T-Pain Is On A Boat: Re: [Electric Boats] 12V DC -> 120V AC vs. 48V DC -> 120V AC

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Re: [Electric Boats] 12V DC -> 120V AC vs. 48V DC -> 120V AC

Hi Bob

DC to DC converters come in two basic types that have different economies, there is the regulating type that is the inefficient type, and then there is the efficient switching type that is also higher priced and works on the same principal as the inverter you mentioned with about same efficiency.

2016-01-21 1:46 GMT+00:00 moriartybob@yahoo.com [electricboats] <electricboats@yahoogroups.com>:

I recently converted the auxiliary propulsion on my boat to an Electroprop system with a 210Ah 48V battery bank.
To keep things simple and (for me) safe, there will be no 120V AC appliances aboard that are run by shorepower.
However, in future coastal cruising I might want to run a cheapo Home Depot (USA) dormitory sized 120V AC refrigerator through an inverter from the battery bank. My "usual" house load will be handled by a 48V DC -> 12V DC converter. But, as I understand it, DC -> DC voltage conversions are inefficient, and I am wondering if a separate 48V DC -> 120V AC inverter for the high-draw refrigerator (and maybe microwave) might be more efficient than a 48V DC -> 12V DC -> 120V AC setup.
Apologies in advance if this is not really an Electric Boat topic.
--Bob Moriarty