Solid state marine battery

[SolidStateMarine]

Hi

Hi Tom,
It’s really great that you reached to the forum to dispel a lot of speculation.

The solid state batteries are still quite expensive. I was an early adopter of LiFe PO batteries for marine applications some 15 years ago and the technology wasn’t cheap back then. I paid something like $650 for a 60A/hr battery plus $150 or more for a charger. However, it was a good investment.

So a big advantage of SS batteries compared to LiFePO is operation as a cranking AND deep cycle battery. This leads me to ask about charging since a cranking battery is connected to the engine’s alternator which may not provide optimal charge current and voltage.

So two questions:
1. Will the above application reduce battery life and capacity?
2. Can you alleviate this issue by topping of the battery after use with a recommended CC/CV charger?

Just thought of one additional question. The charging and operating temperatures are better than a non-heated LiFePO. What is the minimum storage temperature?

Thanks for your time.

Dave (Still Afloat)

Hi Dave,
Connecting directly to the alternator is fine with these batteries. With a larger voltage range, the batteries can charge up to 16.8V (which is great for graphs, fish finders, and stereos) which makes this a great fit for charging from an alternator. Also, we have a couple different series, but even the standard series has a 200A continuous discharge rate, which is suitable for many starters.

If you wanted to top off the battery with a charger to get the full 16.8V, you'll get a battery with an immense amount of capacity. You'll just want to double check that the rest of your electronics are OK with the higher voltage (most electronics in the last 5 years are actually designed for higher voltage).

Let me know if you have any other questions!
Tom

 

[Still Afloat]

Hi

Hi Dave,
Connecting directly to the alternator is fine with these batteries. With a larger voltage range, the batteries can charge up to 16.8V (which is great for graphs, fish finders, and stereos) which makes this a great fit for charging from an alternator. Also, we have a couple different series, but even the standard series has a 200A continuous discharge rate, which is suitable for many starters.

If you wanted to top off the battery with a charger to get the full 16.8V, you'll get a battery with an immense amount of capacity. You'll just want to double check that the rest of your electronics are OK with the higher voltage (most electronics in the last 5 years are actually designed for higher voltage).

Let me know if you have any other questions!
Tom

I think 16.8V is bit hot for VHF marine radios. Most are designed for 13.8V with max of around 15.6 to 15.9V. Humminbird fish finders are good for 10 to 20V so no problem there. Perhaps others are similar.