The IOTA power converters are compact and efficient, making them a great choice for an on-board 12V DC/DC converter.
We realize this converter is a common item and can be purchased from most EV suppliers. Here are 3 reasons to consider purchasing the converter from us:
1. The IOTA is originally designed as a 12V battery charger*, accepting 120 or 240VAC input and converting it to 12VDC output. We remove the AC wiring and replace it with high grade 16 AWG wire with mini Anderson connectors. When you receive the converter, it's ready for installation and immediate use in your EV!
2. Inside the converter are three 55uF capacitors that immediately charge when it sees input voltage (AC or DC). When plugged into an AC wall outlet, the prongs of the plug usually blacken and/or pit. Battery posts experience similar damage mostly in the form of pitting. This damage is easily visualized by a frightening spark or arc that accompanies the initial converter hookup. These problems are due to the in-rush current (IOTA indicates as much as 27A is possible) drawn by the three capacitors at startup. To remediate this problem, we add an inline in-rush current limiter which throttles the initial current draw down to a safe level. Converters with this component installed will see a very small spark but the voltage source (battery posts, wall outlet) will not be damaged.
3. We have been using and supporting IOTA converters since 2004. We have the experience and knowledge to help you install the IOTA and troubleshoot any potential problems.
Two-stage setup process
|
*Notes for EV usage
108-190V Unit |
260-340V Unit |
|
|
|
This unit will supply the 12V system with up to 55 amps, and can be configured to output a dual-voltage - 14.2V during vehicle use and 13.6V when the vehicle is off. This two-stage configuration provides a better charging scheme for the 12V SLI battery. Information can be found on setting up the unit for this two-stage charging in the document listed above.
Fuse: We recommend a 20A fuse on the converter's input. The reason for this recommendation (instead of 30A to account for the maximum possible in-rush current) is due to the converter's input wiring. The input wiring is 16AWG. A quick glance at an ampacity table indicates that this gauge of wire can only withstand 22A before the wire's insulation melts and causes a BIG hazard! A suitable 20A fuse can be found HERE. |