Victron Galvanic Isolator VDI-32 A

Discover the Galvanic Isolator – Your Shield Against Electrolytic Corrosion

The galvanic isolator is your primary line of defense against electrolytic corrosion caused by low-voltage direct currents that can enter your boat via the shore power ground cable. These currents pose a serious threat to your boat's underwater metal components, such as the hull, propeller, and shaft, as they can lead to corrosion.

At the heart of the galvanic isolator are two diodes connected in an anti-parallel configuration. This special connection allows current to flow in both directions, but only when a certain voltage threshold – in this case, 1.4 Vdc – is exceeded.

The isolator is installed directly behind your boat's 230 V connection. Thanks to its forward voltage, which is higher than the potential difference between different metals, the voltage cannot allow conduction. In this way, the galvanic isolator reliably blocks any electrolytic current flow. Should a fault current nevertheless occur in the AC circuit, the diodes allow the current to flow through, activating the residual current device and interrupting the circuit.

Documents & Downloads

• Galvanic Isolator Manual