Juli 26th, 2012: To increase comfort, efficiency and operational safety for engineers and ensure that generators are always able to start, Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology fits crossover boxes on superyachts.
It is a familiar problem: The generator starter batteries are empty and the engineer only discovers this fact when trying to start the diesel engine. At such moments there is very little time to carry out the activities required to get the generator set started. Engineers normally therefore try to start the diesel engine involved using loose starter cables linked to the starter battery set from another diesel engine than the affected generator. To avoid having to carry out such a time consuming solution, Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology recommends installing a crossover box onboard superyachts, as project engineer Hessel Bakker explains.
“Using key switches it becomes easy to start one generator battery via another diesel engine and vice versa without requiring loose cables. Additionally, a battery monitor is connected to the battery charger and all individual batteries. Whenever a fuse or battery charger fails or batteries need replacing, an alarm goes off, warning the engineer and ensuring that he is able to start the generators and keep the onboard network working properly.”
Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology has installed crossover boxes on various projects, including a 46-metre yacht built by Vicem Yachts in Turkey. This vessel is part of the so-called ‘Vulcan Line’ with which the yard hopes to enter the superyacht market. In addition to the 46-metre yacht, Vicem is also building a 35-metre Tri-deck and a 32-metre Raised Pilot House. The yachts were developed with various partners from the superyacht sector, including designer Frank Mulder and interior design studio Art-Line. Vicem Yachts selected Piet Brouwer Electrotechnology as supplier for the entire electrical system based on the company’s wide experience in the superyacht market and the reliability of its installations.