Reading DIY Boat Owner magazine, some wild ideas

[ers906]

I have been reading the magazine DIY Boatowner, and although I know it is geared more towards larger boats, there are usually a couple of pretty interesting ideas, or at least food for thought. I am wondering if anybody has thought obout doing either of these things:

1. Add a second alternator to increase charging of batteries while at power. Maybe one alternator to charge the starting and house battery bank, and a second to charge the stereo battery bank. I have no idea how much room it would take or if it is even possible with uot engines, but just a thought

2. Another article discussed using lithium-ion batteries (Mastervolt is the company they used), which have much more discharge cycles, are much lighter and can recharge in about an hour. I imagine that they are pretty cost prohibative but another interesting concept.

[Rick]

Lithium batteries and Thermal events

Lithium batteries are coming, no doubt about it. Unfortunately listening to my friends in the automotive and Radio controlled environments where they are starting to use the Lithium batteries they are prone to what the engineers call thermal events. In layman's terms that means bursting into flames when overcharged or allowed to get to hot. I think that would be a bad thing in a boat. Apparently that is why the GM Volt isn't in showrooms yet.

[ers906]

Yeah, spontaneous combustion is a bad thing I think. I have been looking into the mastervolt slim line agm batteries. Expensive but potentially worth it depending on the space I have. Already going to cut a larger battery area in the floor of the boat, I just worry about overloading one side with so much weight. I guess I can always even it out with the ballast system. What do you think about the second alternator?