25 replies to this topic

[Gumbus]

I am in the process of installing the Victron 120v Blue Smart IP22 charger/converter. I have read that these units can get very hot, so where do you suggest mounting it for best air flow cooling? I was considering mounting on the battery cabinet door and prop door open when in use or on the wall above the battery compartment (cabinet under the stove).

My current crib is the slide in Hawk with Front Dinette.

Edited by Gumbus, 24 December 2022 - 08:48 PM.

[Vic Harder]

I am in the process of installing the IP22 charger/converter. I have read that these units can get very hot, so where do you suggest mounting it for best air flow cooling? I was considering mounting on the battery cabinet door and prop door open when in use.

I’m not familiar with IP22 products. I’m using the Orion 12/30 and it does get hot. Keeping the door open would probably be good enough for my Orion.

[ckent323]

I cut a piece of Aluminum plate and match drilled holes through it.  The plate is sandwiched between the Victron 100/30 solar controller (which calls for mounting against a non-combustible surface) and the wood that the controller is screwed into.  The Aluminum will help dissipate any heat produced by the controller.  Frankly, I do not know how hot they get, mine is always cool to the touch.

Edited by ckent323, 29 December 2022 - 07:11 PM.

[veryactivelife]

I looked at the install manual for the IP22 and other than providing the recommended mounting clearances I didn’t find any other recommendations. The Orion does get fairly hot and Victron recommends mounting to a non combustible surface, the IP22 instructions don’t mention this so that makes me think it doesn’t get as hot. Perhaps it had a cooling fan like the IOTA. The IP22 does start to derate output at 90F, so good air circulation is probably a good idea. If you leave the battery compartment open remember that the batteries will be offgasing unless you have LiFePO4 batteries.

[Jon R]

I know this is a month old, but I’m now looking at buying the Victron Blue Smart 120 vac to 12vdc 30 amp IP22 charger. I don’t use my stock DLS-30/IQ4 charger often, but I’m finding it useless for charging my lithium battery at a decent rate due to its operating logic. So I’m also looking at the space, wiring, and heat implications of installing this charger. My two choices are in the buried location of the current Iota charger or in the battery compartment.

The IP22 30 amp charger puts out about 400 watts at a rated efficiency of 93%. So that would mean it puts out up to about 40 watts of heat. It has a cooling fan that comes on above some temperature. It also has a “night mode” setting where it operates at half power for 8 hours and the fan is not expected to ever come on, or it can be permanently set in half power mode. I am not concerned about excessive heating in either of my prospective locations.

Edit: I have a Grandby front dinette so my cabinetry is pretty much the same as the OP.

Edited by Jon R, 02 February 2023 - 09:36 PM.

[Jollyrogers]

Can anyone chime in on how the IP22 30a is doing after the install. Specifically heat wise.

I started looking into this myself, and it seems FWC used 10g to a 30a thermal fuze then to 8ga on the other side of the the thermal fuze. Seems inadequate for an iota DLS-30. I had originally replaced the iota with a pd-9130LV and can only get just under 15a from it, so not happy trying to charge 206ah of lifepo4 running my generator.

[Vic Harder]

Can anyone chime in on how the IP22 30a is doing after the install. Specifically heat wise.

I started looking into this myself, and it seems FWC used 10g to a 30a thermal fuze then to 8ga on the other side of the the thermal fuze. Seems inadequate for an iota DLS-30. I had originally replaced the iota with a pd-9130LV and can only get just under 15a from it, so not happy trying to charge 206ah of lifepo4 running my generator.

JollyRogers...  can I ask you to clarify?  The DLS-30 is an AC to DC charging unit, the IP22 is DCDC.  The output of these chargers should be fairly close to the camper batteries and 10g wire is rated to carry 30A.  Over a 1-4' wire run, voltage loss will be minimal.

 

The output of any converter/charger is going to depend on the amount of available power going in, both voltage and current.  Have you measured the output of your generator to see what the PD  is getting on the input?

[Jollyrogers]

The original post was for the charger/converter is what I thought I was asking about also. It is AC2DC.

https://www.victrone...rt-ip22-charger


and it still doesn’t explain a 30amp fuze for a 30amp charge circuit. Granted 10ga can handle it for the short run.

Edited by Jollyrogers, 28 August 2023 - 06:33 PM.

[PaulT]

The charging rate suggests that it is a DLS-30 without an IQ4 module.  If so, the voltage is only about 13.8 as it is working as a DC power supply rather than as a smart charger. 

 

From the thread, it isn't clear if the DLS-30 is installed or the IP22 unit.  IF the DLS-30, verify if it is has the built-in IQ4 module.  If not, buy the appropriate module for the battery chemistry and plug it into the charger IQ4 socket.

https://www.donrowe.com/

 

Paul

[Jollyrogers]

Lol. It’s frustrating trying to communicate via forums sometimes.

I had a DLS-30/IQ4 that was original. I replaced it with a PD-9130LV for my lifepo batteries because it supposedly has the LifePo4 charge profile. It sucks. I only get 15 amps, even if I “force” it to “Boost” with their pendant. I need to be able to get more because I camp mostly in national forest and shade and have to charge from my generator mostly. I am thinking of now replacing the PD-9130lv (because it sucks) and was think of the AC2DC Victron IP22 instead.

I have 200w portable solar to an MPPT and can get about 180w from it… if in sun, but I’m in shade a lot
I have a Orion DCDC charger from truck, and it works fine.

I am only asking if people who have used one, how hot it got and if it worked for them. There appears to be 2 posters above @Jon R and @Gumbus that we’re considering or actually have used the victron charger I too am considering.