We decided upon Battleborn LiFePO4 batteries for our new “house” bank!

My long time friend, Rich Holst of Bohler Engineering, took delivery of a pallet at his home that included a couple of Lithium batteries and accessories yesterday. I rented a car to meet him there. We then enjoyed dinner out together with his son Rich!

I made it back to Lawerence [municipal] Yacht Club about 10pm. It is a secure marina facility in a beautiful residential area here in the metro NYC area. We’ve been anchored in this outstanding basin for days waiting for our weather window to Manasquan Inlet NJ. Dockmaster David Sarnelli told us we could bring the boat in to transfer the batteries from the rental cat to the boat… but that will have to wait for morning.

The marina was gated up tight; I could not get in! So I called Shelly to let here know I may be sleeping in the rental car for the night. I was tired enough as the Friday afternoon and night driving between NYC and NJ was fierce (NOT something I am accustomed to anymore, living on a boat!) We whispered our sweet nothings to each other and we both fell asleep a few hundred yards from each other. She was anchored out in the basin, I was parked outside the marina gate.

About an hour later, I was awakened by a vehicle pulling up to the marina gate, and one of the occupants agreed to let me in the gate!

So, I grabbed the excellent leftovers from my dinner with Rich and his son and rowed out to Shellerina in our dinghy. The heavier batteries would wait till morning when we’d bring the boat in.

Below, here they are, aboard the boat in the salon, physically configured as they will be down in the engine room. Thanks to our friend “Ron” whom we met in May 2021 here on our very first night of America’s Great Loop! We also took on ice and topped off the fresh water tank, and Instacart brought us some provisions! Tonight, we are back out on the hook in this great anchorage.

Negative terminals still have their covers on. Positive ones are removed to make precise cable measurements. These two 270 AH batteries will be wired in parallel to double that capacity at +/- 13 volts. A 250A Class T fuse will reside between this bank and the 2000w inverter charger, as will a smart shunt which we have on all our banks.

The exact cable length is 5-1/2 inches (hole to hole CL) to conjoin these batteries into a single bank. 2/0 AWG cables (custom made by BatterycablesUSA.com have been ordered.

These batteries weigh 80 pounds each, about half of the weight of a crudely comparable 8D which they will replace.

We can’t wait to let the sun start charging these up for daily living aboard Shellerina!

All our “heavy” loads, such as the bow thruster, the starter for the main engine, and the windlass, will rely upon traditional lead-acid flooded batteries which are better suited for those uses. Bridge electronics, Internet routers, etc. have their own AGM battery independent from the rest of the boat; same with the generator’s independent starer battery.