Panbo

The Marine Electronics Hub

Panbo News and Reviews

26

Wireless & Apps / Network & control / How-to / Electrical & Engines

Maximizing solar production with Victron GX

After the loss of Have Another Day, my primary DC test platform is Harvey, my family’s RV. Over the winter we upgraded from our previous 35-foot coach to a 43-foot Newmar Dutch Star. With that upgrade, I’ve added 1,350 watts of solar to the new RV. With all that solar, I wanted to ensure I was taking full advantage of the potential production. That sent me diving through the settings in my Victron system to figure out the best way to manage my system. Currently, I’m using a Virtual Switch in the inverter to manage DC power sources and it’s working quite well.

9

Navigation / Safety & SAR

Solid state radomes compared, part 3 – Furuno checks in

This article is supposed to be a thorough comparison of how Furuno’s DRS2DNXT compared to the other radars I’ve tested. Unfortunately, testing multiple radars on a 22-foot boat is challenging. The most recent challenge included snapping a freshly made mount before I was able to get offshore with the setup. The bad news is, I wasn’t able to complete all my testing scenarios. The good news is, I still have the radar unit and I’m working on more permanent and robust mounting options. But for now, here’s what I’ve learned.

28

Wireless & Apps / Navigation / Safety & SAR

SIONYX Nightwave, strong low light performance

SIONYX’s Nightwave camera is the company’s first fixed mount, marine, night vision camera. It builds on the strong low-light performance of the company’s Aurora handheld spotting scopes in a more traditional marine form factor. I’ve had the camera out on some inky dark nights and been pleased with the performance.

29

Network & control / Communications / Entertainment / The future

Starlink Maritime – affordable options?

Starlink has changed the landscape for those searching for internet connectivity in out-of-the-way places. If those out-of-the-way places happened to be on land, there have been good and cost-competitive options. But, if you have been after service on open water, the options have been less affordable. However, as I mentioned in my last update, there seems to be little Starlink likes more than change, so it shouldn’t come as a shock; there’s more change. This time that change brings a Maritime plan that may be in reach of many recreational boaters.

ACR ResQLink AIS PLB and Ocean Signal RescueMe PLB3 12

Wireless & Apps / Safety & SAR / AIS / The future

ACR and Ocean Signal add AIS to Personal Locator Beacons, with cherries on top

Hallelujah! ACR recently began shipping its ResQLink AIS PLB to customers in the U.S. and the Americas. Meanwhile, the company’s sibling UK brand Ocean Signal has been offering the same remarkable technology to the rest of the world since November as the RescueMe PLB3. The beacons are exactly the same except for color — as shown in my METS demo photo above — and regardless of the possibly confusing dual branding, I call them a huge advance in marine safety…

20

LiFePO4 / Electrical & Engines

Li Time LiFePO4, no frills, serious value

My recent reviews of LiFePO4 batteries have focused on fully featured batteries with heating, Bluetooth, and CANBus communications, and even supercapacitors for engine starting. This time, I’m focusing on a battery that delivers raw value and no frills. Li Time batteries are all about delivering maximum energy storage for the smallest price. Although their batteries may lack the features of fancier batteries, they deliver the most amp hours for the fewest dollars. But how do they perform? Let’s find out.

23

Communications / The future

Starlink 2023, the ever-changing state of affairs

Starlink, like all Elon Musk-backed companies, seems to operate by a different set of rules than what we might expect. The rules change often, generally without notice, and sometimes in highly impactful ways. A recent series of announcements changed the rules, options, and pricing for subscribers. Especially for those who use Starlink on the move. So, what’s the current state of Starlink, and is it a good option for boaters? Read on, and I’ll try to break it down for you.

69

LiFePO4 / Electrical & Engines

Epoch Batteries, elegant drop-in LiFePO4

Good design matters, even for a product you probably won’t spend much time admiring. Epoch batteries’ line of LiFePO4 has design covered and an attractive list of features. But the big question is, are these batteries more than just a pretty face? I’ve been putting a couple of their 100 amp-hour, 12-volt batteries to the test, and it sure looks like they have the goods to back up the design.

9

LiFePO4 / Network & control / Electrical & Engines / The future

Mercury’s 48-volt alternator and Fathom e-Power, state-of-the-art boat power?

An engine launch event might be an odd fit for an electronics and technology blog. I’ve attended Mercury launch events before, and each time, there’s been plenty of technology news. But when I went, I wasn’t expecting an announcement that could change the industry. I certainly didn’t anticipate the thunder from the launch of a 350 or 400-horsepower, 10-cylinder engine would be stolen by an alternator.

19

Electrical & Engines / Monitoring & Tracking

Installing and configuring a Victron battery monitor

Deep cycle, house batteries can be critical to enjoying time on your boat away from the dock. But, as boaters, we often fail to consider what’s happening with our batteries. A battery monitor helps us understand what’s happening with our electrical system and our batteries. For many owners, ignorance may be bliss when it comes to their house banks. However, that bliss can come to a screeching halt when you find yourself prematurely murdering your batteries. The solution? A battery monitor. This article will walk you through the basic process of installing a Victron battery monitor and the critical settings to ensure accuracy.