Lead acid batteries have caused. LOT of corrosion’s and rot to the wood on our boat...Patrick decides whether to upgrade the battery box to fiberglass, upgrade to LiFePO4 lithium batteries, or do both so we always have the options for what battery chemistry to use when these Trojan T-105s wear out. Battery acid can corrode, melt, and dissolve a battery box on a cruising sailboat, and it did on SV Brick House. Patrick Childress explains what he does to replace/repair/rebuild the wood and fiberglass battery box compartment to repair the damage done by leaking/gassing lead acid batteries. He step by step rebuilds a custom acid-proof battery box/compartment. Much of the wood was destroyed by the acid from our 6v golf cart Trojan T-105 lead acid batteries, during bad weather, or overfilling of the water. Was it the gasses emitted during equalization of batteries? Was it spilling of electrolytes after overfilling the battery with battery water, or during rough seas? This was all explained in the video before this one: Although we currently have Trojan T-105 lead acid batteries (FLA), we are researching replacing them next time with lithium iron phosphate batteries (a 12V LiFePO4 battery bank instead of Trojan golf cart batteries) Not necessarily due to this battery acid issue but because the benefits of lithium batteries now outweigh the disadvantages. The prices have come down since we started looking at them a few years ago, and they are said to be very safe now. They are not lithium ion batteries, but a different stable chemistry, even safer than the 'lead acid bombs' we have now :)
Luckily we will not have to make many changes to our charging units because we have been slowly upgrading those over time anyways, though Victron puts out a nice color display that we may spring for too. The price upfront is gigantic for these batteries, but over time, it catches up and moves ahead considering the number of cycles compared to lead acid and other factors. We are on this boat for the long haul... so it may be time to not be shortsighted, and get with the times!
There are but 4 companies we would consider; 2 from the USA and 2 from South Africa. Blue Nova Energy is very respected here in South Africa; Battle Born ( equally so in the USA and are the two big ones with our current thinking. We are also looking at a unique company called ”Freedom Won” in South Africa for a whole new kind of lithium battery set up ( Rebecca researches everything, as you know, and WILL find the best drop-in Lithium batteries to replace our Trojan T-105 lead acid batteries, or may conclude that it’s best to stick with the lead acid batteries for now. Eventually, we may just replace our lead acid batteries with lithium batteries though. Our current components are almost all compatible.
This video, part 2, is the rebuild of the battery box using a cored structural panel made here by “Fleet Management” in Zululand Yacht Club Boat Yard. It is much like “Coosa board” in the USA, as well as marine plywood, coating everything with fiberglass resin for protection from acid.
AMT Composites has been our technical advisor and supplier of epoxy resin, hardener, peel-ply, fiberglass cloth, filler, and other materials...many made by Gurit throughout this project and more. H
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