Systems
Monitoring & Control
See and command every system, in one place.
Monitoring & Control is the layer that ties everything else together: it shows the true state of the batteries, tanks, charging and circuits, and lets you switch and manage them without going to find the panel.
Instead of reading a wall of individual gauges, every sensor reports onto one backbone and you see one coherent picture — on a display, on an app, or both.
Most installations are built around an NMEA 2000 backbone — a standard network that lets sensors, displays and devices from different manufacturers share data on one bus.
Battery monitors — Report state of charge, current and voltage — the truth about what is left in the bank.
Level senders — Report fuel, water and waste tank levels.
Instrumentation — Feeds engine, environmental and navigation data onto the same network.
Instead of running heavy cable from every switch to every load, digital switching commands outputs sitting close to the loads themselves.
That cuts wiring runs and adds programmable logic, dimming and remote control. Combined with monitoring, it gives you scenes, alarms and conditional behaviour — automatically shedding non-essential circuits as state of charge falls, for example.
The trade-off is more design work upfront and a dependence on a healthy network, so backbone topology, termination and power budgeting matter from the first drawing.
It suits marine and overland builds equally, because both cram many subsystems into a space where weight and cable runs are expensive and one unified interface genuinely earns its keep.
What you specify depends on three answers: which standard your existing and planned equipment speaks, how much you want to monitor versus actively control, and whether you need the data remotely.
Matching components within a coherent ecosystem, and confirming compatibility across brands on the bus, is the difference between a system that works and a system that needs attention every weekend.
The sensors, the network, the switching and the hardware that mounts it all cleanly.
What to get right
- Decide first whether you want monitoring only, or monitoring plus control. Monitors and sensors give you visibility. Digital switching adds remote operation and programmable logic, but it needs more planning and a robust network.
- Confirm the network standard your equipment speaks. NMEA 2000 lets devices from different brands share one bus, so check that any monitor, sensor or display you add is compatible before you mix manufacturers.
- Plan the NMEA 2000 backbone properly. Topology, termination, drop-cable lengths and power budgeting are what make the network reliable. Under-specifying the backbone produces intermittent faults that are miserable to trace later.
- Configure battery monitors and senders for what they are actually measuring. A monitor is only as useful as its state-of-charge accuracy, so it must be set for the battery type, and level senders must suit the tank's shape and contents.
- Decide about remote access early. If you want to see or control systems from a phone or from shore, specify the components and gateways for it from the start rather than bolting connectivity on afterwards.
What this covers
- NMEA 2000 monitoring
- Digital switching
- Battery monitors
- Level & tank sensors
- Instrumentation
Representative products
Battery monitors
Victron SmartShunt 500A Battery Monitor
The Victron SmartShunt is a Bluetooth battery monitor that measures state of charge, current and consumed amp-hours, reporting to a phone or display so you always know how much energy remains.
Level & tank sensors
Wema Stainless Tank Level Sender
The Wema Tank Level Sender is a stainless-steel sensor for fuel, water and waste tanks, providing reliable level readings to gauges and NMEA 2000 monitoring.
Frequently asked questions
What is NMEA 2000, and why does it matter for monitoring?
It is a standardised network protocol that lets sensors, displays and devices from different manufacturers exchange data over a single backbone cable. It matters because it lets you combine battery monitors, tank senders, instrumentation and displays, potentially from different brands, into one coherent system instead of a set of isolated gauges.
What is the difference between monitoring and digital switching?
Monitoring is visibility: battery monitors, level senders and instrumentation report what each system is doing. Digital switching is control: it commands outputs over the network, so you can operate circuits remotely, dim lighting, build scenes and add logic such as automatic load-shedding. Most serious builds use both together.
Can I mix Victron, Maretron and Wema on one system?
Devices that speak NMEA 2000 are designed to share a common bus, so components from different manufacturers can generally coexist. What matters is confirming each device's compatibility and configuring the network correctly, so check the intended combination before purchase rather than after installation.
Do these systems suit overland builds, or only boats?
Both. The same monitoring and control components are widely used in mobile and overland builds, where multiple subsystems, tight space and weight limits make a single unified interface especially valuable. The selection logic is identical: which standard, how much control, and whether you need the data remotely.