It’s used for starting up the engine, cranking up the stereo, charging your cell phone, turning on the lights, and a whole lot more – virtually all boats have some level of need for electricity. And that means you may need any one of a slew of electrical items: marine batteries, generators, solar panels, digital control systems, and the list goes on and on. But as we all know, electricity and water don’t always mix well. That’s why using electrical components intended for marine use, only, is critical on a boat. Wires need to be tinned-copper, connectors need to be water-resistant, and in many cases electronics need to be waterproofed. Even batteries take on a different dimension when it comes to marine use because there’s a big difference between the starting batteries used for an engine, and the “house” batteries used to supply electricity to different systems and components on the boat (read Marine Battery Basics to learn more about the types of batteries used on boats and how they’re different). Just as is true in our homes, offices, and automobiles, electric energy is what makes things work. So whether you need air conditioning equipment or a generator to create the power that A.C. needs in the first place, you’ll find it in this category.