CarpeDiem
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Posts posted by CarpeDiem
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19 hours ago, Island Time said:
Be interesting to see if there is any response!
You'll get a response. As this will be deemed a OIA request. In the unlikely event you don't get a response, you can file with the ombudsman.
What will be interesting is what kind of response you get 😜😂. ... ..
Thanks for taking the initiative.
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I hope the long range Forecast improves 😜😜
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Pretty sure it was going somewhere to be scrapped...
I vaguely recall that Auckland Council took possession.
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5 minutes ago, K4309 said:
Others may conclude that because there is 15,000 of them, one yacht race isn't going to cause their instantaneous extinction.
I think that would be an opinion not a conclusion.
A school teacher once told me that opinions are like arse holes, everyone has one.
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He used to be a skater, now he's into her instead of skating, so she's a 'skate stopper'...
(fwiw I also did not get it... but I had a child on hand...)
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22 hours ago, TimeOut said:
Ashton,
I agree the McArthur HAT looks good as it solves the pi shutdown challenge and handles N2k connectivity and the Pi5 looks good too, better performance and it takes the NVME (SSD) hat - definately looks worth investigating.
We raced round rangi and rakino yesterday (sunday) in the RYC closing regatta, very challenging conditions, a broach and and knockdown in those savage squalls and our no2 gave up and disintegrated heading back up the harbour to westhaven, we crossed the finish line on main only and got first on line!
Got a nice graph from a fellow competitor showing peak of 40 and avg 23knots, which made me think I should start capturing data off the pi - next project. And no problems with the GPS over the entire 6 hours.
Sure thing on the coding and I'm familiar with Linux if that's ever any help.
Jeremy
I have a very nice little unit from YachtD that captures everything on the N2K network and records it to a sdcard.
Unfortunately I now have billions of datapoints collected over 5+ years that I have been unable to process because the amount of information is over welming - but one day I plan on learning/using some big data processing tool to overcome that
In the meantime I keep recording everything whenever the network is powered on...
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On 31/03/2024 at 4:53 PM, Jon said:
I sailed north
Hauled out at Whangārei Marine Centre was half the price of Westhaven
Is it a high tide only affair? Isn't there a low bridge?
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7 minutes ago, Island Time said:
Yes, there are situations that could take out all the BMS units together. High (or low voltage) is an example. Much more likely is a single cell tripping one BMS - high or low temp, high or low voltage due to balance or other issues.
Agree 100%.
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Just now, Island Time said:
The standards makes no allowance for "leisure craft". ABYC E13 OR AUS/NZS 3004. Just because a craft is not inspected doesn't exempt it . Yes I realize a standard itself is not law.
Yep. My point is that the standard isn't a requirement for leisure craft. Because is not cited by the regulations that apply to leisure craft.
However, it is legal requirement for commercial vessels that operate under Maritime NZ Rule 60.
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9 minutes ago, K4309 said:
Given all of that, it just doesn't seem balanced to jeopardize an multi-million dollar international event, with proven economic benefit.
I think you've missed a key point in your assumptions. Namely that SailGP came up with the risk management plan.
They developed, wrote, and submitted their RMP, this wasn't forced on them by some government agency.
They came up with the rule. They decided that this is how they would proceed if dolphins were seen in the marine mammal sanctuary.
Meanwhile, the not for profit volunteer BOI race week committee came up with a risk management plan that allowed racing to continue in the event dolphins were spotted.
I think you're barking up the wrong tree, you should take your gripe to the very people who stood to financially benefit the most from killing a Hector or two.
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2 hours ago, Island Time said:
Just a note here. That install does not meet ABYC or AS/NZS standards for a Lithium install. That COULD cause an insurance problem. Most of the issue it it has no external comms to "provide visual and audible" warning of an impending shutdown
As the standard is not legislated in leisure craft it would only cause an issue with your insurance if and only if your insurance company required compliance with the specific (or latest) standard. My insurance policy has no such wording.
2 hours ago, Island Time said:but it's unlikely to ever shut down as there are, in effect, 4 BMS's making 4 banks...
As the banks are in parallel then if the voltage goes high, eg, 14.7v all 4 BMS's will shutdown within seconds of each other.
Likewise a continuous current draw of merely a few amps that brings a single cell to the low voltage disconnect level will have a cascading effect across all 4 BMS's and they will all shut down within minutes of each other.
Having multiple batteries in parallel does not reduce the likelihood of a BMS shutdown across all the batteries due to high or low cell voltage.
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2 hours ago, K4309 said:
It is clear the risk is not balanced with the economic benefit.
Really?
And exactly what peer reviewed scientific evidence did you use to reach your conclusion?
2 hours ago, K4309 said:I'm going to need more convincing that a population level of 15,000 is nearing a tipping point.
I'm am going to need a lot more convincing that your opinion should be considered over that of the world wide scientific community of experts that periodically come together to assess and assign the threat classifications to marine species.
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1 hour ago, K4309 said:
So what is really happening is the Hectors dolphin is listed as endangered because it's population is decreasing, not because of the total population size.
It's both. The population size is getting to dangerous levels where breeding can't occur fast enough to replace those that die.
If it continues that tipping point will be reached. Once that tipping point is reached the species will be gone in 3 generations. No one knows when that exact tipping point will be, but we know that if the the current trajectory continues the Hectors will be gone.
Unlike sheep we can't import more Hector dolphins to complement breeding stock.
As the only species on this planet that can actually make a difference to the survival of other species I think it would be rather arrogant of us to put the miniscule short term economic gain of a yacht race before a potential extinction event.
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39 minutes ago, K4309 said:
This endangered thing.
There are 15,000 of these Hectors dolphins. That sounds like a sh*t load to me. At what point does fifteen thousand become endangered?
Are people getting mixed up with the Maui Dolphin? the Hector's west coast cousin. They have something like 56 left - that is clearly critically endangered, and clearly warrants protective measures that come with economic cost to other people.
But 15,000? how can you justify significant economic disruption when there are 15,000 of them? It is not proportionate.
Because that's a legal definition for threatened species that has a decreasing population - it's really not that hard.
They are a Threatened species, that are Nationally Endangered - which means if we don't stop doing what we are doing they will become Nationally Critical in the short term (5-10yrs).
The Maui Dolphin are Nationally Critical - they are expected to go extinct.
Generally speaking once something makes the Nationally Critical list it's usually a matter of when, not if, it becomes extinct.
When a species hits the Nationally Endangered list, it's time to make some major changes to stop the species getting on the Nationally Critical list...
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25 minutes ago, B00B00 said:
Yup my battery monitor is a Victron BMV 702 as well as my 3 Solar regulators. All Bluetooth on my phone. see attached screenshot of all victron units.
Note that screenshot was taken in at night and the top one is on the start battery hense the different voltage readings.
Yes there is alternator and battery temperature sensors on the regulator.
Also a picture of the alternator type and boat for reference.
You could do well to install a Victron SmartShunt.
These can network with the Smart MPPT units turning them into a syncronised charger.
The synchronisation occurs over Bluetooth.
A boat I helped on recently had three chargers like you and they were all all over the place. By networking them to the SmartShunt they are now able to fully charge the LFP every time. We've set a charge voltage of 14.2v with a tail termination of 0.03C and it works a treat.
Just need to confirm that the model mppt you have is compatible with the Bluetooth networking option...
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50 minutes ago, mcp said:
Then custom set your absorption voltage to 13.9v.
LFP must have tail current termination if the voltage is held at any value above 13.35v.
13.9v will over charge a lfp if left for long enough.
The Balmar 614 allows a timeout parameter to be set on the absorbation cycle, not paying specific attention to this value could result in over charging.
Without doing experiments on the actual batteries to determine a safe absorption hold timer I could never recommend a value. Hence I suggest dropping straight from bulk to hold (aka float) and skipping absorb altogether. IMO it's not worth the risk.
Charge to 14.2v then hold at 13.35v - you can now safely run your engine for 10minutes or 10days without any risk of overcharge.
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Just now, B00B00 said:
What is the advantage of keeping the 3 way splitter and adding the DC-DC chargers as well?
Would you ever drop the thruster/anchor winch out of that circuit and then just use a bigger DC-DC charger onto them?
The 3way ensures that in the very unlikely event that all 4 bms's close the charge circuit that your alternator is still connected to a battery.
The LFP profile will never fully charge the bow or start. So the dc/dc takes care of this.
Eg, let's assume a quality group 31 ca/ca start battery. The charge requirement is 14.9v till the current reaches 2A. Then float at 13.2v indefinitely.
While your LFP profile might be charge till the voltage reaches 14.4v (the balmar can't do a current termination) then hold (aka float) at 13.4v.
So the charge profiles are incompatible with one another. Hence the dc/dc makes up the difference.
You could definitely do it with just a two way splitter. But as you have a 3 way you lose nothing by leaving it in.
I would also recommend a manual self resetting 'enable charging' switch on the 614. LFP is a different mind set - everytime you start the engine you should decide 'Do I need to charge the batteries?' eg if you have just been running the engine for 5hrs you stop it and 10 minutes later you need to move the boat again cause you put the anchor in the wrong place you shouldn't really start a new lfp charge cycle... Over charging lfp is very easy.
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Oh yep. As you say these have BMS's built in. You can't get any signal out of them so no option to control the regulator. They are also MOSFET type BMS's so I do not recommend connecting a winch to them - although with 4 BMS's you'd probably be OK - but I would still not recommend it cause if the BMS's blow up you'd be pretty annoyed
The key issue you face is that you cannot control the charge termination from the 614. It has no ability to detect the tail current and therefore you cannot safely fully charge from the alternator.
My recommendation would be to:
1. set the 614 to charge to 14.4v and then switch to float at 13.4 as soon as 14.4 is reached
2. 2x small DC/DC chargers set to the appropriate profile for each of your lead banks
3. Continue with your 3-way splitter so that if all 4x BMS do switch off any load dump will be absorbed by the LA's
4. Let the solar top up the LFP
Troubleshooting:
1. Bring your LFP bank down to ~75% and disconnect your bow batteries from the splitter
2. Start the engine and check the voltage at the back of the alternator and the voltage at the LFP - how much voltage drop is there?
3. How much current is going into the LFP? (I can loan you an amp clamp)
4. How much is going into the Start battery (it should be negligable)
I went through this exact troubleshooting exercise myself. Turned out that the voltage drop was 0.9v, this resulted in the LFP being charged at 13.8v so the current dropped right down giving me ~40Amps at the LFP's. By winding the alternator up to 15.6v I was able to get 90A into the LFP. The permanent answer was 70mm2 cables AND re-routing the cables to make the run shorter.
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1 minute ago, B00B00 said:
Pretty sure the BMS is not connected to the Balmar 614 but it could be. It's all a bit above my skill set.
I have a victron 30a DC-DC charger which I was going to use to the start battery and then look at getting another one for the thruster batteries. You are right that if I connect the Anchor winch to the house bank then the start and thruster batteries will not need a huge charging setup. They don't do much work really.
What do I need between the alternator and lifepo4 bank to protect the alternator if the BMS shuts the batteries off?
What BMS do you have?
The BMS would shut down the alternator before it shuts off the charge circuit. Then the alternator won't get damaged.
A solution which shuts off the alternator when charged is not great, but it is better than nothing. Ideally the alternator should be switched into a holding voltage of 13.35v once the LFP is fully charged. If the engine is still spinning you might as well use the alternator to power everything, including those DC/DC chargers rather than start depleting the LFP. But you can't do that with the 614.
Likewise the solar should also be going into holding mode, so your BMS should be controlling the solar too.
The 250SE would meet your needs, but with the 120S, it would be overkill.
Without knowing what kind of BMS you have, you might be better to put your anchor winch to the bow thruster batteries. I have seen several BMS's that have gone up in smoke due to the flyback voltage spike that comes off the winch motors.
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The issue with the Balmar regulator with LFP is that it can't do a measured charge termination. You'll either undercharge or overcharge your LFP it will never be right. The only way to fully charge LFP is with a measured charge termination current.
Like you say, you need two separate dc/dc chargers to top off your Independant LA banks. You'll never achieve that with a LFP charge profile.
What do you use the bow battery bank for? How many Watts do you typically pull out of it before a recharge?
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Now surplus to requirements due to modifications to my LFP setup.
CTEK 120S and CTEK 250SE
Selling as a pair: $850
Includes:
* Solar MPPT (20A)
* Alternator to Battery 140A
* Three CC/CV Profiles (20A) suitable for LiFePO4, AGM, PbC (Lead Carbon) or flooded LA
* Suitable for 40Ah to 800Ah, but you realistically need 80Ah minimum to see a benefit from the 120S
* Automatic low voltage disconnect for non essential services
Happy to assist with install if you're Westhaven (or nearby) based for a couple of bottles of Rum. Can loan hydraulic crimping tools, installation design and experience.
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Converting from 12vdc to 230vac and back to 36vdc is extremely inefficient.
Unless you have excess energy to literally burn, you'd be better off getting a 12v to 36v boost converter. You'll possibly find the manufacturer even sells a correctly sized boost converter.
If you're buying an inverter that needs a 10A circuit breaker installed on the AC side, then legally this must be installed by an electrician and include appropriate earth/neutral protection.
If you're buying an inverter with a 3pin AC socket on it, then these use a isolated IT earthing system and do not need an additional breaker installed as they have internal protection. If using one of these devices then you should never run multiple devices off a single plug.
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Ideal pole length for non overlapping jib
in TechTalk
Posted
Due to what is now amazingly clear with hindsight we have two quite nice carbon fibre spars, although one end of each is a bit jagged...
I was thinking of sleeving them together and turning them into a Cruising pole...
Most of the recommendations I have seen suggest a adjustable whisker pole... That seems like another level of complication for an adjustment which isn't really going to make much difference...
Anyone got a suggestion on the ideal pole length for poling out a non overlapping jib?