Marine air conditioners 24V DC
Air conditioning from the onboard batteries
24V is one of the most common electrical architectures on medium-sized and medium-large boats. Blue-Airco 24V DC marine air conditioners connect directly to the battery bank and integrate with the onboard electrical system without requiring external conversion to AC.
The self-contained monoblock units with variable speed offer an effective balance between cooling capacity, current draw, and ease of installation. They are suitable both for new constructions and for refit interventions on boats already equipped with a 24V system.
Thanks to the BLDC compressor, which modulates power, and the ECO function, they offer high comfort, optimized consumption and silent operation.
The 24V DC range belongs to the Evolution Line, the most advanced line of Blue-Airco variable speed air conditioners: high-performance compressor, optimized heat exchangers, and faster EEV control for up to 15% more efficiency compared to the previous generation.
They are designed, produced, and tested in Italy.
24V DC air conditioners are ideal for…
Medium and medium-large sized boats — motorboats, cruising sailboats, workboats — whose onboard electrical system is already 24V.
They are particularly suitable for refit interventions: air conditioning can be added or replaced by working on the existing electrical architecture, without introducing a dedicated alternating current system.
For smaller boats, with a 12V system, 12V systems are recommended; for larger boats, electric or hybrid boats, and systems with lithium batteries, 48V systems are instead recommended.
Success story
Axopar 45 in Abu Dhabi
Three Axopar 45 boats were each equipped by Exalto Emirates with three Blue-Airco SDC18V24E air conditioners. The systems operate regularly with sea water temperatures up to 38 °C and ambient temperatures up to 50 °C. More than two years after installation, operational feedback confirms their reliability, performance, and efficiency even in extreme climatic conditions.
The advantages of 24V DC Blue-Airco marine air conditioners
Direct integration with the onboard system
The unit works directly on the 24V onboard system, without an external DC/AC inverter or dedicated AC circuits. One less component to install, power, and maintain: less space occupied and fewer critical points, both in new constructions and refits.
Reduced generator use
When the air conditioning is powered by the battery bank, a properly sized system reduces reliance on the genset. At anchor, while moored and at night, the result is a quieter boat.
Soft start without current spikes
Inverter technology allows a progressive start-up, eliminating current peaks.
Modulated consumption and ECO mode
Power follows the actual environmental demand instead of operating at full or nothing. In ECO mode, consumption can drop to about 250 W, for prolonged nighttime use with contained consumption.
Evolution Line efficiency
High-performance compressor, optimized heat exchangers, and faster EEV control ensure up to 15% higher efficiency compared to the previous generation, with unchanged size and connections.
Reliability in the marine environment
The titanium heat exchanger offers very high resistance to corrosion and erosion and contributes to the reliability of the unit under typical marine usage conditions.
Compact and versatile
The monoblock design, with an adjustable fan, facilitates onboard integration and simplifies installation compared to more complex systems.
Made in Italy
Design, production, and testing are managed in Italy, with great attention to construction quality and the needs of the marine environment.
Technical specifications
All 24V DC units share an architecture designed for continuous use in marine environments, even under severe conditions (seawater up to 45 °C for cooling and down to 4 °C for heating):
Supply voltage: 24V DC.
Variable speed inverter technology with BLDC brushless compressor and fan.
Titanium heat exchanger/condenser highly resistant to erosion and immune to corrosion.
Electronic expansion valve (EEV) for precise regulation of refrigerant flow under all operating conditions.
Multifunction 2.4″ capacitive touch display included; 3.5″ display available as an option.
ECO mode with very low consumption.
Soft start with elimination of current peaks.
Advanced installer menu and USB port to simplify installation, maintenance, and diagnostics.
Evolution Line connectivity (coming soon): bidirectional MQTT interface and local web server via Wi-Fi to monitor and control temperature, setpoint, mode, fan speed, on/off status, and alarms directly from a browser, with no app or cloud required.
Available models
The 24V DC range includes two models, both in the Evolution line. All models operate at 24V DC.
| Model | Max cooling capacity | Max power absorbed | Max current | ECO mode | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDC10V24E | up to 10,700 BTU/h (3.1 kW) | 670 W | 27.9 A | 5,800 BTU/h · 250 W · 10.4 A | 23 kg (50.7 lb) |
| SDC18V24E | up to 18,200 BTU/h (5.3 kW) | 950 W | 39.6 A | 6,400 BTU/h · 250 W · 10.4 A | 28 kg (61.7 lb) |
All capacity, power, and current values reported in the table refer to cooling operation. The 24V DC units are currently available with R410A refrigerant. New versions specifically designed for R-454C refrigerant are under development and will be available soon. Both units are reversible and can also operate in heating mode via heat pump. The values shown refer to tests carried out in tropical conditions, with sea water at 32 °C. For the complete specifications of each model, download the relevant datasheet.
Materials to download
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