C30 LifePO4 upgrade- logistics

D

dbsea

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2021
Messages
1,060
Fluid Motion Model
R-23 (Outboard)
Vessel Name
HALCYON
MMSI Number
368365270
Has anyone with a C30 done a lithium upgrade? I am in the planning stages (and have all the equipment). The last mile is the physical space planning and that seems to be the most difficult to get a clear picture of. If others have done this would love ideas on where to put things for ease of serviceability and troubleshooting. I will be using 2x Epoch 460ah batteries, along with the Victron lynx system (power in, intelligent shunt, and distribution), along with an Orion 50a dc/dc, and my existing 100/50 solar controller.
 
What inverter/charger so you have aboard? A Victron multiplus connected to the house and then reconfigured for lithium charging would be the way to go given the other components. But keep in mind you may want to add an additional multi-bank dedicated charger for the engine, generator, and thruster batteries as they will no longer have access to charge via shore power (solely charging from engine, Gen, or solar) since the DC-DC unit replacing the house ACR is not Bi-directional.

Replacing the ~250#s of weight on port with only ~150#s you may need to get creative shifting other storage items to compensate. Alternatively while it would be a much larger undertaking the best scenario for maintaining voltage and whatnot would be to move the engine, Gen, and thruster batteries to the port side (consider adding a dedicated battery for each thruster) and put the house lithiums on starboard where you only need a very short run of cable to the inverter resulting in less voltage loss and better weight distribution. Mount remote operation battery switches/ACRs in the port locker and have short runs to the engine and stern thruster. Mount a stud where the old battery switches were and use the old house cables to link the bow thruster and windlass cables back to the respective batteries on port.
 
I have a couple Victron version of the Epoch 460ah battery, but only installed one in my R25-OB. It's big and heavy.

Unless you have Victron Multi-plus inverter/charter or charger, not sure it's worth it. Panbo had an article on it. That said, the best feature to me about it over the Essential is the ability to use a button to turn off the battery. You're supposed to be able to do it with the app, but it doesn't work. I do this when messing around with electrical stuff and am paranoid about having hot always on stuff.

panbo.com

Update: Epoch's 460ah battery, what we've learned

Epoch’s 460 amp-hour, 12-volt battery is a powerhouse. But, there are some issues. Take a look at them and some solutions.
panbo.com
 
I have the multiplus 2, 120/3000 already installed on the boat. Martin has been great helping me with the wiring diagrams. This last part seems the hardest. The 460 essentials are not quite as big as an 8D and will fit horizontally in the lazarette. It’s the rest of the gear that is the most challenging (cerbo, additional charger for thruster / engine, dc/dc charger, and the lynx system). I have an abyc certified electrician coming to consult with me in a few weeks…
 
I have just purchased a 2018 C30 CB with Volvo D6. The batteries were all on the brink and I agreed with the seller that he replace the engine and thruster batteries with AGM so I could get it from Everett to Victoria and I would look after replacing the 4 house batteries. Given they are in need of replacement, I do think it is worthwhile going to Lithium now. I am following this and other threads with interest as I learn about how others are making this conversion most reliable and effective.
 
MOwcean said:
I have just purchased a 2018 C30 CB with Volvo D6. The batteries were all on the brink and I agreed with the seller that he replace the engine and thruster batteries with AGM so I could get it from Everett to Victoria and I would look after replacing the 4 house batteries. Given they are in need of replacement, I do think it is worthwhile going to Lithium now. I am following this and other threads with interest as I learn about how others are making this conversion most reliable and effective.
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Hi there MOwcean, I am having a professional do it at this point - they are coming to consult / plan things out next week. I have gotten super busy with work, and also want it done right. I will share photos and specs of the installation when it is done. 🙂
 
dbsea said:
Hi there MOwcean, I am having a professional do it at this point - they are coming to consult / plan things out next week. I have gotten super busy with work, and also want it done right. I will share photos and specs of the installation when it is done. 🙂
Click to expand...
Checking back dbsea to see how your planning is going? I purchased two, 280AH lithium batteries for my house battery replacements and now need to plan the rest of the pieces I need. I am leaning towards Victron, but it is a little confusing / complicated which specific model numbers and parts I need. I did check my current inverter and unfortunately it is not lithium compatible. So I know I will need at least the new inverter (the version you have sounds like the right one...), smart shunt and DC to DC charger. One of the areas I remain confused about is whether the inverter / charger is capable of charging both my house lithium batteries and the two remaining AGM batteries for engine and thrusters.

Anything you can share would be appreciated including the wiring diagrams that Martin shared with you.
 
MOwcean said:
Checking back dbsea to see how your planning is going? I purchased two, 280AH lithium batteries for my house battery replacements and now need to plan the rest of the pieces I need. I am leaning towards Victron, but it is a little confusing / complicated which specific model numbers and parts I need. I did check my current inverter and unfortunately it is not lithium compatible. So I know I will need at least the new inverter (the version you have sounds like the right one...), smart shunt and DC to DC charger. One of the areas I remain confused about is whether the inverter / charger is capable of charging both my house lithium batteries and the two remaining AGM batteries for engine and thrusters.

Anything you can share would be appreciated including the wiring diagrams that Martin shared with you.
Click to expand...
I did a lithium upgrade to our R29 and installed the Victron MultiPlus 3000 inverter charger. The main charger output charges the lithium house bank with a lithium profile. The MultiPlus has a secondary 12 volt trickle charge output built in, which I connected to the engine start battery with an AGM output profile. I left the ACR in place between the engine start and thruster batteries, so the MultiPlus trickle charge output charges both. The engine alternator also charges the engine start battery (and thruster battery through the ACR); and feeds a Victron DC-DC charger to the house lithium bank. Also, the MPPT controller for the solar goes directly to the house lithium bank. This setup has been working well for me.
 
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YukonRon said:
I did a lithium upgrade to our R29 and installed the Victron MultiPlus 3000 inverter charger. The main charger output charges the lithium house bank with a lithium profile. The MultiPlus has a secondary 12 volt trickle charge output built in, which I connected to the engine start battery with an AGM output profile. I left the ACR in place between the engine start and thruster batteries, so the MultiPlus trickle charge output charges both. The engine alternator also charges the engine start battery (and thruster battery through the ACR); and feeds a Victron DC-DC charger to the house lithium bank. Also, the MPPT controller for the solar goes directly to the house lithium bank. This setup has been working well for me.
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This is very helpful - many thanks.
 
also a power in isnt the way i would do it.

You need a class T fuse, and with only two batteries i would wire them paralleled to a class T to a smart lynx if you want. but save a metric ton of money and just use a smart shunt. The lynx is a really expensive pretty version of that. AIC of mega fuses arent enough so don't use a lynx distributor as your input either.

You could go MBRFon each battery then to the power in, but the cost of the MBRF and the lynx power in kinda make it worth it just to go Class T

are you planning on doing a cerbo?

Im in the middle of getting a 23 and doing 990ah of lithium in it and a full victron system as well.
 
freedomvango said:
also a power in isnt the way i would do it.

You need a class T fuse, and with only two batteries i would wire them paralleled to a class T to a smart lynx if you want. but save a metric ton of money and just use a smart shunt. The lynx is a really expensive pretty version of that. AIC of mega fuses arent enough so don't use a lynx distributor as your input either.

You could go MBRFon each battery then to the power in, but the cost of the MBRF and the lynx power in kinda make it worth it just to go Class T

are you planning on doing a cerbo?

Im in the middle of getting a 23 and doing 990ah of lithium in it and a full victron system as well.
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My 560ah seems weak! :^)

Leaning towards Cerbo and investigating Zeus Alternator Regulator rather than DC to DC charger from the Alternator.
 
MOwcean said:
My 560ah seems weak! :^)

Leaning towards Cerbo and investigating Zeus Alternator Regulator rather than DC to DC charger from the Alternator.
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if the motor can turn it i absolutely would. 100% the best way to do it. We do secondary 250-300amp alternators on our vans, and also add DC to DC regularly.

I would go cerbo, smart shunt, zeus can bussed into the cerbo, and offset a little of cost. the lynx shunt is an expensive part for its use IMO. (we are victron distributors so do a lot of it lol)
 
YukonRon said:
I did a lithium upgrade to our R29 and installed the Victron MultiPlus 3000 inverter charger. The main charger output charges the lithium house bank with a lithium profile. The MultiPlus has a secondary 12 volt trickle charge output built in, which I connected to the engine start battery with an AGM output profile. I left the ACR in place between the engine start and thruster batteries, so the MultiPlus trickle charge output charges both. The engine alternator also charges the engine start battery (and thruster battery through the ACR); and feeds a Victron DC-DC charger to the house lithium bank. Also, the MPPT controller for the solar goes directly to the house lithium bank. This setup has been working well for me.
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Hi Ron,
Do you have any photos of your Victron Multiplus inverter-charger install? Our Kisae inverter-charger just bit the dust, and I'm considering upgrading to the Multiplus 2000, but space looks a little tight.
 
freedomvango said:
if the motor can turn it i absolutely would. 100% the best way to do it. We do secondary 250-300amp alternators on our vans, and also add DC to DC regularly.

I would go cerbo, smart shunt, zeus can bussed into the cerbo, and offset a little of cost. the lynx shunt is an expensive part for its use IMO. (we are victron distributors so do a lot of it lol)
Click to expand...
I have been informed by Zeus that the Mitsubishi alternator on my Volvo-Penta D6 does not have a field connection which their regulator requires. Not sure if it is worthwhile (or even possible) to have it modified, but I am not keen to add their recommended high output replacement as this adds another $1,000+ US to my cost.

On that basis, I am leaning back towards the Victron 12v 50A DC to DC charger.
 
YukonRon said:
I did a lithium upgrade to our R29 and installed the Victron MultiPlus 3000 inverter charger. The main charger output charges the lithium house bank with a lithium profile. The MultiPlus has a secondary 12 volt trickle charge output built in, which I connected to the engine start battery with an AGM output profile. I left the ACR in place between the engine start and thruster batteries, so the MultiPlus trickle charge output charges both. The engine alternator also charges the engine start battery (and thruster battery through the ACR); and feeds a Victron DC-DC charger to the house lithium bank. Also, the MPPT controller for the solar goes directly to the house lithium bank. This setup has been working well for me.
Click to expand...
Ron - did you go with the Victron 50 Amp DC to DC charger? How do you find the overall charging performance for replenishing your house, engine and thruster batteries? I had hoped to go with the Zeus regulator, but that has turned out to not be an option for me. I also have solar (currently 145 watt panel, but may upgrade this) and will buy the Victron solar charger to replace my current one.
 
freedomvango said:
I would absolutely put the alternator on.
You will charge 5x faster. the ROi on that 1,000 is better than anything else you can do id venture
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Hmmm... my total cost of the Zeus regulator and alternator would be more like $2,000 US / $2,800 Canadian. I really do like what I hear and see about their gear, but That's a significant chunk of my Lithium conversion budget. I'll get my local supplier to provide a quote and see if there's any negotiation room.
 
there isnt really any room to soak that up.

Your electrical system, if you want real comforts, is always one of the most expensive single systems. Its 100% related to quality of life and expanding that quality.
Granted I'm 100% biased since I do this for a living, but there is no way I would be in my van and not be able to run the ac all night on batteries, and I expect the same on my boat. that's why I'm repowering my whole system as well. You get the advantage that you can do a big alternator, I cant on an outboard.
 
MOwcean said:
Ron - did you go with the Victron 50 Amp DC to DC charger? How do you find the overall charging performance for replenishing your house, engine and thruster batteries? I had hoped to go with the Zeus regulator, but that has turned out to not be an option for me. I also have solar (currently 145 watt panel, but may upgrade this) and will buy the Victron solar charger to replace my current one.
Click to expand...
I went with the Victron Orion-Tr Smart 12/12 - 30. I did not want to max out the alternator with too much load. Between the Orion and the solar we have never had a problem recharging the house. We have gone out for up to 6 weeks at a time, mostly on the hook and moving every 3 to 6 days.
 
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