Renogy PCL Series User manual

2000W/3000W
Version 1.1
Pure Sine Wave Inverter & Charger
PCL
SERIES

01
CONTENTS
Identification of Parts
Dimensions
Included Components
Location Recommendations
Sizing A Battery Bank
Grounding
DC WIRING
AC WIRING
Automatic Neutral-to-Ground Bond Switching
Automatic Transfer Relay
Auto Generator Start
Fan Operation
Main Menu
05 Setup Battery Type
05 Custom Battery Type /User Mode
Display Panel
LCD Display Icons and Behaviors
01 Utility Priority and Battery Priority
03 AC Input Voltage Range
04 Power Saving Mode
07 Auto Restart Temperature Fault
09 Output Frequency
11 Maximum Utility Charging
12 Low Battery Voltage Setpoint
13 Over-Voltage Battery Recovery
18 Alarm Control / Behavior
19 Screen Mode
20 LCD Screen Mode
04
05
05
07
07
09
09
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26
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35
36
37
General Information
Product Overview
Installation
Operation
Programmable Features
Battery Charging Stages
Fault / Warning Codes
Technical Specifications
22 Normal Mode Sound
25 Record Fault Code
26 Boost Charging
27 Float Charging
29 Low DC Cut-off Voltage
93 Input Frequency Range
94 Selection of Battery Type Custom
95 Battery High Voltage for Dry Contacts
96 Low Voltage Trip for Dry Contacts
97 Dry Contact Control
98 Low Battery Voltage Alarm
99 AC output Voltage

02
Important Safety Instructions
Please save these instructions.
This manual contains important safety, installation, and operating instructions for the
inverter. The following symbols are used throughout the manual:
Inverter Safety
The inverters are suitable for 12V Battery Banks ONLY.
ALWAYS make sure inverter is in OFF position and disconnect all AC and DC
connecting when working on any circuit associated with the inverter.
NEVER connect the AC output of the unit directly to an Electrical Breaker Panel/ Load
Centre which is also fed from the utility power / generator.
When connecting battery terminals, ensure the polarity of the battery connections is
correct. Incorrect polarity may cause permanent damage to the unit.
Be careful when touching bare terminals of capacitors as they may retain high lethal
voltages even after power is removed.
Installation and wiring must comply with the Local and National Electric Codes (NEC)
and must be done by a certified technician.
Read all of the instructions and cautions in the manual before beginning the installation.
There are no serviceable parts for this inverter. Do NOT disassemble or attempt to repair
the inverter.
Make sure all connections going into and from the inverter are tight. There may be
sparks when making connections, therefore, make sure there are not flammable
materials or gases near installation.
Indicates a potentially dangerous condition. Use extreme caution
when performing this task.
Indicates a critical procedure for safe and proper operation of the inverter.
Indicates a procedure or function that is important to the safe and
proper operation of the inverter.
NOTE
CAUTION
WARNING
General Safety Information

03
Do NOT let the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery touch each other.
Use sealed Lead-Acid, Flooded, Gel, AGM, Lithium or Calcium batteries which must be deep cycle.
Explosive battery gases may be present while charging. Be certain there is enough
ventilation to release the gases.
Be careful when working with large lead acid batteries. Wear eye protection and have
fresh water available in case there is contact with the battery acid.
Over-charging and excessive gas precipitation may damage the battery plates and
activate material shedding on them. Too high of an equalizing charge or too long of one
may cause damage. Please carefully review the specific requirements of the battery
used in the system.
Battery Safety
The unit should be installed in a well-ventilated, cool, and dry environment. Make
sure the fans of the unit and the ventilation holes are not blocked.
Do not expose the unit to rain, moisture, snow, or liquids of any type.
Installation Safety

04
General Information
Key Features
The Renogy PCL series inverter-chargers combine an inverter and battery charger with an
automatic transfer switch into one complete system. Featuring a 3-stage battery charging
mode when connected to utility AC power, the PCL series inverter-charger can meet
powerful demand needs as well as charge your battery bank. As a power supply, it is
capable of producing cleaner, smoother, and more reliable electricity for a user's electronic
needs. Take full advantage of the multiple features.
Robust and sleek design
LCD and LED display used to view inverter status and programming features
Offers high quality waveform with little harmonic distortion
4-Stage battery charger with configurable charging current
8 Pre-Set battery voltages including Lithium; User-defined option available
Automatic generator start option
Peak efficiency >90%
Multiple electronic protections

05
Top view
1
2
3
5
4
Product Overview
Identification of Parts
AC Input Cable Entry
AC Output Cable Entry
Wired Remote Control
Cable Entry
LCD Panel and Buttons
Mounting Holes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

06
15
16
717
18
11
9
10
8
13
12
14
Left View (Uncovered)
6
Left View (Covered)
Main ON/OFF Switch: This is a simple
ON/OFF switch to be able to control the
inverter with the plate in place. The
wiring is connected to the Terminal Block
on the inside of the plate seen in 13.
RJ11 Port: Port for connecting Wired
Remote Control
Dry Contact Relay Port: NC, C, NO ports
for connecting generators and making
use of the Auto-Gen Start feature.
Battery Temperature Sensor Port:
Non-polarity sensitive port that connects
the included temperature sensor to the
PCL unit.
DC Negative Battery Terminal
Rj45 Port for Future Development
AC Output Terminal Block
AC Input Terminal Block
Main Power Switch Terminal Block
Inverter Output Protection Circuit Breaker
Inverter Input Protection Circuit Breaker
DC Positive Battery Terminal
Fans that dissipate heat
6.
7.
8.
9.
12.
11.
10.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.

07
Dimensions
Included Components
Battery Temperature Sensor (BTS)
Renogy inverter chargers come equipped with a battery temperature sensor that will help
prolong the battery life. The battery sensor allows the inverter charger to continuously
adjust the charging voltage based on the battery temperature. The inverter charger will
compensate charging with a factor of -0.5mV/C◦ per degree after 77F°/25C°, within
-40C°/F° ~ 176F°/80C°. . The sensor should be installed on all battery banks except for
lithium. Simply connect the wire into the terminal block (it is not polarity sensitive), if it is not
connected already. The terminal block may need to be tightened onto the respective BTS
port. Then place the sensor near the battery bank for automatic temperature compensation.
Connect the temperature sensor for all batteries except Lithium for best charging accuracy
NOTE
Note: Dimensions are in millimeter[inches]

08
Make sure the PCL is in the off position in order to use the wired remote control correctly.
The wire remoted control for the inverter chargers gives users the opportunity to power
on/off the inverter from a distance. Giving you approximately 16.4ft of distance, simply
connect the cable to the RJ11 port on the PCL unit. Make sure both the PCL inverter model
and the wired remote are both in the off position. The you will be able to turn on the inverter
charger via remote power switch.
NOTE
Wired Remote Control

Never install the inverter in a sealed enclosure with flooded batteries. Gas can
accumulate and there is a risk of explosion.
The inverter should never be mounted vertically on a vertical surface since it would
present a hazard for the fan opening which is crucial for cooling the inverter.
Cool, dry, well-ventilated area — Heat is the worst enemy for electronic equipment.
Inverters must be in an area where the fans are not blocked or where they are not hit
directly by the sun. They should be in an area free of any kind of moisture and allow for
clearance of at least 10” around the unit to provide for adequate ventilation.
Protection against fire hazard — the unit should be away from any flammable
material, liquids, or any other combustible material. The unit can spark and the
consequences could be severe.
Close proximity to battery bank— prevent excessive voltage drop by keeping the unit
close to the battery bank and having a properly sized wire going from the battery bank
to the inverter.
Limiting electromagnetic interference (EMI) — ensure the inverter is firmly grounded
to a building, vehicle, or earth grounded. Keep the inverter away from EMI receptors
such as TVs, radios, and other audio/visual electronics to prevent damage/interference
to the equipment.
Secure inverter —the inverter could be stand alone or mounted using the outlying
terminals on the inverter.
Installation
Location Recommendations
Ensure installation follows the following guidelines:
CAUTION
CAUTION
WARNING
WARNING
WARNING
WARNING
Make sure inverter is in the off position before connecting anything.
Do not over-torque or over tighten the terminals. This could potentially
damage the unit.
Refer to the technical specifications for max wire sizes on the controller
and for the maximum amperage going through wires.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Do not install the inverter in the same compartment as the battery bank
because it could serve as a potential fire hazard.
09

Example
A Microwave oven
= 700 Watts
12V battery bank
700 Watts to run microwave oven using the batteries as
if it was a 12VDC microwave requires 58 Amps
700 Watts / 12 Volts = 58 Amps
Now that amps have been determined, the amp-hours
need to be determined. The microwave will be used for
approximately 3 hours a day.
58 Amps * 3 hours =
174 Ah
At least a 174 Ah battery must be selected in order to use the 700-Watt microwave at 3
hours a day. However, determining a battery size is also dependent on the battery that
is able to handle repeated discharge/charge cycles.
Load Operation = 3 hours
Determine the amount of Watts (Amps * Volts) for the load, and how long the load
needs to operate—
each electrical appliance has technical specificationsindicating the
watts, or the volts and amps required for operation.
Estimate load run-time— Battery size depends on load watts and run-time. Most loads
are not constant, so estimation is very important.
Utilize the formula Watts = Volts * Amps
Determine Amps used for how many hours – Amp-hour (Ah)
Sizing a Battery Bank
Grounding
For this Renogy inverter, the battery bank will be 12 volts direct current (12 VDC)
This is just an example. Actual quantities vary by battery capacity and rates of
discharge.
NOTE
To power the microwave in the example, the user may need to us an inverter that is
1400W or more depending on surge and power factor..
NOTE
10
Grounding for the PCL Inverter-chargers could be to a metal frame of an RV. The
connections to ground must be tight and against bare metal. Whether using the inverter in a
mobile application, such as an RV or in a building, grounding is highly recommended. The
recommended wire size for grounding is 8 AWG copper wire. For more information
regarding grounding, users and/or installers must consult with the Local and National
Electric Codes (NEC) for more specific grounding regulations and suggestions as they can
change per scenario.

11
Flip inverter power to the “OFF’ position
Unscrew the screw terminals along the edge of the side plate
Gently remove DC Side plate to expose DC Terminals
Connect the positive and negative DC Cables to their respective terminals and run them
through the side panel
The Terminals must clean to reduce the resistance in the cable connection. A
buildup of dirt or oxidation may eventually lead to the cable terminal overheating
during periods of high current draw
DC WIRING
The Renogy Pure Sine Wave Inverters are suitable for 12V battery bank systems ONLY.
Not following the minimum DC requirement will cause irreversible damage to the unit.
WARNING
WARNING
CAUTION
Be careful of the positive and negative poles. Reversing the poles might cause
permanent damage to the inverter. It will surely blow the internal fuse.
NOTE
Damage to the Renogy inverters due to reverse polarity is NOT covered by warranty.
NOTE
NOTE
The input terminals of the inverters have large capacitors connected to them. Once
a positive and negative wire are connected to the terminals, it will complete the
circuit, and commence drawing a heavy current momentarily. As a result, there may
be a sparking occurring even if the inverter is in the off position. To minimize
sparking, it is recommended that the user have the appropriate size wire feeding into
the inverters and/or install an external fuse leading into the inverter.
Ensure all sources of DC power (i.e., batteries, solar, etc.) and AC power (utility
power or AC generator) are de-energized (i.e., breakers opened, fuses removed)
before proceeding—to prevent accidental shock.
To Access the main panel, unscrew the terminals on the outside of the side panel.
1.
2.
3.
4.

12
AC WIRING
WARNING
When installing DC cables, the following are recommendations:
Battery positive and negative cables should be as close to the battery as possible to
minimize voltage loss and other possible effects.
Tie, tape, or twist cables together to reduce self-inductance.
Install all overcurrent devices on the positive cable.
1.
2.
3.
Model
2000W 200A 2/0
3000W 300A 4/0
Recommended Fusing Recommended Wire Sizing
CAUTION
Avoid switching on the inverter with the load (electronic devices) already switched
on. This may trigger an overload since some electronic devices have an initial high
power surge to start.
CAUTION
When switching off the inverter, turn off the electronic devices first. Although the
inverter is off, the capacitors will still have a charge, so the DC and AC terminals must
be disconnected if altering the circuitry.
Ensure all sources of DC power (i.e., batteries, solar, etc) andAC power (utility power
or AC generator) are de-energized (i.e., breakers opened, fuses removed) before
proceeding—to prevent accidental shock

13
2.Make note of the AC output terminals from left to right (Ground, Live, Neutral) and the AC
Input terminals from left to right (Neutral, Live, Ground).
1.Remove the AC Terminal block
WARNING
The AC input must never be connected to the AC output as irreversible overload or
damage may result
WARNING
AC Output should NEVER be connected to public power or a generator
Automatic Neutral-to-Ground Bond Switching
CAUTION
Be careful of the positive and negative poles. Reversing the poles might cause
permanent damage to the inverter. It will surely blow the internal fuse.
Damage to the Renogy inverters due to reverse polarity is NOT covered by warranty.
NOTE
OUTPUT
AC OUTPUT AC Input
L N
INPUT
LN

14
When in the Pass-Through Mode / Utility Mode, the Neutral of the 120VAC shore power will be
connected to the Neutral Out connector of the Inverter Charger. At the same time, the “Neutral
to Ground Bond Switching Relay “will un-bond (disconnect) the Neutral Out connector of the
Inverter Charger from the chassis of the Inverter Charger. This will ensure that the Grounded
Conductor (GC) / Neutral of the shore power is bonded to the Earth Ground at one single point
at the location of the AC Power Distribution System of the Marina / RV Park. This design avoids
two neutral-to-ground connections from existing at the same time, thereby preventing an
electrical shock hazard between the vehicle/boat’s neutral and the external AC source’s
neutral.
The automatic transfer switch will take care of automatic neutral to ground bonding in the
following scenarios:
Feeds AC output from the Inverter Section to the AC loads when utility / shore power is not
available
The input terminals of the inverters have large capacitors connected to them. Once a
positive and negative wire are connected to the terminals, it will complete the circuit,
and commence drawing a heavy current momentarily. As a result, there may be a
sparking occurring even if the inverter is in the off position. To minimize sparking, it
is recommended that the user have the appropriate size wire feeding into the
inverters and/or install an external fuse leading into the inverter charger.
NOTE
Feeds utility / shore power to the battery charger Section when shore power / utility is
available.
This cannot be disabled.

NOTE
NOTE
15
Automatic Transfer Relay
Auto Generator Start
The PCL inverter chargers are equipped with a 30A transfer relay switch that switches between
Inverter and Standby mode depending on availability of AC input power. If AC is present, the
transfer relay bypasses up to 30A of the incoming AC power through the inverter to power the
AC loads on the inverter’s output. In the event AC power gets disconnected, the inverter will
power the loads through the battery bank.
The PCL inverter charger series have functions to automatically start and stop a generator for
supplementing charge. The Auto Generator feature starts the Generator with the use of
Normally Closed (NC) contacts of the relay that “opens” when the battery voltage drops to the
programmed value of Program 96, Low Battery Voltage Set-point. The Normally Open (NO)
relay “closes”, and the auto generator start commences the generator to start charging the
battery bank. When the battery is recharged and its voltage rises to the programmed value of
Program 95, High Battery Voltage Set-point The NC (closes) contacts and NO (open) contacts
of relay reset and the Generator will stop / shut down the Generator automatically. The PCL unit
will then transfer back to “Inverting Mode”.
The inverter’s internal AC transfer relay contacts are rated for 30 amps (each leg), the
pass-through current for relay contact must be no greater than 30 amps or damage
to this relay may occur.
To use this to function, an auto start controller must be installed on the generator.
there are three contacts; left to right: Normally Closed (NC) Common (COM),
Normally Open (NO).
NOTE
While the generator is connected, the unit now operates in “Charging Mode” with the
AC power from the Generator charging the batteries as well as providing power to the
AC loads.
Do not store units with auto gen start feature enabled. Generators exhaust
dangerous fumes when running.
WARNING
WARNING

16
FAN Operation
Main Menu
By default, when first powering the unit the fans and alarm will run for approximately
1 minute as part of the start-up routine. Other fan ON/OFF operation parameters are
listed below:
Condition
Inverter Mode Load Percentage
DC Input Current
Inverter Heat Sink Temperature
Turn on Condition
Current ≥ 10A
Uptime ≤ 1 minute
Load ≥ 35%
Temperature ≥50℃
Turn off Condition
Current < 6A
Uptime > 1 minute
Load < 35%
Temperature < 45℃
Inverter Charger Uptime
Exit setting mode, go back to main menu
1. Hold down to enter Parameter setting menu.
Cycle through the menu
Cycle through the menu
2. Tap to change/confirm setting in parameter setting menu
Function Keys
Upon successful connection of a 12V deep cycle battery bank, flip the inverter power to the ON
position.
Use the up and down arrows to cycle through the menu. The following is what is displayed:
NOTE
NOTE
Upon successful connection of a 12V deep cycle battery bank, flip the inverter power
to the ON position.
NOTE
The unit may also be powered on by the wired remote control.
Operation

17
100%
25%
V
OUTPUT
V
INPUT
AC
100%
25%
VA
OUTPUT
V
BATT
100%
25%
W
OUTPUT
V
BATT
Input Volts AC / Output Volts AC
Battery Volts DC / Load Volts AC
Battery Volts DC / Output Watts

18
100%
25%
Hz
OUTPUT
V
BATT
100%
25%
V
OUTPUT
Hz
INPUT
AC
100%
25%
%
OUTPUT
V
BATT
Battery Volts DC / Output Load %
Battery Volts DC / Output Frequency
Input Frequency / Output Volts AC

19
100%
25%
AV
INPUT
AC
100%
25%
V
OUTPUT
OC
TEMP
100%
25%
Input Volts AC / Input Amps
Inverter Temperature Celsius / Output Volts AC
Inverter Version Number