New Iota IQ/4 brain units

[dwh]

Looking to maybe pickup another battery charger, I checked out the Iota site and noticed that they now have a bunch of IQ/4 units for different applications:

https://www.iotaengineering.com/IQ/#!/

I haven't studied the specs on these things yet, so no comments. But I was planning to buy a DLS unit without the built-in IQ/4, so I could use the brain when I wanted (lead-acid) or not use it if I wanted (LiFePo4, just in case, future-proofing), and I've long thought they needed to make different IQ/4 units with different charge profiles. I guess great minds think alike. (But really, they should make one with a bluetooth radio and make it programmable via an app. That would be some hot sheet that would sell.)


EDIT: There's a video. Naturally, it doesn't say a damned thing about voltages, specs, etc...

 

[dwh]

A bit more info here:

https://pdf.donrowe.com/iq_spec_sheet.pdf

 

[No Ma]

Nice idea. Took too long to come to market for me. My Iota power supply is too old to work with these. I'm with you. Needs to be programmable. If it isn't programmable, it won't ever be really useful to a broad audience of people with diverse charging needs.

 

[dwh]

Called Iota and they emailed me spec sheets on the new IQ units. They have different voltage setpoints and timers than the original IQ/4.

For instance, the IQ-AGM does bulk/absorb at 14.7v for "up to" 480 minutes (8 hrs.) Then drops to 13.6v float. Like the original, it will automatically run through the charge cycle again after 7 days at float. Also has a low trigger - if the battery voltage drops below 12.8v it will start a charge cycle.

The IQ-Equalizer does 120 minutes at 15.4v then drops to 13.6v float. (Apparently, after 109 days at float, it does it again.)

The IQ-Turbo bulks for up to 240 minutes or 14.6v, whichever comes first, then absorbs at 14.5v for 120 minutes then drops to float at 13.6v. After 7 days at float, does it again.

 

[dwh]

Here's a quote from the spec sheet for the IQ-LIFEPO:

"BULK STAGE - During this state, the charger will operate either at Full Current output or Constant Voltage output depending on the discharged state of the battery. A discharged battery will dictate the voltage and force the charger into constant-current operation. As the battery charges, the charger transitions to a constant-voltage operation. This BULK STAGE will continue for either 120 minutes or until the battery voltage reaches the “High Trigger” value (whichever occurs first). At this point, the BULK STAGE will operate for another 15 minutes before switching to the FLOAT STAGE.

FLOAT STAGE - This charge state holds the batteries at Constant Voltage for a period not longer than fifteen days. During this state, the charger not only floats the batteries, but it can also provide load current up to its maximum rating for other loads without depleting the battery capacity. The FLOAT STAGE will end when either the battery voltage drops below the “Low Trigger” point or at the end of 15 days when the IQ-LIFEPO initiates the MAINTENANCE stage to ensure a complete charged condition. In either situation, the unit exits the FLOAT STAGE and enters the BULK STAGE."

High trigger is 14.6v, low trigger is 12.8v and float is 13.6v.