Best bow thruster for 60' wide beam

[blackrose]

The installation of the BT battery bank charging system is important. On my twin alternator engine the start alternator charge is split using a VSR between the start battery at the stern and the BT batteries at the bow. It works really well even though the charging cable from stern to bow is only 16mm2. Where you do need fat cable is between the BT batteries and the motor. 

 

With this system I've never run out of BT power, however I try to use mine sparingly. 

[Alan de Enfield]

8 hours ago, LadyG said:

@Tony BrooksBrooks just a note to say how much I admire your contributions, and your patience.

Jo

It's two years since I got a gold star on here, I expect you get one most days, well deserved.

 

 

I'm not sure you actually understand the awarding of the 'gold star'.

Did you actually think you had done something to be awarded one ?

 

This is not awarded for 'good behaviour', or 'a good post' etc etc, it is awarded when you 'buy' the gold star (ie pay the forum money)

[IanD]

4 hours ago, blackrose said:

The installation of the BT battery bank charging system is important. On my twin alternator engine the start alternator charge is split using a VSR between the start battery at the stern and the BT batteries at the bow. It works really well even though the charging cable from stern to bow is only 16mm2. Where you do need fat cable is between the BT batteries and the motor. 

 

With this system I've never run out of BT power, however I try to use mine sparingly. 

If you're fortunate enough to have a 48V system you don't need any BT battery at all, it can connect straight to the main battery bank at the other end of the boat, and even a big BT only needs 25mm2 cables 🙂

 

(24 volts needs 4x the cable area (ouch), 12V needs 16x (impossible))

Edited September 26, 2022 by IanD

[blackrose]

How many people on here have 48v DC systems on their boats? I don't follow the lithium battery threads. Are they set up as 48v systems or something? Just wondered why you've brought it up? And I've never seen a 48v bow thruster on a canal boat or any other 48v DC equipment like pumps, lights, etc. Was this a serious post or were you just thinking out loud?

 

[IanD]

11 hours ago, blackrose said:

How many people on here have 48v DC systems on their boats? I don't follow the lithium battery threads. Are they set up as 48v systems or something? Just wondered why you've brought it up? And I've never seen a 48v bow thruster on a canal boat or any other 48v DC equipment like pumps, lights, etc. Was this a serious post or were you just thinking out loud?

 

 

It was a serious post -- most hybrid/electric boats use 48V, mine included, because the currents are too high at 24V (or 12V!). All the rest of the DC circuits are 24V (via a DC-DC converter) since components are easily available and wiring is 4x smaller area than at 12V. There's also a 12V trickle charger to keep the generator starter battery topped up. 48V bow thrusters are now readily available, targeted at this market.

 

I believe some new diesel boats are also being built using 24V because this makes things like big inverters cheaper as well as allowing much thinner (cheaper, more flexible) wiring.