What voltage do you use?

[Stranded Mariner]

Thanks for all of your valuable input so far. What I get from it is that, despite a higher voltage being desirable in order to minimize electrical losses, the availability of 24V equipment could be a challenge. Or at least the availability at a reasonable price. I will have to do some more research there. I was studying the Vetus catalog the other day, and saw that there was quite some 24V equipment available. I did not look at prices that much, because I first of all wanted to get an idea what was out there.

[northerncat]

if i was wiring or planning my wiring again id go 24v everything i currently have can be purchased in 24v but as has been mentioned the wriing is simpler
sean

[GordMay]

Just an aside, for anyone contemplating a re-wire.

Wiring, properly sized for 12V equipment is more than adequate for conversion to use on replacement 24V loads - where it will be over-sized, and improve performance.
But:
Wiring designed to power 24V equipment will be UNDER-SIZED for use on 12V replacement equipment.

In other words, wiring designed to power12V devices can be utilized to power newer 24V gear, BUT the reverse is not true.

[jscott]

The reverse may not be true, depends on what wire size was actually used. Fusing will protect the circuits. It it possibel that only a few of the heavier loaded circuits may need a new wire pulled.

If proper spares have been installed all the wiring may be there.

I come back to one of my major pet peeves boat wiring should be run in conduits or as tech cable, rather than the loose wire normally seen, new wire in conduit can easily be re-run, or tech purchased with a nominal 10% spare wires.

[Alan Wheeler]

I come back to one of my major pet peeves boat wiring should be run in conduits or as tech cable, rather than the loose wire normally seen, new wire in conduit can easily be re-run, or tech purchased with a nominal 10% spare wires.

Oh yeah a big AMEN to that . Why oh why do builders not use conduits. Why oh why do builders run wires to lights and equipment and have them become a permenant part of the boat. Never to be able to be removed, replaced or a new wire run.

[SeeYa]

Beetle

No expert but I think that you'll find that the UK and European boats are more or less standardised on 12v DC. Shore power is, however, 240V AC in the UK whle 220V is, I think, more common in the rest of Europe; most common AC equipment can handle this small difference.

See ya

[Joli]

It depends on what you want to do. We run both voltages but standard marine electronics are going to be easier to find as 12 volt. For all our high amperage systems we use 24 volt (winches, bt, fridge/freezer, ap) it is simply more efficient and the equipment is readily available. We also tie the 24 v bank to the 12 by a converter, I think its a Charles but don't remember for sure but there are sources.

We charge all banks with independent chargers or alternators ( ie a 12 v and 24 v alternator belted opposite and two chargers (ie a 12 v for two banks and a 24v for one bank). So I feel like we have ok redundancy, we can make either voltage two ways when underway.

24 volt makes sense if the size/load warrants, otherwise don't bother.

What size boat?

Originally Posted by Stranded Mariner

I was wondering what voltage you use for the main power on board. 24 volt or 12? What are the pro's and cons? I am still trying to make my mind up what to use on my boat.

Thanks in advance!

[rebel heart]

12v over here. Everything runs on 12v, and I want to spend more time sailing and snorkeling than putting on my electrician's hat. 120v AC, no inverter.

Right now we only use the 120 stuff when hooked onto shore power. It's a smarter idea to convert your AC stuff to DC (ditch the laptop and get one of the micro ITX systems, etc), rather than run an inverter.

If you do have an inverter, i'd run it off it's own switch on the breaker panel. Really be careful about how much you're using; most 120v AC household appliances (laptops, hair driers, lights, power tools, etc) use an insane amount of electricity, and will quickly drain your battery.

[Stranded Mariner]

Originally Posted by Joli

It depends on what you want to do. We run both voltages but standard marine electronics are going to be easier to find as 12 volt. For all our high amperage systems we use 24 volt (winches, bt, fridge/freezer, ap) it is simply more efficient and the equipment is readily available. We also tie the 24 v bank to the 12 by a converter, I think its a Charles but don't remember for sure but there are sources.

We charge all banks with independent chargers or alternators ( ie a 12 v and 24 v alternator belted opposite and two chargers (ie a 12 v for two banks and a 24v for one bank). So I feel like we have ok redundancy, we can make either voltage two ways when underway.

24 volt makes sense if the size/load warrants, otherwise don't bother.

What size boat?

Thanks for that Joli. I think that's what I will do. Take 24V as the main house system, and run inverters of it for 12V DC and 220 AC where needed.

The boat is a Dix 43. Building will start in a few weeks.

Cheers,
Andreas

[Joli]

Originally Posted by Stranded Mariner

Thanks for that Joli. I think that's what I will do. Take 24V as the main house system, and run inverters of it for 12V DC and 220 AC where needed.

The boat is a Dix 43. Building will start in a few weeks.

Cheers,
Andreas

That's big enough that you should see advantage with 24 volt. Don't forget 24 volt windlas, the savings in wire for that alone makes it a reasonable proposition.

[Tspringer]

Im with Joli....


We will be looking for a boat in the 50' range to live aboard and cruise as a family of 4. I want to buy an older boat (very partial to the Gulfstar 50) and refit it to my tastes and with all the latest modern gear. A new-old boat if you get what I mean.


I want a 6kw output at 24 volts DC generator (like the Fischer Panda AGTPM6) that will be able to quickly charge a large 24 volt battery bank. Anything that is readily available in 24 volt (and for which 24 volts makes more sense) we will use.... this includes refrigeration/freezer (I like the frigoboat keel cooler systems), DC air conditioning, autopilot, windlass, radar, and electric winches if we go that route). Basically.... the big power draw items that would require longer cable runs.

Everything else will be run at 12 volts using a DC to DC converter.

I am still doing a lot of reading and studying on all this so the above is simply my thoughts right now. Having a 24 volt battery bank and DC generator sure seems to have more advantages than faults and its pretty simple with a converter to run all the 12V stuff you want. So why not have both?



Terry