Meanwell ISI-501 Series User manual

ISI-501 Series
Off-Grid Solar Inverter
User Manual

Table of Contents
1.Safety Guidelines ...................................................................................
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1
1
1
2
2
4
6
7
10
7
10
3
2
3
4
4
2.Introduction
3.User Interface Panel
4.Output Voltage and Frequency Settings
5.Operating
6.Protection
8.Troubleshooting
7.Installation & Wiring
9.Warranty
2.1 Features
2.2 Main Specification
3.2 LED indicator on Front Panel
3.1 Front Panel
3.3 Rear Panel
4.1 Initial Factory State
Mar. 2014 Version 1
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7
7
6.1 Input Protection
6.2 Output Protection
Off-Grid Solar Inverter
User Manual
4.2 Procedure to Change Output Voltage and Frequency

1
1.Safety Guidelines (Please read through this manual before assembling the Inverter)
‧Risk of electrical sho ck and e nerg y hazard. Al l failures should be examined by a
qualified tec hnician. Ple ase do not remove the case of the inverte r by yourself!
‧Plea se d o not install the inverter in places with high moisture o r nea r wa ter.
‧Please do no t install the inverter in places with high ambient tempe rature, u nde r
direct sunlight, or near fire source.
‧Ple a se o nly co n nec t b at ter ies w ith t he s am e b ra nd a nd mo d el n um ber i n o n e
battery bank. Using batteries from different manufacturers or different capacities
is st rictl y p roh ib ited !
2.Introduction
‧ISI-501 is a true sine wave DC/AC off- grid inverter equipped with a solar charger
‧ISI-501 can provide 500W pure sine wave output continuously, 550W for 1 minute,
‧ISI-501 adopts a high frequency design which greatly reduces product weight and
‧ISI-501 has a built-in solar charger with the MPPT function which effectively utilizes
‧ISI-501 progress es t he concept of a miniature ind epe nde nt p owe r sta tion. It i s
(with Maximum Power Point Tracking, or MPPT) which is digitally controlled by an
and sustain a peak load of 1000W as long as 30 AC pow er c ycles.
improves efficiency up to 88%.
energy from the PV modu le.
advance d microp rocesso r and incorp ora tes a high fre quency des ign. This hig h
perf ormance inverter can be paired with both battery and PV m odules / pan els.
the battery.
‧Never allow a spark or flame i n the vicinity of the batteries.
‧Please do not stack any objects on the inverter as it may impede heat dissipation.
‧Please t urn off the inverter throug h th e power ON/OFF sw itch , bef ore rem ovin g
Inverter Inverter
Inverter Inverter
Don't
disa sse mble
Keep away from
moistu re
Keep away from
fire or high
temperature
Don't stack on
the inverter
K eep good
ve ntilatio n
WARNING:
It is suggested to exe cute regul ar battery maintena nce
Batteries will have aging problems after years of operation.
(e.g. every year). Once aged, the batteries should be changed
by a professional technician, or the failed batteries m ay
cause fire or other hazards.
2.1 Features
‧500W rated output
‧Surg e power capability up to 1000W
‧True sine wave (THD<3%)
back) of the inverter. (Ple ase keep any objects clear from the fan at least 15cm)
‧Mak e sure th e airflow throug h the fan is not o bstr uct ed on bot h sides (front and
ideal for areas where the pow er mains is absent but PV mo dules are available.

2
‧AC o utput voltage regulation : 3%±
‧H igh effic iency up to 88%
‧Built in M PPT solar charger, M PPT efficiency: 98%(Typ.)
‧Adjustable output voltage and freq uency
‧LED indication for operati on and battery capacity
‧Battery low a larm (wit h electrically isolated dry contact)
‧R em ote ON/O FF function
‧C om pliance to FCC / CE regulations
‧3 year warranty
2.2 Main Specification
A
3.Main Specification
3.1 Front Panel
AC Output Outlet: To satisfy global demands, there are many optional AC outlets
to choose from.
TYPE-A
Standard
Receptacle
type
Country
Certificate
TYPE-B
Standard
TYPE-C
Optional
TYPE-D
Optional
TYPE-E
Optional
TYPE-F
Optional
USA EURO PE AUSTR ALIA U.K JAPAN GFCI
Optional
TYPE-U
UNIVERSAL
Non
112 124 148 2 12 224 248
200 / 220 / 230 / 240VAC selectable by setting button S.W
50 0.1Hz 50/60Hz selectable by setting button S.W±
1 5A30A 30A50A 5 0A 15A
4 8V24V 24V12V 1 2V 48V
42 ~ 60VDC21 ~ 30VDC 21 ~ 30VDC10. 5 ~ 15V DC 1 0.5 ~ 15 VDC 42 ~ 60 VDC
87%87%85% 8 8%88%86 %
MOD EL
MAXIMUM OUTPUT P OWER (Typ.)
WAV EFORM
OUTPU T
INVERTER
SECTIO N
FREQ UENC Y
AC REGULATION
FRONT PANEL INDI CATOR
BAT. VOLTAG E
EFFI CIENCY (Typ.)
OFF MODE C URRENT DRAW
NO LOAD CURRENT DRAW
DC C URREN T ( Typ. )
VOLTAGE RA NGE
INPUT
OUTPU T
OVER TEMPERATURE
OUTPUT SHOR T
100 / 110 / 115 / 12 0VAC selectabl e b y setti ng button S.W
550W for 60 sec. / surge power 1 000W fo r 30 cycles (112, 212 models : 495W for 60 sec. / surg e powe r 900 W for 30 cycles)
True sine wave ( THD<3% ) at rat ed input voltage
60 0.1Hz 50/60Hz selectable by setting button S.W±
±3%
In verter s tatus, C harger status, Battery ca pacit y
1 .25A 0.63A 0.32A 1 .25A 0.63A 0.32A
≦1mA
Shut do wn o/p v oltage, re-pow er on to recover
Shut do wn o/p v oltage, re-pow er on to recover
RATE D POW ER 4 50W 450W500W 500W
OVER L OAD (Typ.) 110% load for 60 sec.
P rotectio n type : Shut do wn o/p voltage , re-pow er on to recove r
AC V OLTAGE F actory setting set at 110VAC
F actory setting set at 110VAC
F acto ry settin g s e t at 230 VAC
F acto ry settin g s e t at 230 VAC
PROTECTION
F USE
CHARGER CURRENT ( )Typ.
B ATTER Y TYPE
BAT. LO W ALAR M
BAT. LOW SHUTDOWN
R EVERS E POLARITY
MPPT CHARGER EFFICIENCY (peak)
40A* 2 40A*1 20A*1 40 A*2 40A*1 20A*2
30A 17A 8.5 A 30 A 17A 8 .5A
Open & sealed Lead Acid
11V 22V 44V 11 V 22 V 4 4V
10.5 V 21V 42V 10 .5V 21V 4 2V
By internal fuse open
MPPT RANGE
98%
MPPT / SOLAR
BATTERY SECTION
SECTIO N
35 ~ 50V
25 ~ 50V
45 ~ 90 V
35 ~ 90 V
90 ~ 160V
70 ~ 160V
35 ~ 5 0V
25 ~ 5 0V
45 ~ 90V
35 ~ 90V
90 ~ 160V
70 ~ 160V
11A
500W
7A 4.5A 11A 7A 4.5A
OPEN CIRCUIT VOLTAGE RANGE
SOLAR INPUT CURRENT (Typ. )
SOLAR INPUT POWER (Typ.)

3
3.2 LED Indicator On Fron t Panel
Operation Status Indicator (Status LED) : Represents the current ISI-501 state.
*Note : When an error occurs, please refer to chapter 8 "Troubleshooting" of the
use r manua l.
Green
Green
Orange
Orange
Red
Red
Stat us
Battery Capacity
LED Display
LED Display
Normal Operation
>70%
Remote Off
40 ~ 70%
Error
<40%
Battery Capaci ty Indicator (Battery LED) Represents the re mai ning capacity：
of exte rnal batteries.
Figure 3.1 Front Panel(Type A)
D
E
F
C
B
Function Setting: Output voltage and frequency can be set through this button.
P ow er ON/O FF S witch : The i nverter will turn OFF if the s witch is in the OFF
position.
Ventila tion Slits: T he inverter requires good ventilation for proper operation
and for prolonging its lifetime.
LED Indicator (Battery): Displays remaining capacity of battery.
LED Indicator (Status) : Displays the operation statu s of the ISI-501.
AE
F
B
C
D
Stat us
Battery
Setting
O N
O FF
A C OUT PUT
3.3 Rear Panel
Battery Input(+),(-): Pay extra caution to battery polarity when wi ring.
Fan Ve ntil a tio n Op e ni ng: The inv er te r req uire s go od v ent i latio n fo r pr ope r
ope ration and for prolonging its lifetime.
A
B
C
Open
Connector Status
Rem ote ON
Inverter Status
Short Rem ote OFF
Remote ON/OFF Control: While set at ON, the ISI-501 can be powered ON/OFF
through remote control.

4
Step 1: The inverter should be turned off while resetting. The input batteries should
be connected and the loads should be removed.
on the power; the panel's orange LED should flash. After pressing for 5
please continue to s tep 5; if not, please continue adjusting according to
step 4 until it is.
seconds, the inverter wi ll send out a "beep" sound. User s ca n releas e
the button a nd go on with the setting procedure.
Step 2: Use an insulated stick to press do wn on th e se tting bu tton and then tur n
Step 3: Check output voltage and frequency with table 4-1. If the output is desired,
4.2 Procedure to Change O utput Voltage and Frequency
The user can adjust the output voltage and frequency through the function setting
button on the fr ont panel. A fter chan gin g the sett ings, the inverter w ill re star t
and adopts the setup the us er entered. Even if the batter y is removed at a later
time, or if there is no source of power, the inverter will keep the most recent setup.
Figure 3.2 Rear Panel
Grounding Terminal(FG).
PV Input Terminal(+),(-): Pay extra caution to PV module polarity when wiring.
F
E
A
Reverse P olar ity
Wi ll Dama ge T he U nit .
BAT TERY I NPUT
SOLAR INPUT
Bat t er yRem ote
l ow al armON/ OFF
B
F
E
DC
Initially the ISI-501 is set to output 110Vac at 60Hz or 230Vac at 50Hz.
4.Output Voltage and Frequency Settings
4.1 Initial Factory State
Connecto r Open
Connector Sta tus
"Beep" Sound
Alarm
Battery Low
Battery Status
Connecto r Short -----Batter y Normal
Battery Low Alarm: This is an electrically isolated dry contact which can provide
the user with an external control signal. Users will be alarmed
of a low battery when the two pins are open and the ISI-501
makes a "beep" sound.
D

5
Figure 4.1 Adjustin g output voltage and frequen cy
Use an i nsu lated pl ast ic
st ick to press on t he "Set ting"
button
Step 5: When th e outpu t is a t us er 's des ired value, p ress and hol d the se tting
setting is now co mplete; the inverter will now save the settings and restart.
Table 4-1 Voltage & Frequency Chart
Red Red Red Re d
Green Green Yell ow Yellow
Green Green Yell ow Yellow
Red Red Red Re d
50Hz
60Hz
100Vac
O/P Voltage
Frequency
110Vac 115Va c 120 Vac
(200Vac)
● ● ● ●
● ★ ● ★
● ★ ● ★
Status
Status
●Lig ht ★Flashing
Battery
Battery
★ ★ ★ ★
(220Vac) ( 230Vac) (240Vac)
Figure 4.2 O utput voltage & frequency changing sequence
100Vac
(200Vac) 50Hz
110Vac
(220Vac) 50Hz
115Vac
(230Vac)50Hz
100Vac
(200 Vac) 60Hz
120Vac
(240Vac)5 0Hz
120 Vac
(240Vac) 60Hz 110Vac (220Vac)6 0Hz
115Vac
(230Vac)60Hz
Status
Ba tter y
Se tting
ON
OFF
AC OUTPUT
Step 4: Press the setting button for around 1 second before letting it go. The LED
button for 3~5 seconds until the inverter makes a "beep" sound. The output
indicators (Table 4-1) will change with status. Please adjust accordingly.

6
ON ON
OFF
Battery Low Shutdown
Protection Auto Recovery
14.4/28.8/57.6V
t
t
t
13/26/52V
10.5/21/42V
OFF
Figure 5.1 O peration Sequence
Charger
Status
t1 : Wh en user t urns on the I SI -501 , ba ttery vo ltag e wi ll be sens ed. If battery
t2: While the ISI-501 operates, battery voltage will slowly drop; when battery
t3: If the power provided by the PV module is greater than the load consumption,
t4: When battery voltage drops to 13/26/52V again the charger will automatically，
t5: If the power provided by the PV module is less than load consumption, even
t6: If the charger continuously charges the battery, the battery voltage will slowly
t7: Same action as t3.
voltage is greater than 13/26/52V, it means the battery is adequately charged
and the charger circuit will remain de-activated to prevent overcharging.
voltage is lower than 13/26/52V, battery low signal will be detected and the
charger will automatically activate and charge accordingly.
the battery voltage will increase. When this battery voltage reaches 14.4/28.8/
57.6V, the charger circuit will stop charging the battery modules to prevent the
batteries from overcharging.
restart the charging action.
if the charger is operat ing, the battery vol tage will sti ll dr op. When battery
increase. When battery voltage reaches 13/26/52V, the system will re-power
The status of the inverter changes depending on the power provided by the
PV module and its load consumption.
on after three minutes and start providing AC voltage output.
voltage is below 10.5/21/42V, the ISI-501 will shut down to prevent the battery
from over discharging thereby increasing its lifetime.
OFF
t1 t2 t3 t4 t5 t6 t7
Battery
Voltage
5.Operation
System On
(SW-ON)
AC Output

7
(C)Battery Low Shutdown Protection: When the battery voltage is lower than
(D)Battery Overvo ltage Pr otection: W hen the battery volta ge is too high, the
10.5/21/42V, the ISI-501 will shut down to guarantee the lifetime of the battery.
inverter will shut down an d the built-in alarm will sound. Please resolve the
error and restart the inverter to return to normal operation.
Under normal working conditions, please choose suitable batteries that
are within the input DC voltage range of the inverter (refer to spec).
If the input DC voltage is too low (e.g. using 12Vdc battery bank for 24Vdc
models), the inverter cannot startup properly.
If the input DC voltage is too high (e.g. using 48Vdc battery bank for 24Vdc
models), the inverter will b e damaged.
WARNING:
(B)Battery Reverse Polarity Protection: In the case where the user accidently
reverses the pola rity of the battery connection, the ISI-501 internal fuse will
blow to protect other circuitry. Please contact your nearest distributer or send
the inverter back to Mean Well for repair.
Before installation or after use, make sure the power ON/OFF switch on
the front panel is in the OFF position to safely wire or remove batteries.
6.Protection
6.1 Input Protection
(A)PV Module Reverse Polarity Protection: In the case where the user accidently
reverses the polarity of th e PV module, the ISI-501 interna l fuse will blow to
protect o ther circui tr y. Please contact your nearest distributer or send the
inverter back to Mean Well for repair.
6.2 Output Protection
If the ISI-501 detects any of the following errors while operating, the status red
LED indicator will remain until the error is removed.
(A)Over Temperature Protection(OTP) : When the internal temperature of the
(B) AC Output Short Circuit Protection: When the AC output of the ISI-501 is short
(C) Over Load Protection: When the load is in the over load range of 500~550W
ISI-501 reaches a threshold, over temperature protection will activate, causing
circuited, it will go into protection mode. Restart to recover normal operation.
(450~495W for 112/212 models), the inverter can continue supplyi ng power
for a short duration of 1 minute. If the l oad is no t removed, the sensing circuit
will activate causing shut down.
shutdown of the inverter. Wait at least 30 minutes before restarting to recover
normal operation.
7. Installation & Wiring
(A)Wiring for batteries: Wire connection should be made as short as possible, 1.5m
or less is strongly recommended. Also make sure suitable wires are chosen based
on safety re quireme nt and current rating. Cross sections that are too small will
resu lt i n lower efficienc y, less o utput po wer, a nd the wi res m ay also beco me

8
(C)Installation Requirements:
‧The ISI-501 unit should be mounted on a flat surface or holding rack with suitable
ove r he at ed a nd cau se d an ger. Ple as e r e fe r to ta bl e 7. 1 or c ons ult wi th o ur
distributors or us if you have any questions.
strength. In order to ensure the lifespan of the unit, please refrain the unit from
operating in dusty or moist environments. This is a power unit with a built-in DC
fan. Please make sure the ventilation openings are not blocked ; please do not
drive the i nverter continuously under heavy load in high ambient environment
because it may prevent the inverter from functioning properly and the inverter's
lifes pan may be affec te d. It is highl y recommen ded t hat there sho ul d be n o
objects impeding airflow within 15cm o f the ventilation openings.
(B)Suggested Ba ttery Type and Capacity
Note : If the desired battery type is not Lead-Acid based, please contact the battery
manufacturer for an advised value.
Cross section of wire lead(mm )
2AWG
14
12
10
8
Suggested Model
48V battery models
24V battery models
12V battery models
PV module input wire
Table 7-1 Sug gestion for wire selection
Battery Typ e
Battery Cap acity
Lead-acid
12V / 120Ah ~ 24V / 60Ah ~ 48V / 30Ah ~
12V / 400Ah 24V / 200Ah 48V / 100Ah
12V mod els 24V models 48V models
Figure 7.1: Exam ple of In stallation
>15cm
Inverter Air
>15cm
Air
1.5
2.5
4
6

9
(D)Suggested Mounting
please pay attention to the ventilation.)
(E)Example of System Setup
Solar panel
AC Load
ISI-501
Inverter
Leads should be as short as possible
AC O/P
DC I/P
- -
+ +
Solar
I/P FG
+
-
Battery
Leads should be less than 1.5m
Grea ter
t han
15c m
Gre ater
t han
15c m
Based on th e actual length of wiring, choose
suitable cross-section of the leads
Wall or system FG
Figure 7.3 Input Derati ng Curve
Bat tery In put Vo ltage (V)
11.5VDC
23VDC
46VDC
15VDC
30VDC
60VDC
(F)Derating
Ambi ent Temperature ( ) Ta℃
20
40
60
80
100
Figure 7.2 Output Derating Curve
10.5VDC
21VDC
42VDC
20
40
60
80
100
50
-20 100 20 30 40 50 60 (HORIZONTAL)
The four holes on the sides of the case allow the users to mount and fix the ISI-501
on a flat surface. (It is highly recommended the ISI-501 is placed horizontally. Also,

10
Three years of warranty is provided under normal operating conditions. Please
do not change components or modify the unit by yourself or attempt to repair
the unit by yourself because Mean Well reserves the right to void the w arranty.
Make sure the output is not overloaded
or short circuited
Reconfirm battery specification and
enlarge the battery capacity as suggested
Recommended Solutions
Check the DC input source (PV/ battery)
to make sure the voltage is within the
specified range
Make sure the ventilation is not
blocked and the ambient temperature
is not too high. Please derate the load
or lower the ambient temperature
Make sure the output load does not
exceed the rated value or the peak
startup current is not too high, typically
found in inductive or capacitive loads
9. Warranty
Disch arging
Period too short
Short circuit protection
Battery aged or broken Replace the batteries
Battery
Battery capacity is
too small
Failure S tatue Possible Reasons
Abnormal input
Over temperature
protection
Overload protection
No A C Output
Voltage
The ISI-501 is a complex product which should be serviced by professional technicians.
Improper usage or modification may damage the unit or result in shock hazards. If you
are not able to clear the failure condition according to the following instructions, please
contact us or your closest d istributor for repair service.
8. Troubleshooting
(G) Notes on Output Loads:
ISI-501 Series can power most equipments requiring an AC source of 500W
continuously for a long time, but for certain type of load, this inverter may
not work properly.
(1 )Si nce indu ctiv e loa ds o r mo tor bas ed e q uip me nt s n eed a l ar ge s ta r t up
(2)Wh en the l oads are capacitive or re ctif ie d equipment (s uch as s witc hing
current (6~10 times of its rated current), please make sure this startup current
is less than the maximum current capability of the ISI-501.
pow er supp ly) , it is suggested to operate the equipment at no load or ligh t
loa d d ur ing pow er ON. I ncr eas e th e loa d s lo wl y on l y a fter t h e I SI-5 01 i s
powered up normally and steadily to ensure proper opera tion.