Electrical - Page 10 of 17 - Practical Sailor

Xantrexs New XC Line are Multiplex Masters

Electrical February 17, 2006

To put it mildly, the battery test on the previous pages presented a recharging nightmare. Ideally, what we needed was an intelligent multi-bank battery...

PS Advisor: 01/06

Electrical December 13, 2005

Saildrive CorrosionI purchased a 1983 Sweden 41 in September, 1999. Since that time I have had to purchase three saildrives because of corrosion. I...

Bilge Binge

Electrical December 13, 2005

Water Witch keeps our bilge drier, the Sure Bail scores with rugged simplicity

Battery Chargers: Newmar Earns Best Buy Status

Electrical September 8, 2005

Mastervolt's 12/25-3 has it all, but Newmar's PT-25 is the best value. Charles Industries' 2000SP is well-suited for lead-acid batteries, while models from Guest and Promariner have shortcomings.

Perko, Hella, and Orca Green Shine

Electrical August 10, 2005

LED running lights are getting better all the time. Hella Marine's new NaviLED Pro series just manages to edge out Perko's 170 Series for top honors in our test, while Orca Green Marine makes the best LED tri-color.

DC Electrical Distribution Panels: Blue Sea Systems on Top

Electrical July 8, 2005

Blue Sea Systems' 8023, with its excellent warranty, intuitive labeling, and bright night lighting, is our choice for an accessory DC panel. Newmar's panels are easy to work with, but need better lighting.

Battery Selector Switches

Electrical April 27, 2005

We pushed 11 of the most popular battery selector switches on the market to their rated limits. Blue Seas edged BEP by a hair as the top standard-duty switch, while Perko has the best heavy-duty switch.

12-Volt Booster Packs

Electrical March 10, 2005

Wal-Mart's EverStart booster delivers a lot of cold cranking amps for the money, but lacks a light. The versatile Xantrex Powerpack 300 Plus, is a do-it-all booster and a good choice for smaller boats.

Portable Gas Generators

Electrical February 7, 2005

Excellent voltage stability gives the Yamaha top honors among the inverter-type gas generators. For a less expensive, but louder, option we'd take the Briggs & Stratton.