[Elecraft] K3S QST Article

[David Gilbert]

There was a major initiative at least 15 years ago in the automotive 
industry to go to 28 volt systems in order to reduce the cost and weight 
of the heavier wires that were needed to cope with the expanding current 
drain as more things in the car went electronic. Not sure what happened 
to that since I've been retired, but I assume ways were found to make 
the new electronics more energy efficient in the first place.  As I 
remember, one of the issues holding back 28 volt systems was the higher 
breakdown voltages that would be needed for the various semiconductors 
involved ... not everything gets more efficient or cost effective as 
voltages go up.

73,
Dave  AB7E


On 10/15/2016 12:49 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> And therein lies the reason for using 12V. It would have been easier had we
> gone from 6V automotive power to 28V as is used on many aircraft so
> manufacturers were encouraged to build generators and equipment for that
> voltage, but that didn't happen.
>
> 73, Ron AC7AC