Blog - RJS Marine

28May28th May 2026

WARNING REGARDING eBay and US BALMAR SELLERS – The Hidden Costs

Over the years, several individuals have contacted us requesting assistance with products purchased through eBay and other online channels from US sellers. To be absolutely clear: Neither we, nor any other official UK or EU based Balmar distributor or agent, will provide technical support, installation guidance, troubleshooting assistance, or warranty services for products purchased through these sellers. If you choose to purchase from these sources, you do so entirely at your own risk. Warranty & Repair Risks Balmar products are premium marine...

By rjsBuying0 Comments

26Mar26th March 2023

DHLs’ DDP service – (Delivery Duty Paid).

Are you a looking for a reliable delivery service, that gets your goods anywhere, and all without the hassle of foreign customs and tax officials? DHL offers the perfect solution with their Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) service. This comprehensive service takes care of all customs clearance to taxes and duties payment. With DHL's DDP service, you can enjoy hassle-free shipping that ensures fast delivery of your goods to any destination in the world. One of the great advantages of DHL’s DDP...

By rjsUncategorized0 Comments

07May7th May 2022

A fire is born – Real life footage of a disturbing nature – Viewer discretion advised

If you're a Doctor, or a Farmer, I'm sure birth is nothing new, but here's the birth of a fire, well, a bit of smoke, but it could have cost a customer his boat and an end to the dream. Fortunately, a good sense of smell and a smoke alarm alerted him to the problem. IMG_2706 So with major catastrophe averted, what lessons can we learn? You can't tell from the video, but the 35mm cable that was attached to the alternators Positive...

By rjsUncategorized0 Comments

18Jan18th January 2022

Doing a ‘fit-out’?

It's not just alternators and electrics that we do.... If you're fitting out, there's a 101 things you'll need. From antifouling to zinc anodes, and tenders to chart-plotters, we can supply it, but with a caveat, there's a minimum order value. Having said that, if you're undertaking a refit of any size, you'll be surprised (or maybe not) at just how quickly things add up. So what can we supply? pretty much everything. If it's marine related, the chances are, one...

By rjsUncategorizedBundle buying0 Comments

18Jan18th January 2022

Alternator & battery bundles

If you're upgrading both your alternator and batteries, then we can do some fantastic deals, in fact they're so fantastic, you wont believe your eyes! We will match and beat* any genuine like for like offer. It's awesome, what more can I say? Obviously there are conditions, but I think they're fair and reasonable - The products must be the same. Availability must be the same, give or take a little. And finally, and VERY IMPORTANTLY, support must be the same....

By rjsUncategorizedBundle buying0 Comments

14Jan14th January 2022

P and N regulation – What’s the difference?

Why do Balmar sell alternators and regulators that are designed to work from the 'P' side and not the 'N'? When regulating or controlling the output of an alternator, the regulator can be designed to work on either the Positive (P-Type) or Negative (N-Type) side of the alternator. With an N-Type sytem, if the field wire shorts to ground, or if the alternator internally shorts to ground, the alternator will immediately produce full output — both current and voltage. This output will...

By rjsUncategorizedExplosion Risk, Fire Risk, Safety0 Comments

10Jan10th January 2022

CE certification of Balmar products

I've been asked a couple of times now if Balmars' products are CE certified, once being from Greek customs. The simple answer is that they don't need to be, and in fact, a lot of products that carry the label probably don't need to be, or indeed fall into any category that should be. Anyway, we all like a well know logo, it looks good and instils confidence, so why not slap it on your toothpick. Here's an excerpt from an...

By rjsUncategorizedCE certification, The Low Voltage Directive, The Machinary Directive0 Comments

08Jan8th January 2022

Not my customer? sorry, but I’m not able to help.

It is with regret, and some sadness, that I must state I will no longer be offering help or support to any person who is not my direct customer. Why? I hear you ask, read on... On New years eve, despite my better judgement, I interrupted my Christmas holiday and answered the phone. What followed can only be described as obscene. I won't name names, or indicate where this person came from, but the level of abuse left me shaken....

By rjsUncategorizedSupport0 Comments

08Nov8th November 2021

Alternator > fuse > battery bank. But where does the fuse go?

Where do I put the fuse? It's one of the most common questions I get asked by customers installing a new alternator. In order to answer this question, we need to establish a few facts as defined by the ABYC and BMEEA - The fuse or circuit breaker is there to protect the cable, not the equipment. The fuse shall be installed within 200mm of the source of power (with exceptions). The 'source of power' will be the battery. The...

By rjsUncategorizedAlternators, Fuses0 Comments

06Nov6th November 2021

What is an ‘AFD’ type battery switch?

Automatic Field Disconnect. If you have a battery isolator switch between an externally regulated alternator and the battery bank, then you need to cut the field current to the alternator before disconnecting the batteries to reduce the very real risk of damaging your alternator. The AFD is actually a separate, isolated, single pole switch within the main battery switch itself. The alternator field current wire from the external regulator is connected to one pole, the other pole then goes on to...

By rjsUncategorized0 Comments