Keeping your batteries in tip top condition is our priority at Berthon Spain. Regular checks and maintenance are absolutely key if you want to ensure you are getting optimal results from your batteries on board. Keeping track of battery health involves making sure they are regularly charged, are not discharged to an un-healthy level, noting how quickly they discharge after charging, and sometimes a visual check to make sure nothing is amiss. Our marine electricians are able to come to your sailing yacht or motor boat to run battery checks and give advice on maintenance issues or resolve any power supply problems you may be facing.
All battery types however have a life span relating to the number of times they can be charged and discharged – their charge cycles. This is determined by the type of battery and varies from 3-4 years with AGM, lead acid or gel batteries to 10-15 years with lithium-ion batteries. The life span is also linked to how well the batteries have been maintained.
If a new battery installation is recommended, Berthon Spain’s electrical engineers will be able to offer various options based upon factors such as size of vessel, space available, standard power consumption and of course budget. Our yacht electricians can join forces with their marine engineering teammates to carry out a full battery refit on board any size of vessel.
There are many positives to changing to a Lithium-ion installation, and we firmly believe it will transform your experience onboard. Whilst the initial cost is greater than their alternatives, they are an investment in your future yacht due to their much longer life span. With proper care and maintenance they will last four times as long as a bank of lead acid batteries. And the advantages on board will be immediately apparent. The speed with which they charge is notably faster, meaning less hours running the engine or generator. The charge levels can also be run down to much lower levels than their alternatives.
Where it is not recommended to run down a lead acid battery beyond 50% of its capacity, it is perfectly healthy for a lithium-ion battery to be run down to as low as 15% on occasion, without causing damage or decreasing their longevity. Lithium-Ions have a higher energy density when compared to lead acid batteries, therefore storing more energy and providing more power for the space they take up on board. They are also a lighter weight option, and it is relatively simple to expand a lithium-ion battery bank with the addition of new batteries, should more power be required.
