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Manufacturers now moving to 48vdc house systems
Watch for a rapid adoption of 48vdc house systems across most all segments of the RV business. Because of the higher voltage they can use much smaller, cheaper and lighter cables and all the components can also be smaller, lighter and cheaper. Bvans seem to be leading the way.
My 2020 Travato NPF pioneered this trend via a 12kw 48vdc Volta designed Li system that uses a 9kw 48vdc second engine driven alternator. It is a simple one switch on/off system that fully recharges even a fully depleted house battery bank in less than two hours of driving or via a shore power plug. They still provide roof mounted solar panels and a solar plug for external solar panels but they are so slow re the alternator or shore power that it is hard to see why. The only downside I have encountered is the fan on the inverter/charger they use is loud and has a significant standby power draw. Both of these could be addressed by a newer I/C but I have not found either to be a major issue worth addressing.
FYI the Tesla Cybertruck also uses 48vdc electrical system and an 800vdc traction battery for the same smaller, lighter and cheaper cables/components reasons.
Jerry
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Watch also for an industry wide move to 48vdc variable speed air conditioners. With no need for dc to ac inverters and the low starting amp draw from the variable speed compressor these AC units will run easily off of a 48vdc house battery bank. The variable speed compressor also means the running watt draw will only be what is required to keep the interior temp where it needs to be so overall operating watt draw may well decrease. Stumbling point now is the fully depreciated tooling costs for the AC units leading to lower acquisition cost for the manufacturers. Over time this will even out for the 48vdc units bringing their cost down to something similar to the old design AC units.
Industrial electrical equipment normally now uses AC motors with variable frequency drive controllers to slowly ramp up the starting amps where they can. These simplify 3 phase to single phase conversion as well as allowing smaller, cheaper and lighter cables and motors since lower amp draw means less heat to dissipate. Variable speed compressors have other advantages too which the “mini-split” AC units now exploit.
The times they certainly are are a changing…..
Jerry
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