Converter

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  • Will2020
    Will2020 Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭✭✭
    #32
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    Re: Converter
    BB. wrote: »

    Is the more expensive charger worth the money? My guess--if you plan on running the generator a lot (poor sun in winter, not a lot of solar panels, large barry bank and smaller fuel efficient generator, battery bank in esteem climate with charger that supports a remote temperature sensor, etc.)--They probably are worth the extra money.


    I want the best for my batteries, after all, I paid $270 each for the Concorde Lifelines.

    The Xantrex has settings for agm batteries, but it is a 20 amp charger.

    So with 315 ah batteries I would look like:

    315 AH * 0.05 = 15.75 amps minimum
    315 AH * 0.13 = 40.95 amps maximum

    Thats about 4.25 amps over minimum? I will just have to run the generator longer right?
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #33
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    Re: Converter

    Yes. and since you are using a small full efficient generator--Your kWH/gallon of fuel ratio is still good.

    Usual suggestion is to run the generator early in the morning (when generator is needed) to get the battery above 80-90% state of charge (when charging current from charger falls of for absorb charging) and let the solar array finish of the charging.

    This will minimize fuel use and generator runtime.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Will2020
    Will2020 Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭✭✭
    #34
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    Re: Converter

    I just called Xantrex, and the tech said that this was a battery charger only, not a converter charger. Arrrghh...piecing this stuff together is a real pain.

    I don't have the cash to buy a converter and a battery charger separately, so it looks like the Iota is my best bet.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #35
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    Re: Converter

    Will,

    Out of curiosity, what do you see is the functional differences between a converter and a full function battery charger.

    Also why choose one over the other for your application?

    Serious questions.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Will2020
    Will2020 Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭✭✭
    #36
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    Re: Converter

    When off grid, it really would not matter, the charger by itself would work fine.

    Right now, I do not have any batteries hooked up, and I am using shore power through the converter to power the dc fridge, lights, and vent fans.

    I would still like to be able to do this, but get rid of this annoying old converter.

    So if I got the 30 amp Iota, it would allow me to do the same thing on shore power, and also allow me to hook up the generator to charge the batteries when I go off grid if I am not mistaken.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #37
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    Re: Converter

    I believe you are correct.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #38
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    Re: Converter
    Will2020 wrote: »
    What would be the advantage of purchasing the IQ smart controller for the Iota?

    No advantage if you are running loads from the battery at the same time you are charging. In that situation you want the Iota to run in its normal 2-stage mode instead of buying the IQ module to run in 3-stage + EQ mode.

    You also don't want the IQ module if you are using AGM batteries, since many (most?) AGMs aren't supposed to be EQ'd, and there is no way to turn off the automatic EQ function on the IQ module.
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #39
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    Re: Converter
    zeuspaul wrote: »
    I have the same question. The spec indicates a 7 amp draw which seems like it should work. However the spec also indicates a 30 amp inrush current which seems to me would exceed the capacity of a 1000 watt generator unless it had a huge surge capacity.

    I have noted here before that the inrush numbers on the Iota site are questionable - I seem to recall they show a higher inrush on the 15a unit than they do on the 30a unit, and I think they also show the 45a unit having the same inrush as the 30a.

    Something like that. I would take the numbers on the web site with a grain of salt until I verified them with Iota. I did email them once about the seeming discrepancies on the web site, but got no reply.
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #40
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    Re: Converter

    The inrush numbers may not be at fault. I don't know the brand of my converter, but its a modern 3-stage model, only a year old. This summer I tried plugging my camper into my 6 kw / 12 kw surge inverter and it tripped the first few times until the caps were charged.

    Edit: and this is a TSW inverter, high quality.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #41
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    Re: Converter

    I was thinking that maybe they made some typos when they created the web pages.
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