Iota DLS-55-X Experience

Have performed charge tests of the Iota 55 Iq4 on FWC's 2 group 27's and 24's, and single 100ah lifeline batteries.

The one anomaly that some like and some do not is that when the Vbat reaches 14.8 the converter will drop back to 14.2 absorb... I will not get into the detail for now, maybe someone else will.

As a charging horse race goes against a Progressive Dynamics 9260 they are pretty close at the end of bulk mode, 4hrs for the PD.

Some prefer the PD because of the ability to manually change charge modes. Nice for cold batteries to get the converter into Bulk mode 14.4. Also in hot weather... Battery above 95 I like to drop the converter back to Absorb 13.6.... Boiling a battery is bad news.

Good that you are getting rid of the WFCO...

Jim

Hi,

If you see an inverter in your future, many of them are much more flexible as to charging profiles. They are, unfortunately, a bit more expensive.

I will second that "Inverter flexibility" some you can more or less program everything Voltage limits. Current limits and time limits.

THat said. I still liked the PD Charge Wizard over my inverter (Till the inverter died.. and thus I still like the PD).

WHen I was "in the shop" for a few months. I only had enough "Shore power" for the converter so the "House" ran off the inverter. To make coffee I'd go back and kick the PD into BULK mode and that provided enough power to make coffee or use the microwave without the batteries running down too far.. (I Have a lot of electronic loads).

OP says he got the IQ4 with his DLS-X, but the Iota blurb says to get the IQ4-X to go with it. Not too clear what you get with the X that is not in the earlier version. Some mention of a "fourth stage" shot of destratification every so often (how often?) during storage.

BFL13 wrote:
OP says he got the IQ4 with his DLS-X, but the Iota blurb says to get the IQ4-X to go with it. Not too clear what you get with the X that is not in the earlier version. Some mention of a "fourth stage" shot of destratification every so often (how often?) during storage.

I did get the IQ4-X as that is the only one that works with the -X charger. As far as functionality the only difference between the -X and the regular IQ4 is the bulk charging voltage as best I can tell. The unit also directly mounts to the charger versus being plugged in via a phone type cable.

The one thing I do like about this converter is the ability to connect #2 AWG cables to the DC output. With the large cables and having a Bus bar connected to my batteries a few feet away with 2/0 cable, there should be minimal voltage drop.

The battery charging should mostly be done with the solar charge controller which is a Victron MPPT 100-30. This controller is programmable so I can fine tune any parameter I want. I'm primarily adding the Iota because now is the time to do it since all of the equipment will be mounted on a panel in my pass thru and I want to get a better charge from a generator if solar if falling behind than the WFCO that is 25' away will give me.

https://www.iotaengineering.com/pplib/iq4x_spec.pdf

Looks like the same charging profile as the IQ4 except four hours at Absorption instead of eight. It still drops to 14.2v 15 min after getting the batteries to 14.6 (It charges at 14.8 to get them to that 14.6.)

Some/many batteries want you to get the voltage up to 14.6 or so and then hold that voltage there to do the Absorption stage.

You can set your solar bulk voltage to 14.8 too and they should add their amps if you need fast charging. Then set the solar Absorb voltage to 14.8 too so you get some quality time there instead of 14.2

Note the input voltage wrt your generator's rating.

https://www.iotaengineering.com/dls55x.htm

It says 950w input, but that ignores the power factor. It says 13.4a at 108v = 1447VA ISTR a Honda 2000 is rated for 1600VA, but the Honda is at 125ish volts. The 1600VA is based on 13.3a at 120v.

The PowerMax 55 amper in a Honda when output is 56.8a when charger is set at 14.8v, on the Kill-A-Watt shows 124.7v, 11.06a, 980w with 1383VA and PF 0.71

So it is hard to say for sure, but IMO that Iota spec of 13.4amps can be ignored and it ought to run ok on a Honda 2000.

The 800w output looks like it is based on the time when it gets the batts to 14.6v since 800/14.6 is 54.79a

With the fat wiring close to the batteries you could might see a few more amps output. Some "55s" will do 60 like that.

Thanks for the feedback BFL. Being an electrical engineer I've pretty much decided on what I want my system to look like. It is far from perfect, but it will work for me.

But, but, gasp! but---you will not be able to use any of these many IQ controllers with the X since it does not have the phone type jack??? No Turbo in your future? Sad! :)

https://www.iotaengineering.com/Power/IOTA_IQ_profiles.pdf

Maybe they will come out with these in the X configuration. You could phone them and ask I suppose.

Just a hint that any gizmo can be hands free or have two dozen knobs and meters.

But if it cannot charge a battery completely then it is worthless.

70% to 90% incorrectly "full charge" batteries are the bane of true green technology. Battery manufacturers love it. I would estimate 95% of the smart-genius-einstein-enrico fermi charger gizmos out there do not charge a battery completely.

And you pay through the snot-box for sloppy maintenance. If the charge cycle does not revert the electrolyte to 100% density the battery is not charged. It is one of the few black & white inarguable issues out there.

BFL13 wrote:
But, but, gasp! but---you will not be able to use any of these many IQ controllers with the X since it does not have the phone type jack??? No Turbo in your future? Sad! :)

https://www.iotaengineering.com/Power/IOTA_IQ_profiles.pdf

Maybe they will come out with these in the X configuration. You could phone them and ask I suppose.

I am not sure if that is humorous sarcasm in your post, or serious. But ...
The IQ4-X is available. It works with the DLS-X models. It snaps onto the back of the converter. No phone cord needed. IQ4 for DLS, IQ4-X for DLS-X.

I bought a DLS-55-X in 2016 to replace the WFCO that came on my Cedar Creek. My take on the DLS-X is it is the newer design of the DLS. Lower profile, vent free top surface to keep saw dust out, increased wire terminal size, etc.

I think it was a new product in 2016, so not as common on merchant web sites.

Details are in the product guide:
IOTA DLS Product Guide pdf

Main reason I got the IOTA instead of the Progressive Dynamics was the 14.8V vs 14.4. I think either would be good.

I have 4 Trojan T-125 batteries and a mfg. installed 200W solar panel.

The IOTA DLS-55-X has been install and forget. No problems.