{"id":26444,"date":"2026-05-11T14:53:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T12:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smartmarine.nl\/?p=26444"},"modified":"2026-05-11T14:59:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T12:59:57","slug":"waarom-48v-aan-boord-steeds-interessanter-wordt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartmarine.nl\/en\/waarom-48v-aan-boord-steeds-interessanter-wordt\/","title":{"rendered":"Why 48V on board is becoming increasingly interesting"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Anyone working on a modern onboard energy system will sooner or later encounter the question: Do you stick with 12V or 24V, or is it time to make the move to 48V?<\/strong><\/p>

For many years, 12V was the logical standard for boats. This still works perfectly for simple installations, but as soon as the power demand increases, a low-voltage system quickly reaches its limits.<\/p>

Think of air conditioning, induction cooking, water makers, powerful inverters, large lithium battery banks, and charging with a high output alternator. That's precisely when 48V becomes seriously interesting.<\/p>

48V is not a hype, nor is it a solution for every boat. It is primarily a smart choice for larger or more heavily loaded systems, where efficiency, load capacity, and tidier wiring truly make a difference.<\/strong><\/p>

In dit artikel leggen we uit waar die voordelen vandaan komen, wanneer 48V logisch is en waarom steeds meer serieuze energiesystemen op het water deze kant op bewegen.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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What actually changes with 48V?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The core idea is simple. For the same power, you need less current at a higher voltage. Electrical power is voltage multiplied by current. So if you power the same device or charger at 48V instead of 12V, the current drops significantly.<\/p>

In practice, this means that a load of 4,800 watts at 12V requires approximately 400 amps, whereas the same 4,800 watts at 48V only requires around 100 amps.<\/em><\/p>

That's a huge difference for your complete installation. The lower current is precisely why 48V is becoming particularly attractive as soon as the system needs to handle serious power.<\/p>

That difference isn\u2019t just apparent in theory, but in almost everything around it. Busbars, fuses, main switches, dynamo charging, DC distribution and cable runs are simply much more manageable when the currents stay lower. And that\u2019s especially important on a boat, where space is limited and reliability is crucial.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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More efficient system, less standby power<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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One of the biggest advantages of 48V is that you have fewer losses in the DC installation. Because the current is lower, cable losses decrease. These losses increase quadratically with the current, so anyone who significantly reduces the current gains relatively a lot.<\/p>

You'll notice this in practice in three ways:<\/strong><\/p>

\u2714\ufe0f\u00a0 less heat<\/strong> in cables and connections
\u2714\ufe0f\u00a0 less voltage drop<\/strong> over longer distances
a system that under heavy load quieter and more efficient<\/strong> works<\/p>

This is especially relevant on boats where the battery bank isn't located directly next to all the heavy consumers. At 12V, the currents with larger inverters or heavy charging currents rise so steeply that every bit of resistance starts to count. At 48V, this remains much better under control.<\/p>

The result is a system that is technically more elegant and wastes less energy on unwanted heat.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Thinner cables and a neater installation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Lower current also means you can work with thinner cables for the same power, as long as the cable length, protection, and permissible voltage drop are correctly calculated.<\/p>

\ud83d\udc4d\ud83c\udffc That often makes an installation not only neater, but also more practical.<\/mark><\/p>

Thicker cables are more expensive, harder to pull, more difficult to finish in engine compartments, and require heavier connection components. At 48V, you can reduce some of that complexity.<\/p>

This does not mean you should cut corners on cable quality. Correct sizing remains essential even at 48V. However, where with 12V you quickly end up with very substantial cable cross-sections at higher power levels, a 48V system remains much more manageable.<\/p>

This is a big advantage, especially on longer routes or with a central battery bank.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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At higher power outputs, often a more logical cost structure.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Many people think that 48V is automatically more expensive. That's too simplistic. The battery voltage in itself doesn't tell you everything about the total system costs.<\/p>

In light installations, 12V is often still the simplest and most cost-effective route. But as soon as the power levels increase, that picture changes. With 12V, you'll actually end up paying for heavy cables, larger fuses, heavier distribution, and sometimes complicated solutions to keep charging currents and peak consumption manageable.<\/p>

At Victron<\/a><\/strong> Furthermore, you'll notice that the 48V range is now extensive and mature. There are 48V power supplies, inverter chargers, MPPT solutions, and DC-DC converters available, allowing you to build a powerful system without exotic components.<\/p>

Even at the edge of the system, the story is strong. Victron, for example, has converters available to easily power a 12V network for existing equipment.<\/p>

This allows you to combine a 48V main system with a compact 12V sub-circuit for navigation, lighting and other onboard equipment.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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