Two equipment systems aimed squarely at modern leisure-boat electrical loads are heading to the Southampton International Boat Show for UK premieres: Cristec’s C-Box energy and lighting manager and new 12-volt versions of Frigomar’s HE variable-speed air-conditioning units. Advance Yacht Systems will present both at Stand H148 from 18 to 27 September.

The products address different parts of the same ownership problem. As smaller cruising boats carry more lithium capacity, solar charging, refrigeration, climate control and connected electronics, owners need both better visibility of their electrical system and equipment that can operate efficiently from DC power without large start-up loads.

C-Box puts energy and lighting on one platform

Cristec’s C-Box is a central monitoring and control server for onboard energy and lighting. It can report battery state of charge, consumption, power arriving from solar panels, generators and shore supply, along with tank levels, temperature and humidity sensors.

The system can also control the shore-power input-current limit, start or stop compatible generators and manage up to 128 lighting addresses or zones, including RGBW and underwater lighting. Owners can access the system through Cristec Connect, a compatible multifunction display or the optional seven-inch C-Touch screen.

Remote diagnostics move beyond simple battery monitoring

Built-in wireless connectivity gives C-Box both local and remote access. Cristec lists cloud data logging, real-time monitoring and remote diagnostics among its principal features, allowing an owner or technician to inspect system status without being physically in front of the electrical panel.

The server can be DIN-rail mounted, while the separate touchscreen avoids requiring the main control box to sit directly behind the helm display. That separation can be useful on compact boats where electrical distribution and dashboard space rarely occupy the same convenient location.

Frigomar brings variable-speed air conditioning to 12 volts

Frigomar’s HE Series self-contained DC air-conditioning range already includes 24- and 48-volt versions. The new 12-volt models extend the platform to boats using more conventional low-voltage house systems, with new 7,000 and 10,000 BTU/h units listed in the manufacturer’s current range.

The HE revisions add a larger seawater heat exchanger and optimised evaporator, with Frigomar quoting a 15% efficiency improvement for the updated series. The company also states that its variable-speed architecture can be up to 50% more energy-efficient than conventional on/off air-conditioning because compressor output can be modulated rather than repeatedly cycling at full load.

Lower start-up demand matters on smaller boats

The 7,000 BTU/h 12-volt unit is rated at 470W maximum input power and 155W in ECO mode, while the 10,000 BTU/h version is rated at 690W maximum and also 155W in ECO mode. Frigomar lists start-up current of only 2A for the variable-speed design, avoiding the heavy compressor-start surge associated with many traditional systems.

For LBG readers, that combination is the important part of the Southampton preview: the C-Box offers more detailed control of where onboard power is going, while the 12V Frigomar units are designed to reduce the size of one of the most demanding comfort loads. Together they reflect how energy management and equipment efficiency are increasingly being designed as one onboard system rather than separate upgrades.