I once heard of a sailor who prided himself on sailing “pure”—no motor, no electrical, just wood and canvas. How he could dock and undock his lengthy craft, threading it in and out of the marina on sailpower alone, was a source of mystery and admiration to me. But the truth is, most of us mere mortals happily rely on the technological convenience afforded by a trusty engine and robust electrical system. It’s that latter part I’d like to talk about today, because there’s a revolution underway in how we power our boats.
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Not only our insurance cover stipulates professional installation, but comprehensive fire-protection, specific to Lithium (Ion and LiPe04), is also required. That’s quite a specialised market (AVD is one – Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion extinguishers); also several manufacturers have gas suppression systems built-in (SOK is one brand).
Which insurer? Ours does not (State Farm).
All insurance binders have a general duty clause that says something to the effect that improper repairs or modifications can void the coverage. Following ABYC is one common way to avoid this clause.
Thanks for the comment, Richard. Building on what Drew said, neither does my insurance provider (Aviva) does not stipulate a professional LFP install. Rather, they exclude from coverage “The cost of making good faulty or improper material [and] faulty or improper workmanship.” So, as Drew mentioned, following ABYC code (and being ready to demonstrate the quality of your work through plans and pictures) is a sure way to stay within fair bounds. That said, you raise a good point and I heartily agree that everyone should check their policy fine print before embarking on a self-install!
I cover safety precautions, including the importance of lithium-specific fire extinguishers, in part 2, so stay tuned. It should be published soon. While there is no NFPA rating for lithium fires (yet), there are some emerging standards like NTA8133. Look for that mark on the extinguisher of your choosing. For now, AVD is what you want, and I expect we will see more extinguisher options and standards coming to market in the next few years as the lithium space matures.
Fair winds!