Official UAE / GCC Distributor — Sterling Power UK · Marine
POWER EVERY VOYAGE.
NOT YOUR BATTERIES.
On most vessels the engine sits far from the house bank, and every meter of cable — plus a traditional diode isolator — bleeds off charge before it arrives. Sterling’s Battery-to-Battery charging systems recover it, so navigation, refrigeration and cabin systems run non-stop on multi-day trips.
The Problem
Cable runs and diode isolators cost you charge before it arrives.
On most vessels the engine bay sits well away from the house battery bank. Every meter of cable adds resistance, and a traditional diode-based isolator drops the charge voltage further still before it ever reaches the batteries. On a long day at sea, that’s the difference between a full bank back at the dock and a flat one.
Illustrative — actual drop depends on cable run length and gauge
The Fix
A charger that doesn’t care how long the cable run is.
A Battery-to-Battery (B2B) charger sits between the engine-start battery and the house bank. It delivers one clean, regulated charge voltage regardless of cable length or run — current-limited and safe for lithium — while keeping the start battery fully isolated from house loads.
How It Works
Three sources. One house bank.
Every system covered.
Engine alternator, solar and shore power all feed the same monitored bank — which then runs navigation, refrigeration and cabin systems through one distribution panel, with the start battery kept isolated throughout.
Core Components
What’s actually on board.
Every unit below is monitored from one shunt, wired so nothing touches the battery terminals directly except that shunt — which is what makes accurate amp-hour tracking possible in the first place.
B2B Charger
Recovers a full, regulated charge voltage at the house bank no matter how long the cable run from the engine bay.
Lithium House Bank
Delivers close to 100% of rated amp-hours, versus roughly 50% usable from lead-acid, with sealed construction and no venting risk below deck.
Combi
A 2.5kW pure sine inverter, 80A charger and automatic 30A crossover switch — runs cabin loads off-grid, recharges from shore power at the marina.
Power Management Panel
Reads the shunt to show amps in, amps out and amp-hours remaining, in real time — before you’re guessing how much trip is left.
Distribution Panel
One fused connection point for navigation lights, VHF, bilge pump and cabin circuits — simple to trace, simple to extend.
Solar Panel & Regulator
Flexible, canopy or bimini-mounted panels from ~80W to ~150W feed a regulator straight into the monitored bank.
Lithium vs. Lead-Acid
The difference isn’t a percentage. It’s a multiple.
| Lead-Acid | Lithium | |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | ~50% of rated Ah | ~100% of rated Ah |
| 300Ah bank delivers | ~150Ah usable | ~300Ah — ~6 lead-acid batteries’ worth |
| Typical lifespan | 1–2 years | 10–20 years |
| Weight | Heavy — affects trim | A fraction of the weight |
| Belowdecks safety | Vents gas, spill risk | Sealed, no venting |
Run Real Systems
Every system, every trip.
With a properly sized bank and Combi, navigation electronics, refrigeration, the galley and cabin lighting all run off the same monitored system — without touching the start battery.
Why isolate your start battery?
A B2B charger creates one-way isolation between the engine-start battery and the house bank, so however much the cabin, galley or nav electronics draw down, the start battery stays untouched. Engine-starting reliability should never depend on how much power the rest of the boat used that day.
Sizing Your System
How much is enough?
- 01
Fix voltage drop first — a B2B charger between engine and house bank recovers charge a long cable run or diode isolator would otherwise waste.
- 02
A typical day boat or fishing dhow runs 2–4 lithium batteries with one or two B2B chargers sized to the alternator.
- 03
Multi-day trips benefit more from added solar and battery capacity than from running the main engine just to charge.
- 04
There’s no such thing as too much battery bank — only ever too little, especially offshore.
- 05
Keep the start battery fully isolated from house loads — engine starting should never depend on how much the cabin used.
Frequently Asked
Before you build.
Why not just use a diode isolator?+
A diode isolator typically drops another 0.5–1.4V before charge reaches the house bank, on top of whatever the cable run already cost — and its output current isn’t adjustable. A B2B charger delivers one clean, regulated voltage regardless of either.
Is lithium safe on board?+
A properly enclosed, correctly mounted lithium bank avoids the venting and spill risk that flooded lead-acid carries below deck — install to the manufacturer’s mounting and ventilation guidance.
Can I run the fridge and nav electronics overnight at anchor?+
Yes — that’s the point of moving those loads onto a properly sized house bank instead of the start battery. Size the bank and Combi to your actual overnight draw.
Do I need a shore power hookup?+
Not strictly. The Combi’s automatic crossover switch means you can plug in at the marina without doing anything special, but a well-sized bank runs happily without it too.
Ready When You Are
Let’s spec a system for your vessel.
Sterling Middle East Trading LLC — official UAE/GCC distributor for Sterling Power UK.