Until very recently, the batteries in sailboats used some form of lead-acid chemistry to store energy. Different manufacturers used different techniques and materials, but in the end, the chemistry and the process by which the batteries charge and discharge electricity remained the same.
Lithium-ion chemistry, more recently introduced, can be confusing as there are several different chemistries all called “lithium-ion.” From a chemistry perspective, the safest lithium-ion batteries are lithium iron phosphate, often seen written as LifePO4, or simply LFP. However, there is a lot more that goes into a lithium-ion battery than chemistry. Well-built batteries with theoretically more volatile chemistries, such as nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), for example, will be safer than poorly built LFP batteries.
RESISTANCE
The most important thing to know about any electrical system is the principle of Ohm’s Law. In a nutshell, “ohms” are a measure of resistance in an electrical circuit. It’s why you need to size wires correctly—in order to overcome this resistance. The larger the wire diameter, or
