IBEX 365 News

2022 IBEX Innovation Award Interview with Egis Mobile Electric

News Date: March 29, 2023

XD Series Triple Flex Relay/ACR/LVD w/Knob

Egis Mobile Electric’s innovative Triple XD Battery Switching and Charge Management Relay combines three independently controllable high amperage relays to reduce installation space, weight, time, and total cost by up to 70%. Each relay’s automatic or remote response profile is programmed via integrated dip switches under a sealed cover. This allows each relay to act as either a simple remote relay/battery switch or an automatic charging relay.

What problem does this product solve?
The XD Series Triple/Double Relays solves the challenge of remote battery switching for boats that typically cannot absorb the cost of traditional remote battery switching. Remote battery switching saves valuable boat weight and copper cable cost and also can be implemented with digital switching or remote control switch solutions to greatly reduce the chance that a boater will accidentally discharge all of their batteries when on the water—a possibly dangerous situation.

How did you become aware of this problem?
The development team at Egis Mobile Electric designed some of the first original remote battery switching solutions for the marine industry almost 20 years ago. Recognizing that most often boat builders would implement several switches simultaneously but that separate switches demanded a higher overall installed cost to implement, the team at Egis Mobile Electric sought to develop a series of modular building block relays that combined the most common configurations of remote switching while allowing for expansion for more complex system needs.

Who is the target market for this product?
The target market for this product ranges from boaters to boat builders owning or building 20-60+ foot vessels, from center console fishing boats to multi-cabin cruisers. Boaters achieve a simpler and more straightforward boating experience, and boat builders improve their customer’s satisfaction and reduce unnecessary warranty claims for premature dead batteries.

What is noteworthy about the technology used?
The XD Series of products uses advanced, magnetically latching, high power solenoids to reduce the footprint necessary when compared to legacy products. Additionally, the XD products have unique programmability that allows the products to be implemented with varying functionality including time-off delay, low voltage protection, multiple methods for remote control wiring, and adjustable open & close voltages for Automatic Charging Relay functionality.

How is it different from any other solution on the market?
The XD Series most notably is a compact and modular solution that is optimized for typical dual battery applications but scales to six or more battery support. The solutions offer extremely robust and simple local manual operation, 90% lower power draw, and are 100% IP67 / IP6K9K.

What obstacles did you encounter in the R&D process?
The XD Relay is a marvel because of how compact of a solution we were able to create given its capability for power switching. With the need for a manual override to ensure the device could be operated without power, lock out the device from remote operation, and be robust enough to be operable for thousands of cycles, the complex internal mechanism design required great ingenuity and is part of a pending patent application for the product.

What customizations are available to personalize this product?
Besides coming with integrated dip switches for customization of functions such as simple relay, automatic charge relay, low voltage disconnect, and time off delay, the XD Family is also customizable for OEMs to include custom firmware solutions, custom control wire harnessing, and custom labeling to ensure product installation is error-free. Most importantly, all customized solutions have the same world-class four day production lead time as our standard part numbers.

How has the product been received?
The XD series relay family has seen exceptional response from North American and European marine markets. After winning the IBEX innovation award, the XD Series product was a finalist for the DAME innovation award at METS this past month. A significant number of boat manufacturers and distributors have also started the process to switch to the XD family from legacy solutions and, most significantly, many manufacturers are shifting away from mechanical battery switches to the XD remote switching relays for existing and new models which will help ensure improved safety afloat.

To see all the 2022 IBEX Innovation Award winners, click here.