I know that most house electrical systems are set up as 12-volt systems, but our truck has a 24-volt electrical system, and it might be nice to have the option to use the vehicle's alternator to recharge our house battery bank. Would it make sense to configure our house electrical system as 24-volt instead of 12-volt, or should I just start looking for a 24VDC to 12VDC charger?
24V house electrical system?
- Thread starter MTVR
- Start date
dreadlocks
Well-known member
24v is the way to go if you have any large loads like big inverters/compressors/etc.. it pulls half the amps, which is better for everything.. since your truck is already 24v, I would just do the whole house system 24v and a small 12v circuit for any small 12v appliances.. stepping down voltage is very efficient, not much losses there either.
DiploStrat
Expedition Leader
My truck is 24v, my camper 12v.
If you go with a 24v bank and inverter, you will probably need some form of transformer to produce 12v for your loads. (Eaton and others make them.)
You can also, as I do, use a DC-DC charger that converts from 24v to 12v. I use one from REDARC and Sterling Power has a few models as well.
If you go with a 24v bank and inverter, you will probably need some form of transformer to produce 12v for your loads. (Eaton and others make them.)
You can also, as I do, use a DC-DC charger that converts from 24v to 12v. I use one from REDARC and Sterling Power has a few models as well.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
This will let yeh run a 12VDC circuit for low power devices.. up to 40A combined: https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Converter-Regulator-Transformer-Waterproof/dp/B01LYK6G2Y
That should cover any small things you cant get in 24v, like USB chargers and Automotive appliances.. but anything you can get in 24v get in 24v, from fridges/winches/inverters/heaters/etc.
That should cover any small things you cant get in 24v, like USB chargers and Automotive appliances.. but anything you can get in 24v get in 24v, from fridges/winches/inverters/heaters/etc.
No idea what that is supposed to mean.
Or rather, it is certainly not true as a general statement.
Yes, having 24V already certainly makes the decision to spend extra on buck converters where necessary more logical.
Plus the lower gauge wiring needed is a bigger savings when such longer runs are involved.
Go 24V for battery banks and throughout by default as your wiring backbone, then run 12V (and inverter / AC) branch circuits locally as required.
Plus the lower gauge wiring needed is a bigger savings when such longer runs are involved.
Go 24V for battery banks and throughout by default as your wiring backbone, then run 12V (and inverter / AC) branch circuits locally as required.
Alloy
Well-known member
I've pull 12v off both 24v/48v banks and 24v off 48v. Sometimes we'd use a set of aligator clips to switch between cell/batteries.
Can I pull 12V from a 24V system?
Another long winter is about to start, and I'm going to be spending serious hours in my work's Pisten Bully groomer out on the trails. As most heavy equipment does, it uses a 24V system, running two 12V batteries in series. I have some 12V accessories that I'd like to use to keep me company...
www.bobistheoilguy.com
Never done it with Lithium. With cell balancing it may work even better.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
its like $36 for a 40A buck, just do it right.. its cheaper in the long run.
My Engel Runs off 24v, my inverter could had, my solar chargers will all do 24v, no shortage of air compressors either in 24v.. the only things I'd need a 12v circuit for my rig is running the Propex, Power Vent, USB Chargers and LED Lighting.. 10A of 12V would do me fine if I moved the big AC loads to 24v.. and the 24v inverters usually eek out higher efficiency than their 12v variants.. at some point you reach a threshold where they stop really doing much in 12V for inverters.. by the time you get to 2000-3000VA all the good quality ones are 24v/48v and all thats left is cheap chinese units that are terribly inefficient.. there's a good reason for that, the losses over the cabling even on short runs starts becoming unacceptable.
My Engel Runs off 24v, my inverter could had, my solar chargers will all do 24v, no shortage of air compressors either in 24v.. the only things I'd need a 12v circuit for my rig is running the Propex, Power Vent, USB Chargers and LED Lighting.. 10A of 12V would do me fine if I moved the big AC loads to 24v.. and the 24v inverters usually eek out higher efficiency than their 12v variants.. at some point you reach a threshold where they stop really doing much in 12V for inverters.. by the time you get to 2000-3000VA all the good quality ones are 24v/48v and all thats left is cheap chinese units that are terribly inefficient.. there's a good reason for that, the losses over the cabling even on short runs starts becoming unacceptable.
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