December 8th, 2020
Electrical works have always been at the heart of what we do at Berthon Spain. Whether it be work carried out by our yacht care/guardiennage team, maintenance done by our engineering team or part of a full refit, there is always the need for good yacht electricians!
The world of marine electrics has become infinitely more complicated of late. Most modern production yachts and superyachts utilise PLC’s (Programmable Logic Controllers). These can make life a lot easier when it comes to controlling a yacht and monitoring all her systems, but it does mean that it’s crucial to have a good technician who intrinsically understands how to read and programme them.
Richard Green heads up Berthon Spain’s electrical department and with a strong background in IT, marine electronics, and engineering, we are in his safe and professional hands. Berthon Spain’s MD Andrew Fairbrass is also qualified in electronics and having spent a lifetime on yachts, he has an inexplicable way of sniffing out electrical faults.
One of the key areas of electrical systems on a modern yacht is of course the navigation equipment which most of us now to rely on. Berthon have worked on the whole array of systems from B&G, Raymarine and Garmin to SIMRAD, Furuno and many more. The choices, as with most technologies, are endless, and one of our tasks is to offer clear guidance. Our clients can be confident that as we have all experienced how these systems can behave at 3 AM when the wind is picking up and fog has descended, our Berthon team members really are qualified to offer advice!
Understanding the options for integration is also especially important as many of these systems can talk to each other. This can greatly improve your yachting experience, if done right, but can also cause unwanted headaches if you are not careful. However, when set up well and with the right tuition you can connect the yacht’s navigation to your tablet or phone and be snoozing in your cabin in the comfortable knowledge that all is well on deck.
The batteries on a yacht are the heart of all things electronic and can be expensive to replace if not well looked after and monitored. The systems to monitor batteries have come a long way. Mastervolt, a brand we work with regularly on yachts up to 30 metres, we find works very well but there are of course other options. These systems allow us not only to see what is happening in real time with the battery bank, but also to gather data on how the batteries are used, which in turn provides us with the necessary information for suggesting improvements where appropriate.
We work and install batteries on a weekly bases. Be it AGM, GEL and Lithium Ion or traditional LED acid we know the pros and cons and are happy to advise our clients on the right battery for individual applications. EnerSys, Sonnenschein, Varta and Optima tend to be our key suppliers and preferred brands.
If you are having problems with your yacht electronics or would like to talk with us about upgrading and improving the systems you have, then please do get in touch. We would be delighted to assist and chat about your electrical and electronic needs.
Managing Director – andrew.fairbrass@berthonspain.com
Tel: +34 971 415 441
https://www.berthonspain.com/
