PROJECT CASE STUDY

Complete Lithium and Power-Management Upgrade

A comprehensive lithium battery, charging and monitoring upgrade designed to increase usable energy capacity, reduce generator use and simplify onboard power management.

YACHT

Leopard 46

PROJECT TYPE

Li-ion Upgrade

LOCATION

Grenada

DURATION

4 Weeks

COMPLETED

January 2026

01

The Owner's Goal

The owners wanted to spend more time at anchor while relying less on the generator for everyday electrical needs. The yacht’s existing battery bank offered limited usable capacity and required frequent charging. Power use had also increased as additional refrigeration, communications equipment and onboard systems were added over time. This also added to a confusion of cables! The owners wanted a modern energy system that would provide:

02

The Challenges

Existing System Integration

The new lithium bank needed to integrate safely with the yacht’s alternators, chargers, inverter, solar equipment and existing distribution system.

High Electrical Loads

The yacht’s everyday energy demands had increased, so the complete system needed to be reviewed rather than simply replacing the batteries.

Protection and Monitoring

Lithium systems require suitable charging profiles, protection and monitoring to operate safely and reliably.

03

Our Solution

We carried out a complete review of the yacht’s energy use, battery capacity and charging sources before recommending the upgrade.

A Blue Heron lithium battery bank was installed alongside upgraded charging, monitoring and power-management equipment. Existing cabling, protection and distribution were reviewed and improved where necessary.

The system was configured to provide clear information about battery condition, charging performance and power consumption, giving the owners a much better understanding of their available energy.

04

Scope of Work

  • Complete electrical-system assessment
  • Review energy use and charging capacity
  • Remove the existing battery bank
  • Install Blue Heron lithium batteries
  • Upgrade inverter and charging equipment
  • Configure lithium charging profiles
  • Review alternator charging
  • Upgrade cabling and circuit protection
  • Install Victron monitoring equipment
  • Test shore-power and generator charging
  • Complete load testing and commissioning
  • Provide owner system handover
05

Equipment Installed

LITHIUM BATTERIES
INVERTER & CHARGER
BATTERY MANAGEMENT EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL MONITORING
CURCUIT PROTECTION
New cabling & isolation equipment
Alternator charging controls
06

The Results

The yacht now has significantly more usable energy capacity, faster charging and a clearer overview of its electrical performance.

Fewer Generator Hours

The larger usable battery capacity allows more everyday equipment to run without immediately starting the generator.

Better Energy Visibility

The owners can see how much power is being used, where it is coming from and how much capacity remains.

Greater Reliability

Charging, protection and distribution have been integrated and tested as one complete system.