Leaderboard

I have recently installed a LiFePO4 battery using the 'fudge' method and can report excellent results. Basically I have thrown out my ageing but still good Lead Acids ( 8 x 110 AH) and put in a self built 280AH LiFePO4 in parallel with an Alphahouse Batteries 100AH Deep Cycle AGM. The AGM is in the engine bay battery box, with all the connections running to/from it. Input from Alternator and Solar, Output to Boat services and 2 Kw Inverter/Charger. The new 280AH LiFePO4 with Daly 100A BMS is inside, connected directly to the inverter via an isolator. Having an ageing Beta 35 with a 70 amp domestic alternator I had to be mindful of the charge routine and the potential for the LiFePO4 to suck the alternator to death. instead of going the expensive DC to DC charger route, I chose the 'long wire' method to limit the output of my alternator to a maximum of 45 amps which it is happy to produce all day long with no overheating issues. So... Alternator to AGM via 2m x 10mm2 cable. AGM to Inverter via 2m x 70 mm2 cable - The ones that were originally in place. LiFePO4 to Inverter via 0.5m x 35 mm2 Cable and Isolator. I use a Shunt based Battery Monitor on the AGM and the Daly BMS to monitor the voltages and amps in/out of each battery. I have nothing but positives to report.... Amount of available power with no worries about low voltages or Lead Acid 'damage' Inverter can be on 24/7 with no issues. No need to run engine or generator to charge batteries every day, instead I can easily go 3 days between charges. Run time of engine or generator is around 1/4 of previous to achieve 100% full batteries. Ability to use the washing machine or microwave anytime without worrying about 'killing' batteries. When running the engine I see around 45 amps output from the Alternator at 1500 rpm due to the 'long wire' set up reducing the ability of the LiFePO4 to suck charge. When the LiFePO4 is charging I can see it taking around 40 amps while the AGM takes from 5 amps down to 0.5 as it reaches 100%. The Daly BMS is set to cut off at a pack total voltage of 14v which keeps the LiFePO4 slightly under 100% full and quite happy. When the BMS cuts off charge there is no noticeable change as the alternator simply continues charging the AGM as it would normally. Solar quite happily charges both batteries at full rate with no noticeable difference. Genny bangs 60 amps into LiFePO4 all the time it is running so takes less time. My system sits between 13.8 and 13.2 volts all day every day no matter what I do. The AGM sits at near 100% charge most of the time, only when the LiFePO4 is down to 30% does the AGM start to drop to around 95%. Best part is being able to achieve all of the above for less than the price of 4 new Lead Acids, enough to make anyone smile. Basically I built 2 LiFePO4s and sold one as well as flogging the old LAs.

Or this from 35 years ago... 😉 "Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way. Well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't!".

Alternator is direct to AGM via 10mm2 cable 2m long. No fancy B2B or DC to DC, no switches etc. The long wire method proves them all to be totally unnecessary and a waste of money. Keep it simple is always the best way.

Discount for pre-ordering has now gone - the new range are in stock at Sterling. I'm very pleased I ordered mine on Monday night - I got the 10% discount, they shipped my order yesterday and it arrived at lunchtime today! I'm resisting the urge to immediately dismantle my entire electrical system to rewire it as it's going dark and there's a storm blowing through.

Re-wind 30 years and the weather forecast would have just said "wind and rain on Friday, wrap up well". All this 'storms with names' rubbish, cheeses me right orf.

I would cut a piece of 3/4 ply to size and then assuming your weed hatch has a flange around it I would get a selection of G clamps and clamp the thing on tight, a bit of silicon would help too. If its windy you just might get a bit of choppy water slopping about. Apart frtm that you won't be able to sleep so get it covered.

Another training programme which seems to think that you can just take anyone and make them into a skilled craft worker. Having gone through a craft apprenticeship 50 years ago, and then higher education, I would say that the best craftsmen I worked with were equally in intelligence to people I met at university. What is needed is to raise the social standing of those with proper craft training, such that entering that sort of job is valued, both financially and socially, as those who go to university. It is one of the themes I look at in my recent book, which also looks at the technical and economic aspects of canal building.

Although exact track has not yet been predicted as the thing hasnt even formed in the Atlantic yet, Storm Eunice could be the worst wind storm to hit the South of the country for many a year. Storm Dudley is hitting the North today, with disruption expected widely, Amber warnings issued....the Spring tides and wind direction adding to the wind issues. Friday however, is a longer lasting and potentially more damaging storm, with 100mph gusts already being forecast for the SW and Severn Estuary. Spring tides will again be a major issue. The storm will track over a large area, even inland is expected to see 80 mph gusts with possible blizzards on the back edge as it moves East. There is also the possibility of ab Sting Jet forming...where the jet stream pushes down to the surface causing a tornado like effect. Tie everything down, move to a safe mooring....not under large trees...and dont aim to move a boat with any success on Friday!! TreeMonkey will be on overtime.

That’s nothing to do with the weather though

I'm so sorry everyone for wasting your time here.... just remembered she's in for blacking in June so that would mean a worry free week if i take it then whilst she's not even in the water... ideal.... plus i could scrounge some blacking as well to sort the lower bits! sorry!!!!

My son decided to do an apprenticeship after sixth form rather than go to university and rack up £50K of debt like his older sister, much to the disgust of his school. (Kids that didn't want to go to uni were generally viewed as failures.) He is now 3.5 years into an advanced apprenticeship in classic car restoration and he loves it. He works at an Aston Martin specialist restorers. Every 6-7 weeks he has a week at the Heritage Skills Academy based at the Brooklands motor museum. Completely agree that apprenticeships should be given more respect as an option for young people.