Disconnecting Iota charger

[craig333]

I have the LifePo4 dongle on my IOTA and it charges appropriately. I accidentally shut off the solar and it dropped to 40% S.O.C. Took about two hours to charge after plugging in.

 

[Outnabout]

I wish my Iota had the dongle capability. Sounds like it works well.

 

[ckent323]

Outnabout,

Are you sure your IOTA DLS does not have the dongle port? It is an RJ11 (telephone cable) jack on the back side. I had to pull the face off of my cabinet to be able to rotate the IOTA unit around to get to the port.

I do not know when the RJ11 jack first appeared on IOTA units but it was prior to 2006.

 

[Outnabout]

Outnabout,

Are you sure your IOTA DLS does not have the dongle port? It is an RJ11 (telephone cable) jack on the back side. I had to pull the face off of my cabinet to be able to rotate the IOTA unit around to get to the port.

I do not know when the RJ11 jack first appeared on IOTA units but it was prior to 2006.

It has the dongle port but also a sticker that says it has been disabled.

 

[ckent323]

Outnabout,

It seems the IQ4 capability is built into your IOTA model.

Most DLS Models are available withthe IQ4 charge controller built into the unit. Models with internal IQ4 are designated by ‘/IQ4’ at the end of the model name.

"Some Things to Note About the DLS Dual Voltage Jack

• If the DLS Charger model includes an internal IQ charging module, then the Dual Voltage Jack is disabled. There is no need to insert either a Dual Voltage Jack module or an external IQ charging accessory into the port because the internal IQ circuitry is already engaged and monitoring the output voltage to the connected load. A DLS with an internal IQ module is identified with the suffix 'IQ4' (ie. "DLS 15A IQ4)
  
  
  

  What is the IOTA DLS Dual Voltage Jack?

  The Dual Voltage Jack is a convenient feature on IOTA DLS battery chargers that allows for modification of the output charging voltage of the DLS.

  insights.acuitybrands.com

 

[pvstoy]

Need a crafty smart person with time to tear apart a iq4 model and see how it is wired. Wonder if you could disconnect the agm module and rewire to access external port?

 

[Outnabout]

Outnabout,

It seems the IQ4 capability is built into your IOTA model.

Most DLS Models are available withthe IQ4 charge controller built into the unit. Models with internal IQ4 are designated by ‘/IQ4’ at the end of the model name.

"Some Things to Note About the DLS Dual Voltage Jack

• If the DLS Charger model includes an internal IQ charging module, then the Dual Voltage Jack is disabled. There is no need to insert either a Dual Voltage Jack module or an external IQ charging accessory into the port because the internal IQ circuitry is already engaged and monitoring the output voltage to the connected load. A DLS with an internal IQ module is identified with the suffix 'IQ4' (ie. "DLS 15A IQ4)
  
  
  

  What is the IOTA DLS Dual Voltage Jack?

  The Dual Voltage Jack is a convenient feature on IOTA DLS battery chargers that allows for modification of the output charging voltage of the DLS.

  insights.acuitybrands.com

Interesting. When I initially tried to charge my new LiPo battery I did not see the higher voltage. I should give it another look. I am currently running the battery down for storage but will try the charger again. This what the label on my unit states. Accor o your information it seems capable.

 

[ckent323]

Outnabout,

I hope it works for you. It should.

Here is a link to some technical information on your Iota DLS-30/IQ4 M

https://www.batterystuff.com/files/manual-2013_iota_power_guide.pdf

Here is a link to the IOTA Technical documents page for the DLS-30

DLS 30A Converter and Charger - 30 Amp AC\DC Power Converter and Battery Charger for DC load operation and 12V battery charging

The DLS 30A Power Converter/Battery Charger from IOTA converts nominal 108-132 AC voltage to 13.4 DC voltage for both DC load operation and 12V battery charging. As a power supply , the unit's

www.iotaengineering.com

I hope this helps

Regards,

Craig

 

[Outnabout]

Outnabout,

I hope it works for you. It should.

Here is a link to some technical information on your Iota DLS-30/IQ4 M

https://www.batterystuff.com/files/manual-2013_iota_power_guide.pdf

Here is a link to the IOTA Technical documents page for the DLS-30

DLS 30A Converter and Charger - 30 Amp AC\DC Power Converter and Battery Charger for DC load operation and 12V battery charging

The DLS 30A Power Converter/Battery Charger from IOTA converts nominal 108-132 AC voltage to 13.4 DC voltage for both DC load operation and 12V battery charging. As a power supply , the unit's

www.iotaengineering.com

I hope this helps

Regards,

Craig

Thanks. I will check it out.

 

[K7MDL]

Edit: Changed DC Charger to DC-DC Charger for clarity. The Iota is an AC to DC charger.

When I get around to putting my DC-DC charger (up to 50A output) in the camper, I plan to move the Iota DLS30/IQ4 DC output from the fuse block bus to the input side of the DC-DC charger (which is the input from the truck power). I would also likely replace the ACR relay with the DC-DC charger, they will function the same and the DC-DC Charger's trickle charge be permitted to run properly. The auto-resetting breaker next to the ACR would remain. Even though the DC-DC Charger truck side current is limited to 1 amp, The IOTA can be 30A.

Upsides:
1. The charger can run at high rate, it looks like the same power coming from the truck. When the battery is charged, the current out of the DC-DC charger is roughly equal to the camper load. The battery acts as a ripple filter/voltage regulator. This topology is that of a UPS (uninterruptible power supply).
2. Retains Iota shore power option with a simple 1 wire relocation only inches away.
3. My DC-DC charger will trickle charge the truck battery at 1A.
4. The Iota can still bulk charge the truck battery.

Down-sides:
1. If the LiFe battery is removed and the IOTA is on shore power, the DC-DC charger may not be a suitable low ripple well regulated (i.e. clean) DC power supply. I figure that is not a mode I plan to operate in.
2. Pulling the Load Disconnect switch will not disconnect the IOTA from the truck side or DC-DC charger input (assuming they (Iota and DC-DC Charger) are both connected at the ACR, or in series with the ACR).

Up and or Downside TBD:
1. Moving the IOTA to the truck side of the DC-DC charger means it will not supply meaningful load current until the LiFe battery discharges down to the 13.x volts the IOTA is trying to run at.
2. Not sure what the interaction will look like when the Iota changes voltage/current thinking there is an AGM battery attached when it is a DC-DC charger (interaction). 13.xVDC still yields a fairly well charged up LiFe battery.
3. The charger may be working more than "normal". Since mine is also a solar MPPT charger it is pretty much always online anyway much of the year.

In my case it gets more complicated. I have a front dinette camper and the current pair of AGMs are next to my rear bumper. I plan to install the LiFe battery in the front under the driver side dinette seat. This reduces weight far aft and moves what is left all the way forward. It shortens the total wire length by several feet keeping the Iota, DC-DC charger, LiFe battery and cable out to the truck as short as practical. It does mean I will be moving battery and solar charging wiring from the back to the front though they will be much shorter in the end.

I would like to open up the Iota/IQ4 unit (I have a 2022) and see if I can put an external LiFePO4 module in, but I will be trying to avoid taking the cabinet apart and just fish the wires best I can.

- Mike K7MDL

 

[Jon R]

When I get around to putting my DC charger (up to 50A output) in the camper, I plan to move the Iota DLS30/IQ4 DC output from the fuse block bus to the input side of the DC charger (which is the input from the truck power). I would also likely replace the ACR relay with the DC charger, they will function the same and the DC Charger's trickle charge be permitted to run properly. The auto-resetting breaker next to the ACR would remain. Even though the DC Charger truck side current is limited to 1 amp, The IOTA can be 30A.

Upsides:
1. The charger can run at high rate, it looks like the same power coming from the truck. When the battery is charged, the current out of the DC charger is roughly equal to the camper load. The battery acts as a ripple filter/voltage regulator. This topology is that of a UPS (uninterruptible power supply).
2. Retains Iota shore power option with a simple 1 wire relocation only inches away.
3. My DC charger will trickle charge the truck battery at 1A.
4. The Iota can still bulk charge the truck battery.

Down-sides:
1. If the LiFe battery is removed and the IOTA is on shore power, the DC charger may not be a suitable low ripple well regulated (i.e. clean) DC power supply. I figure that is not a mode I plan to operate in.
2. Pulling the Load Disconnect switch will not disconnect the IOTA from the truck side or DC charger input (assuming they (Iota and DC Charger) are both connected at the ACR, or in series with the ACR).

Up and or Downside TBD:
1. Moving the IOTA to the truck side of the DC charger means it will not supply meaningful load current until the LiFe battery discharges down to the 13.x volts the IOTA is trying to run at.
2. Not sure what the interaction will look like when the Iota changes voltage/current thinking there is an AGM battery attached when it is a DC charger (interaction). 13.xVDC still yields a fairly well charged up LiFe battery.
3. The charger may be working more than "normal". Since mine is also a solar MPPT charger it is pretty much always online anyway much of the year.

In my case it gets more complicated. I have a front dinette camper and the current pair of AGMs are next to my rear bumper. I plan to install the LiFe battery in the front under the driver side dinette seat. This reduces weight far aft and moves what is left all the way forward. It shortens the total wire length by several feet keeping the Iota, DC charger, LiFe battery and cable out to the truck as short as practical. It does mean I will be moving battery and solar charging wiring from the back to the front though they will be much shorter in the end.

I would like to open up the Iota/IQ4 unit (I have a 2022) and see if I can put an external LiFePO4 module in, but I will be trying to avoid taking the cabinet apart and just fish the wires best I can.

- Mike K7MDL

When you say “DC charger,” do you mean a DC to DC converter/charger like the Victron Orion?

 

[K7MDL]

Yes, Replace DC Charger with DC-DC charger, not to be confused wit the Iota which is a DC charger .

 

[K7MDL]

This afternoon I was trying to look at the battery/solar side wiring in my 2022 Hawk inside the cabinet. With the right tool it looks like I could remove the 4 screws mounting the Iota DL30/IQ4 and pull it out without too much trouble assuming the wire slack permits. I would assume the IQ4 function is a plug-in module inside the chassis but it could be a part of the main PCB. I have put opening it up on my ToDo list to see if a LiFe module could be attached in place of the internal IQ4 function. When I get to that is TBD. Nothing of note visible with a flashlight through the vent slots.

 

[Jon R]

Yes, Replace DC Charger with DC-DC charger, not to be confused wit the Iota which is a DC charger .

If you try to operate a 50 amp dc to dc charger from the output of a DLS-30, I would expect the internal fuse in the DLS-30 to open the first time the dc to dc charger tries to draw 50 plus amps in bulk (output current limited) mode. One or two people here have mentioned they were considering trying to power a 30 amp dc to dc charger from the DLS-30, but I never saw a post about whether it actually worked without blowing the DLS-30 fuse. According to the readings in the Victron app, my Victron Orion 12/12-30 draws about 35 amps from the truck when its output is at 30 amps.

 

[K7MDL]

Agree. I solve that problem by configuring the max output to 20A. Not all DC-DC chargers will do that though.

 

[K7MDL]

I have a 50Ah LiFe battery here. I will run
my DC-DC charger set for 10A and 20A rates on the Iota output and observe what happens. I have 75A powerpole set up on my LiFe and camper batteries and my charger leads to run my radio gear so it is a very simple experiment.

 

[K7MDL]

I plugged in the DC-DC charger to the camper 12V bus, connected a 50Ah LiFe battery and high power radio/amp for load on that LiFe battery to draw charger current.

The camper battery (2 AGMS in parallel) started at 74% SOC. Plugged in shore power, AGM charge current started at 30A quickly lowering to 25A, then 22A, and settled there for some time tapering off over the next hour as expected. I watched the voltages and currents real time (via the AGM shunt and the DC-DC charger BT connections) and so no instabilities, worked perfect.

It is possible the AGMs being still in play act as a big filter but is the same scenario when the starting battery is connected. The Li battery was charging between near 0 and up to the 10A limit I had set.

I have not tried it when the LiFe and its DC-DC charger output are directly connected to the DLS30/IQ4 output. I think the Iota would see it as fully charged and put out no current until the battery voltage dropped to float (13.6 or so) which it would only do when solar is not enough and/or the truck engine is not running.

I think with an unmodified DLS30/IQ4 it should be fine to connect it to DC-DC charger input (truck side of the DC-DC charger) and looks reasonably easy to do. For my particular DC-DC charger it will try to trickle charge the truck battery but when on shore power the DLS30 will charge the truck battery at much higher rate as needed. Could be some back and forth there, mostly seen if the truck battery is disconnected. Given the trickle is 1A max with periodic off periods for voltage sampling, I doubt there is any concern.

After staring at the camper wiring for some time now I am about to dive in and install my charger and put the Iota on the truck side of the DC-DC charger.

 

[K7MDL]

I stared at the wiring some more which equals more problem solving. Having to throttle down the DC charging rate from the truck (and possible solar if an integrated unit) to stay within the 30A limit of the DLS30/IQ4 wired on the truck side of the DC-DC charger is wasting capability. It really needs to stay on the load/battery side like it is stock.

The best answer is to replace the DLS30/IQ4 if it cannot be adapted to LiFe voltages. Leaving it stock would work only when the LiFe battery is discharged down to 13.6VDC or so. That is probably Ok for average use and shore power use and long term storage. Solar or alternator power will top it off, load permitting. Shore Power won't by itself. Given that I think replacing the DLS30/IQ4 can be left for down the road, I would just leave it as is unless you want the shore power to top the LiFe off, I cannot see any harm so far. Can just replace the ACR in the camper with a DC-DC charger and be done. Upgrading wire sizes in the camper to handle more than 30A in the camper and umbilical would be needed for >30A DC. Make them shorter at the same time if possible.

I took another look through the DLS30/IQ4 vent slots and there is a small PCB vertically mounted on the fan end panel. The fan faces front and the power supply is mounted upside down my camper so it is seen on the side closest to the cabinet vent opening, forward end of it. There is a short piece of gray telephone style cable (RJ11 like) that looks like it terminates on the top of that small PCB. Good chance it is an IQ/4 module.

 

[PaulT]

You might consider replacing your Iota with one without the internal IQ4 module & buy the IQ4-LIFEPO plug-in IQ4 unit. You could also pick a DLS unit with higher power output if desired. On cursory reading of the IOTA sales info, it appears that the DLS 30, 45, & 55 amp models have close dimensions.

Buying a replacement unit to get the LiFePO4 protocol IQ4 might be fewer headaches overall.

Paul

 

[Outnabout]

I have come to the conclusion that the IOTA in my 2015 Grandby is perfectly adequate for charging my LiPo 100ah for as often as I plug in. The battery will reach about 98% charge overnight with fridge running and quickly tops off once I get some sun on my panel. I’ll buy a few six packs with the saved money. I really appreciate the discussion generated around this topic. Thanks.