This is a fantastically useful video. And that’s the first time I’ve ever said anything like this about a RUclips video. This is a winning format for a video.
This is so inspiring! Were refitting our 65' power catamaran too, and its so exciting to see others doing such big projects. It feels great to be part of this community!
You left out a primary fuse. With a large lithium iron phosphate battery, the best choice is a class T fuse, but a Blue Sea MRBF will be OK too. Figure about $75 for the MRBF fuse and holder with a spare fuse or about $150 for a Class T fuse holder with two fuses (one as a spare). You are also going to need to budget a couple of hundred dollars for wiring and you will want a suitable circuit breaker between the solar panel(s) and the charge controller and a second breaker between the charge controller and the battery. Last you will want a fuse between the start battery and the DC:DC charger.
You are mostly correct, but you don't need circuit breakers. You can use fusing on solar as well. You also should place fusing less than 18" from the power source to meet ABYC standard. You also leave out the size of the fuse required. The fuse must be sized to protect the wire, not the load, so when you run multiple batteries to a buss bar, each battery must get its own fuse, then any wires coming off the buss bar shall be fused separately as well. For example: If I install 4 Epoch 460 batteries in a boat, I'll install an MRBF Fuse on each battery, sized for the wire going to the buss bar, which is normally 4ga - 2/0ga, depending on expected loads, then another fuse (MRBF, ANL, T-Class, etc) on each wire leaving the buss bar. Solar is supposed to have a fuse on BOTH wires, not just the positive one, so I use MC4 Fuse links.
Im enjoying this kind of series, i dont have a boat yet but im starting to get very tempted. I would love a video of what kind of safety gear one should buy for the boat aswell, navigation systems etc, thank you for the very infomative video!
Another great video. Keep them coming. One thing we use on our 1985, 303 Pearson is a Jackery 1000 portable solar generator to supplement our house bank that is a bit small. It has three outlets and can run our induction stove, coffee pot... Nice thing about this is that it is portable. We also you it around our farm and in our toy hauler/camper. I would love to hear if you have heard of people incorporating them into their boats? Cheers from the tippy top of the Chesapeake Bay.
I tend to do more passages which give longer periods for weather to interfere. In that case, I would add a couple of things. First a wind generator for those times when the sky is overcast for days. Second, controllers to allow LiPO battery charging from both or either solar or wind.
Wow. You managed to get about 3/4 of it right😉. Good luck with a smartshunt with that BMV monitor. (You need a BMV-700/702/712 for that display ) The Orion you chose gets hot enough to cook a panini. (The XS is a better choice, much more efficient, but more money). The LiTime has great reviews from the bot community. Ymmv over the years. 1134x1722mm is a bit more than the 42”x66” you have “standardized” on, but you are spot on about the incredible value in rigid solar these days. But, you are right, a basic system with very modest legacy AC power can be done that cheaply. If you put a class T fuse, and a battery device disconnect switch, you will have most of what is needed for safety, (other fuses, too)
Some people just don't get it and I understand. That's why the all in one offerings offer an exceptional value. You'll want to consider the expandable options then select a starter size that provides 3,000 watts because that in itself will power all the common appliances nicely and safety without causing the common problems found in boat waiting schema.
Thanks for this very informative video! For me, it's a glimpse of the future. In the past, I had a 24V system in my boat, purely for the 24V anchor windlass...but of course, tapping off 12V was easy for the VHF and other systems...but, we didn;t have other stystems! Engine battery start was 24V, and we had 2 x 12V lead acid batteries for house loads which could be switched in for starting...we never needed that backup in 20 years. Yes, those 4 6V lead acids lasted 20 years, and the 2 12V ones did the same....and we carried an extra 12V back up just in case... Sailing was simpler then... Li-ion has problems, we all know that...and cost is a major issue too. I'm very glad to have seen your video, but for me, it's old school. Anyone who sailed in the 60s, 70s, 80s will know exactly what I mean! Solid, dependable power, no frills...just get out there and do some boating!
Thanks for the video and explanations. I understood I needed to also upgrade my alternator (e.g. Balmar), and it would charge the Litium bank, and the DC/DC charge would be from the Lithum to the Lead Acid start battery.
A bigger alternator is good, but you will have to protect it from a BMS charging shutoff and from overloading. This is done with an external regulator.
@@phygital1not simple to explain, but yes. An alternator charging a lead battery will start charging near its full capacity. For example a 80 amp alternator may output 70 amps when the battery is at 50% state of charge. But when the battery gets charged to about 60% the alternator will reduce its output, maybe 40 amps, and will continue to reduce the more the battery is charged. This is due to the internal resistance of the battery. This is why it is quite fast to charge a battery from 50% to 70%, but takes forever to charge from 80% to 100%. With lead, the alternator will not output at full capacity for a very long time, and this prevents it from overheating. With lithium it’s different. The battery has a very low internat resistance, so charging a battery at 50% will ask the alternator to output the maximum capacity, say 80 amps, and will continue to do so at 60%, 70%, 80%, 99%, pretty much all the way to 100%. And that is very hard on the alternator as it may overheat. Using a bigger alternator won’t solve that, as the battery bank will take the max output of the alternator anyway. Unless the BMS limites the charge current. Not all BMS do that. Some will just shut down the battery. And that will instantly kill the alternator. This is where the canbus+external regulator cable comes to play. The BMS can « talk » to the regulator and tell it to stop outputting, before the battery is shut down. We also need a way to limit regulator output. That cannot be done with an internal regulator. We need an external one that can be programmed to limit output, but also to use a charging profile that is specifically designed for lithium. The charging profile for lead is different. Maybe some BMS avoid the need for an external regulator, I don’t know, but I would guess cheap batteries don’t. And whatever your lithium setup, you need a backup battery in case the lithium bank shuts off for whatever reason. The backup will power your nav instruments, lights, and other vital equipment.
Balmar with an external regulator (618) aligned with a APD (alternator protection device) to charge the lithium house bank and a dc-dc charger for the starter allows the full capacity of a large alternator. Our system is a 170amp and we programed to max at 150amp, installed a serpentine pully kit and a high volume exhaust fan for the engine room. If your running your engine get the most out of it. SV Sandii
I appreciate the information, as I am outfitting my sailboat at this moment. I like the choice of standard stuff. Always available and known quantity. Thanks!!
Nice video Tim. Upgrading solar/battery on a liveaboard I just bought and you had useful info, which is great considering I have had solar on my last two houses over 30 years and I was even an investor in a solar company decades ago!
I bought two LiTime 300Ah batteries a couple of months ago. I think this was the right number for me. I can run a half size refrigerator and keep my WiFi, my laptop and charge other electronics up all of the time, at least in sunny California. I have run my sawzall and circular saw a little on them too, easily. They are being charged by 670W of solar I bought used and a bank of weak even older panels. They are on a network of two Victron 150/50 charge controllers. As long as it's not stormy for a few days they will keep the batteries at 13v.
I SWITCHED MY START BATTERY 'S to Lithium 5 years ago and use in -20celcius with NO ALTERNATOR CHANGES . They are called ANTI GRAVITY BATTERY !and I have Never had a problem with them. They have internal bms to prevent overcharging and charging below 0 and are designed TO BE USED FOR ENGINE STARTING. I SWEAR BY THEM worth every penny. They start a 502 cu/in motor instantly even in below 0 conditions. Battle born are the most EXPENSIVE Battery out there and if you need more than 1 of them because they have internal bms , a problem with one will shut down your ENTIRE system. Other lithium options are available for $200/100 amp/hr and use one bms for the entire pac so one battery has a problem, isolate it and the rest od the pac works. Saves your bacon back country or off shore. CHEERS
Good stuff... one might consider getting two ~150 Ah LFP batteries wired in parallel for added redundancy, especially when going with cheaper brands (even though they are pretty reliable these days). Engine alternators can charge LFP but need a smart regulator (that monitors it's temperature). One or two DC2DC chargers ... or if high output alternator consider charging the LFP directly (with alternator protection device) and adding a small DC2DC charger for the starting battery.
Love this! Can you do a simplified version of this for figuring out if I want to run an Instapot, induction hob, microwave and everything else running in the background on a boat? I watch videos based on smaller vehicles, vans/boats/etc but when I watch videos on homes, the focus really changes to how much power you use vs how much you can reasonably gather on a partly cloudy day or to go days of cloud cover. I.e. where I'm at, we had 2 weeks of partly cloudy days. What is needed for batrery storage to keep that going with cooking etc.?
i do divorced 48 volt systems that cost half ! and also open the world to high power 7 kw 48 volt alternators. the lithium houe bank keepd the engine start battery topped up and will last 10 years easily. this makes a much more energy efficient and cost effective. and yes always alternator direct to lithium.
Lithium is actually totally capable of engine start now. But yes not cheap and if you have a gas/diesel motor, you have to do maintenance so why pay extra for the “buy it and forget it” lifepo4. Also, lithium ion (not lifepo) is pretty great for boats where weight and density matter. Check out Hi-Power batteries they are EV cells.
I happened upon this video as I'm looking at building a system for a trip to the Bahamas this fall. I just replaced all the interior bulbs with LEDs and will do the same with the navigation lights. I hope you have a video about refrigeration as that is something I need to install.
I was going to comment how I did it myself differently but I decided not to because if you don't know the details it can be hazardous! I agree with one of the comments about adding a T class fuse - I used a good but not T-class. Prismatic cells that I know how to fixate, a BMS with bluetooth and a battery isolator properly wired can save money and eliminate some devices.
Three things, please. 1)how much cost for wires and connectors and misc stuff to physixally hook up end to end. 2)What is the range in DC voltage being output from your two panels into your one MPPT controller and 3) what happens to the solar panel energy output when the batteries are topped off and go into low amp float mode? Excess heat? Nothing? Thanks Tim!
"What did I forget?" Wire, connectors, tools. 😊 Good, quick overview of the big parts needed. I know the wire sizing can take longer to decide on and needs another whole video!
I spoke to an auto electrician who fits out ambulances with lithium start batteries. He said modern LiFePo batteries with a good BMS will handle starting and alternator charging.
24-48V is so much nicer for running power handling wires since they don't need to be massive and expensive, but it's also a huge pain to connect that with the vehicle's native 12V system. You need all sorts of converters for the vehicle, but also if you want to charge off the alternator you need another one to convert back. What's better, 4/0 copper running to your inverter at 200A or multiple converter boxes?
Electric winches and windlass use a lot of current, but typically don't run for long. Microwave, coffee maker & induction cooktop in the galley will keep a 3,000W inverter busy. If I was installing new, high draw devices mentioned, I'd go 48 vDC. Air conditioning is another big draw. Not a lot of 48 volt options at this time. That will change in the next year or two.
Tim, as always you have made my day. I haven't missed one of your episodes yet. I'm always looking forward to your next video which also includes Pratical Sailor. Thanks again.
I just started my system on a coronado 25, 1-100 amp lithium a100 watt solar panel. All lighting is LED the only thing that will draw energy is the portable dual zone electric refrigerator. We only weekend in Catalina and channel islands and day sail. I believe that 100 watts will be goo for my situation.
Panels are cheap, unless you only have room for 100w, I would add as many panels as are easily fitted. It is amazing how much power you can collect on cloudy days with enough panels.
Very well done. Most lithium videos are confusing. Your system matches what I've gleaned from much research. My problem is my Catalina 36 mk 2 has two dual purpose starter/house batteries as 1 and 2 on the switch. Undoing/redoing the connections to add a new lithium house bank will be very difficult! Perhaps next year. You might have commented on how to charge both batteries with shore power. And I don't think you said to connect the solar controller to the lithium bank. And fuses? On/off switches for the solar? Thx!
Hey Tim! I just started watching the episode and I was stopped like 15 seconds in. What is the boat over your right shoulder? Double decker arch and a pilothouse with a crazy looking swim platform. Thanks!
The shunt goes with the battery (bank). Power going into the battery. Power coming out of the battery. How full is my battery? If the only thing running is your freezer, that's what's coming out of the battery.
You have hard plastic red/black caps on one of your batteries (the LiTime in the video). Those are ONLY intended for shipping/storage, and may melt or cause other issues if you leave them on.
If those melt, you have far bigger problems to worry about. I have 5 ampre time batteries, and I leave the little colored caps on. It provides little extra protection in case some knuckle head drops a wrench
@@hogfishmaximussailing5208 Zero reason to use plastic shipping caps instead of cheap (and readily available) silicone covers, if you're prone to arc'ing things with a wrench, imo Not to mention how marine insurance loves to find every possible reason to blame the operator
Do you have an electric windlass on Lady K? If so, does it run off the lithium house bank or the start battery? If lithium HB, any issues with initial draw spikes and the battery BMS?
If you build a proper lithium bank, then it can handle whatever amps you intend to throw at it. I have lithium house banks capable of well over 50kw of draw, so a windlass is no problem. 2 lithium batteries in parallel can supply over 400 amps, if you choose the correct batteries, which is more than many windlasses can draw. Personally, I prefer to keep a lead battery for windlass and engines, charge the house bank from the alternator (with a proper temperature compensated controller), and back charge the lead with DC-DC charging.
@@charlieodom9107 My concern is the inrush current when the motor start pulling. Based on Rod Collin's writings on the Marine How To site, my understanding the inrush can exceed some lithium battery BMS capabilities due to minimalist component selection. My sailboat, a swing-centerboard Ericson 25, uses a 10hp outboard with only a 6 amp charge capability. I have considered using a lead acid battery for both start and windlass use, with a Victron DC-DC converter to charge the LA battery from the solar-charged house bank. I am setting my sailboat up for anchor-based cruising in the Great Lakes and along the coast. What size LA battery and anchor/chain do you have on your boat? Thanks!
@davidseslar5798 I'm assuming you mean lead acid when you stated LA. If that boat were mine, I would use a group 31 lead battery for the windlass, at the front of the boat, and charge it directly from the outboard. I wouldn't charge the house bank at all from the engine. I would rely on an AC charger and a solar MPPT to charge it. For lithium size, I normally shoot for 8-12 hours of battery capacity during normal use. For example, I have a boat with a 60kwh pack that will allow about 10 hours of battery run time before the generator kicks on to recharge the bank. I have another boat with a 30kwh pack that will last for 18-24 hours on battery under normal loads, because the customer wants to be able to stay on the hook for multiple days without too much generator usage. I'm adding 2400w of solar to that boat later this year. A 3rd boat of mine has a 23.5kwh pack and over 3,000w of solar, and this boat will never need to be plugged into shore power under normal use, although it could run the batteries down overnight if all 4 ACs are running.
That is an in-efficient battery system. Just buy a lithium battery capable alternator for your engine. The amount of fuel you will save over the life of the alternator will more than cover the cost, plus less points of failure.
but the point of video is to do it simple, and usually you already have a diesel and lead-acid starter battery, so it should not be at all a part of added parts if you refit entire electrical system, then yes - better replace alternator or even engine with electric if you like me use engine only to get out and in marina/mooring
Assuming your solar panels keep the house batteries charged; if your starter battery looses charge and cannot turn over the engine, how do you use the house batteries to start the engine or charge the starter battery? You have the DC-DC converter sitting between them and I assume the device is not bidirectional.
Think caution is still required, long term storage requires understanding, isolation?, lots of hype about Lithium ion fires have carried over and effect LFP installation, (No batteries in liveable space effects my instal), 110/240V requires licensed instal. But what a life changer. Think it worth while to measure consumption as well as Charge.
What brand of panels did you go with ? Also, can you charge the start batt with the DC/DC chrgr, assuming you have a shore powered charger on the house bank ? Thanks, this is a good DIY vid, usually when I watch a vid on this topic I end up with analysis paralysis.
You asked "What did I miss" well you missed a heap load. I preface this by saying I am looking at this living in Australia but I believe it pretty well should cover the USA as well. 1) Contact your insurance company and see what their requirements are for lithium installs. In insurance terms here it is considered a major update and as a result they need to be kept updated of the change. Also Insurance companies here require a licensed electrician to undertake the work otherwise insurance will be declined. 2) You failed to mention cable size - so important on so many levels from current rating, thermal rating and voltage drop. 3) You mentioned a lot of equipment but failed to mention isolation switches and even more importantly you failed to mention fusing for these items. No fuses and your asking for a fire. 4) Here in Australia we have very rigid standards for the safety and correct wiring of such items be they in a RV or a boat. Just as a side note having viewed your RV installation it would be considered illegal here in OZ due to the manner of install and lack of safety items.
Ouch. I was in the bleachers ready to cheer. House and cabin can be very different. Weight and cost. On land, flooded lead can mop the floor with lithiums because it can last much longer and it's quite cheaper, if you do it right. Note: Never wire lead in parallel. Panels? You standardise sizes. Note: Especially if their open circuit voltage is similar, all brands and sizes of panels can be wired in parallel. DC to DC charger? It's cheaper just to buy a second charge controller for your separate house batteries. Charging lithiums by alternator? Yes, but you need a current controlled alternator regulator. You also want to throw a switch and charge your start battery separately from lithiums. They take turns. How much do lead batteries gas? It largely depends on if you have a proper electronic regulator for your generator or alternator, or if you have an old fashioned points regulator that will charge very inaccurately. .... Some boats won't run much power. You can easily enlarge capacity by running two 6 volt batteries in series. Many 12 volt chest freezers are tiny and inexpensive compared to boat fridges. My 42 quart Joy Tutus draws 31 watts in ECO mode, and only when the compressor runs. Surprise, there are a few flooded lead batteries that can be used like AGM's without spilling. It depends on their vents. At home? Diluted acid golf cart batteries are your best value. Too heavy for mobile. Don't wire everything for AC.
A question. I have the same midnight mppt as you have on lady k. Is it worth getting back up and running? I factory did a reset on it and it hasn't worked since.
What did you forget? Quality wire that won't heat up and start a fire, good connectors for that wire, proper tools to make those connections, bus bars, fuses, etc. Probably doubled your estimated costs.
I am looking at a heavy ocean cruiser 45 feet long keeled steel sailboat designed by Peter Strong. Full steel bulkheads weighing 17 tons net. Say she never pounds on the waves and is almost impossible to put the sidedecks underwater thanks to her deep draft. Double fore and backstays, 10mm ss wire with Norsemann terminals all around. The basic rig is a main sail with 3 reefing points with a roller reefing Genoa or Yankee and hanked on staysail. There is a further forestay for hanked on sails eg sailing goose or winged or for a storm sail. She heaves to easily with a reefed mainsail. Hydraulic wheel steering with a large tiller which can fitted quickly for emergencies. Aries wind vane. What do you think? $19,000
Over view yes but you didn't explain fusing and the importance of that. As having been a customer of not fusing 12volt wiring? The fire and smoke is instantl no time at all to react. Good video for a over just build design
Technically, both. Personally, I prefer the generator charge the largest bank, which is normally the lithium, but you can have multiple house chargers on a boat for multiple different banks and chemistries that all charge from the generator. For example: A Victron Quattro 3,000 can supply 120a of 12v charge to the house lithium bank, while it can also power a multi bank lead charger to charge all the lead in the boat from the generator pass through. You can also charge multiple different chemistries from a single alternator using DC-DC chargers as well.
That is VERY hard to do, since every load on every boat, and every battery cable length, on every boat, is different. Your best bet is to use the Bluesea Wire Ampacity chart, and use the 3% section to determine wire size for your given lengths.
Dzisiaj pv są tak tanie a maszty tak drogie że nie opłaca się ich montować na jachtach. Trochę budowa dachu z pv może ograniczać widoczność ale myślę; że ten problem jest do rozwiązania.
My tip is run a stand alone solar system just for smoke detectors and emergency lighting on boats. One large system goes down and battery backups don't last long enough alone.
That is dumb. Solar only provides power DURING SUNLIGHT, when you don't need emergency lighting. The best practice is to run everything on the boat off the house bank, except for engines, which should have their own battery, then install an emergency selector switch so you can switch banks if the house has an issue. Solar should be DC coupled to the house system.
Just be careful putting Lithium on your boat as it may void your boat insurance. Check with your marine insurance company. Lithium IRON batteries are stable. Lithium ION batteries are extremely dangerous, especially if they are exposed to salt water. Explosion possible.
The typ of lithium is the relevant part for fite risk,! As far as i know (do your own research) lifepo4 is far less likely to catch on fire than li ion etc
@@danielt1g3r75 yep LFP + Lifepo. But you don't really want an unknown brand either, though that price differential is very tempting, must be a middle ground.
Ok, this video is good; but it's not entirely accurate. I'm on a 1985 Catalina 30 mono... and after hurricane Milton beat me up, I did a full solar system refit. So let me address some of his talking points: 1. A lead acid battery is NOT necessary as a starter for engine. I have an 105ah, 800cca DAUL purpose lithium battery specifically built for starting engines. Amazon! 1-A. And because my starter battery is lithium, it is charged as bank#2 by and within my entire solar system; thus, a DC to DC charger, while definitely a benefit, is NOT at all mandatory. I'm at over 14v on all batteries daily. 2. On this little boat, I have 8 solar panels, 4-300watt @16amps ea. and 4 Renogy 100 watt panels @15amps ea. for a total of 1600 watts, and a nominal 20 to 25 charging amps daily. And all of this is on a $20.00 100amp charge controller from Amazon which has (and continues to) worked perfectly for the last 4 years, (and at that price, I have 3 spares) and a 30amp renogy wanderer controller that has been just as fine as well. Now, thirdly (3), besides my lithium starter battery, I also have 8 100 ah lithium batteries (which come in standard or mini size with the same amp hours) also from Amazon, for a total of 905+ah of constant usable power. And finally a 5500 watt inverter, also from Amazon for less than $400.00 as well. My point? In this set up, I'm am TOTALLY off grid, daily powering all lights in the boat, VHF, HAM Radio, AIS, all of my laptops, drones, cameras, 2 fridges & freezer, autopilot, Quantum radar, power tools, electric toilet, cooktop, water maker, etc., etc., and as far as the solar system total cost, it was slightly less than the total in this video, but for A LOT more power incoming, sustainable, and most of all, USABLE POWER. I did this whole system for just the price of the three Battle Born batteries. SHOP AROUND! China is doing a good job of competing with expensive American "legacy" brands. I'm terribly happy with my system, which hasn't failed me at all!
Hi Tim, great video. So keeping a lead acid starting battery and charging your house LiFe batteries with a DC to DC converter as suggested solves a number of problems. I have driven Prius's for 24 years which do that. But what about this issue that Victron documents in this video of standard alternators overheating at low engine RPM? Even through the DC to DC, it is still a LiFo battery with low internal resistance that is very thirsty for the charging amps. Is this a problem in the real world with the 30 am DC to DC you recommend? Always keep the engine RPM up? Kind of noisy. Add a temp sensor to the VIctron disable? Bolting an 12v computer fan on the alternator would help, but one more thing to break. ruclips.net/video/jgoIocPgOug/видео.html
don't go there. 50 years as a boat mechanic I would never put lithium on my boat. saltwater electricity is bad enough but then you start adding things that explode. we are already seeing deaths from lithium ion batteries charging on dive boats in California. electric cars burning up after hurricane flood. imagine you save your boat from sinking and all of a sudden it catches fire and you can't put it out and it continues to burn underwater. yes those lithium batteries will burn underwater. use all the solar you want but stick with lead acid batteries that do not blow up. almost all of these Marina fires that we are seeing are involving lithium batteries.
This is a fantastically useful video. And that’s the first time I’ve ever said anything like this about a RUclips video. This is a winning format for a video.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
This is so inspiring! Were refitting our 65' power catamaran too, and its so exciting to see others doing such big projects. It feels great to be part of this community!
How do you like a video twice? This is super helpful for those of us who are electrically illiterate. Easily digestible breakdown and explanations.
Thank you for simplifying.
Thank you for watching!
Thanks so much for this break down! I'll be using it on my boat refit!
Thank you for an understandable guide on a complex subject. I learn a lot from your videos. Thanks and fair winds.
I’m glad you found it helpful, thanks for watching!
You left out a primary fuse. With a large lithium iron phosphate battery, the best choice is a class T fuse, but a Blue Sea MRBF will be OK too. Figure about $75 for the MRBF fuse and holder with a spare fuse or about $150 for a Class T fuse holder with two fuses (one as a spare). You are also going to need to budget a couple of hundred dollars for wiring and you will want a suitable circuit breaker between the solar panel(s) and the charge controller and a second breaker between the charge controller and the battery. Last you will want a fuse between the start battery and the DC:DC charger.
You are mostly correct, but you don't need circuit breakers. You can use fusing on solar as well. You also should place fusing less than 18" from the power source to meet ABYC standard.
You also leave out the size of the fuse required. The fuse must be sized to protect the wire, not the load, so when you run multiple batteries to a buss bar, each battery must get its own fuse, then any wires coming off the buss bar shall be fused separately as well.
For example: If I install 4 Epoch 460 batteries in a boat, I'll install an MRBF Fuse on each battery, sized for the wire going to the buss bar, which is normally 4ga - 2/0ga, depending on expected loads, then another fuse (MRBF, ANL, T-Class, etc) on each wire leaving the buss bar.
Solar is supposed to have a fuse on BOTH wires, not just the positive one, so I use MC4 Fuse links.
I got nailed for that on my last survey. Very important addition 👍
Awesome explanation on the system! Easy to understand.
Tim i freaking love you..
This is exactly the video I needed
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for everything you do for us, Great episode and very good timing, needed the education.
Thank you!!!!
Im enjoying this kind of series, i dont have a boat yet but im starting to get very tempted. I would love a video of what kind of safety gear one should buy for the boat aswell, navigation systems etc, thank you for the very infomative video!
I would recommend applying your anchor philosophy to your wire sizes.
Another great video. Keep them coming. One thing we use on our 1985, 303 Pearson is a Jackery 1000 portable solar generator to supplement our house bank that is a bit small. It has three outlets and can run our induction stove, coffee pot... Nice thing about this is that it is portable. We also you it around our farm and in our toy hauler/camper. I would love to hear if you have heard of people incorporating them into their boats? Cheers from the tippy top of the Chesapeake Bay.
Thank you! This is the perfect level for me😊
I tend to do more passages which give longer periods for weather to interfere. In that case, I would add a couple of things. First a wind generator for those times when the sky is overcast for days. Second, controllers to allow LiPO battery charging from both or either solar or wind.
Wow. You managed to get about 3/4 of it right😉.
Good luck with a smartshunt with that BMV monitor. (You need a BMV-700/702/712 for that display ) The Orion you chose gets hot enough to cook a panini. (The XS is a better choice, much more efficient, but more money). The LiTime has great reviews from the bot community. Ymmv over the years. 1134x1722mm is a bit more than the 42”x66” you have “standardized” on, but you are spot on about the incredible value in rigid solar these days.
But, you are right, a basic system with very modest legacy AC power can be done that cheaply.
If you put a class T fuse, and a battery device disconnect switch, you will have most of what is needed for safety, (other fuses, too)
Some people just don't get it and I understand. That's why the all in one offerings offer an exceptional value. You'll want to consider the expandable options then select a starter size that provides 3,000 watts because that in itself will power all the common appliances nicely and safety without causing the common problems found in boat waiting schema.
Good review...not all are electrical wiz's and this breaks it down simply and efficiently...for real world application....nice.
Thanks for this very informative video! For me, it's a glimpse of the future.
In the past, I had a 24V system in my boat, purely for the 24V anchor windlass...but of course, tapping off 12V was easy for the VHF and other systems...but, we didn;t have other stystems!
Engine battery start was 24V, and we had 2 x 12V lead acid batteries for house loads which could be switched in for starting...we never needed that backup in 20 years.
Yes, those 4 6V lead acids lasted 20 years, and the 2 12V ones did the same....and we carried an extra 12V back up just in case...
Sailing was simpler then...
Li-ion has problems, we all know that...and cost is a major issue too.
I'm very glad to have seen your video, but for me, it's old school.
Anyone who sailed in the 60s, 70s, 80s will know exactly what I mean!
Solid, dependable power, no frills...just get out there and do some boating!
Just wondering how you go about winterizing LadyK's off grid system?
Thanks for the video and explanations. I understood I needed to also upgrade my alternator (e.g. Balmar), and it would charge the Litium bank, and the DC/DC charge would be from the Lithum to the Lead Acid start battery.
A bigger alternator is good, but you will have to protect it from a BMS charging shutoff and from overloading. This is done with an external regulator.
@@PierreBoutet-v6n would the existing alternator also need a regulator?
@@phygital1not simple to explain, but yes. An alternator charging a lead battery will start charging near its full capacity. For example a 80 amp alternator may output 70 amps when the battery is at 50% state of charge. But when the battery gets charged to about 60% the alternator will reduce its output, maybe 40 amps, and will continue to reduce the more the battery is charged. This is due to the internal resistance of the battery. This is why it is quite fast to charge a battery from 50% to 70%, but takes forever to charge from 80% to 100%. With lead, the alternator will not output at full capacity for a very long time, and this prevents it from overheating.
With lithium it’s different. The battery has a very low internat resistance, so charging a battery at 50% will ask the alternator to output the maximum capacity, say 80 amps, and will continue to do so at 60%, 70%, 80%, 99%, pretty much all the way to 100%. And that is very hard on the alternator as it may overheat. Using a bigger alternator won’t solve that, as the battery bank will take the max output of the alternator anyway. Unless the BMS limites the charge current. Not all BMS do that. Some will just shut down the battery. And that will instantly kill the alternator. This is where the canbus+external regulator cable comes to play. The BMS can « talk » to the regulator and tell it to stop outputting, before the battery is shut down.
We also need a way to limit regulator output. That cannot be done with an internal regulator. We need an external one that can be programmed to limit output, but also to use a charging profile that is specifically designed for lithium. The charging profile for lead is different.
Maybe some BMS avoid the need for an external regulator, I don’t know, but I would guess cheap batteries don’t.
And whatever your lithium setup, you need a backup battery in case the lithium bank shuts off for whatever reason. The backup will power your nav instruments, lights, and other vital equipment.
Balmar with an external regulator (618) aligned with a APD (alternator protection device) to charge the lithium house bank and a dc-dc charger for the starter allows the full capacity of a large alternator. Our system is a 170amp and we programed to max at 150amp, installed a serpentine pully kit and a high volume exhaust fan for the engine room. If your running your engine get the most out of it.
SV Sandii
I appreciate the information, as I am outfitting my sailboat at this moment. I like the choice of standard stuff. Always available and known quantity. Thanks!!
Thanks for watching!
Very good vid Tim!
Can’t wait to try this
Thank you. I have been doing some research and this and your other posts have been very helpful.
Thanks for watching!
Super explanation, can only like it once, so here are m thumbs up 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you so much 😀
Nice video Tim. Upgrading solar/battery on a liveaboard I just bought and you had useful info, which is great considering I have had solar on my last two houses over 30 years and I was even an investor in a solar company decades ago!
I bought two LiTime 300Ah batteries a couple of months ago.
I think this was the right number for me.
I can run a half size refrigerator and keep my WiFi, my laptop and charge other electronics up all of the time, at least in sunny California. I have run my sawzall and circular saw a little on them too, easily.
They are being charged by 670W of solar I bought used and a bank of weak even older panels. They are on a network of two Victron 150/50 charge controllers.
As long as it's not stormy for a few days they will keep the batteries at 13v.
I SWITCHED MY START BATTERY 'S to Lithium 5 years ago and use in -20celcius with NO ALTERNATOR CHANGES . They are called ANTI GRAVITY BATTERY !and I have Never had a problem with them. They have internal bms to prevent overcharging and charging below 0 and are designed TO BE USED FOR ENGINE STARTING. I SWEAR BY THEM worth every penny. They start a 502 cu/in motor instantly even in below 0 conditions. Battle born are the most EXPENSIVE Battery out there and if you need more than 1 of them because they have internal bms , a problem with one will shut down your ENTIRE system. Other lithium options are available for $200/100 amp/hr and use one bms for the entire pac so one battery has a problem, isolate it and the rest od the pac works. Saves your bacon back country or off shore. CHEERS
Good stuff... one might consider getting two ~150 Ah LFP batteries wired in parallel for added redundancy, especially when going with cheaper brands (even though they are pretty reliable these days).
Engine alternators can charge LFP but need a smart regulator (that monitors it's temperature). One or two DC2DC chargers ... or if high output alternator consider charging the LFP directly (with alternator protection device) and adding a small DC2DC charger for the starting battery.
Love this! Can you do a simplified version of this for figuring out if I want to run an Instapot, induction hob, microwave and everything else running in the background on a boat? I watch videos based on smaller vehicles, vans/boats/etc but when I watch videos on homes, the focus really changes to how much power you use vs how much you can reasonably gather on a partly cloudy day or to go days of cloud cover. I.e. where I'm at, we had 2 weeks of partly cloudy days. What is needed for batrery storage to keep that going with cooking etc.?
i am normally sneafing the acidvapor+this is good. plus batteries from China Alibaba.
i do divorced 48 volt systems that cost half ! and also open the world to high power 7 kw 48 volt alternators. the lithium houe bank keepd the engine start battery topped up and will last 10 years easily. this makes a much more energy efficient and cost effective.
and yes always alternator direct to lithium.
Lithium is actually totally capable of engine start now. But yes not cheap and if you have a gas/diesel motor, you have to do maintenance so why pay extra for the “buy it and forget it” lifepo4.
Also, lithium ion (not lifepo) is pretty great for boats where weight and density matter. Check out Hi-Power batteries they are EV cells.
Great episode! Thank you!🙏
Thanks for watching!
I happened upon this video as I'm looking at building a system for a trip to the Bahamas this fall. I just replaced all the interior bulbs with LEDs and will do the same with the navigation lights. I hope you have a video about refrigeration as that is something I need to install.
Some may need a new inverter /charger if theirs is older. Great video Sir
I was going to comment how I did it myself differently but I decided not to because if you don't know the details it can be hazardous! I agree with one of the comments about adding a T class fuse - I used a good but not T-class. Prismatic cells that I know how to fixate, a BMS with bluetooth and a battery isolator properly wired can save money and eliminate some devices.
Three things, please. 1)how much cost for wires and connectors and misc stuff to physixally hook up end to end. 2)What is the range in DC voltage being output from your two panels into your one MPPT controller and 3) what happens to the solar panel energy output when the batteries are topped off and go into low amp float mode? Excess heat? Nothing?
Thanks Tim!
Great Job
Thanks for watching!
Thanks Tim, great vid !!
Thanks for watching!
"What did I forget?"
Wire, connectors, tools. 😊
Good, quick overview of the big parts needed. I know the wire sizing can take longer to decide on and needs another whole video!
Great video! Thanks
I spoke to an auto electrician who fits out ambulances with lithium start batteries. He said modern LiFePo batteries with a good BMS will handle starting and alternator charging.
24-48V is so much nicer for running power handling wires since they don't need to be massive and expensive, but it's also a huge pain to connect that with the vehicle's native 12V system. You need all sorts of converters for the vehicle, but also if you want to charge off the alternator you need another one to convert back. What's better, 4/0 copper running to your inverter at 200A or multiple converter boxes?
Electric winches and windlass use a lot of current, but typically don't run for long.
Microwave, coffee maker & induction cooktop in the galley will keep a 3,000W inverter busy.
If I was installing new, high draw devices mentioned, I'd go 48 vDC.
Air conditioning is another big draw. Not a lot of 48 volt options at this time. That will change in the next year or two.
Tim, as always you have made my day. I haven't missed one of your episodes yet. I'm always looking forward to your next video which also includes Pratical Sailor. Thanks again.
I really appreciate that, thanks for watching!
Thanks Tim.
No worries! Thanks for watching!
I just started my system on a coronado 25, 1-100 amp lithium a100 watt solar panel. All lighting is LED the only thing that will draw energy is the portable dual zone electric refrigerator. We only weekend in Catalina and channel islands and day sail. I believe that 100 watts will be goo for my situation.
Panels are cheap, unless you only have room for 100w, I would add as many panels as are easily fitted. It is amazing how much power you can collect on cloudy days with enough panels.
Thanks.
how about one on designing and building an Arch for your spiffy new solar.
Electrical system On a boat is not the same as a cabin in the woods !
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Very well done. Most lithium videos are confusing. Your system matches what I've gleaned from much research. My problem is my Catalina 36 mk 2 has two dual purpose starter/house batteries as 1 and 2 on the switch. Undoing/redoing the connections to add a new lithium house bank will be very difficult! Perhaps next year. You might have commented on how to charge both batteries with shore power. And I don't think you said to connect the solar controller to the lithium bank. And fuses? On/off switches for the solar? Thx!
Tim, let me know when you head to the Bahamas next. As you pass the ICW through Adam’s Creek in NC I would love to buddy boat.
Hey Tim!
I just started watching the episode and I was stopped like 15 seconds in. What is the boat over your right shoulder? Double decker arch and a pilothouse with a crazy looking swim platform. Thanks!
Great vídeo. I always wondered why there was such a price discrepancy on the batteries and I was afraid of Amazon cheap batteries
So are putting a shunt on every component so you can see what each individual piece is drawing, do you have one shunt that just tells you total draw?
The shunt goes with the battery (bank). Power going into the battery. Power coming out of the battery. How full is my battery?
If the only thing running is your freezer, that's what's coming out of the battery.
Do you have a list available putting everything together
Thanks for making it simple. Where would you wire a wind generator to support the solar?
Thank you !
Thanks for watching!
What about a small cat with two engines ? Would you need to connect the two dc to dc chargers to anything before they hit the battery bank ?
What is your opinion on adding a wind generator.
ahh, now I get it.
Should we add a wind turbine too?
can you put links for panels use described which will provide 800-850w?
You have hard plastic red/black caps on one of your batteries (the LiTime in the video). Those are ONLY intended for shipping/storage, and may melt or cause other issues if you leave them on.
If those melt, you have far bigger problems to worry about. I have 5 ampre time batteries, and I leave the little colored caps on. It provides little extra protection in case some knuckle head drops a wrench
@@hogfishmaximussailing5208 Zero reason to use plastic shipping caps instead of cheap (and readily available) silicone covers, if you're prone to arc'ing things with a wrench, imo
Not to mention how marine insurance loves to find every possible reason to blame the operator
Fuses and descent switch's
Does it matter What brand solar ?
Is it better to use multiple 100 W panels?
I like smaller panels better. Squarish ones. My land collection is all 100 watts. Shippable. On a boat, smaller would mean less breakage.
Do you have an electric windlass on Lady K? If so, does it run off the lithium house bank or the start battery? If lithium HB, any issues with initial draw spikes and the battery BMS?
If you build a proper lithium bank, then it can handle whatever amps you intend to throw at it.
I have lithium house banks capable of well over 50kw of draw, so a windlass is no problem.
2 lithium batteries in parallel can supply over 400 amps, if you choose the correct batteries, which is more than many windlasses can draw.
Personally, I prefer to keep a lead battery for windlass and engines, charge the house bank from the alternator (with a proper temperature compensated controller), and back charge the lead with DC-DC charging.
@@charlieodom9107 My concern is the inrush current when the motor start pulling. Based on Rod Collin's writings on the Marine How To site, my understanding the inrush can exceed some lithium battery BMS capabilities due to minimalist component selection. My sailboat, a swing-centerboard Ericson 25, uses a 10hp outboard with only a 6 amp charge capability. I have considered using a lead acid battery for both start and windlass use, with a Victron DC-DC converter to charge the LA battery from the solar-charged house bank. I am setting my sailboat up for anchor-based cruising in the Great Lakes and along the coast. What size LA battery and anchor/chain do you have on your boat? Thanks!
@davidseslar5798 I'm assuming you mean lead acid when you stated LA.
If that boat were mine, I would use a group 31 lead battery for the windlass, at the front of the boat, and charge it directly from the outboard. I wouldn't charge the house bank at all from the engine. I would rely on an AC charger and a solar MPPT to charge it.
For lithium size, I normally shoot for 8-12 hours of battery capacity during normal use. For example, I have a boat with a 60kwh pack that will allow about 10 hours of battery run time before the generator kicks on to recharge the bank.
I have another boat with a 30kwh pack that will last for 18-24 hours on battery under normal loads, because the customer wants to be able to stay on the hook for multiple days without too much generator usage. I'm adding 2400w of solar to that boat later this year.
A 3rd boat of mine has a 23.5kwh pack and over 3,000w of solar, and this boat will never need to be plugged into shore power under normal use, although it could run the batteries down overnight if all 4 ACs are running.
which lithium is NOT irrelevant. choose LiFePo and NOT Li-ion !! beside this, i agree
That is an in-efficient battery system. Just buy a lithium battery capable alternator for your engine. The amount of fuel you will save over the life of the alternator will more than cover the cost, plus less points of failure.
but the point of video is to do it simple, and usually you already have a diesel and lead-acid starter battery, so it should not be at all a part of added parts
if you refit entire electrical system, then yes - better replace alternator or even engine with electric if you like me use engine only to get out and in marina/mooring
Hi great video. What type of boat is Lady K?
35 foot Hughes
Assuming your solar panels keep the house batteries charged; if your starter battery looses charge and cannot turn over the engine, how do you use the house batteries to start the engine or charge the starter battery? You have the DC-DC converter sitting between them and I assume the device is not bidirectional.
Think caution is still required, long term storage requires understanding, isolation?, lots of hype about Lithium ion fires have carried over and effect LFP installation, (No batteries in liveable space effects my instal), 110/240V requires licensed instal. But what a life changer. Think it worth while to measure consumption as well as Charge.
Nice simple summary. Don't forget to mention wire sizing and fusing. How about a vid on converting ice boxes to refridgerators
What about using an A.C. with 5000 - 8000BTUs all day to keep cool in the heat of the summer.
Would we need more than just 2 batteries ?
What brand of panels did you go with ? Also, can you charge the start batt with the DC/DC chrgr, assuming you have a shore powered charger on the house bank ? Thanks, this is a good DIY vid, usually when I watch a vid on this topic I end up with analysis paralysis.
Great job! Love that you included a calculator that we can use. I'm less intimidated when dealing with Solar and Lithium now.
Glad I could help! Thanks for watching.
You asked "What did I miss" well you missed a heap load. I preface this by saying I am looking at this living in Australia but I believe it pretty well should cover the USA as well. 1) Contact your insurance company and see what their requirements are for lithium installs. In insurance terms here it is considered a major update and as a result they need to be kept updated of the change. Also Insurance companies here require a licensed electrician to undertake the work otherwise insurance will be declined. 2) You failed to mention cable size - so important on so many levels from current rating, thermal rating and voltage drop. 3) You mentioned a lot of equipment but failed to mention isolation switches and even more importantly you failed to mention fusing for these items. No fuses and your asking for a fire. 4) Here in Australia we have very rigid standards for the safety and correct wiring of such items be they in a RV or a boat. Just as a side note having viewed your RV installation it would be considered illegal here in OZ due to the manner of install and lack of safety items.
Renogy now has a 12V 300 ah MINI that is new.
Ouch. I was in the bleachers ready to cheer. House and cabin can be very different. Weight and cost. On land, flooded lead can mop the floor with lithiums because it can last much longer and it's quite cheaper, if you do it right. Note: Never wire lead in parallel. Panels? You standardise sizes. Note: Especially if their open circuit voltage is similar, all brands and sizes of panels can be wired in parallel. DC to DC charger? It's cheaper just to buy a second charge controller for your separate house batteries. Charging lithiums by alternator? Yes, but you need a current controlled alternator regulator. You also want to throw a switch and charge your start battery separately from lithiums. They take turns. How much do lead batteries gas? It largely depends on if you have a proper electronic regulator for your generator or alternator, or if you have an old fashioned points regulator that will charge very inaccurately. .... Some boats won't run much power. You can easily enlarge capacity by running two 6 volt batteries in series. Many 12 volt chest freezers are tiny and inexpensive compared to boat fridges. My 42 quart Joy Tutus draws 31 watts in ECO mode, and only when the compressor runs. Surprise, there are a few flooded lead batteries that can be used like AGM's without spilling. It depends on their vents. At home? Diluted acid golf cart batteries are your best value. Too heavy for mobile. Don't wire everything for AC.
A question. I have the same midnight mppt as you have on lady k. Is it worth getting back up and running? I factory did a reset on it and it hasn't worked since.
Kinda planning all three. lol
What did you forget? Quality wire that won't heat up and start a fire, good connectors for that wire, proper tools to make those connections, bus bars, fuses, etc. Probably doubled your estimated costs.
Ok, we buy the panels and want to attach them to 1 inch ss tubing. How?
I am looking at a heavy ocean cruiser 45 feet long keeled steel sailboat designed by Peter Strong. Full steel bulkheads weighing 17 tons net. Say she never pounds on the waves and is almost impossible to put the sidedecks underwater thanks to her deep draft. Double fore and backstays, 10mm ss wire with Norsemann terminals all around. The basic rig is a main sail with 3 reefing points with a roller reefing Genoa or Yankee and hanked on staysail. There is a further forestay for hanked on sails eg sailing goose or winged or for a storm sail. She heaves to easily with a reefed mainsail. Hydraulic wheel steering with a large tiller which can fitted quickly for emergencies. Aries wind vane. What do you think? $19,000
Over view yes but you didn't explain fusing and the importance of that. As having been a customer of not fusing 12volt wiring? The fire and smoke is instantl no time at all to react. Good video for a over just build design
Great breakdown! Matches most of what I have read when trying to learn how to do the conversion myself
What can a generator charge lead, or lithium. Or both
Technically, both.
Personally, I prefer the generator charge the largest bank, which is normally the lithium, but you can have multiple house chargers on a boat for multiple different banks and chemistries that all charge from the generator.
For example: A Victron Quattro 3,000 can supply 120a of 12v charge to the house lithium bank, while it can also power a multi bank lead charger to charge all the lead in the boat from the generator pass through.
You can also charge multiple different chemistries from a single alternator using DC-DC chargers as well.
Wiring diagram and wire sizes.
That is VERY hard to do, since every load on every boat, and every battery cable length, on every boat, is different.
Your best bet is to use the Bluesea Wire Ampacity chart, and use the 3% section to determine wire size for your given lengths.
Dude, that's a separate lesson.
Dzisiaj pv są tak tanie a maszty tak drogie że nie opłaca się ich montować na jachtach. Trochę budowa dachu z pv może ograniczać widoczność ale myślę; że ten problem jest do rozwiązania.
👍
My tip is run a stand alone solar system just for smoke detectors and emergency lighting on boats. One large system goes down and battery backups don't last long enough alone.
That is dumb. Solar only provides power DURING SUNLIGHT, when you don't need emergency lighting.
The best practice is to run everything on the boat off the house bank, except for engines, which should have their own battery, then install an emergency selector switch so you can switch banks if the house has an issue.
Solar should be DC coupled to the house system.
Thank you. Explained it simply enough to comprehend so I can delbe into details in time.
Don't go down the rabbit hole
Great content, Tim. So many people make this into a math class. Next idea is how to build a DIP arch.😊😊
Just be careful putting Lithium on your boat as it may void your boat insurance. Check with your marine insurance company. Lithium IRON batteries are stable. Lithium ION batteries are extremely dangerous, especially if they are exposed to salt water. Explosion possible.
!
Don't go cheap on lithium batteries. GO LFP reputable brands - MUCH less fire risk.
The typ of lithium is the relevant part for fite risk,! As far as i know (do your own research) lifepo4 is far less likely to catch on fire than li ion etc
@@danielt1g3r75 Lifep04 IS Lithium Ion!!!!!
@@danielt1g3r75 yep LFP + Lifepo. But you don't really want an unknown brand either, though that price differential is very tempting, must be a middle ground.
Ok, this video is good; but it's not entirely accurate. I'm on a 1985 Catalina 30 mono... and after hurricane Milton beat me up, I did a full solar system refit. So let me address some of his talking points:
1. A lead acid battery is NOT necessary as a starter for engine. I have an 105ah, 800cca DAUL purpose lithium battery specifically built for starting engines. Amazon! 1-A. And because my starter battery is lithium, it is charged as bank#2 by and within my entire solar system; thus, a DC to DC charger, while definitely a benefit, is NOT at all mandatory. I'm at over 14v on all batteries daily.
2. On this little boat, I have 8 solar panels, 4-300watt @16amps ea. and 4 Renogy 100 watt panels @15amps ea. for a total of 1600 watts, and a nominal 20 to 25 charging amps daily. And all of this is on a $20.00 100amp charge controller from Amazon which has (and continues to) worked perfectly for the last 4 years, (and at that price, I have 3 spares) and a 30amp renogy wanderer controller that has been just as fine as well.
Now, thirdly (3), besides my lithium starter battery, I also have 8 100 ah lithium batteries (which come in standard or mini size with the same amp hours) also from Amazon, for a total of 905+ah of constant usable power. And finally a 5500 watt inverter, also from Amazon for less than $400.00 as well. My point?
In this set up, I'm am TOTALLY off grid, daily powering all lights in the boat, VHF, HAM Radio, AIS, all of my laptops, drones, cameras, 2 fridges & freezer, autopilot, Quantum radar, power tools, electric toilet, cooktop, water maker, etc., etc., and as far as the solar system total cost, it was slightly less than the total in this video, but for A LOT more power incoming, sustainable, and most of all, USABLE POWER. I did this whole system for just the price of the three Battle Born batteries. SHOP AROUND! China is doing a good job of competing with expensive American "legacy" brands. I'm terribly happy with my system, which hasn't failed me at all!
Hi Tim, great video. So keeping a lead acid starting battery and charging your house LiFe batteries with a DC to DC converter as suggested solves a number of problems. I have driven Prius's for 24 years which do that. But what about this issue that Victron documents in this video of standard alternators overheating at low engine RPM? Even through the DC to DC, it is still a LiFo battery with low internal resistance that is very thirsty for the charging amps. Is this a problem in the real world with the 30 am DC to DC you recommend? Always keep the engine RPM up? Kind of noisy. Add a temp sensor to the VIctron disable? Bolting an 12v computer fan on the alternator would help, but one more thing to break. ruclips.net/video/jgoIocPgOug/видео.html
left out generator
don't go there. 50 years as a boat mechanic I would never put lithium on my boat. saltwater electricity is bad enough but then you start adding things that explode. we are already seeing deaths from lithium ion batteries charging on dive boats in California. electric cars burning up after hurricane flood. imagine you save your boat from sinking and all of a sudden it catches fire and you can't put it out and it continues to burn underwater. yes those lithium batteries will burn underwater. use all the solar you want but stick with lead acid batteries that do not blow up. almost all of these Marina fires that we are seeing are involving lithium batteries.