Why have I dealt with this charger for 13 years?

[opnspaces]

My 2005 Jayco has an IOTA 40 amp converter charger that has always struggled to charge the batteries while on generator. Well this weekend I finally got curious enough to put a meter on it. While I did record the charging voltage every 10 minutes, there really wasn't much change. Here's a condensed view of my chart.

• 9:00 am 11.74v
• 9:10 am 13.37v
• 9:30am 13.77v it never got higher than 13.77
• 9:40 am 13.47v
• 12:45 am 13.30v

I am in the desert with no neighbors so I gave up recording at this point and just let the generator run all day.

the next day I did two things.

1. I used the super expensive fuel inefficient charger (the truck and jumper cables) to make sure I would have heat for sleeping
2. I decided enough is enough I'm going to get a replacement charger.

I do plan to call Randy at Best Converter, but figured I'd ask some opinions from all of you as you hopefully have no vested interest in the converter I ultimately decide on.

Should I go with a replacement IOTA, or a progressive dynamics, or a boondocker or? How many charge amps? I'm running a Honda EU2000i to the shore power cord.
Thanks

Edit because I forgot important information.
I'm running two 6volt Costco batteries.
I checked multiple times and there is no port for the IQ4 charge controller

[BFL13]

"But, be careful shopping for a charger, they advertise peek amps that are unrealistic. Some say 80 amps and are really only 20"

Do you have any examples of that, and what the set up with wiring etc was?

I have not seen anything like that, with a few different brand converters so far.

[Winnipeg]

Mordicai81 has a good suggestion. Keep in mind that oem converter is only as good as needed to get you to buy and make it through the warranty year. And, if you are usually using hookups it will be fine. If you are off grid, you need the charge time to be useful. A good 60 amp charger should run on your 2000i Honda. Bring the "good" charger and gen when you need, and use the built in converter when you have hookups.

But, be careful shopping for a charger, they advertise peek amps that are unrealistic. Some say 80 amps and are really only 20.

[mordecai81]

BFL13 wrote:
You can leave the converter as is for when on shore power and use a better one for fast charging when off grid this way:

I do it that way, also. I mounted it on a piece of plywood in the pass-through and 2ga. jumper cable it to the battery. Works good.

[BFL13]

wa8yxm wrote:
IOTA WITH THE IQ4 is a top rated converter.. almost (one feature) short of a Progressive Dynamics with Charge wizard and/or dongle (The feature is the BUTTON on the dongle) Now what I do not know is if yoru charger is an IQ4 model. Randy would know.

Randy is just going to tell him the same as I did earlier on here, which is to actually look at the DLS he has to see if it has the jack fitting or not.

[wa8yxm]

IOTA WITH THE IQ4 is a top rated converter.. almost (one feature) short of a Progressive Dynamics with Charge wizard and/or dongle (The feature is the BUTTON on the dongle) Now what I do not know is if yoru charger is an IQ4 model. Randy would know.

[Lwiddis]

If you are in the desert consider a solar system for everyday recharging and a small generator and a soft start for AC when needed.

[BFL13]

You can leave the converter as is for when on shore power and use a better one for fast charging when off grid this way:

[time2roll]

For me... I would get the IOTA DLS-45 or 55 model with built in IQ controller.

http://www.bestconverter.com/DLS-Series-12-Volt_c_144.html

You really want to max out charging to minimize generator time get the PD9270-14.8

http://www.bestconverter.com/9200-148-Modified-Deck-Mount_c_227.html

May need to upgrade the wire in the battery charging loop.

[opnspaces]

Chakara wrote:
I'm gonna throw this out there. I don't know the layout of your Jayco but on my old Starcraft the batteries were on the front tongue and the converter was in the rear kitchen. 30' of 8 gauge wire between the 2 was causing a large amount of resistive voltage loss and my tongue batteries NEVER could get a full charge through no fault of the converter.

From the pictures it looks like your converter is probably under the fridge about 3/4 of the way back from the tongue - - so you could have a similar bad factory design as I had.

For me, moving the converter was the easiest solution so I could get some heavy gauge wire from the converter to the batteries. I put it in the front storage compartment and solved the problem.

Just throwing this out there as a converter MAY not solve the issue....

-Chak

You are correct, the converter is 3/4 of the way back under the refrigerator which would be roughly 20 feet from the batteries. Since it's a one piece breaker box, converter charger I'm guessing I would still need to buy a new converter and split it out from the breaker box whether I moved it up front or left it where the original is.

[mbopp]

I have an IOTA-55 deck mount converter that's 12 years old and has been in 3 trailers I've had. It makes my Honda 2000 work when the dual GC batteries are depleted but the genny never trips out. Bulk mode is 14.8V, better than the stock WFCO.

[Chakara]

I'm gonna throw this out there. I don't know the layout of your Jayco but on my old Starcraft the batteries were on the front tongue and the converter was in the rear kitchen. 30' of 8 gauge wire between the 2 was causing a large amount of resistive voltage loss and my tongue batteries NEVER could get a full charge through no fault of the converter.

From the pictures it looks like your converter is probably under the fridge about 3/4 of the way back from the tongue - - so you could have a similar bad factory design as I had.

For me, moving the converter was the easiest solution so I could get some heavy gauge wire from the converter to the batteries. I put it in the front storage compartment and solved the problem.

Just throwing this out there as a converter MAY not solve the issue....

-Chak

[opnspaces]

Sorry forgot that important part. I'm running two 6v golf carts from Costco

[BFL13]

First check to see if your Iota has the jack fitting. Some Jaycos back then did not have the Iota with that fitting. If yours does, just get an IQ4 and plug it in.

If no idea what that is all about, read the Iota website.

If no jack fitting, you can replace the converter with one that does 14.x for a time before dropping to 13.6

A 2000w gen will run a 55 amp converter at 14.x, so stick with 55 or less. Might run a 60.

[2oldman]

How many batteries?