APS · 185 HPI
High-Output Alternator 24V 185A wiring diagram
APS 185 HPI family for nominal 24 V systems, rated 185 A / 28 V. The manufacturer lists an application-specific external regulator and OEM LIN excitation connector. Exact harness, pinout and regulator compatibility require confirmation; the canvas Field pin is conceptual.
- Nominal voltage
- 24 V
- Rated output
- 185 A
Wiring diagram
How the HPI 185A 24V is wired.
Open this example in Crimp to use your own parts and cable lengths. Review the assumptions and installation notes as you adapt the circuit.
Cable sizing for this example
Use the diagram as a starting point for your installation. Replace the example equipment and cable lengths with your own, and check the connections against your exact model's instructions.
3 m one way
24 V system
- Wire
- 70 mm² · 2/0 AWG
- Example fuse
- 250 A
- Design current
- 185 A
- Voltage drop
- 1.4%
Sized against ABYC E-11. The design current is the unit's rated output. The length is one way; voltage drop includes an equal-length return.
Run-length and manufacturer assumptions
The editable example uses 3.048 m (10 ft) runs unless a shorter run is stated. Metric overviews round these to 3 m. Adapt the parts and lengths to your installation before choosing cable and protection.
Supporting parts
- 6.1 m total of 70 mm² (2/0 AWG) marine cable
- Terminations for 70 mm² cable, matched to the equipment's screw terminals, leads or studs
- 250 A fuse and holder on the positive run
- Heat-shrink, strain relief and terminal boots sized to the cable
Check stud sizes, fuse type, run length and how warm the space gets against the gear you actually have before you order.
Installation notes
Before you install.
Open a question for model-specific guidance and sources.
Reviewed against manufacturer family documentation (rev. Revised March 2019), checked 2026-10-01. Exact variant details still require confirmation. Manufacturer documentation →
What the manufacturer actually identifies
The archived American Power Systems 185 HPI series datasheet specifies 185 A nominal output, 28 V nominal output and 5 kW, for charging a nominal 24 V system. It lists a 28.2 V or custom setpoint. That does not establish a universal lithium charging profile. The document is manufacturer-authored and hosted by marine supplier OceanPlanet Energy.
The catalog does not contain a complete application-specific part number. Its 150 A typical charging value is an operating assumption, not a separately published guaranteed hot-output rating. Confirm the actual assembly and output curve before relying on that estimate.
Resolve the regulator interface before wiring
Page 2 describes excitation as an OEM LIN connector to an external regulator, and calls the regulator external/custom. It does not establish a universal one-wire field input or approve every Arco Zeus installation. The canvas Field pin is a conceptual control connection, not a verified physical pinout.
Obtain the exact alternator/regulator wiring instructions, connector pinout, field or LIN interface requirements and compatible harness from the supplier. Do not attach a generic field-output wire merely because both products are described as externally regulated.
Plan the mechanical drive and main circuit
The datasheet specifies clockwise rotation, internal fans, a tangent mount and an application-specific pulley. Confirm bracket strength, alignment, belt capacity and cooling for the engine installation. A 5 kW electrical output also requires appreciable mechanical power; a current setting alone does not establish available engine power at idle.
The high-current output needs a suitable positive conductor, a confirmed return arrangement and coordinated fault protection. Keep sensing and control conductors separate in the installation drawing. The reviewed sheet does not give output-terminal torque, cable/fuse tables or a complete installation sequence; those remain required supplier information.
Establish limits and verify shutdown
Before charging a lithium bank, agree battery voltage/current limits, alternator thermal sensing and BMS shutdown behaviour for the exact regulator. Confirm that the system reduces field/output before the battery protection opens. Verify the design with loaded voltage and current measurements, including hot operation.
This review closes the unsupported claim of automatic Zeus compatibility. It supplies a family-level walkthrough while leaving the missing exact-model installation data explicit; the source is a datasheet, not a substitute installation manual.
Fit check
Connect it to the rest of your system.
Describe your setup to draft a system with 185 HPI connected. Review the selected parts and cable lengths, then edit the diagram in Crimp.
The model only picks parts and draws the connections. Every wire size and fuse rating still comes from Crimp's own sizing, never from the model.
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Technical reference
Specifications and terminal map.
Check the model, ratings and connection points against your own unit before choosing installation hardware.
Catalog specification
APS 185 HPI family for nominal 24 V systems, rated 185 A / 28 V. The manufacturer lists an application-specific external regulator and OEM LIN excitation connector. Exact harness, pinout and regulator compatibility require confirmation; the canvas Field pin is conceptual.
- Nominal voltage
- 24 V
- Rated output
- 185 A
- Planning charge current
- 150 A
Terminal map
Catalog connection points, current direction and planning limits. Check the manufacturer's pinout and connector ratings before installation.
B+
positive · output
GND
ground · bidi
Field
signal · input
Sources and sizing method
Equipment specifications. Model details, ratings and terminal roles come from the catalog. Check your unit’s label and current manufacturer documentation for its exact revision.
Example sizing. Sized against ABYC E-11. Boats built to UK or EU rules answer to ISO 13297 — check these figures against it before you build. Results use the example current and run length shown above. Set your actual equipment, lengths and installation conditions in Crimp before choosing hardware.
Read how the sizing worksNext step
Plan your installation with HPI 185A 24V.
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