Monitoring Your Marine Battery Bank
Two recent tests graphically demonstrated the importance of monitoring state of charge in a boats batteries: Tracking Batteries, in the May 2015 issue and...
Testing Marine Battery Monitors
Our test gear comprised a ProMariner ProNautic 12-40P battery charger; West Marine-branded, flooded-cell, deep-cycle battery with a 75-amp hour rating; and two 120-volt, 70-watt...
A Smart, Easy Way to Rewire
Running the wires for new electronics requires your best cursing vocabulary, lots of sweat, twisting body contortions, luck, and the occasional bandage. For tips...
AGM Batteries Test Update
In our recent test of absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries, we cycled five different batteries through 30 deep cycles to 11.7 volts but only...
Watering Batteries
Our May 2015 report on absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries got us thinking about wet cell-batteries. While it is easy to find distilled water...
Whats the Voltage for Charging Gel Cells?
I just received the latest Waypoints e-letter about gel batteries, where you state they must be charged at no more than about 14.1 volts....
Heart Replacement
Sixteen years ago, contributing writers Joe and Lee Minick equipped their Mason 43, Southern Cross, with a Heart Interface Freedom 20 charger/inverter and a...
Electrical Panel Upgrade
After several design iterations with both vendors, we settled on using Blue Sea Systems. Blue Sea Systems worked with us in designing the panel...
Imtra, Hella Dome Lights Shine
Cruising SolutionsCruising Solutions 6.5-inch dome light uses a 23-LED array with a triple emitter driver, mounted in a stainless-steel housing. Its 220-lumen rating delivered...
Marine Water Heater Test
Raritan 1706Raritans units are made in the U.S. (the only in our test), so finding hose barbs or other plumbing fixtures to fit the...
The AMAZING 50 Footer You’ve Never Heard Of – Pegasus 50...
A 50 footer packed with innovation for shorthanded cruising, the Pegasus 50 has features like carbon fiber rig, bulkheads, and bimini. When compared to...
Latest Sailboat Review
Pacific Seacraft 34 and 37
Pacific Seacraft was founded in 1976 by Henry Morschladt and Mike Howarth, who first produced 25-foot daysailers. Like many boatbuilders, the company suffered during...