Alternator Regulator Product Comparison Matrix
for use with Lithium Battery banks
 |  |  |  |  | |
| X Engineering XREG-010 | ARCO Zeus | Wakespeed WS500 Pro | Balmar MC-618-H | ElectroMaax E-Maax Pro X | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||||
| Complete, apples to apples | $452 | $890 | $1,050 | $455 | $539 |
| Advertised price, mismatched | $390 | $846 | $649 | $360 | $539The advertised price is the complete price. |
| Compatibility | |||||
| System voltages | 12, 24, 36, 48 V | 12, 24, 36, 48 VThe regulator itself runs on 12–30 V, so a 48 V bank cannot power it directly. | 12, 24, 48 V | 12 V | 12, 24 V |
| Alternator type | P, N | P, N | P, N | P only | P, N |
| Connectivity | Wi-FiAny browser, plus iOS and Android apps. | BluetoothiOS and Android apps. | BluetoothiOS and Android apps. | A magnet$442 of extra hardware adds a Bluetooth app connection. | Wi-FiNo app. Full settings access needs the Windows program over USB. |
| Native measurements | |||||
| Alternator current | Yes | Yes | Yes, or battery current, but not both | No | Yes |
| Battery current | Yes | Yes | Yes, or alternator current, but not both | No | Yes |
| Alternator temperature sensor | Digital | Thermistor | Thermistor | Thermistor | AnalogThe manual reads it as a voltage into the converter and never names the sensor type, possibly a thermistor. |
| Battery temperature sensor | Digital | Thermistor | Thermistor | Thermistor | AnalogThe manual reads it as a voltage into the converter and never names the sensor type, possibly a thermistor. |
| Protection | |||||
| Belt load manager | By amps, against engine RPM | By amps, against engine RPM | By amps, if the shunt is on the alternatorOtherwise open loop on field percentage. | By field percentageOpen loop, with no idea of engine RPM. | By field percentage, against engine RPM |
| Alternator temperature control | Holds a target temperature | Holds a target temperature | Holds a target temperature | Pulls the field back above a threshold | Half field above a thresholdFull cut over a limit.The product page says it holds a target, but manual’s settings list disagrees |
| Limp home mode | Yes | Removed in 2025 | Yes | No | No |
| Alternator health trend | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Alternator lifetime prediction | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Battery charging | |||||
| “Target zero battery current” mode | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Act as independent battery monitor | Yes | State of charge onlyWith the shunt fitted. | No | No | No |
| Solar mode | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Guided setup | Commissioning wizard | App wizard | Plug-n-Go | No | No |
| Integration | |||||
| NMEA 2000 | Send and receive | Send and receive | Send and receive | No | Send onlyPGN 127506, 127508, and 127751 go out. Nothing documented coming in. |
| Victron DVCC | In progress with VictronAugust 2026. | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| RV-C | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| The physical unit | |||||
| Dimensions | 6 × 4 × 1.3 in | 8.2 × 5.9 × 2.4 inWithout antenna. | 6.75 × 3.875 × 2.375 inFootprint 7.5 × 3.875 in over the mounting flanges. | 4.8 × 3.2 × 1.5 in | 6.0 × 5.0 in152 × 127 mm on the drawing. No depth figure is published. |
| Moisture ingress | No IP ratingConformally coated board. Extra potting possible by installer, not included. Connectors not waterproof, must use dielectric grease and mount above waterline. | IP66 case, IP67 connectors | Designed for IP67Diecast enclosure version. | No IP ratingEpoxy potted on an aluminum heat sink, probably good | IP56Withstands strong water jets |
| Accel and barometer on board | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Data and updates | |||||
| Over-the-air updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | None published | No |
| Remote access from off the boat | Yes, through router | No | Yes, through a gateway | No | Yes, for the factoryThere is no owner-facing remote view. |
| Opt-in Cloud database | Yes, free | Advertised fall 2026 | No | No | No |
| Save, load, and share settings | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Two custom profilesEdited in the Windows program. No settings file export or import is documented. |
| Logging on the device itself | About a month of history | None | None | A run-hours counter | None |
| Other | |||||
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | None found, published warranty excludes all products except alternators. |
| Source code published | YesGPLv3. | No | No | No | No |
| Schematics published | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Each price with a dotted underline opens the full parts breakdown behind it.
Prices retrieved September 2026. Wakespeed and Balmar pricing from PKYS, ARCO from ARCO, X Engineering from X Engineering, ElectroMaax from ElectroMaax.
NMEA 2000 drop cable and miscellaneous wiring terminals and accessories are not included.
Data is obtained by best effort; no guarantee of correctness. Send corrections to joe@xengineering.net.