Which is better. AC or DC Boat Lift Motors?

Which is better, AC or DC Boat Lift Motors?

There are many factors to consider when choosing a boat lift motor. Please take some of the topics below into consideration.

Types of Boat Lift Motors:

• AC 110-120v
• DC 12v
• DC 24v

Safety:

The old saying, “water and electricity don’t mix,” holds true especially for boat lift motors. AC power to the dock and boat lift should be inspected regularly and wired by a professional certified marine electrician. There should be a GFCI outlet on shore to protect the dock and swimmers from dangers. When done properly, AC power is generally safe. Diligence and frequent inspections are key to maintaining a safe AC powered boat lift motor. It is always a good idea to cut the AC power to the dock when people are swimming nearby.  On the other hand, DC 12v and 24v motors pose absolutely zero risks to swimmers and are considered far safer options.

Pricing:

Pricing is a double-edged sword. DC boat lift motors require batteries and an additional solar charging kit to keep the batteries charged. The entire DC boat lift motor + solar charging kit + batteries is more expensive than only an AC boat lift motor for just the equipment itself. However, if there is no power to the dock, then DC can often times be much more cost effective. Running new AC power/service to a dock can cost anywhere from $3,000 - 20,000 excluding the AC boat lift motor itself. Depending on the boat lift, a complete DC-Solar boat lift motor system may be in the range of $1,200 - 1800

Distance from House:

Distance from house and length of the dock are major cost & limiting factors for AC power. In general, horizontal docks in channel ways that are close to the house will often be AC powered. Short electrical runs mitigate voltage drop to the boat lift motors. Long docks or docks further from the house may require expensive high voltage lines and transformers to mitigate voltage drop to the boat lift motors. This can add significant cost and present numerous safety issues.  In general, the longer the dock or further from the house a boat lift is, the better off you are with DC – Solar power.

Speed:

AC powered boat lift motors have been the norm from the beginning of boat lifts. DC 12v motors made their appearance years back and many folks were not overly impressed. DC 24v motors have taken the industry by storm over the past 5 years and are typically faster than AC motors. DC 24v motors are more efficient than DC 12v motors. DC 24v motors are typically also stronger and faster than AC motors. Some DC motors can operate on both DC 12v and 24v while others may only operate on their specific voltage. As boat become larger and heavier the boat lift winch box or gear ratios often become higher. Higher gear ratios and heavier capacity boat lifts require more revolutions to lift the boat to its desired height. This is where DC 24v boat lift motors higher speed comes to the rescue and really shines.

Market Trends:

(Northern Markets) where boat lifts are removed seasonally:

• 10 years ago: 85%+ AC Boat Lift Motors and 15% DC Boat Lift Motors.
• 5 years ago 50% AC Boat Lift Motors & 50% DC Boat Lift Motors
• Current: 35% AC Boat Lift Motors & 65% DC Boat Lift Motors.

For northern climate locations where boat lifts are installed and removed seasonally,  the trend is quickly shifting to DC-Solar boat lift motors. As boats become heavier and boat lifts become larger, more power is needed to lift the boat and voltage drop to AC powered boat lift motors becomes a larger problem. 

As long as consumers demand Safer, Faster, Stronger boat lifts the trend will continue towards DC-Solar Powered Boat Lifts. Lake Lite is here to help you meet your AC or DC Boat Lift Motor needs.