[PSUBS-MAILIST] Alternative battery for SSB-2010

Mon Jul 6 11:06:58 EDT 2026

 Hi Greg,
You must be wrong, says right in the description "Fireproof".    :)
>From my research, the top failure methods for Lifepo4 causing a fire is either breaching the container (ie driving a nail through it) or a short circuit across the terminals either by an object or a failed BMS.  Other failures can occur by charging or discharging beyond the batteries capacity.  Interestingly, the chemical makeup of Lifepo doesn't burn or explode, however it will create so much heat that it initiates combustion in surrounding materials.
For submarine use, Lifepo are not plug-n-play like wet-cell or AGM.  They are more temperamental and require a bit of research to understand and source correctly, require a smart charger of appropriate current and voltage, and a battery management system (BMS) to control everything.  The tradeoff is longer power duration and a very large number of recharges before replacement.
Building your own battery bank is a great way to learn how Lifepo works and how to reduce risks associated with them.  It also gives you the opportunity to design it for your specific needs and source quality parts.
All batteries have potential to be very dangerous.  Back in the 70's we used to see documentaries showing lead-acid wet cell batteries exploding in cars when jumping them.  Whether lifepo is safe for submarine use most likely depends upon how well they've been researched, sourced, and installed for their particular application.
Jon

     On Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 06:10:59 AM EDT, Gregory Snyder via Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:  

 Hi Jon
It was an Amazon purchase:

TYKOOL U1-S-400 Group U1 Lithium Lawn Mower Battery,400A 8AH, for John Deere,Cub Cadet,Craftsman Riding Mowers and Tractors,Smart BMS with SOC Display,IP66,V0 Fireproof,Replaces 725-1707D,U1-9 [+ -]

“ Powered by automotive-grade LiFePO4 cells, the TYKOOL S-400 provides over 3,000 deep cycles. It is a cost-effective, long-term power solution that lasts up to 10X longer than traditional AGM batteries.”
So I guess it was LiFePO4. 

On Jul 2, 2026, at 7:52 PM, Jon Wallace via Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:

 Interesting.  Do you know if it was Li-ion or Lifepo4?  A number of us have switched to Lifepo4 which are generally much safer than Li-ion.

Jon

    On Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 07:33:21 PM EDT, Gregory Snyder via Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:  

 Are lithium batteries safe?  I bought a lithium battery to use in my John Deere lawn tractor and it burst into flames when I parked it in the garage. Shooting up with billows of nasty smoke. Had I not been right there, it would have burned  my garage down for sure.  I had a fire extinguisher and was able to stop the bulk of the flames.  Scared the crap out of me. Not such a fan of lithium all of a sudden. Can it be used in subs? 
Best regardsGreg 

On Jul 2, 2026, at 12:52 PM, Jon Wallace via Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:

 I have not seen a "pack" replacement, but as Alec said, my units came with a generic 8-AA plastic battery holder with a 9-volt type wiring harness.  Better off using this and AA lithium batteries that can be recharged via an external charger.  Walmart has an 8-pack battery charger for $22.
Jon

    On Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 01:12:40 PM EDT, Justin Helland via Personal_Submersibles <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:  

 Greetings! Have any of you found a decent off the shelf battery as a replacement for the OTS 12v NiMH battery in the SSB-2010? I could probably build one with spare cells I have lying around, but I was just wondering if there's anything out there that's cheaper than the $150 OTS wants for the official replacement. 

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