Best lithium battery chemistry for a DPV?

[AJMcc]

I'll be fitting a UV18 with LiFE batteries soon.

Can you expand on that, will you be building a pack or buying one?

---------- Post added January 31st, 2015 at 10:27 AM ----------

Rodney told me a few weeks ago that all post 2007 motors are the same across the board and they can handle the higher voltage of lithium packs.

Post 2007 motors are worth holding out for.... The pre-2007 motors are throttled back to 24V to protect the motors but the new ones aren't

I am the second owner, how would one find out the scooter's (motor year) is there a way outside of calling SS?


Thanks,

---------- Post added January 31st, 2015 at 10:30 AM ----------

Here are a few examples of the battery's I have found.


12V 25AH Lithium Ion Battery - Products


12V 20Ah,StarkPower 'UltraEnergy" Lithium Ion Battery (LiFePO) Energy Storage Battery


LiFePO4 Battery: 12V 25Ah (300Wh, 50A rate) with LED Indicator - Replace SLA 12V 20Ah, lighter weight & Higher Capacity -- UN38.3 Passed






These were easily found with a quick search, and I am pretty confidant I am not the first diver that has looked at them, so...... what am I missing?
Are any of these viable options, I can adjust for the dimensional differences.
If any are suitable, I'm going in the right direction. If all are unsuitable, tell me why so that I can begin to understand what the specifics are that will qualify/disqualify a particular battery.


A bit of perspective, my lack of knowledge on this subject is obvious, this is also a winter project.
In the end it might be the SS LiFe battery for me, being a fairly competent DIY guy I do enjoy the searching and sourcing of different solutions to see whats available comparatively.

I appreciate the input from everyone that contributed in this thread so far, and hope this may help other divers with SLA scooters looking for options like I am....we are out there!!

Thanks all,

Anthony

 

[tbone1004]

look inside the motor compartment, if it is a 2007 or newer motor it will have Submerge embossed on it and serial number etched. If the serial is embossed it is pre 2007.

http://www.silent-submersion.com/tech PDF May 2010.pdf
Page 5 of the PDF shows the new motor.

Keep in mind with allof those batteries that while they will fit in the spaces of the originals and are slightly higher capacity, originals are 16ah, you are going to have to find room for a LOT of lead in that hull. You have two at 6.6lbs, one at 9lbs and you are replacing batteries that weigh 13.5lbs, so you have to offset that with straight lead so it's a bit of a pain to try to figure out balancing. The UV-40 is somewhere around 70A/H, so with the ones you are looking at, the 25a/h will get you about 70minutes of run time at cruise, vs 45 of stock, vs the SS UV-40 conversion with 180minutes. Not saying you can't/shouldn't do it, just that you should be mindful that you have to add that lead and plan to spend a full day in the pool trying to get it to trim out right

 

[Superlyte27]

It's an easy conversion.

 

[AJMcc]

It's an easy conversion.

To what??
Or, what would you charge for this conversion?


Thanks,

 

[Superlyte27]

To what??
Or, what would you charge for this conversion?


Thanks,

Do you have an 18 or 26. If I had an 18, I'd stick 40ah in it (although I've fit 60 in one). If I had a 26, I'd cut the tube down to 18 and put 40ah in it. You can get a 40ah battery for about $547 dollars.

I won't make them for customers any more. Don't have the time. But it's pretty easy.

 

[AJMcc]

I have an 18, and a 26 hull/bulkhead.

Thanks for your input.
PM sent.

 

[tbone1004]

I'd hold onto the 26 and keep it as is with SLA as a backup, and convert the 40. Few articles on guys that can do it, big thing is to make sure you have the new motor before you go through all that so you don't fry it....

 

[AJMcc]

tbone1004,
Excellent point with the 26, will do that.
Could you direct me to those articles you mention, going to check motor build date now.


Any comment on those battery links I listed in post # 11.

Thanks,

 

[tbone1004]

I don't think you're going to get any noticeable performance bump from them and you aren't going to save any weight with them. Go on Cave Diver Forum and find a guy on there BillyF, he made 40ah LiFe conversions for the UV26's and has told a few others how to make them as well

40AH LiFe Battery Pack - For Sale

 

[AJMcc]

tbone1004,

I have done quite a bit of research into this so far, many threads exhausted, most of them raise more questions than they answer,(to me anyway) that's what prompted me to start this thread I wanted to find the battery for me to use and why I linked those 3 contenders in post 11.

Not looking for a performance gain (increased voltage), and know you cant save any weight, I am looking for longer run times and battery longevity which I thought was the only point to the conversion in a UV series scooter. Being that it is a brushed motor, and a fixed voltage, any increase in performance would destroy the motor/brush board (this is what I have read).

Thanks for that link, have followed it since it started and many more, unfortunately most are dormant now, and billyf has not been on cdf in over 6 months.

All this might be academic anyway as I just checked on my motor and its pre 2007, so the older version.
Would the Venom electronics controller for the UV protect this older motor from high(er) voltages resulting from the conversion to lithium?

Your input has been greatly appreciated, thanks for taking the time to reply.