only been one time when we sailed for 55 hours on semi cloud days and radar going at nights we not seen them reach 13.8v since we fitted them even while we was in the winter marina we wasn't using shore power to charge and with short days and shading from other boats we was still reaching 13.8v or close enough .
Re the damage battery's we met one cruiser in May in a anchorage who had 8 cells he used rubber from an old dinghy in-between each cells and compressed the cell with end plywood and threaded rod some how the rubber worn and the cells rub which cause the short , looking at the set up I couldn't work out how it happen the rubber was quite thick , I did wonder of something else cause the problem, they where well compressed so how did the rubber wear?
The second cruiser was just few weeks back in Sicily , sim set up with threaded rods and plywood ends but he had GRP in-between his 16 cells , two cells where swollen from the top, so he removed them,
they been using them for just over a year , he now thinking to change to Wilson cells ,
He had no idea why it happen .
Can't say where the cells where brought except both said they got them on the net from China .
Both setup seen well put together no movement when I sew them ,
Have to say I didn't see the damage cells in place so most I wrote is what I was told .
Mine on the other hand are plastic cells and I have nothing between each cell one end is against the boat GRP the other has a plywood end and there are held in place with three strap with ratchet tension buckle ,
I check once a month of tightness and the bars, never have managed to get one turn on the ratchet so far and we have been out in some heavy weather so I'm quite happy with them.
Other then the BMS there nothing I would change
Most we drawn out at any time is 180A amps normally it's around 110/130A tops .
The test going to be went I try my 230ac water maker with its 1.5 hp motor,
looking at 220A at 12v that's going to be interesting.
And we offen Compair reading although I do use a lot more Amps then he .
As you probably remember I wasn't impressed with the smart 123 and knowing what I know now I would had brought something else and much cheaper too ,
I was even less impress when after just three weeks it came to light that one of the relay wasn't working , I may have shorten it out sticking them stupid wires maybe it was just faulty who know and when I call them for advice they said they didn't keep parts and best they could offer was to buy a new unit, not even send it in to check it or has Its only three weeks old we give a bit of a discount . But hey that's company's for you.
I'm not sure if the bms ever packed up I would replace them , charging at 13.8v they need to be a long way out to top one cell out , it just mean keeping an eye on them and balance then if they did go too far out and we watch them like hark anyway.
I'm sure many may think it's a bad idea, ut until it's tried who know.
I'm finding by mid day on a good day and on a bad day late afternoon they charged and we having to turn on the hot water heater to draw power , there only been one time when we sailed for 55 hours on semi cloud days and radar going at nights we not seen them reach 13.8v since we fitted them even while we was in the winter marina we wasn't using shore power to charge and with short days and shading from other boats we was still reaching 13.8v or close enough .
Re the damage battery's we met one cruiser in May in a anchorage who had 8 cells he used rubber from an old dinghy in-between each cells and compressed the cell with end plywood and threaded rod some how the rubber worn and the cells rub which cause the short , looking at the set up I couldn't work out how it happen the rubber was quite thick , I did wonder of something else cause the problem, they where well compressed so how did the rubber wear?
The second cruiser was just few weeks back in Sicily , sim set up with threaded rods and plywood ends but he had GRP in-between his 16 cells , two cells where swollen from the top, so he removed them,
they been using them for just over a year , he now thinking to change to Wilson cells ,
He had no idea why it happen .
Can't say where the cells where brought except both said they got them on the net from China .
Both setup seen well put together no movement when I sew them ,
Have to say I didn't see the damage cells in place so most I wrote is what I was told .
Mine on the other hand are plastic cells and I have nothing between each cell one end is against the boat GRP the other has a plywood end and there are held in place with three strap with ratchet tension buckle ,
I check once a month of tightness and the bars, never have managed to get one turn on the ratchet so far and we have been out in some heavy weather so I'm quite happy with them.
Other then the BMS there nothing I would change
Most we drawn out at any time is 180A amps normally it's around 110/130A tops .
The test going to be went I try my 230ac water maker with its 1.5 hp motor,
looking at 220A at 12v that's going to be interesting.
