Custom Batteries ???

[bjl_sailor]

Hello:

I've been think alot about electircal battery storage, modern 'canoe shaped hulls', deep keels with bulbs and have to ask a question that must already be answered.

Given:
We all know lead/acid batteries or gel cell bats are very heavy.
Modern boats have lot's of juice requirement.
Performance hull forms have no 'narrow and deep' to place them.

Question:

Why not build a "battery pack" into the keel ?

My idea would be to build numerous small, approx beer can shaped battery cells of 1 or 2 volts each. These in turn would be slid into the tubing/spars of the foil portion of a deep bulb keel. There would be a twist lock fitting on each end so you could put 12 1 volts in series. The only way it would work is if your could get into these 'tubes' via openings in the hulls -- Is this completely crazy?

What would it take to manufacture of fabricate lead acid battery cells as I described?

Other than the obvious: that bilge water and batteries don't mix, what is wrong with this idea?

[gonzo]

Batteries in the bilge are common enough. Check out some of the narrow batteries like on golf carts or fork lifts. They could fit in a hollow keel.

[don954]

using NiMh F Cells with tabs. They are 13 amp hours at 1.2 volts each, use 10 for a 12V set. These have some of the best weight to amp storge on the market right now. Here is a UK site that is selling them pretty cheep. I have seen some in the US but they were not tabbed, both were made in china...
http://www.powerstoredirect.co.uk/er...%3D0%26x%3Dwrt

[bjl_sailor]

Very Interesting form factor too! -- AT least for my purposes... The price is right too. At 8.90 Sterling with a 1.81 exchange rate it works out $16.01 per cell. Imagine filling a pvc tube with these in series, sealing it, in turn fastening in with the spar of a bulb keel? I guess battery off gasing is the first challenge...

[gonzo]

Off gassing can be taken care of with a vent pipe.