Batteries for the BC23

[Julian and Karen]

We have the original Varta LFD60 (Ah) Dual Purpose Leisure batteries, charged by 2 20W solar panels, which have done 4 seasons and are not holding their charge for long now (exacerbated by winter neglect). Does anyone have any recommendations for replacing these with similar size batteries that could service our increasing power needs?

At the moment we have a B&G Vulcan plotter used when sailing - and a VHF and autopilot which are not used so often, but we are considering adding an AIS receiver and B&G wireless wind masthead unit (though this looks rather large) linked via an NMEA2000 network - as well as battery recommendations, we are interested if anyone has any experience of adding either of these units?

[Graham W]

It depends a bit on how much you want to spend.  If you are budget-constrained and have ready access to shore power, I’d get the same Varta batteries again but perhaps upgrade your solar panels so that you gain longer autonomy. 

If you can afford the outlay, a couple of 50Ah LiFePO4 lithium batteries (or one big one of 100Ah) could be considered, depending on what space you have available to instal them.  See for example https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/133546730416. The advantages of lithium compared to lead are that they last for many more recharging cycles, are at least 50% lighter (and quite a bit smaller, which makes them easier to bring inside for the winter) and deliver power at full whack over nearly the whole of their discharge cycle, whereas their lead-based cousins peter out slowly and need to be recharged sooner.  So a 50Ah lithium should deliver more fully usable capacity than a 60Ah Varta.

If you chose lithium, you would need a solar panel charge controller (preferably an MPPT one) specifically for that chemistry.  Genasun ones are good if expensive.  There are much cheaper ones available but I'm not sure that it's a good idea to entrust expensive batteries to their care.

[Nick Orchard]

I can't help with your battery question I'm afraid, but I do have the B&G wireless wind instruments so may be able to offer a few comments on that, and can comment on the relative merits versus the Garmin gWind unit.
Like you I also have the B&G Vulcan plotter, and wanted to be all B&G from the outset, but in 2016 B&G didn't have a wireless wind offering, so I went with the Garmin version. Interfacing into the N2K network was mildly complicated needing two interface boxes and a laptop connection to set up the software, but it went together ok. What I found after not that long in use, perhaps 6 months, was that the signal kept dropping out for short periods. It was like it was feeling in need of a rest so it went off for a fag and cup of tea for 15 minutes, but it always came back again. That is until mid 2019 when it went off and never came back. I contacted Garmin about getting it repaired and they said it couldn't be fixed as they were now making the Mk 2 version and didn't have any Mk 1 PCBs left! This is on a 3 year old product, so not impressed. They offered a Mk 2 upgrade at reduced price, but the Mk 2 now only interfaces to NMEA 2000 via one of their plotters or readout units so no use to me. They also recommended that the wired version would be a much better option, even than the Mk 2, so not much of a vote of confidence from the manufacturers then.
By this time B&G had brought out their WS320 wireless unit, which they claimed had done 20,000 hours of testing, so sounded like a more reliable option, so I decided to switch to that. It's about the same size as the Garmin, but seems to me to be rather better designed and made. On the Garmin the vane unit was not very well balanced, so if you roll it over sideways the impeller swings round until it's vertical. This is not helped by the fact that the speed impeller and the direction vanes are both on the same pivoting unit, and when you assemble the impeller onto the spindle then the balance is affected by how far you push the impeller on before tightening the grub screw, so a bit fiddly to get right. On the B&G the speed impeller and direction vane are separate and pre-assembled. The balance is absolutely perfect and the bearings are very low friction, so you can tilt and rotate the support wand around underneath it and the vane stays perfectly still. I've also noticed that in very light winds the B&G anemometer cups are spinning when all the other boats around me in the marina have stationary cups.
Installation and set up on the Vulcan were pretty straight forward, you just need to find space for the receiver unit, which is the same 'burger bun' size as their ZG100 GPS/compass unit. It's been running for a year now and never missed a beat, so I'm very pleased with it. One thing that I have done is to set the Vulcan to use SOG to calculate true wind speed and direction, rather than the speed from the underwater log impeller, as the log seems to be pretty useless from about 2 weeks after cleaning, and needs about 3-4 knots of boatspeed to get it even to turn. The purists say you shouldn't use SOG for true wind as it can be misleading when there's a strong tide running, but that only applies relatively rarely at sea, whereas an incorrect speed through the water happens most of the time.
Regarding size, it's pretty much the same size as the Garmin, and it doesn't look out of place on a BC26 mast. The support wand is perhaps a little longer than necessary on a small boat, but once it's up there you don't really notice it.
All in all very pleased, and glad to be all B&G. (Just need to get the DST800 fixed now as the echo sounder seems to have learned a trick or two off the Garmin gWind and that disappears for a fag now as well!)
 
P.S. sorry just noticed that the photo is of the Garmin gWind not the B&G, I'll see if I've got a B&G photo and update shortly.

Update 2 - photo in the harbour has B&G. Sorry I don't have a higher res pic but I think it shows relative size.
 

[Martin Bevan]

When my Covid delayed BC23 (#65) was delivered in late August 2020 I specified lithium batteries.  Unfortunately they were totally unavailable as were most suitably sized lithiums.  We therefore had to have fitted a single standard 60Amp leisure battery as a stop gap.  The space for the batteries, under the main hatch is very tight for 1 or 2 batteries.  What will fit are Relion RB50 batteries and these are what Swallow would have fitted had they been available. What is also required is an MPPT solar controller that can be programmed for lithium batteries and similarly a suitable mains battery charger if you use shore power.  The solar controller fitted is from Photonic Universe, their own branded 10A MPPT controller which is rated at up to 130W.  This is programable for lithium batteries but to change that setting you will require an additional interface to link to a PC.  You can also get a remote display panel that allows the actual controller to be mounted out of the way.  In addition to the standard dual 20W panels fitted on the transom deck we have fitted a 30W panel on the hatch. Whether that is of any use due to shading from the boom remains to be seen.

In respect of potential shading issues, is there a solar expert amongst the owners who can advise on whether the two sets of panels would be better connected via two separate controllers or a controller with two separate inputs so that one set of panels does not drag the output from the other down, i.e. when shaded?

[Graham W]

Martin,

I’m no solar expert but I have two cheap and movable 60W solar panels that can be wired in parallel into my ePropulsion lithium battery controller (photo below).  I’m fairly sure that if one panel is shaded, it has no effect on the other.  As I understand it, wiring in parallel gives each panel its own route into the controller.  Wiring in series is a different matter.

That Photonic controller is much cheaper than the Genasun but looks the business, especially with its extra capabilities.

[Paul vR]

We had 2 standard Enecom HF20 solar panels fitted to our BC23 that was delivered to us in 2017. Last year they gave up charging the Varta battery all together (absolutely 0 charge). I checked all wiring, controllers etc, but in the end the conclusion was that it had to be the solar panels that had given up, albeit after 3 seasons only. Though not proven, it may have been that drilling through the panels (in the space between the actual solar cells) in order to fix them to the deck with a couple of small screws may have caused some moisture to leak into the sheets that make up the panel. I changed out both panels and mounted them using double-sided tape. So if you decide to get some new or additional panels, it's worth keeping this in mind.

[Julian and Karen]

Interesting about the solar panels failing - we had a similar issue when ours were 3 years old. Once we established it was the panels rather than the controller - fitting the new ones was not too much effort but making changes to the wiring in the stern with the boat in the water and outboard in place was not easy, with one shoulder wedged on the outboard, Karen holding my legs, and reaching up with 2 hands to disconnect the wires above my head. With the new ones, I added a waterproof junction box, and keep the cables longer, so I could make all the connections in the cockpit, and do any troubleshooting in future (some reports suggest the flexible ones are prone to failure), without needing to practice limbo dancing first. If I could find a robust panel, I am thinking of temporarily attaching it on the coach roof forward of the sprayhood (while moored) – and under the cushions in the bow when not in use.

On the batteries, I think I will buy Varta ones again (or similar if anyone recommends better similar size/price lead ones?). The lithium ones are tempting but the price and need to change the charge controller tips the balance in favour of buying some more of the old ones.

On the wind instruments, that is great feedback on the B&G unit, and installing this does sound reasonably straightforward, though there is less space on a BC23 than on a BC26 – so finding somewhere to place the burger bun receiver and the N2K network may be challenging, and also fitting the unit on the top of the mast – has this been done in such a way that it can easily be removed for towing, etc? It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has fitted any wind instruments to a BC23 mast (we have a VHF aerial and tricolor up there already)?

[Martijn]

We had 2 standard Enecom HF20 solar panels fitted to our BC23 that was delivered to us in 2017. Last year they gave up

Had almost exactly the same problem except for only one panel failing. Both panels dated from 2018 so still almost new. The black box on top of the panel (where the wires connect to the panel) was very badly corroded, to the point it was swollen and the lid came of. Perhaps these particular panels are not salt water resistant ?
I decided to replace both panels with smaller ones with equivalent wattage and also less slippery when wet

[MarkDarley]

Much head scratching over electronics, fridge and other power needs for the new BC23.

Calculations from Matt show that if using both the plotter and the fridge, I would be down to only 12 hrs of use with one lithium battery, so going to 2. (I will be using Navionics on an iPad as much as possible to save on the draw from the plotter).

I am also adding another at least 50w panel to the initial two 20w solar panels. I will deploy it at anchor or on a mooring.  I am planning on Lithium batteries because they will charge faster and draw down lower without damage.  I hate marinas and hope to get away with my Epropulsion Spirit Plus for an engine, so all of this is to give me extensive range between the need to tie up alongside and plug in.

The question for you BC23 owners is; where should I put the extra panel and what are the dimensions?  They are far less expensive here in the States, so I will need to fit it in the bottom of a suitcase!

[Rob Johnstone]

Mark, You could always purchase one of those ethonol powered fuel cells.......

[MarkDarley]

Rob,
I sense you have gone through all of this and returned to a wonderfully simple day sailor….