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sailingolli avatar image
sailingolli asked

Boat - Multiplus Last Year - Lithium Battery Upgrade This Year - HELP!

Last year I purchased a boat which has 6 x Flooded Cell batteries, Generator and No Inverter. I was finding that I was running the generator all the time. So, I fitted a Isolating Transformer, two Multiplus, DMC, CerboGX, GXTouch, SmartShunt and Argofet Isolator. I've tried to make a diagram below, but not a graphics genius.

At the same time as purchasing the MultiPlus Inverter, I purchased BUT did not install, Orion-Tr Smart DCDC Charger, Cyrix Li-Charge and Smart Battery Protect.

My Flooded Cell Batteries have now totally failed which is no surprise at 5 year old. So, I want to upgrade to Lithium 4 x LiFePO4 200ah 12.8v Smart Batteries (I think 4 is enough!).

Can anyone let me know what other key parts I need to operate the Lithium and make sure everything is okay and safe. I had one person telling me VE Bus BMS with my spare parts and another person telling me Lynx Smart BMS 500 is better and easier and sell the Cyrix and Smart Battery Protect.

Any help or recommendations would be great.

Thanks, Stefanie x


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Lithium BatterySmartShuntorion-tr smartmultiplus ve.bus
olli.jpg (1.3 MiB)
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@sailingolli

Can you please try to upload the diagram again? It has not made into your initial post.

It should work by simply drag and drop it into your comment/answer.

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sailingolli avatar image sailingolli Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented ·
Hopefully working now. x
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Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) avatar image
Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) answered ·

@sailingolli

Yes, working now.

Coming back to your initial question, Lynx Smart BMS is really something to consider in a bigger system like yours because it has a contactor build in, which saves you lot of other safety equipment like a Cyrix for example. Of course, the VE.Bus BMS is also a alternative, but you can't compare them. The VE.Bus BMS is lacking the intelligence (smart, charging parameters included, perfect integration with your Cerbo GX etc.) compared to the Lynx Smart BMS

With such a big Lithium battery bank it also makes sense to consider charging the battery bank from your alternator (requires an external regulator and a modified alternator), which is way more efficient.
Then using the Orion-Tr smart charger to charge your starter battery from Lithium and also get rid of the Argo diode. That's how I'm doing it on my boat.

And FWIW, have you looked at the 330Ah SmartLithium? Two of them (or even three) is close to what you get capacity wise from your 4x200Ah, but requires less installation effort.


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sailingolli avatar image
sailingolli answered ·

Hi Stefanie, That is awesome information and so helpful. I will certainly look at the larger capacity SmartLithium. Are there any other Smart Lithium Batteries with built in BMS which work well with the Victron system?

Stef

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@sailingolli

There is no Victron SmartLithium with built in BMS. For the whole range of BMS which work with SmartLithiums, please take a look here: https://www.victronenergy.com/battery-management-systems

Any of them will do. I suggest you take the time to read through the data sheets and manual.
Another good source is the SmartLithium manual with a comparison chart for all Victron BMSs: https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Lithium_Battery_Smart/Manual_Lithium_Battery_Smart-en.pdf


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sailingolli avatar image
sailingolli answered ·

Have you heard of TN Power Lithium Batteries. I've been told by a renewables supplier in the UK that lots of people are buying them with Victron Inverters for boats. The product code I was given is TN-LFP12.8V216Ah. Do you think these will do? They are a lot cheaper than the Victron alternative?

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No, sorry. Never heard of them. I'm all Victron, simply because I think everything fits almost perfectly together.

The disadvantage of 3rd party batteries is that it could become a challenge to get it working just like it does with Victron batteries or batteries supported by Victron.

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