Marine Power Supply – From Producer to Battery, Thought Through
On-board power supply is not a collection of devices but a chain: A producer introduces energy into the on-board network, a distribution leads it to the correct battery, a storage holds it, a converter turns it into the voltage your consumer needs. If one link in this chain doesn't fit – alternator too small, wrong charging characteristic, unsuitable distribution – you usually don't notice it in the device, but in the battery, which fails earlier than expected. In this category, you will find the components of this chain for yachts and sports boats. Philippi develops and manufactures some of these in its own factory in Germany; we also offer proven brand products for every on-board network stage.
Batteries The storage determines how long you can manage without shore power. The range includes lithium batteries from brands like BullTron (e.g., LI185B200-12-P, LI320B200-12-P, LI460B300-12-P for 12 V and LI230B200-24-P for 24 V), SuperB (SB 12V105E NOMADA, SB 12V150E EPSILON, SB 12V210E NOMIA), the MLI Ultra from Mastervolt, and the 48-V battery LB48/105 from EP-Technologies. These batteries are brand products, not philippi in-house productions. The coordination is crucial: The charger must support the battery type's characteristic curve – philippi ACE chargers are designed for wet, GEL, AGM, lead-calcium, and LiFePO4 batteries.
Battery Chargers At the dock, the shore power charger charges. The philippi ACE series is produced in-house and covers 12-V on-board networks with ACE 12/30, ACE 12/44, ACE 12/64, and the high-power model ACE 12/90, and 24-V networks with ACE 24/25 and ACE 24/30. An ACE 12/90 delivers 90 A and is intended for on-board networks with 300 to 900 Ah of recommended battery capacity; it charges via three independent outputs – for example, starter, consumer, and bow battery – each with the full charging current. The input voltage range of 90 to 265 V AC allows operation with various shore power networks and on-board generators, and the charging characteristic curve can be selected as IU or IUoU. The remote displays F-ACE and FAL bring the charge status to the navigation station, and the ACE-T-Cable or ACE-T-Cable HPO integrates the device into the philippi P-BUS network. Additionally, we offer chargers from Cristec, Mastervolt (ChargeMaster Plus), and Blue Sea Systems (BatteryLink BS 7607).
Charge Boosters A charge booster increases the alternator voltage so that the consumer battery is truly fully charged, even with long cables and modern engine management systems – usually indispensable for lithium batteries. Available are the Cristec models DCB 12V and DCB 24V, as well as DCE 36V and DCE 48V for higher-voltage on-board networks.
High-Performance Alternators If you want to recharge a lot of energy while the engine is running, replace the standard alternator. Balmar offers the XT series and the 94 series in 12 V with 100 A, 120 A, 170 A, 210 A, and 250 A, as well as in 24 V with 70 A, 90 A, and 140 A – with variants for Volvo and Yanmar engines (including Volvo D1/D2, Yanmar 6LY, and CommonRail), single and double foot. This includes the external regulators ARS-5, MC 618 (12 V) and MC 624 (24 V), the balancing regulator CFII, as well as engine-specific pulley kits, belt tensioners, and adjustment arms. From Mastervolt come the alternators Alpha Pro III and Alpha 24/150 MB. Balmar and Mastervolt are brand products.
Charging Current Distribution It determines which battery receives charge and when. The philippi VHR 200 isolating relay, manufactured in-house, switches voltage-dependently and with a time delay: If a battery is above the switch-on voltage for 30 seconds, it connects both circuits; if the voltage drops below the switch-off threshold for 10 seconds, it disconnects again. It automatically detects whether it is in a 12-V or 24-V network, is designed for battery groups over 200 Ah, and offers an emergency start function. Additionally, there are isolating relays from Blue Sea Systems (ACR 12/24, ML 500A 12V ACR also with manual operation, ACR Mini, Add-A-Battery kits), the charging current limiter RCB ADJ from Cristec, and the charging current distributor RCE from Studer. For series-connected lead-acid batteries, the philippi BLA charge equalizer compensates for voltage differences starting from 10 mV – one module per 24-V block, two for 36 V, three for 48 V; it is not suitable for lithium batteries.
Solar Regulators Solar covers the base load at the buoy; for regulation, the VT solar charge controller from Studer and the Solar ChargeMaster from Mastervolt are available. Solar modules themselves are not listed in this category.
DC/DC Voltage Converters DC/DC converters generate a second, stable DC voltage from the on-board voltage – for 24-V devices in a 12-V network, for sensitive electronics, or 48-V systems. The range includes Alfatronix converters DD 12-24, DD 48/12, DDi 12-12/DDi 24-24, PV i and PV S, the Mac Plus CZone from Mastervolt, and the DCW series from Cristec.
Inverters and Combi Inverters Pure sine wave inverters produce 230 V from the battery: from Studer the AJ 275, AJ 500/600, AJ 1000/1300 and AJ 2100/2400, from Mastervolt the Mass Sine. Combi devices combine inverter, charger, and mains transfer switch in one housing – the Studer XTM and XTH series and the Mass Combi Ultra from Mastervolt. This includes control units such as the remote controls RCC-02 and RCC-03, the battery temperature sensor BTS 01, and the philippi remote control FB-AJ.
AC Generators If solar and alternator are not enough, a generator produces electricity independently of shore power. From Fischer Panda, there are Panda 5000i PMS, Panda 5000i Neo PMS, Panda 8000i PMS, Panda 10000i PMS, and the DC generator Panda AGT-DC 4000-12V PMS.
Monitoring and Accessories The design can be verified with the philippi BLS battery monitor (2.4-inch display) and the TEMP-AL temperature sensor; in addition, there are the KS cable set and the philippi automotive relays 40 A and 70 A.
You're not sure how the chain on your boat fits together – which charging current, which battery capacity, which distribution? Our team will plan the on-board network with you – from the first sketch to the finished system. We support shipyards in series design.
FAQ
How big does my on-board battery need to be? First, calculate your daily consumption in ampere-hours – all consumers with current draw and estimated running time per day. Multiply this by the number of days you want to go without recharging and consider the usable depth of discharge of your battery type. This number will then also determine the appropriate charging power. If you are unsure, we will calculate the balance together.
What charging current does my charger need? The charging current depends on the installed battery capacity and how quickly you want to be fully charged again. Philippi chargers each specify a recommended capacity range – for the ACE 12/90, it's 300 to 900 Ah with 90 A charging current. For smaller banks, the models ACE 12/30, 12/44, or 12/64 are intended.
Do I need a charge booster for lithium batteries? Generally, yes. The alternator alone often does not provide the voltage and regulation that a LiFePO4 battery needs for full charging, and long cables plus voltage drop exacerbate this. A charge booster like the Cristec DCB 12V or DCB 24V sets a defined charging voltage behind it.
What is the difference between an isolating relay and a charging current distributor? An isolating relay connects two battery circuits as soon as charging occurs and then disconnects them again – so the consumer side cannot drain the starter battery. A charging current distributor specifically distributes the charging current from one source to multiple battery groups. Both can be found in this category, including the philippi VHR 200 for groups over 200 Ah.
When is a high-performance alternator worthwhile? If you want to recharge a lot of energy in a short time while the engine is running and the standard alternator is too small or too simply regulated for that. Balmar offers variants for Volvo and Yanmar engines with 12 V up to 250 A and 24 V up to 140 A, each with an external regulator like ARS-5, MC 618, or MC 624. It is crucial that the engine connection, pulley, and foot dimensions fit.
When do I need a generator and when is a combi inverter sufficient? A combi inverter like XTM, XTH, or Mass Combi Ultra produces 230 V from the battery and charges from shore power – but the energy must first go into the battery. An AC generator like the Fischer-Panda series generates it itself and is useful if you run high continuous loads autonomously for a longer period.
