Bob
The only reason I’m thinking of converting to Lithium at this point is because one of the four batteries in the 48 volt AGM string is reading a little low. The batteries were bought in 2016 to replace the originals installed in 2008. I need to do a check on each of the batteries but a shoulder pain is preventing me from climbing into the locker at this point. It may be just a connection issue but until I can do some testing I won’t know for sure how bad the low battery really is. Since the batteries have aged a bit replacing the one potentially bad battery in the string does not make sense so that’s why a Lithium replacement is on the table for me.
I was going to suggest a weather resistant monitor to cover all your basic and interesting visualizations (battery stats, electric usage, regenerative efficiency, etc.), but the beer tap is pretty good.
OR, and I’m just spitballing here, use half of it for a beer tap and the other half for your electronic instrument cluster, but also add visualizations for beer status (temperature, volume, etc.)
Brian
SV Serenity
Nonsuch Nereus #003
Pax River, MD
Can’t fill the W18 instrument panel hole with the new instrument panel. The status monitor mounts just above the throttle, so it’s be on the pedestal rail just forward and above the wheel. I’m looking forward to being able to mount it high enough that I’ll no longer have an awkward reach through the wheel.
This is the best picture I can offer at the moment. It comes out of the Electric Yachts documentation. The one going on my boat differs from this in that it’s white rather than black, and will have the larger upgraded instrument panel.
Tim’s right that the glove box may not fit. I’m worried about that, but figure it’s worth a shot.
My carpentry skills aren’t up to Tim’s and I’m trying to avoid adding wood to the boat in order to keep maintenance down. I was hoping someone knew where to find an affordable off the shelf insert like his except in ABS or starboard, because that’d be my first choice.
So I may be back to considering the beer tap alternative. For that matter, I may be freeing up enough engine compartment space to be able to install my own distillery…
Hmmmm. Tempting.
Oh, wait – there’s a problem with that. I’m operating under a budget. This interacts with my retirement funds. For every so much I go over budget, I have to die a certain number of days earlier in order to break even.
So, the beer tap plan is out. It’s not just the cost of the necesssary equipment. I could probably swing that. It’s the cost of keeping the beer tank full.
Still open to suggestions worthy of sober consideration.
Bob Neches,
Breaking even is only leaving everything you have free and clear of debt so it’s very subjective but a good goal for the best of us.
Everything that’s left is still there.
Like ‘Me Gusta’
Brian
Boat-less in New England
_)
