Converter Question

The IOTA DLS-30 is now on sale HERE for $23 plus shipping. That's an amazing deal. Shipping cost me $7.

It's a fixed output without the IQ-4 Smart Controller. However, the output can be adjusted by an easily accessible potentiometer under the top cover.

wa8yxm wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:
But I do agree, love my PD9160 with Charge Wizard pendant.. Really does treat my batteries right. But PDs will easily set you back $200+..

PD-9180R (Factory Refurb) 236 out the factory door (Yes I went to the source to buy the horse) I re-used the original wizzard.

Of course that's a big-un

The Wizard does allow you to kick it back into BOOST mode manually.

Yep, I found a deal on a factory refurb 9160 for $189 but then had to pony up for the Wizard pendant.. Used that to replace the original old transformer linear supply that came with the TT. Not cheap, but VERY effective setup.

Gdetrailer wrote:
But I do agree, love my PD9160 with Charge Wizard pendant.. Really does treat my batteries right. But PDs will easily set you back $200+..

PD-9180R (Factory Refurb) 236 out the factory door (Yes I went to the source to buy the horse) I re-used the original wizzard.

Of course that's a big-un

The Wizard does allow you to kick it back into BOOST mode manually.

I wonder if iski4fun found a blown fuse (back on topic)

IOTA actually has about a dozen profiles with different IQ4 controllers.

https://www.iotaengineering.com/products/dls-power-converters-battery-chargers#t=ablProducts&sort=relevancy&layout=card&numberOfResults=50

2112 wrote:

time2roll wrote:
IOTA 14.8 is a bit of a misnomer. The trigger point in Bulk mode is 14.6 volts that triggers a drop to 14.2 volts for Absorption. However there is a 15 minute timer so there is a possibility voltage could rise from 14.6 to 14.8 volts during that 15 minutes. IOTA does not hold voltage at 14.8 volts for any real length of time.

That's good to know. Thanks

Iota starts at 14.8 no matter if the battery is already full and stays there for 15 minutes. If the battery is lower ( I don't know how low) then it stays there till the battery reaches 14.6 and drops to 14.2 for (ISTR) 8 hours then if no activity will go to 13.2 (ISTR)

Boondocker (supplied by PowerMax, same as LKs) will stay at 14.6 for the first half hour even if the battery is already full (instead of 15 minutes) then drops to 13.6 for 12 hours then drops to 13.2 if no activty. If the battery is low enough that it is under 14.3 on start-up (ISTR) it stays at 14.6 until battery gets there and then drops to 13.6 for the 12 hours.

I don't know where Iota decides to stay at 14.8 past the first 15 minutes. Has to be a built-in program for that in the IQ4.

An interesting variation on this is the Boondocker/PowerMax complete power centre you can buy, which has a converter as its "lower portion". That converter is slightly smaller in physical size (so a standard lower portion won't fit), but it has a different charging three-stage profile where it stays at 14.6 for two hours instead of just for half an hour. IMO that would be a better profile than the half hour one, but "it depends" of course.

All the worries about too high a voltage for the voltage stages only applyto temperatures above 77F. At 50F the voltages are too low. Adjustable voltage takes care of all that (ie PowerMax) but you have to be there and do the adjusting.

time2roll wrote:
IOTA 14.8 is a bit of a misnomer. The trigger point in Bulk mode is 14.6 volts that triggers a drop to 14.2 volts for Absorption. However there is a 15 minute timer so there is a possibility voltage could rise from 14.6 to 14.8 volts during that 15 minutes. IOTA does not hold voltage at 14.8 volts for any real length of time.

That's good to know. Thanks

IOTA 14.8 is a bit of a misnomer. The trigger point in Bulk mode is 14.6 volts that triggers a drop to 14.2 volts for Absorption. However there is a 15 minute timer so there is a possibility voltage could rise from 14.6 to 14.8 volts during that 15 minutes. IOTA does not hold voltage at 14.8 volts for any real length of time.

This is about the same as the Boondocker except the Boondocker drops to 13.6 volts to finish absorption.

Yea, I wasn't thinking of a diode. I have 1 on my little 1A float charger. I can add a 30A or better schottky to this.

The output of the IOTA is adjustable by adjusting pot P1 on the board. However, the trip point using the IQ4 is still 14.8V and it will never get there if you adjust P1 to 13.2V before connecting IQ4.

My battery charger for several years now is an old 20A HP power supply. So I've been doing it manually for years.

2112 wrote:
As time2roll pointed out, the IOTA floats at 13.6V, same as my WFCO. A bit too high for camping in the heat. This boils my batteries over time.

With the IQ4, the IOTA bulks at 14.8V, absorbs at 14.2V and floats at 13.6V. It's my understanding this profile is too high for my Johnson Controls 29DC batteries. iski4fun`s batteries may better handle these higher voltages long term.

My $70 IOTA with IQ4 will make a nice multi stage bench charger/power supply but I'm not replacing the WFCO with it.

You guys give up entirely too easily.

A Schottky diode of suitable amperage in series with the positive output terminal can easily fix that 13.6V issue..

Schottky diodes have .3V-.4V forward voltage drop vs conventional diodes which typically have .7V forward voltage drop.

.3V-.4V voltage drop gets right on top of 13.2V-13.3V and figure in a little loss in the wiring and you will not have boiling issues.

The only downside would be the bulk and absorbsion voltages would also be dropped a bit but IOTA seems to be a bit hot there also.

LEARN ABOUT SCHOTTKY DIODES



But I do agree, love my PD9160 with Charge Wizard pendant.. Really does treat my batteries right. But PDs will easily set you back $200+..