Tronix Explorer XT3 User manual

USER’S GUIDE

TRONIX EXPLORER XT3
Congratulations on your purchase of the Tronix Explorer XT3!
The technically superior Tronix Explorer XT3 , rated at 800 Watts continuous and at 2000 Watts
peak po er, is designed to provide po er to most flash and po er pack units. It makes your
studio lights ork on location - ith faster recycling time, more po er and better performance.
Power and Reliability
- 2400 Watts peak po er
- Provides a clean sine ave from a 24 V DC source
- Efficient circuit design that generates almost a thousand pops for 300 Ws flash units
Flexibility and Mobility
- Auto-volt/Global charging feature (100 V - 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz)
- 14 V DC car battery charger and Auxiliary Battery port for 24 V external battery pack
- It can also be used for po ering battery chargers, laptops, printers, etc.
Safe and Easy to Use
- Plug and play
- Battery po er and charging indicators
- S itch over circuit from battery to external battery pack
- Short circuit protection
- Overload protection
The convenience and reliability that Explorer XT3 boasts ould be reason enough to bring this
gadget herever a photographer travels and goes for ork, and needs it most.
Thank you for your urchase of Tronix Ex lorer XT3.
We ho e you will enjoy the roduct as much as we enjoyed develo ing it to serve your
needs.

Contents
Important Safety Instructions
General Safety
Electrical Safety
Battery Safety
Getting Started
Shipping Materials
Installation
Operation
Charging
Maintenance
Battery Replacement
Troubleshooting
Frequently Asked Questions
Technical Specifications
Service and Warranty
Contact Information

Im ortant Safety Instructions
SAVE THESE SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND USER’S GUIDE. Safety Instructions
Save this User’s Guide. Contents of this User's Guide should be follo ed during installation,
operation and maintenance of Explorer XT3.
General Safety
- Do NOT expose Explorer XT3 to dust, moisture, liquids, rain or sno .
- Do NOT block ventilation openings of Explorer XT3. Overheating may occur. Do not place
Explorer XT3 in a compartment ith zero clearance.
- Not recommended attachments, hen used ith Explorer XT3, may result in risk of fire,
electrical hazard or injury.
- Periodically observe the status of the LED indicators to ensure that Explorer XT3 orks as
intended.
Electrical Safety
- The disconnect device of Explorer XT3 is the mains plug.
- Al ays connect Explorer XT3 to a grounded outlet. The outlet to hich Explorer XT3 is connected
must be in close proximity and must be easily accessed.
- Flash units and other supported equipment must be properly connected to Explorer XT3. As ith
the connection to the outlet, connections of the equipment to Explorer XT3 must be easily
accessed.
- Before doing any maintenance, al ays s itch off and unplug all attachments connected to
Explorer XT3.
- Explorer XT3 incorporates multiple po er sources. Only connect one of these sources at a time.
Though not posing any risk, simultaneous connection of any of these sources is not
recommended. Disconnect all po er cords to completely remove po er from the unit.
- If the external flexible cord of the unit is damaged, it shall be replaced by a cord available from
the manufacturer.

Battery Safety
Warning: Contains otentially hazardous voltages.
Do not make any changes or modifications to Explorer XT3 unless other ise specified. Explorer
XT3 has no user-serviceable parts.
•Caution : Do not place the batteries near open flame or heat. The batteries may explode.
•Caution : Do not open the batteries. The batteries contain chemicals that are harmful to the skin
and eyes. The batteries can also emit dangerous or explosive gases.
•Caution : To avoid injury due to electrical hazard, remove metal accessories such as rist atches
and je elries hen replacing batteries. Use properly insulated tools and handles.
•Caution : Explorer XT3 uses 12 V DC, 9 Ah valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, Replace
batteries ith the same type as originally installed in Explorer XT3.
•Caution : Observe proper polarity hen connecting the batteries. Incorrect polarity may cause
electrical hazards or damage to Explorer XT3.
Dis ose re laced batteries ro erly. Deliver the battery to its manufacturer for recycling.
Im ortant: Innovatronix Inc. does not recommend Explorer XT3 for use in life support
equipment, here malfunction of the product ill significantly degrade effectiveness of such
equipment.
Examples of life support equipment are, but not limited to, the follo ing: pacemakers, blood
pumps, ventilators and dialysis systems.

Getting Started
Shi ing Materials
Please check if the shipped package contains the follo ing:
-1 Tronix Explorer XT3 unit
-1 Po er Cord
-1 14VDC Car Battery Charger
-User's Guide (this document)
Contact Tronix Customer Service or reseller in case any item is missing in the ackage
(see Contact Information).
Installation
1. S itch off Explorer XT3.
2. On the rear panel, plug the po er cord to a 100 V to 240 V mains outlet.
The green Charging LED indicator should blink. This indicates that Explorer XT3 is charging.
If Explorer XT3 is being charged the first time, charge the unit for 12 to 15 hours. This ensures
optimum battery performance. Succeeding charges ould only take 6 to 9 hours.
Note: The mains outlet to hich Explorer XT3 is connected must be in close proximity and must
be easily accessed.
Explorer XT3 has the follo ing po er sources: AC mains outlet, car battery input and auxiliary
battery. Only connect one of these sources at a time. Though not posing any risk, simultaneous
connections of any of these inputs are not recommended.

O eration
1. Charge Explorer XT3 as instructed in Installation.
2. Set up the necessary lighting equipment.
3. On the front panel, connect the plug of the flash unit to one of the sockets of Explorer XT3.
For 115-60 models, a universal adapter is supplied.
Note: The connections bet een the flash units and Explorer XT3 must be in close proximity
and must be easily accessed.
4. S itch on Explorer XT3.
The battery level indicators (green High, yellow Mid and red Low) indicate the amount of
po er left in the battery. Explorer XT3 is no supplying po er to the flash units.
5. Test the flash units. If the desired lighting requirements are set, proceed ith the photo
shoot.
6. To conserve battery, s itch off Explorer XT3 hen the flash units are not in use.
Note: Using the modeling lamps in flash units ill prolong recycling time and ill quickly
discharge the battery. Therefore, it is advised not to use modeling lights hen using
Explorer XT3 as po er source.
Optional: For additional safety, connect the earth stud of Explorer XT3 to earth.

Belo is a table of the status LEDs of Explorer XT3 and its corresponding indication:
Status Indication
Charging Green Charging LED indicator is blinking
Charging -
Battery full Green Charging LED indicator stays lit
Battery full Green High LED indicator is lit
Battery at half
po er Yellow Mid LED indicator is lit
Battery lo Red Low LED indicator is lit
Overload or
short circuit
Green High, Yellow Mid, and Red Low LED
indicators are lit
Aside from its normal use of po ering strobes and flashes, the battery of Explorer XT3 ill be
discharged if any of the follo ing occurs:
•Explorer XT3 is s itched on at no load. The battery of Explorer XT3 ill be discharged after 10
hours.
•Explorer XT3 is s itched off at no load. The battery of Explorer XT3 ill be discharged after 200
days. Thus, hen not in use, it is recommended that Explorer XT3 should be plugged in to a 100 V
to 240 V AC mains outlet or to a 14 V DC outlet.
•Even hen s itched off, the internal circuitry of Explorer XT3 still consumes po er. A totally
discharged battery ill severely affect its useful life.
Should Explorer XT3 run out of po er and no po er source is present, the Tronix Auxiliary Battery
Pack can be connected to Explorer XT3. When the Auxiliary Battery Pack is connected, Explorer
XT3 bypasses its internal battery and dra s po er from the battery pack. Tronix Auxiliary Battery
Pack is sold separately. More information can be obtained from the Innovatronix ebsite (see
Contact Information).

Charging
•S itch off Explorer XT3.
•Explorer XT3 can be charged through the follo ing methods:
Mains Supply
- Plug the po er cord to a 100 V to 240 V AC mains outlet. (see Installation)
- Except for the initial charging, Explorer XT3 should be fully charged after 6 to 9 hours.
- When the green Charging LED indicator stopped blinking (LED stays on), the battery is fully
charged.
14V DC Outlet
- Plug Explorer XT3 to a 14 V DC outlet. A car cigarette lighter socket ould be an example. Use
the appropriate adapter.
- Note that Explorer XT3 can not be fully charged hen this method is used.
Tip: You can leave Explorer XT3 plugged in even after it is fully charged. Explorer XT3 uses trickle
charging method. If the cord is still plugged after the battery reached full charge, the battery ill
not be damaged in any ay. Trickle charging also maintains the battery's optimum life span.
Maintenance
•For optimum performance, keep the battery fully charged. A lit green High LED indicates a fully
charged battery hen Explorer XT3 is being used. On the other hand, a lit red Low LED indicates
a drained battery.
•S itch off the unit hen not in use. Leaving Explorer XT3 on hen not in use ill severely drain
the battery.
•Use a dry cloth hen cleaning the unit. Do not use any liquids or detergent.
•Coil cables hen not in use. Loose cables may cause accidents.
•Battery Replacement: See Battery Replacement

Battery Re lacement
WARNING:
Risk of electric shock. Proceed with extreme caution.
Before re lacing batteries, disconnect all cords and wait 30 minutes.
Remove any metal objects such as wristwatches and jewelry.
Use ro erly insulated tools and handles.
Strictly follow the instructions stated to avoid ossible damage to the unit and
injury.
1. S itch off Explorer XT3.
2. Remove the scre s of the plastic frame and the unit
itself.
3. Remove the scre s of the cover located at the sides and top portion of the unit.
Remove the cover. Place scre s in a container to avoid misplacement.
4. Carefully disconnect the battery terminals located on the boost converter and the battery
converter side (the S-shaped cord that connects the t o batteries) located on the charger
board side from the battery to avoid short circuit.
Note: Position the ires in such a ay that correct reconnection ill be made later.
5. Remove the charger board located at the sides of the batteries. The charger board serves
as DC charger of the batteries inside.
6. Remove the scre of the battery bracket and scre under the battery casing.
7. Remove the battery bracket and the battery at the same time.
8. Turn the unit to the other side and remove the boost converter board.
9. Remove the scre of the battery bracket and the scre under the battery casing.
10. Slide the battery out of the battery casing.
11. Securely place the ne battery, sliding it into the battery casing. Tighten the scre s and
install the boost converter board.
12. Turn to the other side and make sure to place the batteries inside the metal closure first.
Reinsert the battery scre s and put back the charger board before connecting the battery
terminals and connector.
Note: Ensure the battery terminals do not touch the heat sink. For safety, cover the area of
the heat sink here the battery terminals ill pass during battery replacement.
Attention: Do not interchange the polarity of the ires. Black ire is for the negative
(–) terminal and red ire is for the ositive (+) terminal.
13. Place back the cover and plastic frame. Reinsert and tighten all scre s.
Dis ose re laced batteries ro erly. Deliver the battery to its manufacturer for recycling.

Troubleshooting
Refer to the table to address minor problems regarding installation and operation of Explorer XT3.
For other problems, contact Tronix Customer Service (see Contact Information).
Problem Possible Cause Solution
No po er Battery empty
Connected to AC outlet
Charge Battery; Plug Explorer XT3 to a 100 V to
240 V AC outlet or to a 14 V DC supply. If Explorer
XT3 does not s itch on after charging, contact
Tronix Customer Service (see Contact Information)
Explorer XT3 does not provide po er hen s itched
on hile connected to an AC outlet. Disconnect the
AC cord before using
Not charging Not plugged to supply
No po er from outlet
Plug Explorer XT3 to a 100 V to 240 V AC outlet or
to a 14V DC supply
Ensure po er is in the mains outlet. If Explorer XT3
still does not charge, contact Tronix Customer
Service (see Contact Information)
Lighting
equipment
not orking
Battery not charged
Lighting equipment
malfunction
Incompatible equipment
Charge Battery; Plug Explorer XT3 to a 100 V to
240 V AC outlet or to a 14V DC supply
Contact manufacturer of lighting equipment
Lighting equipment not compatible ith Explorer
XT3 (see Compatibility Chart for compatible
equipment)
Battery draining
fast
Battery not fully
charged
Modeling lamps in flash
units
Battery nearing end of
its useful life
Charge battery for 3 to 5 hours (12 to 15 hours if
charging for the first time)
Modeling lamps, hen used ith flash units, drains
the battery faster. It is not advised to use modeling
lamps ith Explorer XT3 as po er source
Battery performance decreases ith time. Also,
batteries age prematurely hen placed in places
ith high temperatures. Replace battery. See
Battery Replacement
No po er; All
three LEDs lit
Overload or short circuit
of output has occurred
Check output for short circuit and po er on the unit
again

Frequently Asked Questions
There are 2 models. Ho do I kno hich one ill I need?
The model denotes the voltage output of the Tronix xplorer XT3. Select the model which
matches the input voltage of your studio lights or power packs. For example:
–The Tronix xplorer XT3 115-60 models are used by photographers in North America
(United States and Canada).
–The Tronix xplorer XT3 230-50 models are used by photographers in urope, Middle
ast, Australia, New Zealand and the rest of Asia.
Ho do I kno if my strobe or po er pack is compatible ith Tronix Explorer XT3? Why not all
strobes and po er packs are compatible ith Tronix Explorer XT3?
Tronix xplorer XT3 is compatible to more digital strobes due to its increased power
rating. The newer Tronix xplorer XT3 is compatible to digital and most bi-voltage flash
units. However, compatibility to all strobes and power packs is not guaranteed due to
differences in design of strobes and power packs between brands.
In a few cases, digitally controlled strobes will not be compatible with Tronix xplorer XT3.
This is because after a flash is fired, the capacitors inside the strobe will draw a large
inrush current. Tronix xplorer XT3 cannot adequately provide such current. Thus, for a
few seconds, the voltage output will be less than adequate.
This is not a problem for analog flash, however. Analog flash can tolerate this voltage drop.
For digital flash units, this will probably cause a reset of its settings to power up stage.
Though this case is not damaging to the flash or Tronix xplorer XT3, the flash will just not
work properly.
Ho do I charge the Tronix Explorer XT3?
There are two ways to charge Tronix xplorer XT3:
- Mains outlet, 100 to 240 V AC. For a fully discharged battery, except for the initial
charging, charging can take about 6 to 9 hours.
- Car Battery. Plug the Tronix xplorer XT3 to the car cigarette jack through the 14 V DC
jack located at the rear panel of xplorer XT3.
Ho many pops can I expect ith one full charge?
The number of pops will depend on the type of flash unit and the power loaded to xplorer
XT3. Small loads will produce greater number of pops and faster recycling time compared
to large power loads.
What are the things to atch out hen using Explorer XT3?
Just like any portable power source from batteries, the recycling time of Tronix xplorer
XT3 for flash units and power packs can never be faster than the recycling time when a
studio light or power pack is plugged directly from a mains outlet or power line.

In addition, modeling lights MUST B SWITCH D OFF as continuous load drains the battery
at a higher rate.
It should also be recharged after each use and should not be kept stored for more than a
month without using or charging. Similar to other products that use lead-acid batteries, a
discharged battery for a few months will severely affect its performance and lifetime.
Are there any maintenance tips on storing Explorer XT3?
The unit should be switched off when not in use. Leaving Tronix xplorer XT3 on and not in
use will severely damage the battery. Its battery can be left plugged even after it is fully
charged. The product uses trickle-charging technique so the battery would not be over
charged. This practice also maintains the battery's optimum life span.
What is the expected life span of the Explorer battery? Ho much ould be the replacement
battery?
Tronix xplorer XT3's batteries are rated at 300 charge-discharge cycles or about a year of
everyday use or the battery's actual usage. Should the batteries be needed to be replaced,
use only batteries provided by Tronix or with the same specification (see Technical
Specifications). Tronix xplorer XT3 uses two 12 V, 9 Ah Valve-regulated lead-acid
batteries. Other batteries may not be suitable to Tronix xplorer XT3 and may cause
electrical hazard or injury.
What are the Customer Satisfaction Guarantee and/or Warranty?
As stated in Terms of Use, only items with manufacturing defects should be returned for a
full refund if purchased within the last 30 days and will be replaced as soon as possible or
in about 10-15 days. All costs are charged to Innovatronix Inc. It also carries a 30-day
satisfaction guarantee. Battery sets are not included in the warranty because these items
are based on number of charge and discharge cycles or on the customers’ actual use. In
addition, SLA batteries must be properly maintained, otherwise, if the gels dry up, the
battery capacity is diminished, hence the product warranty on battery is voided. This
program applies only to units directly purchased from Innovatronix. For units purchased
from a retailer or third party vendor, refer to their guarantee and warranty programs or
contact us for authorized service centers in your country.
(See limited warranty information for batteries)

Technical S ecifications
Feature S ecification
Model 115-60 230-50
Output
Po er 1000 VA 800 W max. at 0.8 pf
Voltage 115 V 230 V
Frequency 60 Hz 50 Hz
Current 6.9 A 3.4 A
Waveform Pure sine ave
Sockets NEMA-5 Schuko / Universal
Input
AC Input
Voltage 100 V – 240 V
Frequency 50 / 60 Hz
Current 460 – 220 mA (drained battery)
40 – 20 mA (full battery)
Connector IEC C14
Auxiliary Battery
Voltage 24 – 28 V
Current 40 A
Connector Neutrik po erCON NAC3MPA
DC Input
Voltage 12 – 14 V
Current 500 mA
Connector Coaxial
Battery
Type Maintenance-free, Valve-regulated lead-acid (x2)
Voltage 12 V (per battery)
Capacity 9 Ah (per battery)
Charging Time 6 – 9 hours
Runtime 10 hours at no load
Indicators
Visual Green, Yellow and Red LEDs for battery status
Green LED for charging status
Physical
Dimensions 15 cm. x 23 cm. x 37 cm.
Net Weight
Operating temperature -15 °C – 70 °C

Service and Warranty
The Tronix Explorer XT3 is covered by a one-year arranty starting from the date of purchase.
From that date, the product should be free of any defect in material and orkmanship and it ill
function in accordance to its stated performance.
Within this period, Innovatronix Inc. ill repair or replace defective parts. This arranty only
covers failures due to manufacturing defects and orkmanship. Hence, breakdo n of the product
due to gross abuse and normal ear and tear is not covered in this arranty.
There are no arranties by use except as stated therein. For unsafe and/or faulty repairs,
Innovatronix Inc. and/or sellers shall not be liable by such cases. Any alternation made to this
product by unauthorized service technicians are the sole responsibility of the o ner. Maximum
liability for any breach of this agreement or other claim to the use of this product shall not exceed
the purchase price of the product by the customer.
Warranty registration is not required. Warranty is applicable if and only if the product is used
under normal conditions and for its intended purpose.
(See limited arranty statement for batteries)

Contact Information
You can send inquiries 24 hours a day, 7 days a eek. Response may take up to 24 hours.
Mail Innovatronix Incorporated
Km 26, The Richdale
Sumulong High ay, Sta Cruz
Antipolo City 1870
Philippines
Telephone [phone]
E-Mail [e-mail]
Website http:// .innovatronix.com/
Or contact your reseller:
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, duplicated or transmitted in any
form or by any means, or other ise, ithout prior ritten permission from Innovatronix Inc. The
information contained herein is designed only for the use ith Tronix Explorer XT. Innovatronix is
not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other portable po er supplies and
other related products.
Copyright 2012 by Innovatronix Inc.