Balmar Max Charge EU supplier?

[Yngmar]

Our Max Charge MC-612 smart regulator from 2006 seems to have gone funny. At least it claims the battery voltage is 17.7V, when in actual fact it is 13.6V (measured at the regulator terminals to rule out any shenanigans).

Research shows it's still pretty much the best of breed and replacing like for like would avoid me having to rewire half the boat when we actually just want to undock for the season. So I'd like to buy a replacement regulator, but I can't find one, nor the newer MC-614 nor the current MC-618, all of which seem to have a similar enough wiring harness.

I can order one from the US, which may or may not make it through Italian customs when it arrives in about two months, but that's not really helping much, as we don't want to be in Italy by then!

Can anyone find either of the above models in stock in Europe? I can't (nor in the UK) - what's going on with that? They get hit by the microcontroller shortage?

 

[jwfrary]

For smart alternator controllers the wakespeed 500 is now probobly thr most advanced availible currently, balmar looks a little old hat against it.

As for suppliers I'm at google it I'm afraid!

 

[Yngmar]

I found one UK shop claiming to have a Max Charge in stock but decided not to risk it getting stuck in Italian customs for weeks. So I've ordered a Sterling Pro Reg DW from SVB for € 250, which should arrive in 5 days. It will require some cabling changes, but hopefully nothing major. Also will have to find a different spot to mount it, as it's a bigger box. Wakespeed was even more elusive than Balmar.

 

[Ceirwan]

As mentioned above, the Wakespeed unit is the best, I got mine directly from them (at a pre launch price luckily for me) and found them very helpful. Its possible of course that now they're into full commercial production that they can't respond individually?

I hadn't realised that the Sterling Regulators could be used stand alone a well, my old one was purely piggy back, so that's useful info. Thanks.

 

[Poecheng]

For Wakespeed try Four Counties Marine Services
Ed is focussed on narrowboats but seems to know his stuff backwards and makes parts etc to get the best alternators to run. No connection and never spoken to him