Devices furthest from power insertion point will generally experience lower voltage.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Sometimes
• D. Unknown

Answer: (B)

Voltage drop on DC power lines means that as current flows from the power insertion point through the network to all devices, the conductor’s resistance causes a portion of the source voltage to be lost along the way. The farther a device is from the power source, the more conductor length current must travel to reach it, so more voltage is dropped and the device ends up with a lower voltage than the source provides. In a NMEA 2000 network, power is distributed along the backbone to multiple spurs; longer runs and higher current draw amplify this effect. To keep voltages in spec, designers use thicker wiring, shorten run lengths, or provide additional power insertion points closer to high-current devices. So, the statement is true: the furthest devices generally experience lower voltage.