Dometic SI 1500 User manual

SI 1500 – 12V/24V
Pure Sine Wave Inverter
230Vac from 12Vdc / 24Vdc source
User’s Manual / Benutzerhandbuch / Manuel de l'utilisateur
Användarhandbok / Manuale d'uso
/ Manual del usuario

Dometic SI 1500
Pure Sine Wave Inverter
230Vac from 12Vdc / 24Vdc source
User’s Manual

Welcome to the Dometic world
Dometic Pure Sine wave Inverters – A sign of comfort
The SI 1500 Inverter is designed as a stand –alone power inverter.
This Inverter is extremely suitable for demanding RV, Commercial Vehicle, and
Marine appliances.
With its advanced power saving features you will enjoy the freedom mobile
power wherever you go!
You have made a wonderful choice to use Inverters from Dometic. Feel free to
contact our dealers for more information or more recommendations within
mobile power supply.
Best regards,
Dometic

Table of Contents
1 Important Safety Instructions .............................................................1
1.1 General Safety Precautions........................................................1
1.2 Precautions When Working with Batteries..................................1
2 Features ............................................................................................2
2.1 Application..................................................................................2
2.2 Electrical Performance................................................................3
2.3 Mechanical Drawings..................................................................4
3 Introduction........................................................................................5
3.1 Front Panel Operation ................................................................5
3.2 Rear Panel Operation :...............................................................6
3.3 Installation ..................................................................................7
3.4 Quick hoop-up and testing:.........................................................8
3.5 Making DC Wiring Connections..................................................10
3.6 Inverter Operation.......................................................................12
3.7 Power output ..............................................................................14
4 Troubleshooting guide .......................................................................15
5 Maintenance ......................................................................................17
6 Warranty ............................................................................................17
7 Appendices C ....................................................................................18
7.1 Remote control operations:.........................................................18
7.2 Power saving mode ....................................................................20
© Copyright: This manual is the copyright of DOMETIC and may not be
reproduced or copied without the express permission of the owner.

1
1 Important Safety Instructions
WARNING !
Before you install and use Your Dometic SI 1500 Sine
Inverter, be sure to read and follow these safety
instructions. Save this for later reference.
1.1 General Safety Precautions
1-1-1. Do not expose the SI 1500 Sine Inverter to rain, snow, spray, bilge or
dust. To reduce risk of hazard, do not cover or obstruct the ventilation
openings. Do not install the SI 1500 Sine Inverter in a zero-clearance
compartment. Overheating may result.
1-1-2. To avoid the risk of fire or electric shock, make sure that existing wiring
is in good electrical condition and that wire size is not undersized. Do
not operate the SI 1500 Sine Inverter with damaged or substandard
wiring.
1-1-3.This equipment contains components which can produce arcs or sparks.
To prevent fire or explosion do not install in compartments containing
batteries or flammable materials or in locations which require ignition
protected equipment. This includes any space containing
gasoline-powered machinery, fuel tanks, or joints, fittings, or other
connections between components of the fuel system.
1.2 Precautions When Working with Batteries
1-2-1. If battery acid contacts skin or clothing, wash immediately with soap and
water. If acid enters eye, immediately flood eye with running cold water
for at least 20 minutes and get medical attention immediately.
1-2-2. NEVER smoke or allow a spark or flame in vicinity of battery or engine.
1-2-3. Do not drop a metal tool on the battery. The resulting spark or
short-circuit on the battery or other electrical part may cause an
explosion.
1-2-4. Remove personal metal items such as rings, bracelets, necklaces or
watches when working with a battery. A battery produces a short-circuit
current high enough to weld a ring or other metal, causing a severe
burn.

2
2 Features
Pure sine wave output (< 3% THD)
Output frequency : 50Hz
Low power “ Power Saving Mode “ to conserve energy or battery.
RS – 232C interface / remote controls port.
Built–in voltage and watt meter.
Thermostatically controlled cooling fan
Advanced microprocessor
Protection : Input low voltage, Overload, Short circuit, Low battery
alarm, Input over voltage and over temperature
2.1 Application
2-1-1. Power tools, circular saws, drills, grinders, sanders, buffers,
weed and hedge trimmers, air compressors.
2-1-2. Office equipment, computers, printers, monitors, facsimile
machines, scanner.
2-1-3. Household items, vacuum cleaners, fans, fluorescent and
incandescent lights, shavers, sewing machines.
2-1-4. Kitchen appliances, microwave ovens, refrigerators and
freezers, coffee makers, blenders, ice makers, toasters.
2-1-5. Industrial equipment, metal halide lamp, high-pressure sodium
lamp.
2-1-6. Home entertainment electronics, television, VCRs, video
games, stereos, musical instruments, satellite equipment.

3
2.2 Electrical Performance
Specification Model No.
Item SI 1500 24Vdc - 230Vac SI 1500 12Vdc - 230Vac
Continuous Output Power 1500W
Surge Rating 2000W
Input Voltage 24V 12V
Output Voltage 230V ± 3%
Frequency 50 Hz +/- 0.05%
Peak Output Current 11A 11A
Efficiency (full load) 89% 86%
No Load Current Draw 1.5W Saving Mode
Output Waveform Sine Wave <3% THD
Output Voltage Regulation 230V RMS –10%/+4%
Input Voltage Regulation 20-32VDC 10-16 VDC
Protection Overload, Short Circuit, Reverse Polarity (Fuse),
Over/Under Input Voltage, Over Temperature.
Recovery Time from Power
Saving mode 5 Seconds
Interface Control Port RS-232C
Remote Control Unit Optional
Safety EN60950
EMC
EN50081-1:1992
EN50082-1:1992
EN55022B:1994
EN61000-4-2:1995
EN61000-4-3:1996
ENV50204:1995
e-Mark
e13-020932
Operating Temperature Range -25 to +40 Celsius
Storage Temperature Range -30 to 70 Celsius
Dimensions 390 (L) x 275 (W) x 105 (H) mm / 15.4 (L) x 10.8 (W) x 4.1 (H) Inch
Cooling Thermostatically controlled cooling fan
Weight 7.0kgs / 15.5 lbs.
IP Class IP 23

4
2.3 Mechanical Drawings
PURE SINE WAVE 230V AC 50Hz
1500W

5
3 Introduction
This Dometic SI 1500 Sine Inverter is a member of the most advanced
line of mobile AC power systems available. To get the most out of the
inverter, it must be installed and used properly.
Please read and follow the instructions in this manual before installing
and using this model.
3.1 Front Panel Operation
3-1-1. Front view:
1500W
PURE SINE WAVE 230V AC 50 Hz
3-1-2. ON / OFF switch:
Power ON/OFF switch, leave in the OFF position during
installation.
3-1-3. Power saving :
Power energy saving enable.
OVP : over voltage protection when on
UVP : under voltage protection when on
OTP: over temperature protection when on
OLP : over load protection when on
Input volts : input voltage display indication battery voltage
level
Load watts : AC load watts display.

6
3.2 Rear Panel Operation :
3-2-1. Ventilation openings:
Do not obstruct, allow at least 25 mm for air flow.
3-2-2. Battery terminals:
Connect to 12Vdc/24Vdc battery or other 12Vdc/24Vdc power
source. On the inverter red (+) is positive, black (-) is negative.
Reverse polarity connection will blow the internal fuse and may
damage the inverter permanently.
3-2-3. RS-232C:
Connect for remote control unit (option accessory)
3-2-4. Connect chassis ground terminal to earth or to vehicle chassis
using 10 mm² wire.
WARNING !
Operation of the inverter without a proper chassis ground
connection may result in an electrical safety hazard.
Before proceeding further, carefully check that the Dometic
SI 1500 Sine Inverter is NOT connected to any batteries,
and that all wiring is disconnected from any electrical
sources. Do not connect the output terminals of the Dometic
SI 1500 Sine Inverter to an incoming AC source, it may
result in an electrical safety hazard and damage the
Inverter.

7
3.3 Installation
Where to install
The inverter should be installed in a location that meets the following
requirements:
3-3-1. Dry – Do not allow water to drip or splash on the inverter.
3-3-2. Cool – Ambient air temperature should be between -25°and
+40°Celsius.
3-3-3. Safe – Do not install in a battery compartment or other areas
where flammable fumes may exist, such as fuel storage areas
or engine compartments.
3-3-4. Ventilated – Allow at least 25 mm of clearance around the
inverter for air flow. Ensure the ventilation openings on the rear
and bottom of the unit and the fan inlets are not obstructed.
3-3-5. Dust-free – Do not install the Dometic SI1500 Sine Inverter in a
dusty environment where dust, wood particles or other
filings/shavings are present. Dust can be pulled into the unit
when the cooling fan is operating.
3-3-6. Close to batteries – Avoid excessive cable lengths but do not
install the Dometic SI 1500 Sine Inverter in the same
compartment as batteries. Use the recommended wire lengths
and sizes. Do not mount the Dometic SI1500 Sine Inverter
where it will be exposed to the gases produced by the battery.
These gases are very corrosive and prolonged exposure will
damage the Dometic SI 1500 Sine Inverter.

8
3.4 Quick hoop-up and testing:
For a quick hook-up of the Dometic SI 1500 Sine Inverter to check its
performance before going ahead with installation, please follow these
guidelines:
3-4-1. Unpack and inspect the Inverter, check to see that the power
switch is in the OFF position.
CAUTION !
Reverse polarity connection will blow a fuse in inverter and
may permanently damage the inverter. Damage caused by
reverse polarity connection is not covered by warranty.
3-4-2. Connect proper cables with fuse (see table 1) to the power
input terminals on the rear panel of the inverter. First to the red
positive terminal (+) and then to the black negative terminal(-).
Tighten the cables securely.
WARNING !
Make sure the DC connections on the inverter are
tight (torque to 9-10 ft-lbs, 11.7-13Nm). Loose
connections will overheat and could result in a
potential hazard.
3-4-3. Connect the red cable coming from the positive terminal on the
inverter to the positive output on the battery or power source.
Before proceeding further, carefully check that cable you
have just connected ties the positive terminal of inverter
to the positive output terminal of battery or power source!
3-4-4. WARNING!
You may observe a spark when you make the next connection
since current may flow to charge capacitors in the inverter. Do
not make this connection in the presence of flammable fumes.
Explosion or fire may result. Continue: Connect the cable from
the negative terminal of the inverter to the negative terminal of
the battery or power source. Make a secure connection.

9
3-4-5. Set the power switch to the ON position. Check the meters and
indicators on the front panel of the inverter. The voltage bar
graph should indicate 11 to 14 volts (22 - 28V when 24V
version is used) depending on the voltage level of the power
source. If there is no indication, check your power source and
the connections to inverter.
The other indicators should be off.
3-4-6. Set inverter switch to the OFF position, the indicator lights may
blink and the internal alarm may sound momentarily.
This is normal. Plug the test load (maximum 1500W resistive
load) into the AC receptacle on the front panel of the inverter.
Leave the test load switched off.
3-4-7. Set inverter switch to the ON position and turn the test load On.
The inverter should supply power to the load. If you plan to
accurately measure the true output r.m.s. voltage of inverter, a
meter such as FLUKE 45, BECKMAN 4410 or TRIPLETT 4200
must be used. (True RMS multimeter must be used).

10
3.5 Making DC Wiring Connections
Follow this procedure to connect the battery cables to the DC input
terminals on the Dometic SI 1500 Sine Inverter. Your cables should be
as short as possible (less than 10 feet / 3 meters) and dimensioned to
handle the required current in accordance with the electrical codes or
regulations applicable to your installation. See table 1 for cable
dimensions.
Cables that are not an adequate gauge (too narrow) or are too long will
cause decreased inverter performance such as poor surge capability
and frequent low input voltage warnings and shutdowns.
These low input voltage warnings are due to DC voltage drop across the
cables from the inverter to the batteries. The longer and narrower these
cables, the greater the voltage drop.
Increasing your DC cable size will improve performance. The producer
recommends the following cables for optimum inverter performance,
see table 1 and drawing:
Model No Wire Inline Fuse
SI 1500-12V 35mm
2
, AWG2 200A
SI 1500-24V 22 mm², AWG4 130A
Also, use only high quality copper wiring and keep cable length short,
we recommend less than 3 meters / 10 feet.

11
IN L IN E F U SE
B A T TE R Y
-+
S1500
WARNING !
Failure to place an in-line fuse on the “+” cable running
between the inverter and battery may cause damage to the
inverter and will void warranty.

12
3.6 Inverter Operation
To operate the inverter, turn it on using the ON/OFF switch on the front
panel. The inverter is now ready to deliver AC power to your loads. If
you are operating several loads from the inverter, turn them on
separately, one by one, after the inverter has been turned on. This will
ensure that the inverter does not have to deliver the starting currents for
all the loads at once and give you a problem free performance.
3-6-1. Controls and indicators:
The ON/OFF switch turns the control circuit in the inverter on
and off. It does not disconnect input voltage from the inverter.
The Dometic SI1500 Sine Inverter operates from an input
voltage ranging from:
10.5 to 15.0 VDC for 12V models,
20 to 32Vdc for 24V models
The Dometic SI 1500 Sine Inverter will indicate high and low
DC voltage conditions as follows :
Table 2
Model DC Input over
voltage shut-down
DC Input under
voltage alarm DC Input under voltage shut-down
SI 1500-12V 16.7VDC 10.2VDC 9.5VDC
SI 1500-24V 33.4VDC 20.4VDC 19.0VDC
3-6-2. Battery voltage indicator:
The battery voltage bar graph indicates the voltage level at the
input terminals of the inverter. At low input current, this voltage
is very close to the battery voltage. At high input current, this
voltage will be lower than the battery voltage because of the
voltage drop across the cable and connections. Ideally, the
voltage should remain in the green areas of the bar graph. If
the voltage goes into the red area at top and bottom of the
graph, inverter may shutdown.

13
3-6-3. The AC load watt bar graph indicates the power drawn from
the inverter. For long term operation, the watt indicator should
remain in the green and orange area of the bar graph.
Short term operation is possible with watt indicator in the red
area.If the watt indicator rises to high values the bar will flash
and the inverter will shut down to protect itself.
3-6-4. Over voltage indicator:
The over voltage indicator indicates that the inverter has shut
itself down because the maximum input voltage is exceeded.
3-6-5. Under voltage indicator:
The under voltage indicator indicates that the inverter has shut
it self down because the input voltage is below the minimum
level.
3-6-6. Over temp indicator:
The over temp indicator indicates that the inverter has shut
itself down because the maximal temperature has been
exceeded. The inverter may overheat because it has been
operated at power levels above its rating, or because it has
been installed in a location which does not allow it to dissipate
heat properly. The inverter will restart automatically, once it has
cooled off.
3-6-7. Overload indicator:
The overload indicator indicates that the inverter has shut itself
down because the output has been short circuited or
drastically overloaded.
Switch the ON/OFF switch to OFF, correct the fault condition,
and then switch the ON/OFF switch back to ON to reset the
unit.

14
3.7 Power output
The 1500W inverter will operate most AC loads within its power rating.
When deeming whether a microwave oven can be operated by the
1500W inverter, remember that the power commonly advertised for
microwave ovens are the cooking power (the power delivered to the
food) not the power actually consumed by the microwave oven. The
microwave oven will consume 40% to 100% more than its advertised
cooking power. Check the rating sticker on the back of the oven to
determine its actual power requirements.
The 1500W inverter will operate small microwave oven that draws about
1700 watts. It will provide 3 minutes of cooking time.
Some induction motors used in refrigerators, freezers, pumps, and other
motor operated equipment require very high surge currents to start. The
Inverter may not be able to start some of these motor even though their
rated current requirement is within the inverter. If motor is refused to
start, observe the battery voltage indicator while trying to start the motor.
If the battery voltage indicator drops below 11 volts (21V for 24V
versions) while inverter is attempting to start the motor, this may be why
the motor won’t start.
Make sure that the battery connections are good and the battery is fully
charged. If the connections are good and the battery is fully charged,
but the voltage still drops below 11 volts (21V for 24V versions), you may
need to use a larger battery.

15
4 Troubleshooting guide
WARNING !
Do not open or disassemble the SI 1500 Sine
Inverter. Attempting to service the unit yourself
may result in a risk of electrical shock or fire and
void warranty.
Common problems -Television interference:
Operation of the inverter can interfere with television reception on some
channels. If this situation occurs, the following steps may help to solve
the problems:
* Make sure that the chassis ground lug on the back of the inverter is
solidly connected to the ground system of your vehicle, boat or
home.
* Do not operate high power loads with the inverter while watching
television.
* Make sure that the antenna feeding your television provides an
adequate (“snow free”) signal and that you are using good quality
cable between the antenna and the television.
* Move the television as far away from the inverter as possible.
* Keep the cables between the battery and the inverter as short as
possible and twist them together with about 2 to 3 twists per foot/
0.5m. The twists will minimize radiated interference from the cables.

16
Problems and Symptoms Possible Cause Solutions
Low output voltage Using average reading
voltmeter Use true RMS reading meter and cable
220V: 190-210VAC Incorrectly measured See page 10
Point 3-4-7. of manual
Load LED bar flash Overload Reduce load
No output voltage
Over Temp indicator on,
load less than 1500W.
Thermal shutdown Improve ventilation,
make sure ventilation
openings in inverter are
not obstructed.
Reduce ambient
temperature.
No output voltage
Over Load indicator On
Short circuit or Wiring
error Check AC wiring for
short circuit or improper
polarity (hot and neutral
reversed).
Very high power load Remove load
No output voltage
and voltage indicator in
lower red zone
Low input voltage Recharge battery, check
connections and cable.