Glossary.
Terms from A to Z, explained briefly.
Academy
Knowledge from development.
On-board electrics explained clearly.
The philippi Academy explains on-board electrics for boats, motorhomes and expedition vehicles: articles in eight subject areas, product help, topic pages, calculators, the cable configurator and a glossary. Written by the development team in Remseck am Neckar, Germany, which plans, builds and installs the systems itself.
Subject areas
Subject areas. From the basics to the standard.
Vehicle Electrical System Basics
Battery and Storage
Load and Power Generation
Distribute and secure
Measurement and Monitoring
Safety and Standards
Digital on-board power supply system
Practice and Refit
12 V or 24 V? Getting the basics right.
Layout, voltages, load balance, voltage drop, grounding. 4 articles, e.g. “Grounding: Star point instead of daisy chain”.
LiFePO4 or AGM. Decided by the numbers.
LiFePO4 or AGM, calculating capacity, BMS, converting to lithium. 6 articles, e.g. “The consumption that no one pays attention to”.
Alternator, booster, solar, shore power.
Alternator, charge booster or isolation relay, solar, shore power. 4 articles, e.g. “Upgrade to High-Output Alternators”.
Choosing the right cross-section and fuse.
Cable cross-section, fuse size, main fuse, planning a switch panel. 4 articles, e.g. “Plan control panel: Divide circuits”.
Know what's really in the battery.
Shunt, battery monitor, tank sender, alarm thresholds, leakage current. 6 articles, e.g. “Shunt or BMS data: where the state of charge comes from”.
ISO 13297 explained clearly.
ISO 13297 DC and AC, galvanic corrosion, testing shore power. 4 articles, e.g. “ISO 13297: DC installations on board (formerly ISO 10133)”.
P-Bus, PCU, NMEA 2000. All connected.
P-Bus, PCU, NMEA 2000, on-board network via app, BullTron on the P-Bus. 5 articles, e.g. “Integrate the BullTron battery directly into the P-Bus.”.
Plan a refit, assess an old system.
Plan a refit, narrow down voltage drop, retrofit monitoring, assess an old system. 4 articles, e.g. “Evaluate old system”.
Tools
Calculate instead of guessing. With the working shown.
Frequently asked questions. Answered briefly.
12 or 24 volts: which is better?
24 volts halves the current for the same power, and thus the wire cross-section and voltage drop – this is worthwhile for large consumers and long lines. 12 volts remains the more practical choice for smaller systems because devices and spare parts are readily available everywhere. A detailed consideration can be found in 12 V or 24 V on board.
How do I calculate voltage drop?
Voltage drop equals 0.0175 times the double cable length in meters times current in amperes, divided by the cross-section in square millimeters. The double length—forward and return line—is crucial. The target is three percent of the nominal voltage, which is 0.36 volts for 12 volts. Calculations and examples in Calculating and Avoiding Voltage Drop.
Are ISO standards mandatory for my boat?
The fundamental safety requirements of the Recreational Craft Directive 2013/53/EU are mandatory. The application of harmonized standards is voluntary – however, those who comply with them can assume that they meet the requirements of the directive. Those who deviate must prove equivalence themselves, which is significantly more complex in practice.
More in the Academy. For installation.
Power distribution in the motorhome.
Three sources, one leisure battery.
Shore power on board.
Topic page: shore connection.
Level measurement.
Which tank sender fits.
Fuses on the boat.
Choosing the right type and rated current.
Alternator.
The most powerful charging source on board.
Bus bar.
Distribute positive and negative cleanly.
Battery main switch.
Size, single or double pole, remote-controlled.
Cables on board.
Which cable for what, with cross-section.
Connecting cables.
Cable lugs, connectors, terminal blocks.
Charging and converting.
Charger, inverter, combi unit.
Downloads.
Catalogue, data sheets, software updates.
News.
New products and events from philippi.