Magnum Energy RD1824 User manual

R D S eries
I nverter / C ha rgers
Opera tor’s Ma nua l

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
I M P O R T A N T S A F E T Y I N S T R U C T I O N S
This m anua l contains im portant sa fety ins tructions that m ust m e followed
during the installa tion and operation of this product.
To reduce the risk of electrica l s hock , fire, or other sa fety hazard, the follow-
ing s afety s ym bols ha ve been placed throughout this m anua l to indica te
da ngerous a nd im portant s afety ins tructions .
WAR NI NG - I ndicates a dangerous voltage or condition exis ts .
CAUTI ON - I ndica tes a critical s tep necessary for the sa fe insta llation
and operation of this device.
NOT E - I ndica tes an im porta nt s ta tem ent. Follow thes e ins tructions
clos ely.
ATTE NTI ON - E lectrosta tic S ensitive Devices. Obs erve precautions for
ha ndling.
All electr ical work m us t be perform ed in accorda nce with loca l, s tate a nd
federal electrica l codes .
R ea d all instructions a nd sa fety inform ation contained in this m anua l before
insta lling or using this product.
This product is des igned for indoor / com pa rtment ins talla tion. I t m us t not
be ex pos ed to rain, snow, m ois ture or liquids of any ty pe.
Use insulated tools to reduce the cha nce of electrical s hock or a ccidental
short circuits .
R em ove a ll jewelry such a s rings, wa tches , bracelets , etc., when installing or
per form ing m aintenance on the inverter.
Alway s dis connect the ba tteries or energy source prior to installing or per-
form ing m a intenance on the inv erter.
Live power m ay be pres ent a t m ore than one point s ince a n inverter utilizes
both batteries and AC .
Alway s verify proper wiring prior to sta rting the inverter.
There a re no us er s erviceable pa rts contained in this product.
S A V E T H E S E I N S T R U C T I O N S
i

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
I M P O R T A N T
B A T T E R Y S A F E T Y I N S T R U C T I O N S
Wear ey e protection s uch a s sa fety gla s ses when work ing with batteries .
R em ove a ll jewelry such as rings , wa tches , bra celets , etc., when insta lling or
per form ing m aintenance on the inverter.
Never work alone. Alwa y s have s om eone near you when work ing around
ba tteries.
Use proper lifting techniques when work ing with ba tteries .
Never use old or untested ba tteries . C heck each battery 's label for age, ty pe
and da te code to ensure all batteries are identica l.
B atteries are sensitive to changes in tem perature. Alwa y s insta ll ba tteries in
a sta ble environm ent.
I ns ta ll ba tteries in a well v entila ted a rea. B a tteries ca n produce ex plos ive
gas s es . For com partm ent or enclos ure installa tions, a lway s vent batteries to
the outside.
Provide a t lea s t one inch of a ir s pa ce between ba tteries to provide optim um
cooling.
Never s m ok e when in the vicinity of ba tteries .
To prevent a spark at the ba ttery a nd reduce the chance of ex plos ion, always
connect the ca bles to the ba tteries firs t. T hen connect the cables to the
inv erter.
Use ins ula ted tools at a ll tim es .
Alway s verify proper polarity a nd voltage before connecting the ba tteries to
the inverter.
To reduce the chance of fire or ex plosion, do not short- circuit the ba tteries .
I n the even of accidental ex pos ure to battery acid, wash thoroughly with
soap a nd water. I n the even of ex pos ure to the eyes , flood them for a t lea s t
1 5 m inutes with running wa ter a nd s eek im m edia te m edical a ttention.
R ecy cle old ba tteries .
S A V E T H E S E I N S T R U C T I O N S
ii

Ó2003 - Magnum Energy, Inc.
Magnum Energy
RD Series Inverter/Charger
Table of Contents
iii
S e c t io n D e s c r ip tio n P a g e
1 . I n t r o d u c t i o n 1
1. Features and Benefits 1
2. Standard Features 1
3. How an In verter/Charger W orks 3
4. Appliances and R un Time 3
5. The RD Series 5
2 . I n s t a l l a t io n 7
1. Unpacking and Inspection 7
2. Pre-Installation 7
Locating the In verter 7
Locating Dedicated Batteries (optional) 7
Hardw are / Materials R equired 8
Tools R equired 8
Wiring 8
AC Connections 8
DC Connections 8
AC Grounding 8
DC Grounding 8
Torque R equirements 9
AC Main P anel 9
Circuit Protection 9
Wire R outing 9
3. Installation 11
In verter Mounting 11
Battery Installation 11
Battery Cables and Sizing 12
DC Wiring 12
DC Grounding 12
Negativ e Cable 12
Positiv e Cable 12
Battery Wiring 13
Parallel Connection 13
Series Connection 15
Series/P a rallel Connection 15
DC Fuse Block 17
AC Wiring 19
AC Input (Shore P ower) R outing 19
AC Input (Gener ator) R outing 19
Main AC Electrical P anel R outing 19
Wiring the Inv erter AC Input 21
Wiring the Inv erter AC Output 21
Final Inspection 21

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
iv
S e c t io n D e s c r ip t io n P a g e
2. I n s ta lla t ion , continued
4. Options 25
B a ttery Tem pera tur e S ens or I ns ta lla tion a nd W ir ing 2 5
R em ote C ontr ol I ns ta lla tion a nd W iring 2 5
AG S Module 2 5
S m art S hunt 25
S ta ck ing C able K it 25
5. S ta rt- up and Test 26
Connecting the B a tteries to the I nverter 2 6
Fina l I ns pection and Power- up 2 6
Configuring the I nverter 27
3. O p e r a t io n 2 8
1. Opera ting the I nverter 29
S earch 29
I nverter Mode 29
AC S hore Power Mode 29
B ulk C ha rge Mode 2 9
Absorption C ha rge Mode 29
Floa t Charge Mode 29
B a ttery S averTM Mode 2 9
Fault or Ala rm C onditions 31
Low B a ttery 3 1
High B attery 3 1
Overloa d 3 1
Over tem pera ture 3 1
4 . T r o u b l e s h o o t in g 3 3
1 . B a sic Tr oubles hooting 3 3
5 . P r e v e n t iv e M a in te n a n c e 3 4
1 . R ecom m e nded I nv er ter a nd B a ttery C a re 3 4
2. Off- S eas on S torage 3 4
6 . S p e c if ic a t io n s 3 5
7 . W a r r a n t y 3 6
Table of Contents, continued

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc. 1
1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
1 . F e a tu r e s a n d B e n e fit s
Congratulations on your purchas e of the ME S eries inverter/cha rger from Magnum
E nergy. The R D S eries is a “new genera tion” inverter designed es pecia lly for rugged
recrea tiona l vehicle us a ge. Powerful, yet sim ple to use, the Ma gnum E nergy inverter
will provide you with years of trouble- free perform a nce so you ca n enjoy the all of
the com for ts y ou ha ve com e to ex pect fr om y our R V, a ll ba ck ed by our lim ited 2 y ea r
( 24 - month warra nty) .
I nsta lla tion is e as y. S im ply connect the inv erter’s output to y our dis tr ibution
circuits or electrica l pa nel; connect your shore power cable ( AC ) to the inverter’s
easy - to- rea ch term inal block ; connect the batteries, and then s witch on the power.
Us ing the optiona l r em ote control, y ou ca n ea sily opera te y our inverter from a ny -
where within y our m otor coa ch.
2 . S t a n d a r d F e a t u r e s
·Four Power Models ( R D1 824 , R D28 2 4, R D4 024 )
·S helf, B ulk hea d or Ups ide D own Mounting
·Modified S ine Wa ve Output
·Power Fa ctor C orrected Charger ( S ine Wave)
·R S 4 85 C om m unica tion Port
·R em ote Port
·Fla sh Progra m m ing
·ON/ OFF I nverter- m ounted S witch with LE D I ndica tor
·50 Am p Tra ns fer ( on Dua l I N / Dual OUT Models)
·E x tra Large AC Access C ov er with Ter m inal S cre w B lock
·3 60 degree DC C onnection Ter m inals with C overs
·B a ttery Tem pera ture S ens or - for optim um ba ttery charging ( optional)
·Alum inum C over
·S m ooth, Aes the tica lly Plea sing D es ign
T he following acce ss or ie s a re a ls o a va ila ble for R D S eries pr oducts :
R em ote C ontr ol - for convenient finge r tip opera tion
AG S Module - a utom a tica lly s ta rts a nd s tops y our ge nera tor
S m a rt S hunt - prov ides precise voltage to DC current
S ta ck ing Cable K it - designed to a ccom m oda te dua l inverter configura tions

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
2
1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
F i g u r e 1
R D S e r ie s I n v e r t e r / Ch a r g e r

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc. 3
1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
3 . H o w a n I n v e r te r / C h a r g e r W o r k s
An inverter ta k es direct current ( D C ) from your ba tteries a nd turns it into a lter-
na ting curre nt ( AC) , exa ctly like y ou us e at hom e. I t als o ta k es a lte rnating current
when y our m otor coa ch is connected to s hore power a nd tr a ns form s it into direct
current to recharge y our ba tteries .
There a re two modes of operation a s s ociated with a n inverter/charger:
I nverter Mode:
Direct current ( DC) from the vehicle’s batteries is transform ed into alterna ting
current ( AC ) for us e with you hous ehold electrica l applia nces .
Charger Mode:
Alternating current ( AC) is ta ken directly from shore power ( or other AC s ources )
a nd pa ss ed directly to your household a pplia nces . At the s a m e tim e, the incom ing
AC is a lso converted to DC to recharge the v ehicle’s ba tteries .
4 . A p plia n c e s a n d R u n T im e
The R D S eries inverter/charger can power a wide range of household a pplia nces
including sm a ll m otors , hair dry ers , clocks a nd othe r electrica l devices . As with any
appliance using batteries for power, there is a certa in length of tim e that it ca n run -
this is ca lled “ run tim e.” Actual run tim e depe nds on s evera l va ria bles including the
size a nd the type of a pplia nce, the ty pe of batteries ins ta lled in your recrea tional
vehicle, as well a s the ba ttery ’s ca pa city and a ge. Other fa ctors s uch as the ba ttery’s
sta te of cha rge a nd tem perature ca n als o affect the length of tim e your a ppliances
can run.
Applia nces s uch as TV s , V C R s, s tereos , com puters, coffee pots , inca ndes cent
lights a nd toa s ters can all be s ucces s fully powered by your inverter. La rger electrical
appliances , howev er, such as stoves, water hea ters, etc., can quick ly drain your
ba tte ries a nd a re not r ecom m ended for this applica tion.
All electr ical applia nces a re ra ted by the a m ount of power they consum e. T he
ra ting is printed on the product’s nam epla te la bel, usua lly loca ted on its chas s is nea r
the AC power cord. E ven though it is difficult to calculate ex actly how long an
inverter will run a particular a pplia nce, the best advice is tria l a nd error. Your R D
S eries inverter ha s a built- in safegua rd tha t a utom a tica lly protects your ba tteries
from over dis charge.
NOT E : For optim um perform a nce, a m inim um ba ttery ba nk of 2 0 0 AH r is
recom m ended.
T a b le 1 - T y p ic a l A p p lia n c e P o w e r C o n s u m p t io n
D e v i c e L o a d D e v i c e L o a d
B lender 40 0 W Coffee Maker 12 0 0 W
Com puter 30 0 W Color TV 15 0 W
Drill 50 0 W Hair Dryer 10 0 0 W
Hot Plate 18 0 0 W I ron 100 0 W
Light ( Flo) 10 W Light ( I nc) 10 0 W
Micr owa ve 1 00 0 W R e fridge ra tor 5 0 0 W

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
4
F i g u r e 2
R D S e r ie s I n v e r t e r / Ch a r g e r
S w i t c h , L E D a n d Co n n e c tio n P o r t s
Charging / I nverting
LE D
S tack Port
Magnum Net Port
R em ote Port
B a ttery Tem p S ens or
Port
1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
Power ON/OFF
S witch
F i g u r e 3
R D S e r ie s I n v e r t e r / Ch a r g e r
E l e c t r ic a l C o n n e c t io n P o in t s
AC Connections DC Connections

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc. 5
5 . T h e R D S e r ie s I n v e r t e r / Ch a r g e r
The R D S eries inverter/charger is designed to a llow easy a cces s to wiring, circuit
breakers, controls a nd LE D sta tus indica tor. I ts die ca s t ba s eplate with one piece
a lum inum cov er e ns ur es m a xim um dura bility with m inim um weight, a s well a s cooler
m ore efficient operation. T he inverter is equipped with the following features :
ON / OFF S witch - us ed to m anually s witch the inv erter ON and OFF.
G ree n LE D I ndica tor
·Medium flas h ( 1 every 2 s econds )
I ndica tes connected loa ds are being powered from the ba tteries ( inverting) .
·Fas t fla s h ( 1 per s econd)
I ndica tes “search” m ode, conserving power when appliances are switched OFF.
·S olid
I ndica tes “bulk” charge when the batteries a re low and the inverter is connected
to shore power.
·Fas t fla s h ( 1 per s econd)
I ndica tes “absorption” charge when the batteries a re alm os t fully recharged a nd
the inverter is connected to shore power.
·S low flas h ( 1 every 8 s econds )
I ndica tes “floa t” cha rge when ba tteries a re fully charged a nd the inverter is
connected to s hore power.
·LE D off
I ndica tes a “fa ult” condition such as low ba ttery, overloa d or over tem perature.
R em ote C ontr ol Por t - a ccepts connector for Ma gnum r em ote contr ol ca ble .
BTS Port - accepts connector for rem ote battery tem pera ture s ens or cable.
Ma gnum Net Com m unica tion Port - acce pts conne ctor for Auto G en S ta rt or S m a rt
S hunt ( DC current dis play ) ca ble.
Pos itiv e B a ttery Term inal - prov ides 3 60 degr ee connection point for the pos itive
( + ) ca ble from the vehicle’s ba tteries.
Nega tiv e B attery Term inal - provides 1 80 degree connection point for the
negative ( - ) ca ble from the vehicle’s ba tteries.
Chass is G round Connector - a ccepts chass is ground ca ble.
AC Acces s Cov er - provides a ccess to internal AC s crew term ina l connections.
AC I nput Circuit B reaker - protects ma in AC ( s hore power) input circuit.
AC Output 1 C ircuit B reaker ( optional) - protects the prim a ry AC output circuit
( on dua l out units only) .
AC Output 2 Circuit B rea ker ( optional) - protects s econda ry AC output circuit
( on dua l out units only) .
R D S er ie s Nam epla te La bel - pr ovides product a nd sa fety inform a tion.
1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
6
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
this pa ge left bla nk

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc. 7
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
1 . U n pa c k in g a n d I n s p e c tio n
C arefully rem ove the R D S eries inv er ter from its s hipping conta iner a nd ins pe ct all
contents . I f item s a ppea r to be m is s ing or da m aged, conta ct Ma gnum E ner gy
at ( 4 2 5) 353 - 8 8 33 or your authorized Ma gnum E nergy dealer. I f at a ll poss ible,
reta in the shipping conta iner in the event the unit ever needs to be returned for
fa ctory s erv ice.
ATTE NT I ON: E lectros ta tic S ens itiv e Dev ices . Obs erve precautions for
ha ndling.
2 . P r e - I n s t a lla t io n
B efore ins ta lling the inve rter, r ea d all of the ins tructions a nd cautionary m a rkings
conta ined in this m a nual.
NOTE : T he inverter is heavy. Use proper lifting techniques during installa tion to
prevent persona l injury.
L o ca tin g th e I n v e r te r
T he inve rter m us t be m ounted in a clea n, dry, v entila ted env ironm ent where the
a m bient tem pe ra tures will not ex ceed 1 22 º F ( 5 0 º C) . T he loca tion m us t be fully
acces s ible and protected from ex pos ure to hea t producing devices. You ca n mount
the inv erter horizonta lly, v ertica lly or ups ide- down. I t m us t be s ecur ely fa stened to a
shelf, bulk hea d, or other s tructural part.
Allow enough clea ra nce to acces s the AC a nd DC connection points a s well a s the
inverter’s controls a nd s tatus indicator. As with a ny inverter, it should be loca ted as
clos e to the ba tteries a s poss ible. Longer battery ca ble runs tend to loos e efficiency
and reduce the overa ll perform a nce of a n inverter.
L o c a t in g D e d i c a t e d B a t te r i e s ( o p t io n a l)
Dedica ted ba tteries m us t be m ounted in a clea n, dry, v entila te d e nv ir onm ent
wher e the y a re protecte d from high a nd low te m pera ture s. The ba tteries m us t be
m ounted upright ( if us ing liquid ba tteries ) . T he
location must be fully acces sible a nd protected from exposure to heat producing
devices .
To ens ur e optim um perfor m ance, a v entila ted ba ttery enclos ure is recom m ended.
The ba tteries s hould be loca ted as clos e a s pos s ible to the inverter. Longer battery
cable runs tend to loose efficiency a nd reduce the overa ll perform a nce of a n inverter.
Als o, do not m ount the ba tteries benea th the inverter ( or in the sa m e com pa rtm e nt) .
B a tteries e m it corros ive fum es which could da m age the inverter’s electr onics.
NOT E : For optim um perfor m ance, Ma gnum E nergy recom m ends us ing AG M
( abs orbed glas s m a t) batteries such as LifelineT M brand batteries.

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
8
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
2 . P r e - I n s t a lla tio n , continued
H a r d w a r e / M a te r ia ls R e q u ir e d
Conduit, s train- reliefs a nd a ppropria te fittings
1 /4" m ounting bolts and lock wa s hers
E lectrica l ta pe
W ire ties
T o o ls R e q u ir e d
Mis c screw drivers Level 1/2 " wrench
Drill and drill bits Pliers W ire strippers
Le vel Pencil or Ma rker Multim eter
W ir i n g
Pre- pla n the wire a nd conduit runs . For m ax im um s afety, run both AC a nd DC
wires / ca bling in ( sepa rate) conduit. Direct current wiring, due to its potentia l to
generate R FI , should be tied together with electrica l ta pe. W iring and installation
m ethods m us t conform to all applica ble electrica l codes .
NOTE : R un DC ca bling in twisted pairs, k eeping the runs a s short as pra ctical.
A C C o n n e ct ion s
Us e # 10 AW G ( or la rger) T HHN wire for a ll AC wiring. T he inverter’s AC term ina l
block s a ccept up to # 6 AW G wire.
D C C o n n e ct ion s
B a ttery to inverter cabling should be only a s long as required. I f using # 2/0 AW G
ca bles , do not ex ceed 5 feet ( one wa y) for 1 2 V DC s y stem s .
Crim ped and s ealed copper ring term inal lugs with a 5 /1 6 ” hole s hould be used to
connect the ba ttery ca ble s to the inv erter ’s DC te rm inals .
A C G r o u n d i n g
T he AC G round connection loca ted in the AC com pa rtm ent m us t be wir ed to the m a in
AC G r ound of the dis tr ibution pa nel.
D C G r ou n d in g
The inverter/charger s hould alwa y s be connected to a perma nent, grounded
wir ing s ys tem . For the m ajor ity of insta lla tions , the nega tive ba tte ry conductor is
bonded to the vehicle’s s afety - grounding conductor ( gr een wire) at only one point in
the s ys tem . T he s ize for the conductor is usually bas ed on the size of the largest
conductor in the DC s ys tem . DO NOT connect the ba ttery nega tive ( - ) ca ble to the
vehicle’s s a fety ground. Connect it only to the inverter’s nega tive ba ttery term inal.
I f there a re any non- factory installed DC a pplia nces on boa rd the vehicle, DO NOT
ground them at the s a fety ground. G round them only a t the nega tive bus of the DC
loa d center ( a s applica ble) .

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc. 9
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
2 . P r e - I n s t a lla tio n , continued
T o r q u e R e q u ir e m e n ts
Torque all AC wiring connections to 16 inch pounds . Torque DC ca ble connections
to 1 0- 1 2 foot pounds .
A C M a in P a n e l
I f the insta llation will be powering a wide- range of appliances throughout the
vehicle, an AC m ain pa nel is often recom m ended. T his is s im ilar in a ppearance and
function as your hom e’s circuit breaker pa nel, providing an additiona l level of control
and protection for the various circuits . Alway s refer to electrica l codes for safe wiring
practices .
C ir c u it P r o t e c t i o n
I f us ing a AC m a in pa nel for dis tribution, a lwa ys us e brea kers that prov ide the
correct am pere bra nch circuit protection in a ccorda nce with the National Electric
C ode . The breakers m us t a ls o be properly ra ted for the applia nce s that will be
powered.
NOTE : B oth AC and DC dis connects / overcurrent protection m us t be provided a s pa rt
of the insta llation.
W i r e R o u t in g
Determ ine a ll wire routes throughout the vehicle both to a nd from the inverter.
C onductors that a re at ris k to phy sica l da m age m us t be protected by conduit, ta pe,
or pla ced in a raceway. Conductors pas s ing through walls , bulkhea ds or other struc-
tura l m em bers m us t be protected to m inim ize insula tion da m age s uch a s cha fing.
During the ins talla tion, a lway s avoid placing conductors nea r sources of chafing
caused by v ibration or cons ta nt rubbing.
C A U T I O N : A lw a y s c h e c k f o r e x i s t i n g e l e c t r i c a l , p lu m b i n g o r o t h e r a r e a s o f
po te n t ia l d a m a g e pr io r to m a k in g c u ts in s t r u c tu r a l s u r f a c e s ,
bu lk h e a d s or w a lls .
Ty pica l routing s cena rios are:
AC I nput wiring from the shore power source to the inverter
AC I nput wiring from a genera tor ( optional) to the inverter
DC I nput wiring from the batteries to the inverter
AC Output wiring from the inverter to the coach’s AC m a in panel or to dedicated
circuits
B a ttery Tem pera ture S ens or cable ( optiona l) from the inverter to the ba tteries
R em ote C ontrol cable ( optional) to the inverter
G round wiring fr om the inv er te r to a n ex te rna l v ehicle ground

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
10
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
F i g u r e 4
R D S e r ie s I n v e r t e r / C h a r g e r B a s e P la t e
Mounting S crew
Pla ce m ents
T a b le 2 - R e c om m e n de d B a tt e r y C a b le S iz in g
I n v e r te r  R D 1 8 2 4 R D 2 8 2 4 R D 4 0 2 4
DC Rating  90 a m ps  140 a m ps 180 a m ps
@ 1 to 3 ft  # 2 / 0 AW G # 2 /0 AW G # 4 /0 AW G
@ 3 to 5 ft  # 4 / 0 AW G # 4 /0 AW G # 4 /0 AW G
@ 5 to 1 0 ft  # 4 /0 AW G # 4/0 AW G # 4 /0 AW G

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc. 11
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
3 . I n s t a l la t io n
NOTE : R ead a ll ins tructions a nd cautionary m arkings loca ted at the beginning of this
m anua l a nd in the pre- ins talla tion section, before ins talling the inverter a nd
ba tteries .
C A U T I O N : D o n o t m o u n t th e in v e r t e r o r t h e ba tt e r ie s n e a r th e v e h ic le ’s
g a s o l in e o r p r o p a n e f u e l t a n k s .
M ou n t t h e in v e r t e r on ly on a “ n o n - c o m b u s t a b le ” s u r f a c e s .
M a x i m u m a b ie n t t e m p e r a t u r e M U S T N O T e x c e e d 1 1 3 ° F ( 4 5 ° C ) .
F o r C a n a d ia n in s ta lla t ion s , th e in v e r t e r ’s v e n t s m u s t fa c e
d o w n w a r d .
I n v e r te r M o u n tin g
Position the inverter in the designated mounting location horizonta lly, vertically or
ups ide- down. Allow enough clearance to acces s the AC a nd DC connection points a s
well as the inverter’s controls a nd sta tus indica tor. Als o a llow for a ir flow in to a nd
a round the inverter, e specia lly nea r the cooling fa ns ( approx im ately 3 ”) .
Mark the mounting holes in the ba s e of the inverter’s chass is . Rem ove the in-
ver ter and drill pilot holes into the m ounting sur fa ce.
S ecure the inverter to the m ounting surface us ing appropriate s crews a nd
lockwa s hers .
R em ove the inverter’s AC a ccess panel in accom m oda te the AC I nput and Output
wiring and conduit.
B a t t e r y I n s ta lla tio n
NOTE : To ens ure the best perform a nce from your inverter s ys tem , do not us e old or
untes ted ba tteries . B a tteries must be of the sam e size, ty pe, ra ting and age.
NOT E : For optim um perfor m ance, Ma gnum E nergy recom m ends us ing AG M
( abs orbed glas s m a t) batteries such as LifelineT M brand batteries.
NOT E : I f us ing Flooded Lea d Acid ba tteries , they m us t be m ounted upright.
C AUTI ON: I nsta ll ba tterie s in a well v entila ted a rea . B atteries can produce ex plos iv e
ga ss es . For com pa rtm e nt or enclos ur e ins ta llations , alway s v ent ba tteries
to the outs ide.
Pla ce the ba tteries a s clos e a s practica l to the inverter, prefera bly in a n ins ulated
and ventilated enclos ure. Allow adequate s pa ce a bove the batteries ( + /- 6” above
the batteries) to access the term ina ls a nd vent caps ( a s a pplica ble) . Also allow a t
leas t 1” of spa ce between the ba tteries to provide good a ir flow. DO NOT m ount the
ba tteries directly under the inverter.
S ecure the batteries to the m ounting surface with ba ttery hold down cla m ps .

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
12
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
3 . I n s ta lla t io n , c o n tin u e d
B a tt e r y C a b l e s a n d S iz in g
S elect the correct battery cables for the installation from the ta ble. I t is im por-
ta nt to us e the correct ca ble to a chieve m a x im um efficiency from the s y stem a nd
reduce fire ha zards as s ocia ted with overhea ted cables. Undersized cables ca n a ls o
lower the inverter’s pea k output voltage as well as reduce its s urge power capability.
Long ca ble runs a ls o reduce efficiency due to res ista nce in the cable. Alway s keep
your ca ble runs a s hort as pra ctical.
B a ttery ca bles m us t be color coded with colored ta pe or heat s hrink tubing: R E D
for pos itive ( + ) ; B LAC K for nega tive ( - ) ; and GR E EN for DC ground.
T he cable s m ust have solde red a nd crim ped lugs , crim pe d copper com pres sion
lugs , or a lum inum m echa nica l lugs . S oldered connections a lone a re not accepta ble
for this a pplication.
D C W ir in g
R efer to the safety inform a tion at the beginning of the ma nual before proceeding. DC
wires and ca bles s hould be tied together with wire ties or electrica l ta pe approxi-
m a tely e very 6 inches.
W A R N I N G : D e - e n e r g iz e a ll s o u r c e s of p ow e r in c lu din g b a t te r ie s ( D C ) , s h o r e
po w e r ( A C ) , a n d A C ge n e r a t o r ( if a pp lic a b le ) .
C A U T I O N : I n v e r t e r is N O T po la r it y pr o te c te d . V e r if y pr o pe r p ola r ity B E F O R E
c o n n e c t in g t h e b a t te r y c a b le s .
NOTE : DO NOT connect the battery cables to the inverter until all wiring is com plete
and the correct DC voltage a nd pola rity ha s been verified.
NOTE : Ma ke s ure cables have a s m ooth bend radius and do not becom e k ink ed.
Pla ce long cable runs in conduit and follow ex isting wire runs where poss ible.
D C G r ou n d in g
R oute a grounding cable ( G R E E N) from the inv erter’s ground lug to a dedicated
vehicle ground.
N e ga t iv e C a b le
R oute a negative cable ( B LACK ) from the hous e battery ba nk ( or dedica ted ba t-
tery com pa rtm ent) to the inver ter’s nega tiv e te rm inal
P o s it iv e C a b l e
R oute a pos itive cable ( R E D) from the hous e battery ba nk ( or dedica ted ba ttery
com pa rtm ent) to the Fuse B lock a s sem bly ( D C Dis connect) . T he DC dis connect is
us ually loca ted nex t to or nea r the ba tteries. DO NOT connect the pos itive ca ble to
the ba tteries a t this tim e.
R oute a pos itive ca ble ( R E D) from the Fuse B lock a ss em bly ( DC Dis connect) to
the
inverter’s positive term inal DO NOT connect the positive ca ble to the inverter at this
tim e.

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc. 13
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
3 . I n s ta lla t io n , c o n tin u e d
B a tt e r y W ir in g
W A R N I N G : D u r i n g t h e i n s t a lla t io n a n d w i r i n g p r o c e s s , c o v e r e x p o s e d b a t t e r y
c a b le e n d s w it h e le c tr ic a l ta pe t o p r e v e n t s h o r tin g th e c a b le s .
NOTE : DO NOT connect the positiv e cable to the inverter at this tim e.
Depending upon the ty pe of battery y ou us e in the insta lla tion ( 6 or 1 2 V DC ) , the
ba tte ries m ust be wired in s er ies , pa ra lle l or s erie s/pa ra llel to provide 1 2 V DC . T he
interconnecting ba ttery cables m ust be s ized and ra ted ex actly the sa m e a s thos e
tha t us ed to connect the inverter.
W hen connecting the cable to the ba ttery terminal, ha rdware should be installed
in the following order: bolt, ring wa sher, cable lug, ( ba ttery term ina l) , ring wa s her,
lock wa s her, nut. Tighten term ina l connections to a t least 10 to 1 2 foot pounds .
W hen two ca bles a re connected to a terminal ( i. e., negative term ina l) , the hard-
ware s hould be insta lled in the following order: bolt, ring wa s her, DC nega tive cable
lug, inverter nega tive ca ble lug, ( ba ttery terminal) , ring wa s her, lock wa sher, nut.
S e r ie s C o n n e ct ion
( m u lt ip le 6 V D C ba tt e r ie s t o c r e a t e a 2 4 V D C s t r in g)
A pa ra llel connection com bines overall battery capa city by the number of ba tter-
ies in the s tring. E ven though there are m ultiple batteries, the voltage rem ains the
s am e. I n the exa m ple on the nex t pa ge ( Figure 7 ) , four, 6 V DC, 2 20 AH r ba tteries
are com bined into a s ingle s tring, resulting in a 2 4 V DC, 2 20 AHr ba nk .
Connect the positv e ba ttery term ina l to the next battery's negative terminal
repeating the s tep for the next 2 batteries.
Connect the nega tive ba ttery ca ble ( B LAC K ) from the inverter to the nega tive
term ina l of the end ba ttery.
Connect the positive ( R E D) ba ttery ca ble from the inverter to the pos itive term i-
na l of the battery at the oppos ite end of the s tring.
NOTE : A fuse m ust be pla ced between the pos itive term ina l and the pos itive ( R E D)
ba ttery ca ble to the inverter.
Once the ba tteries a re com pletely wired and tes ted, coa t the term ina ls with an
approved anti- ox idizing spray.
F i g u r e 5
B a t t e r y H a r dw a r e I n s t a lla t io n
Nut - Wa s her - Lug - Term inal - Wa sher - B olt Nut - Wa s her - Lug - I nv erter Term ina l
F i g u r e 6
I n v e r t e r H a r dw a r e I n s ta lla t io n

Ó2 00 3 - Ma gnum E nergy , I nc.
14
2 . I N S T A L L A T I O N
TO 24 V DC
I NV E R TE R
F i g u r e 9
S e r ie s / P a r a lle l B a t t e r y W ir in g
individual battery ca pa city = 2 2 0 AH r @ 6 V DC
com bined ba ttery ca pacity = 4 00 AHr @ 1 2 V DC
6 V D C
+
-
6 V D C
+
-
6 V D C
+
-
6 V D C
+
-
>
>
TO 12 V DC
I NV E R TE R
+
-
F i g u r e 8
S e r ie s B a tt e r y W ir in g
individual battery ca pa city = 2 0 0 AH r @ 6 V DC
com bined ba ttery ca pacity = 2 00 AHr @ 2 4 V DC
6 V D C
+
-
6 V D C
+
-
6 V D C
+
-
6 V D C
+
-
>
>
+
-
F i g u r e 7
P a r a lle l B a t t e r y W ir in g
individual battery ca pa city = 1 0 0 AH r @ 1 2 VDC
com bined ba ttery ca pacity = 4 00 AHr @ 12 VDC
1 2 V D C
+
-
1 2 V D C
+
-
1 2 V D C
+
-
1 2 V D C
+
-
>
>
TO 12 V DC
I NV E R TE R
+
-