2021/2022 Updates on 48v for main system bus

[resistor]

My power winch and windlass both draw ~1500W peak on 12v. Unfortunately, the only 48v windlasses I know of won't fit in our space. I guess I could reach out to the winch manufacturer and see if they would be able to wind a 48v motor for it...

[codingparadox]

U1 can still happily provide 100+ amps for a while. Just a thought.

[codingparadox]

The Maxwell windlasses come in 48v on a few different sizes, for example:

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=7157234

I picked up an RC12-10 since I wanted to be safely overpowered on a 100 lb anchor and 300 ft of 3/8s chain.

[resistor]

Originally Posted by codingparadox

The Maxwell windlasses come in 48v on a few different sizes, for example:

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=7157234

I picked up an RC12-10 since I wanted to be safely overpowered on a 100 lb anchor and 300 ft of 3/8s chain.

Unfortunately, our anchor locker can only accommodate a horizontal windlass. I’m hopefully that more will be coming now that one line is available.

[codingparadox]

Try emailing the maxwell folks. When I was trying to find the right chainring for the ancient 1500 that came on this boat they were super helpful via email. It's possible that they'd be like "sure we're trying to build that" or something. It's the same motor winding, just horizontal gearbox.

[resistor]

Good idea. I also have a message out to Harken re: our power winch, to see if there’s any chance at getting a custom wound motor for it.

[ArranP]

Originally Posted by resistor

Good idea. I also have a message out to Harken re: our power winch, to see if there’s any chance at getting a custom wound motor for it.

Would it also be necessary to swap out load controller and winch controller to 48v versions when changing to a 48v custom wound motor for the winch ?

[codingparadox]

The maxwell I got actually still uses 12V for the relays, it’s just 48 for the main motor. So I still will have to run a small amount of 12V up to that spot.

[mako]

As a 2022 aside, you can see that 48VDC mains (house banks) are at a tipping point of acceptance in the recreational boating industry. It's great to see so many people pushing the systems. Funny how the bulk of the effort is here in the sailboat realm, not the power trawlers which are generally more power-hungry. I guess the trawler crowd is just more conservative.

Considering that today's new-built yachts are very power hungry, loaded with residential luxuries and pretty much "all electric" then I'd say that for a new construction of 50ft or over it's a no-brainer to go 48VDC house, and even down to about 40ft possible. And IMO, once you hit 65ft/20m, it's best to go all VAC (120/240 or 230) but still drawing from a 48VDC house bank.

You see, that wasn't a rant, it was a "commentary"

[codingparadox]

With 48V inverters running around 96-97% efficiency to AC, it's pretty easy to just do AC everything.

On our last boat, where I had a standard 12V setup, I meticulously installed 12V everything possible -- DC-DC usb chargers in the bedrooms, macbook chargers (USB-C), etc., clawing back that 10-15% efficiency difference for all the anchored living and working we were doing. On this boat where I went all in on the 48V setup, we still just use the little apple 120VAC cube chargers because the efficiency gains aren't worth it anymore, and it's so much simpler to just exist more like a house. Our bedroom clock is a cheap AC-powered unit. etc. etc. I have a gaming PC that I sometimes forget to turn off and it's still fine.

Knowing what I know now, I would absolutely have blown away the 12V system on the last boat and replaced it with a 48V system, even with it being only a 42 foot boat. Especially for those of us living on the hook a bunch of the time, the livability gains are unbelievable if you haven't actually experienced it yet.

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by codingparadox

The Maxwell windlasses come in 48v on a few different sizes, for example:

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=7157234

I picked up an RC12-10 since I wanted to be safely overpowered on a 100 lb anchor and 300 ft of 3/8s chain.

Is that new? I could have swore I looked a year ago and they had no 48v options.

Nice to see more 48v stuff happening especially as the trend will be towards larger battery packs and possibly electric galley.

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by codingparadox

The maxwell I got actually still uses 12V for the relays, it’s just 48 for the main motor. So I still will have to run a small amount of 12V up to that spot.

Annoying but that could easily be done by a small DC to DC converter at the site.

[codingparadox]

Yeah, lots of stuff popping up in the last 6 months. I built this system a year ago on faith that 48V would proliferate, and it finally is! Will be so awesome running a single 4/0-gauge wire pair up to the windlass and bow thruster (just because I like overkill) and have that able to pull almost 10kw with super-low voltage drop.

I have this on order too:
https://www.fisheriessupply.com/lewm...5-70-ft/592502

I don't expect any of the main system to ever go 48V on this boat -- LEDs, relays, solenoids, **** like that. Just too much of it. But if I can get the big loads down, and someday stuff like the water pump to 48V, then I can further isolate the 12V system to a little DC-DC converter, which would be perfect.

[codingparadox]

Originally Posted by Statistical

Annoying but that could easily be done by a small DC to DC converter at the site.

Fortunately the boat has a ~2 gauge wire running from the generator start (in the starboard bow) back to the house (port mid) as an emergency crossover, so it's easy enough for me to steal 12V from that along the way. Otherwise I'd be more mad/prolly do a tiny DC-DC converter like you say.

[mako]

48vdc motors are widely available, just not in the typical West Marine realm yet. Check out electric bikes and other small vehicles. Goto Made-In-China or Alibaba and order as many motors as you'd like. The key is having to custom make an (eg.) water pump with a 48v motor direct driving a centrifugal pump. There you go, a 48v bilge pump! Just not a Rule brand. Heck, if that pump has a draw head of a few feet then you can remotely locate the pump up in your engine space, with a remote pickup down low. That would solve the problems of a lot of sore backs and yucky bilgy junk piling up on the pump.