Mastervolt and BEP happy with flawless Volvo Ocean Race CZone system
by Charlotte Clare on 18 Aug 2015
October 27, 2014. Leg 1 onboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. Ian Walker and Simon Fisher at the Navigation Station working out the strategy for the coming days. Matt Knighton/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing
The Mastervolt systems powered VOR racers’ lights, sat comms, water makers, radar gear, amp-hungry canting keels as well as several iPods, smart phones and cameras. Mastervolt says it will study the data from each boat.
The results will help to drive the even greater efficiency of the next generation of alternators and batteries,the company says.
The heart of the Mastervolt power system on VOR ravers is the CZone digital control & monitoring network. It simplifies installation of electrical systems by replacing cumbersome wiring to switch and fuse panels with a light NMEA 2000 network cable. This means: fewer cables, less weight and faster installation. The NMEA 2000 connects devices using Controller Area Network (CAN) technology originally developed for the auto industry.
The CZone system integrates stand-alone components. Wiring is simplified and system modules can easily be added. The CZone system uses standard micro cables and connectors. A single network backbone can be installed for multiple systems _ CZone and other NMEA 2000 devices.
The company said its light-weight power system performed flawlessly enabling each boat to run its generator – a 75hp Volvo diesel driving 2 Mastervolt high yield alternators – for only 59 minutes each day. During the VOR, the total energy generated by each yacht during the race amounted to about 1,100kWh.
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