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  • Am I just wasted $400 US Dollars?

    HI guys,

    I just get the chance to look at the IOTA Engineering (DLS5413) 13 Amp 54V DC Battery Charger, I try to adjust the voltage to 64 volt but it only reach to 59.6volts and won't go any further, Am I just wasted my $400 US dollars? I thought it can use for Equalize charge for my 48 volts battery bank. Can I still use it to do corrective equalization charge at 59.6 volts or I have to get a charger can reach to 64 volts?

    Thanks.

  • #2
    I don't think Iota can do an EQ charge. Best hope is to charge the bank with a genset early in the AM, and let the solar do the EQ. It may burn a lot of fuel to get the bank well into absorb so an EQ can be started.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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    • #3
      Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
      HI guys,

      I just get the chance to look at the IOTA Engineering (DLS5413) 13 Amp 54V DC Battery Charger, I try to adjust the voltage to 64 volt but it only reach to 59.6volts and won't go any further, Am I just wasted my $400 US dollars? I thought it can use for Equalize charge for my 48 volts battery bank. Can I still use it to do corrective equalization charge at 59.6 volts or I have to get a charger can reach to 64 volts?

      Thanks.
      Do you have the Hi level Plug in the Jack ?? The 12v models will reach 15.5v & the 24V models will reach 32.2 v, but you have to have the plug in the jack. Never tested a 48v model. If you have a model with the built in IQ-4 it may be limiting it. The above is for the Standard Model, or one with the separate IQ-4 plug-in Module. The potentiometer should do it.

      Send it back, if it doesn't suit you.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Willy T View Post
        Do you have the Hi level Plug in the Jack ?? The 12v models will reach 15.5v & the 24V models will reach 32.2 v, but you have to have the plug in the jack. Never tested a 48v model. If you have a model with the built in IQ-4 it may be limiting it. The above is for the Standard Model, or one with the separate IQ-4 plug-in Module. The potentiometer should do it.

        Send it back, if it doesn't suit you.
        It only go to 59.60volt the highest. It is the standard model.
        Can't send it back from where I am. It would cost me half the cost to send it back.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
          It only go to 59.60volt the highest. It is the standard model.
          Can't send it back from where I am. It would cost me half the cost to send it back.
          Can you confirm that the 59.6 volts is with the plug in the jack?
          If you are electronically savvy, it should also be possible to modify the circuit containing the potentiometer to extend the adjustment range on the high end. Essentially doing what inserting a plug into the jack does, only more so.
          According to the literature the standard output without the plug is 54.4 and with the plug is 56.8.
          As a last resort, you may be able to insert a forward biased diode into the sensing circuit wiring to get an increase of .2 to .7 volts per diode, depending on whether you use silicon or Schottky diodes.
          You probably will not be able to get all the way to 64 volts this way though.

          I agree that the simplest solution would be to take the battery bank all the way to Float with the IOTA and then let the PV do the entire EQ, starting at first light in the morning.
          Last edited by inetdog; 10-20-2014, 03:08 PM.
          SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
            It only go to 59.60volt the highest. It is the standard model.
            Can't send it back from where I am. It would cost me half the cost to send it back.
            Not knowing your battery layout or volts, is it possible to remove one or two batteries and come up with something that you could reach the EQ range on ?? Using 1.29 per volt at 42 v nominal you could use 54.18 v to EQ. Once you get good gassing 59.9 volts might do it, it will take longer and you have to watch the temperatures closely. I have put in a couple old junk batteries and did half of the good ones before at a time.

            If your setting the voltage with a DVM without the batteries connected it will be somewhat lower with the battery load.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by inetdog View Post
              Can you confirm that the 59.6 volts is with the plug in the jack?
              If you are electronically savvy, it should also be possible to modify the circuit containing the potentiometer to extend the adjustment range on the high end. Essentially doing what inserting a plug into the jack does, only more so.
              According to the literature the standard output without the plug is 54.4 and with the plug is 56.8.
              As a last resort, you may be able to insert a forward biased diode into the sensing circuit wiring to get an increase of .2 to .7 volts per diode, depending on whether you use silicon or Schottky diodes.
              You probably will not be able to get all the way to 64 volts this way though.

              I agree that the simplest solution would be to take the battery bank all the way to Float with the IOTA and then let the PV do the entire EQ, starting at first light in the morning.
              Yes the plug is in the jack. I don't think I want to modify the charger. I will have to use the grid to charge the battery and use the Solar to EQ the battery bank. Only thing is the solar might not have enough time to finnish the corrective EQ.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
                Yes the plug is in the jack. I don't think I want to modify the charger. I will have to use the grid to charge the battery and use the Solar to EQ the battery bank. Only thing is the solar might not have enough time to finnish the corrective EQ.
                Fortunately, as long as you bring the batteries up to Float first each day there is no reason not to do the corrective EQ over the course of several days.
                SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

                Comment

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