Arco Marine announces Zeus Omega distributed alternator regulation

Arco Marine introduced the Zeus Omega, a product family they are calling an Alternator Control System. Zeus Omega builds on the original Arco Zeus regulator while promising easier installations, greater scale, and operational improvements. In a call with Arco’s CEO Ben Stoddard and their head of engineering, Nick Ernst, Arco walked me through the benefits of Omega and how it incorporates many improvements Arco discovered through the original Zeus.

Modern power systems in boats, built around very large — and generally LiFePO4 — battery banks enable comfort onboard without a tether to shore power or the noise, vibration, and exhaust of a generator. But, the single biggest challenge is replacing the energy consumed as quickly and efficiently as possible. Away from the dock, alternator charging is the holy grail for fast charging. High output, externally regulated alternators can output kilowatts of power per engine.

Unfortunately, installing a high current alternator with an external regulator is a complex and labor intensive process. Further, tuning that system and getting it working to its potential is also confusing and time consuming. I have done a few installations myself and despite a good understanding of the principles in play, found the process frustrating and ripe for improvement. The original Arco Zeus AZ1000 aimed to improve the fiddly nature of configuring and calibrating an alternator regulator. However, it also required numerous connections as part of a complex installation. With Omega, Arco is working to again improve the process.

Zeus Omega Alternator Control System

A Zeus Omega Alternator Control System consists of two primary components: a Control Module (CM) and an Alternator Drive Module (ADM). The ADM connects directly to the alternator while the Control Module connects to the ADM. A single Control Module interfaces with up to six ADMs. Communications between the ADM and CM occur via a proprietary CANBus link Arco calls AZ CAN. The IP68 rated ADM module is fully sealed and happy to live in the harsh confines of an engine compartment. A complete Zeus Omega Control System retails for $889. A Control Module can be purchased separately for $599 and additional Alternator Drive Modules list for $585.

Alternator Drive Module

The ADM connects directly to the alternator with short pigtails. When connecting to an Arco alternator, all that is required to connect the ADM to the alternator is three quick connect fittings and positive and ground ring terminals. One connector goes to a plug on the back of the alternator, one to the temperature sensor, and one to a hall effect sensor to measure current. Notably, the hall effect sensor replaces the shunt used on the AZ1000. Because it clamps around the conductor rather than interrupting it, there’s no cutting into current-carrying cable — a meaningful reduction in install labor and one less failure point.

ADMs support 12, 24, 36, and 48 volt alternators with either 12, 24, 36, or 48 volt rotors. The ADMs are compatible with P and N type alternators from Arco and any other manufacturer. If used with a non-Arco alternator, you lose the plug and play connector advantage. Fortunately, pigtails are included so that the connectors on the ADM itself can remain intact. ADMs include a 5-meter cable to connect from ADM to CM. Additional extensions can be used for installations requiring longer runs. If the ADM loses communications with the CM, it fails back to an emergency charging mode in which it maintains float voltage.

Control Module

The Control Module is the brains of the system. It interfaces with up to six ADMs, NMEA 2000, RV-C, Victron DVCC, and CZone systems. The system works with both communicating and non-communicating batteries. For non-communicating batteries, the CM supports either a shunt or hall effect sensor to measure current in and out of the battery. The CM carries an IP20 sealing rating and is rated for up to 80°C or 176°F. At just three ounces or 85 grams and 4x3x1 inches, it’s a small and light unit. In addition to connecting to the boat’s electrical system, the CM contains a WiFi radio that allows off-boat data collection and remote configuration. More on that in a moment.

Mobile app

One of the biggest improvements the original AZ1000 brought was complete configuration via a mobile app. Previous alternator regulators either required clunky programming interfaces via a computer or fiddly programming via push buttons or even magnets. While that app was a huge step forward, it did leave some room for improvement. Especially — at least in my humble opinion — in visual appeal.

The Zeus Omega companion mobile app features a more modern appearance and simplified options compared to the AZ1000’s. Alternator configuration is down to just a handful of options before the system is ready to control the alternator. In their marketing materials, Arco says the app guides users through setup and warns against potentially unsafe configurations. I’m looking forward to some hands on testing to see what misconfiguration those warnings can help avoid.

Cloud connectivity

I have to give credit to Revatek for being the first alternator regulator (I know of) with cloud connectivity. Sadly, Revatek has closed up shop. Fortunately, Arco has continued the trend towards cloud connectivity and remote control. All these remote connectivity solutions likely owe their inspiration to Victron’s VRM and the rich remote monitoring and configuration it affords.

Configuring an advanced alternator regulator requires some knowledge and often some experimentation and adjustment to find the best balance of belt load, RPM cut-ins, and power production. Affording installers the ability to tweak parameters remotely makes those tweaks both more accurate and more cost effective. Arco built in comprehensive event logging to store the complete history of the Omega’s operations and all configuration changes made. That audit trail can be especially helpful in understanding adjustments and their impact.

I don’t have any screenshots of the Arco remote access or cloud functions yet. I’ve asked Arco to provide some and will update this entry as soon as I get them.

Final thoughts

I think the preferred product and approach for alternator regulators just changed. The distributed design of Omega makes a ton of sense. The simplified installation and configuration is welcome. However, as almost anyone who has ever pitched a product to me knows, I am rarely satisfied. Arco has made big strides in simplifying both installation and configuration. Additionally, I think they’ve laid the ground work to make things even easier. But, I do think there is room for even further simplification. Now, if only we could address brackets, pulleys, serpentine kits, and the rest of the fun of an alternator install.