Portawattz 600 User manual

DC to AC
POWER INVERTER
OWNER’S MANUAL
OWNER’S MANUALOWNER’S MANUAL
OWNER’S MANUAL

Portawattz is a trademark of Statpower Technologies Corporation. Copyright 1996,
1997, 1998 Statpower Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction .................................................................................................... 2
2. How Your Portawattz 600 Works................................................................. 2
2.1 Principle of Operation............................................................................2
2.2 Portawattz 600 Output Waveform ......................................................... 3
3. Installation ...................................................................................................... 4
3.1 Where to Install...................................................................................... 4
3.2 Battery ................................................................................................... 5
Battery Type..................................................................................... 5
Battery Sizing ................................................................................... 6
Using Multiple Batteries................................................................... 8
Battery Tips ...................................................................................... 8
Alternators and Charging Systems.................................................... 9
3.3 Cables .................................................................................................. 10
Ground Wiring ............................................................................... 10
DC Wiring ...................................................................................... 10
4. Operation ...................................................................................................... 11
4.1 Controls and Indicators........................................................................11
4.2 Operating Limits .................................................................................. 12
Power Output.................................................................................. 12
Input Voltage.................................................................................. 12
5. Troubleshooting............................................................................................ 13
5.1 Common Problems............................................................................... 13
Buzz in Audio Systems...................................................................13
Television Interference................................................................... 13
5.2 Troubleshooting Guide ........................................................................ 14
6. Maintenance.................................................................................................. 15
7. Warranty....................................................................................................... 16
7.1 Warranty Terms ................................................................................... 16
7.2 To Obtain Warranty Service ................................................................ 16
8. Product Specifications.................................................................................. 18
8.1 Electrical Performance......................................................................... 18
8.2 Dimensions .......................................................................................... 18
9. Other Products From Statpower Technologies ......................................... 19

1

2
1. Introduction
Your new Portawattz 600 inverter is a member of the most advanced line of DC to AC inverters
available today. It will give you years of dependable service in your car, truck, boat, RV, service
vehicle or remote home.
To get the most out of your Portawattz 600, it must be installed and used properly. Please read the
installation and operating instructions in this manual carefully before installing and using your
Portawattz 600. Pay special attention to the CAUTION and WARNING statements in this manual
and on the Portawattz 600. CAUTION statements identify conditions or practices which could
result in damage to your Portawattz 600 or to other equipment. WARNING statements identify
conditions or practices that could result in personal injury or loss of life.
2. How Your Portawattz 600 Works
An inverter is an electronic device that converts low voltage DC (direct current) electricity from a
battery or other power source to standard 115 volt AC (alternating current) household power. In
designing the Portawattz 600, Statpower has used power conversion technology previously
employed in computer power supplies to give you an inverter that is smaller, lighter, and easier to
use than inverters based on older technology.
Figure 1. Principle of Operation
2.1 Principle of Operation
The Portawattz 600 converts power in two stages. The first stage is a DC-to-DC converter which
raises the low voltage DC at the inverter input to approximately 160 volts DC. The second stage is
the actual inverter stage. It converts the high voltage DC into 115 volts, 60 Hz AC.
The DC-to-DC converter stage uses modern high frequency power conversion techniques that
eliminate the bulky transformers found in inverters based on older technology. The inverter stage
uses advanced power MOSFET transistors in a full bridge configuration. This gives you excellent
overload capability and the ability to operate tough reactive loads like lamp ballasts and induction
motors.

3
2.2 Portawattz 600 Output Waveform
The AC output waveform of the Portawattz 600 is called a "quasi-sine wave" or a "modified sine
wave". It is a stepped waveform that is designed to have characteristics similar to the sine wave
shape of utility power. A waveform of this type is suitable for most AC loads, including linear and
switching power supplies used in electronic equipment, transformers, and motors. This waveform is
much superior to the square wave produced by many other DC to AC inverters.
CAUTION: RECHARGEABLE APPLIANCES
Certain rechargers for small nickel cadmium batteries can be damaged if connected to the
Portawattz. Two particular types of equipment are prone to this problem:
1) small battery operated appliances such as flashlights, razors, and night lights that
can be plugged directly into an ac receptacle to recharge.
2) certain battery chargers for battery packs used in hand power tools. These chargers
have a WARNING label stating that dangerous voltages are present at the battery
terminals.
Do NOT use the Portawattz with the above equipment.
Figure 2. Modified Sine Wave
This problem does not occur with the vast majority of battery operated equipment. Most of this
equipment uses a separate charger or transformer that is plugged into the AC receptacle and
produces a low voltage output. If the label on the AC adapter or charger states that the adapter or
charger produces a low voltage AC or DC output (less than 30 volts), the Portawattz should have no
trouble powering this charger or adapter safely.
The modified sine wave produced by the Portawattz 600 is designed to have an RMS (root mean
square) voltage of 115 volts, the same as standard household power. Most AC voltmeters (both
digital and analog) are sensitive to the average value of the waveform rather than the RMS value.
They are calibrated for RMS voltage under the assumption that the waveform measured will be a
pure sine wave. These meters will not read the RMS voltage of a modified sine wave correctly.
They will read about 2 to 20 volts low when measuring the output of the Portawattz 600. For
accurate measurement of the output voltage of the Portawattz 600, a true RMS reading voltmeter,
such as a Fluke 87, Fluke 8060A, Beckman 4410, or Triplett 4200, must be used.

4
Figure 3. Connections to the Portawattz
3. Installation
3.1 Where to Install
The Portawattz 600 should be installed in a location that meets the following requirements:
a) Dry - do not allow water to drip or splash on the Portawattz 600.
b) Cool - ambient air temperature should be between 0oC and 40oC (30oF and 105o
F) the cooler the better.
c) Ventilated - allow at least 2 inches (5cm) of clearance around the Portawattz 600
for air flow. Ensure that ventilation openings on the rear and front of the unit are
not obstructed.
d) Safe - do not install the Portawattz in the same compartment as batteries or in any
compartment capable of storing flammable liquids such as gasoline.
e) Close to Battery - install as close to the battery as possible in order to minimize
the length of cable required to connect the inverter to the battery. It is better and
cheaper to run longer AC wires than longer DC cables.
CAUTION! TO PREVENT FIRE, DO NOT COVER OR OBSTRUCT VENTILATION
OPENINGS. DO NOT INSTALL THE PORTAWATTZ 600 IN A ZERO-CLEARANCE
COMPARTMENT. OVERHEATING MAY RESULT.
WARNING! THIS EQUIPMENT CONTAINS COMPONENTS WHICH TEND TO
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.

5
CAUTION! DO NOT CONNECT TO AC DISTRIBUTION WIRING.
The Portawattz is designed to be directly connected to standard electrical and electronic equipment.
Do not connect the unit to household or RV AC distribution wiring. Do not connect the unit to any
AC load circuit in which the neutral conductor is connected to ground (earth) or to the negative of
the DC (battery) source.
Mount the Portawattz on a flat surface using the mounting bracket on the front and rear panels.
Mounting hardware should be corrosion resistant and #10. The Portawattz may only be mounted
horizontally.
NOTE: Chassis of the Portawattz 600 is connected to the battery negative and ground
terminals of the AC outlets.
3.2 Battery
The battery you use strongly affects the performance you can expect from your Portawattz 600. It is
important to connect the Portawattz 600 to the correct size and type of battery. The following
information will help you select the appropriate batteries for your application.
Battery Type
The lead-acid battery which is probably most familiar is the starting battery in your automobile. An
automotive starting battery is designed to deliver a large amount of current for a short period of time
(so it can start your engine). Only a small portion of the battery's capacity is used when starting the
engine and it is quickly recharged by the running engine. It is not designed for repeated charge-
discharge cycles where the battery is almost completely discharged and then recharged. If it is used
in this kind of deep discharge service, it will wear out very rapidly.
Deep-cycle lead-acid batteries are designed for deep discharge service where they will be repeatedly
discharged and recharged. They are marketed for use in recreational vehicles, boats, and electric
golf carts so you may see them referred to as RV batteries, marine batteries, or golf cart batteries.
Figure 4. Connection for Light-Duty Applications

6
Figure 5. Connection for Medium-Duty Application
For most applications of the Portawattz 600, Statpower recommends that you use one or more deep-
cycle batteries that are separated from the starting battery in your vehicle by a battery isolator (as
shown in Figure 5). A battery isolator is a solid-state electronic circuit which allows equipment to
be operated from an auxiliary battery without danger of discharging the vehicle's starting battery.
During vehicle operation, the battery isolator automatically directs the charge from the alternator to
the battery requiring the charge. Battery isolators can be obtained at marine and RV dealers and
most auto parts stores.
If your application involves relatively low power loads (i.e. power consumption of 300 watts or less)
and relatively short operating times before recharging (one hour or less), you may connect the
Portawattz 600 directly to the vehicle starting battery.
CAUTION! THE PORTAWATTZ 600 MUST BE CONNECTED ONLY TO BATTERIES
WITH A NOMINAL OUTPUT VOLTAGE OF 12 VOLTS . THE PORTAWATTZ 600
WILL NOT OPERATE FROM A 6 VOLT BATTERY, AND WILL BE DAMAGED IF IT IS
CONNECTED TO A 24 VOLT BATTERY.
Battery Sizing
Unfortunately, there are a number of different standards for rating battery energy storage capacity.
12 volt Automotive starting batteries are normally rated by cranking amps. This is not a relevant
rating for continuous use. Deep-cycle batteries are rated either by reserve capacity in minutes or by
ampere-hour capacity.
Battery reserve capacity is a measure of how long a battery can deliver a certain amount of current -
usually 25 amperes. For instance, a battery with a reserve capacity of 180 minutes can deliver 25
amperes for 180 minutes before it is completely discharged.
Ampere-hour capacity is a measure of how many amperes a battery can deliver for a specified length
of time - usually 20 hours. For example, a typical marine or RV battery rated for 100 ampere-hours
can deliver 5 amperes for 20 hours (5 amperes x 20 hours = 100 amp-hrs).
Actual battery capacity decreases as discharge current increases. A battery rated at 100 ampere-
hours which can deliver 5 amperes for 20 hours, may deliver 20 amperes for only 4 hours, resulting
in an actual capacity of 80 ampere-hours. For this reason, it is difficult to compare rated ampere-

7
hour capacity with battery reserve capacity. For example a battery with a reserve capacity of 180
minutes has the following calculated ampere-hour capacity:
180 min. ÷ 60 = 3 hr., 3 hr. x 25 amps = 75 amp-hrs
However its actual ampere-hour rating will be closer to 100 ampere-hours because it is rated at the
discharge current required to get 20 hours of operation (about 5 amperes).
To determine the battery capacity you require, follow these steps:
STEP 1 For each piece of equipment you will be operating from the Portawattz 600, determine
how many watts it consumes. This can normally be found on a label on the product. If
only the current draw is given, multiply the current draw by 115 to get the power
consumption in watts.
STEP 2 For each piece of equipment you will be operating from the Portawattz 600, estimate
how many hours it will operate between battery charging cycles.
STEP 3 Calculate total watt-hours of energy consumption, total hours running time, and average
power consumption as in the following example:
Equipment Power
Consumption
Operating
Time
Watt-Hours (Power x
Operating Time)
TV & VCR 115 watts 3 hours 345
Sewing Machine 150 watts 1 hour 150
Waterpik 90 watts 0.25 hour 22.5
Blender 300 watts 0.25 hour 75
Totals 4.5 hours 592.5 watt-hours
Average Power Consumption = 592.5 watt-hours ÷ 4.5 hours = 131 watts
12 volt Ampere-Hours Consumed = Watt-hours ÷ 10 = 592 ÷ 10 = 59.2 ampere-hours
STEP 4 Using the chart below (figure 6), find the battery size that will give you the required
operating time at the calculated average power consumption. For instance, from the
example above, the required operating time is 4.5 hours and the average power
consumption is 131 watts. From the chart, the smallest battery size which will give more
than 4.5 hours of operation at a power level between 130 - 150 watts is the 100 amp-hr.
battery.
When sizing your battery, be conservative. More capacity is better since you will have more reserve
capacity, and your battery won't be discharged as deeply. Battery life is directly dependent on how
deeply the battery is discharged. The deeper the discharge, the shorter the battery life. Ideally, the
number of ampere-hours consumed by your loads before recharging the battery should be no more
than 50% of the battery's rated capacity.