'Nother battery type

zoidberg

zoidberg

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Having been told by a YBW specialist that 'fitting Lithium batteries, etc. into my boat wouldn't be worthwhile and uneconomic', I've been sulking and casting around for other ideas.
Today I was sent a reference to AGM2 batteries, seemingly by Odyssey - a US company. Odyssey chargers and batteries

I have one of their clever chargers, and a good job it does, but I flinch from asking the price of any more of their kit, due to the current ( geddit? ) financial turmoil.

Any thots or knowledge?
 
They sit at the upper end of the AGM spectrum, typically claiming 900cycles at 50% discharge compared with 5-600 for the basic brands of AGM so would appeal to those who can use those cycles in a reasonable time and the sums of £ per cycles adds up. "Weekend" sailors who might do 50 cycles a year means 18 years usage. They also have higher CCA than cheaper batteries so suitable for dual use such as for bow thrusters and windlasses running off the house bank or for starting larger diesels. I have one of their PC 950 32Ah start batteries because its size fits the space I have and from experience last 15+years. Expensive though.

Personally I think they are OTT for our little boats, and if you want more cycles for extensive cruising, better go lithium. If you have modest requirements and good recharging then stick to basic AGM.
 
I thought about this topic many times. I'd love an inverter and batteries that can supply my 2.5kw oven but 400 watts of suitcase solar and 3x 80AHr LAs at £80 a pop every few years is still a bargain.
 
2.5kw electric oven. You see boating as luxury, I see boating as a form of slightly comfortable camping. That's enough power to cook the Christmas Turkey.
 
zoidberg said:
Having been told by a YBW specialist that 'fitting Lithium batteries, etc. into my boat wouldn't be worthwhile and uneconomic', I've been sulking and casting around for other ideas.
Today I was sent a reference to AGM2 batteries, seemingly by Odyssey - a US company. Odyssey chargers and batteries

I have one of their clever chargers, and a good job it does, but I flinch from asking the price of any more of their kit, due to the current ( geddit? ) financial turmoil.

Any thots or knowledge?
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Feck
I asked that question 20 years ago on this forum! And a resounding NO came back. From the same people who poo pooed something called a Smart phone
And non Windows operating systems.

Go for it 👍

In general my advice would be to buy something a little closer to home, mainstream and with provenance and back up.


Your boat deserves The Best 😄
 
Doing my morning 'doom-scrolling' I encountered this Y'Tube video - which may have some relevance....


Me? I'm refurbing my ould paraffin lamps. At least I understand the technology - and the risks..... :cool:
 
zoidberg said:
Doing my morning 'doom-scrolling' I encountered this Y'Tube video - which may have some relevance....


Me? I'm refurbing my ould paraffin lamps. At least I understand the technology - and the risks..... :cool:
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That subject has been done to death on Scuttlebutt
 
Blueboatman said:
In general my advice would be to buy something a little closer to home, mainstream and with provenance and back up.
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Nothing wrong with Odyssey batteries. Well established here and widely used in racing and high performance cars for example. Probably not a common choice for sailing boat house banks as there better alternatives available, but (as in the US) would suit certain types of Mobos where dual purpose batteries are more common.
 
So..... wotabout Aluminium Ion batteries?


It's a dull watch - mostly 'Septic marketing jargon - but there's more than a germ of an idea there.

Perhaps three times the energy density of Lithium technology? Cheaper by perhaps an order of magnitude? Far lighter?

A European development, 'them damn Yanks' have hijacked the provenance, claiming it theirs like so much, while mispronouncing it - but Wikipedia has it right. But - like 'sodder' - we'd still need to teach those 'Murricains how to pronounce the word.

Perhaps....
 
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PaulRainbow said:
Looks like shanemax is on shore leave, Shaz77 is standing in for him.
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I agree with him. It takes 80tons of ore (or earth) to make 1 ton of lithium and that's if it's good ore. Some ore contains less than half of one percent lithium. That is what I consider not on.
 
Mistroma said:
Lead is also recycled fairly easily.
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Lithium already has a good reuse and recycling ecosystem too and that will only improve now that lithium has become the standard for energy storage.
It also has the distinct advantage of being lighter for global shipping and having a life orders of magnitude longer than lead so overall better for the environment by a long way. Less wasted energy on each charge cycle too.
 
lustyd said:
Lithium already has a good reuse and recycling ecosystem too and that will only improve now that lithium has become the standard for energy storage.
It also has the distinct advantage of being lighter for global shipping and having a life orders of magnitude longer than lead so overall better for the environment by a long way. Less wasted energy on each charge cycle too.
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True but I think lead recovery is about 99% and well proven. Lithium recovery is technically more difficult but can be developed. Lead has been recycled for a long time and Lithium recycling is still relatively new. Of course it will become better with widespread use of Lithium giving a great incentive to improving recycling. I was simply pointing out the current situation. It may be moot in the long run as other technologies also improve.

I actually think the 80 tonnes of ore per tonne of Lithium might be optimistic and it could be in the 100-200 tonnes range. Perhaps the figure related to Lithium Carbonate or some other intermediate compound but that would then make it too high. I'm assuming the source was a relatively good quality ore.

We've been told for years that fusion power will be with us within 30 years. I was heartened to read that the forecast is now only three decades before it arrives. Good news indeed.
 
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Mistroma said:
We've been told for years that fusion power will be with us within 30 years. I was heartened to read that the forecast is now only three decades before it arrives. Good news indeed.
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There are fusion reactors working right now producing more than they consume. Commercialising them will take time but the tech does now work. Times move on.
 
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