The Marine Electronics Hub
Innovation in the past five years or so has been a little bit lumpy. The impacts of a global pandemic, followed by severe supply-chain shortages, slowed the pace of product introductions and advancements. Even so, three major innovations are hitting the marine marketplace with a big splash. Each one is changing the way boaters use their boats, and leaving a lasting imprint on the industry.
Electrical systems are the leading cause of problems on boats equipped with anything more than a rudimentary electrical system. Most of these problems are preventable; they arise from a failure to abide by core design and installation principles. To explore these critical design and installation challenges, OceanPlanet Energy (OPE), in collaboration with Professional Boatbuilder magazine, Ocean Navigator magazine, and BoatHowTo.com is once again hosting an intensive two-day seminar developed and presented by tech guru Nigel Calder, author of…
You may not have heard of Watt Cycle before, but if you are in the market for a value oriented lithium iron phosphate battery, you should probably take note. Watt Cycle offers numerous batteries in multiple voltages at attractive price points. We have certainly seen batteries with low price tags and performance to match. So, the question is, how will Watt Cycle’s batteries perform? I have tested a pair of batteries extensively and have some pretty positive results to share.
Pensacola, FL – October 30, 2024 – ARCO Marine, a leader in high-performance electrical solutions for the marine and RV industries, is excited to announce the integration of the ARCO Zeus Bluetooth Alternator Regulator with the renowned...
I have owned Panboat 2.0 for a little over 3 months. Unfortunately, I haven’t made as much testing headway as I hoped courtesy of a very busy fall with boat shows, speaking engagements, and dodging hurricanes. I leave for Amsterdam to attend METS shortly, but once home, I don’t have another show until Miami in mid-February. So, it’s high time I get to work outfitting the new Edgewater 280CX with the goodies needed for testing and begin rolling in some new technology.
In a first for IBEX, this year’s show featured a startup pavilion for early-stage companies to display at IBEX in a cost effective manner. I spent some time checking out the exhibitors in the pavilion and was very pleased to come across Solid State Marine’s booth. I was quite excited to see Solid State Marine present with their solid state lithium batteries. Solid State Marine is, to my knowledge, the first company offering solid state lithium batteries to the marine electrical market.
We are excited to announce the release of Venus OS v3.50. A massive milestone and improvement for our range of GX control and monitoring solutions. Whether you’re managing a system at home, in a marine environment, or on an industrial site, this release has something for you. The most significant change in the new release is the new graphical user interface. The new UI brings a modern look, improved functionality, and a faster, more responsive experience. The best introduction is through watching this video…
IBEX 2024 was a show to remember for me. Starting with Hurricane Helene’s development and potential threat, it was unclear if the show would proceed. Fortunately, although there was some impact, the show was able to proceed. My show began Sunday morning, two days before the official open, with two days of judging the IBEX Innovation Awards. Every year, the awards afford me the opportunity to get an early jump on the new and exciting products displayed at the show. This year, the crop of entries was exceptionally strong. I’m going to write a series of entries covering the products that caught my eye. I. believe it’s a testament to the strength of this year’s entries that quite a few of the products I will highlight were not selected for innovation awards. First up in my list are Revateks’ Altion and Altion Max alternator regulators.
At first glance, the SFK 275EX looks like many other 275-300 amp hour internal BMS lithium iron phosphate batteries. With Bluetooth communications, heating, long cycle life, and a good warranty it seems to compete well with other batteries. But, closer inspection reveals a battery with features above and beyond anything I’ve seen in similar form-factor and priced batteries. Not only that, it comes with a thorough and readable manual.
I have big things planned for upcoming battery tests. I’m working to evolve my testing of LiFePO4 batteries to match their evolution. Battery capacities are increasing, physical size is decreasing, prices are dropping rapidly, and acceptance is increasing. New options hit the market regularly and keeping up with the pace of change can be challenging. In the coming months, I will review quite a few batteries in different positions in the market and try to help readers decide which price point and battery is right for them.
