Victron energy Phoenix 12/300 User manual

USER MANUAL
GEBRUIKSAANWIJZING
Phoenix 12/300
Phoenix 12/500
Phoenix 24/500
Phoenix 24/900

manual 3
SECTIONS page
English 7
Nederlands 37

4 manual

manual 5
USER MANUAL
Phoenix 12/300
Phoenix 12/500
Phoenix 24/500
Phoenix 24/900

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manual 7
INTRODUCTION
Victron Energy has established an international reputation as a leading
designer and manufacturer of energy systems. Our R&D department is the
driving force behind this reputation. It is continually seeking new ways of
incorporating the latest technology in our products. Each step forward
results in value adding of technical and economical features.
Our proven philosophy has resulted in a full range of state-of-the-art
equipment for the supply of electrical power. All our equipment meets the
most stringent requirements.
Victron Energy energy systems provide you with high quality AC supplies
at places where there are no permanent sources of mains power.
An automatic stand-alone power system can be created with a
configuration comprising a Victron Energy inverter, battery charger, mains
manager (if required) and, last but not least, batteries with sufficient
capacity.
Our equipment is suitable for countless situations in the field, on ships or
other places where a mobile 230 VoltAC power supply is indispensable.
Victron Energy has the ideal power source for all kinds of electrical
appliances used for household, technical and industrial purposes, including
instruments susceptible to interference. All of these applications require a
high quality power supply in order to function properly.
Victron Phoenix inverter
This manual contains directions for installing the Phoenix inverter. It
describes the functionality and operation of the Phoenix inverter, including
its protective devices and other technical features.

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CONTENTS
1. DESCRIPTION ..............................................10
1.1 General .......................................................................10
1.2 Victron Phoenix inverter ..............................................10
2. SAFETY .........................................................12
2.1 Short circuit protection ................................................12
2.2 Short term power / surge power limitation ..................12
2.3 Temperature protection...............................................12
2.4 Low input voltage protection .......................................13
2.4.1 12 VoltDC battery 13
2.4.2 24 VoltDC battery 13
2.4.3 Alarm indication ‘low batt.’ 13
2.5 High input voltage protection.......................................13
2.5.1 12 VoltDC battery 13
2.5.2 24 VoltDC battery 13
2.6 Reversed polarity ........................................................13
2.7 Ripple voltage protection.............................................14
3. INSTALLATION AND CONNECTION............15
3.1 Location.......................................................................15
3.2 Installation requirements.............................................15
3.2.1 Installation equipment 15
3.2.2 Battery cables 15
3.3 Connections ................................................................16
3.4 Connecting the battery cables.....................................17
3.5 Connecting the 230 Vac cables....................................18
3.6 Remote control connection .........................................19
3.7 Various points of attention ..........................................19
4. OPERATION..................................................20
4.1 LED indications ...........................................................20
4.2 On/off/economy switch................................................20
4.3 Overload indication .....................................................20
4.4 Low battery indication .................................................21
4.5 Temperature indication ...............................................21
4.6 Adjustments ................................................................21
4.6.1 Adjusting output level 21
4.6.2 Unloaded output voltage 21
4.7 Economy mode ...........................................................22
4.8 Maintenance................................................................22

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5. BATTERY CAPACITY....................................23
6. FAULT TRACING LIST..................................25
6.1 General .......................................................................25
6.2 Trouble shooting .........................................................25
6.3 The ac output voltage is too low..................................27
7. SPECIFICATIONS .........................................28
7.1 Input ............................................................................28
7.2 Output .........................................................................29
7.3 Economy mode ...........................................................30
7.4 General .......................................................................30
7.5 Mechanical..................................................................31
8. DRAWINGS ...................................................32
8.1 Dimensions .................................................................33
8.2 Connection diagram ....................................................34

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1. DESCRIPTION
1.1 GENERAL
All Victron Phoenix inverters are tested to ensure correct functioning
before leaving the factory. They are packed first in shock-absorbing
polystyrene and then in sturdy cardboard boxes for secure transportation.
The Victron Phoenix is housed in a robust aluminum cabinet (IP21)
suitable for floor or wall mounting. The AC output terminals, the DC
battery terminals and the terminals for a remote control switch (if used)
can be reached by opening the front of the cabinet with a screwdriver.
1.2 VICTRON PHOENIX INVERTER
The coding of the Phoenix inverter model is composed as follows:
For example Phoenix 12/500:
‘12’ = 12 VDC = battery voltage
‘500’ = 500 W = continuous electrical
load
The Victron Phoenix inverter is
designed for 12 or 24 VDC battery input
voltages and produces a sinusoïdal
output voltage of 230 VAC, 50 Hz
(crystal controlled).
Continuous power can be delivered at
all times (see the specifications).
The inverter is developed to serve AC equipment requiring a high quality
energy input. That is, when correct functioning is dependent on true
sinewave supplies such as: computers, satellite communications
equipment, and precision measuring instruments, particularly in mobile
applications.
The Phoenix inverter uses high frequency switching techniques in
combination with a low frequency transformer resulting in a very high

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efficiency for the user. For power consumption in a no-load
situation, see section 7.1.
The power supply of the Phoenix inverter is:
continuous(1)
power
short term (2)
power
surge power(3)
Phoenix 12/300 300 W 400 W 1300 W
Phoenix 12/500 500 W 650 W 1350 W
Phoenix 24/500 500 W 750 W 1400 W
Phoenix 24/900 900 W 1000 W 2500 W
1. Continuous power: the continuous power at 40°C ambient temperature.
2. Short term power: the power during 30 minutes at 40°C ambient temperature.
3. Surge power: the power during 3 seconds at 40°C ambient temperature.
Watt =
unit of power
Volt =
unit of voltage
VoltRMS =
root mean square
(effective value of
alternating wave)
Hertz =
unit of frequency

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2. SAFETY
To protect your equipment and connected loads against internal electronic
damage the following built-in safety measures are integrated in the
Phoenix inverter.
2.1 SHORT CIRCUIT PROTECTION
The inverter's output is protected against short-circuits.
The short-circuit current for the 12V version is 5.5
ARMS (approximately). The 24V version have a short
circuit current of 11ARMS (approximately).
In this condition the output voltage approaches 0 V.
The LED ‘overload’ will flash for three seconds, after
three seconds the LED ‘overload’ will illuminate
continuously and the inverter switches off. At most 30 seconds after the
short-circuit has been removed the inverter resumes normal operation.
2.2 SHORT TERM POWER / SURGE POWER LIMITATION
The Phoenix inverter can deliver a higher short-term power and a surge
power for 3 seconds (see section 1.2). This level is electronically limited.
When the inverter is overloaded the LED ‘overload’ will flash. If the
overload is too high the inverter will switch off and the LED ‘overload’
will illuminate continuously.
2.3 TEMPERATURE PROTECTION
The temperature of the electronics is continuously monitored. The inverter
switches off before the temperature reaches an unacceptable high level due
to output short-circuit, overload or excessive ambient temperatures. The
LED ‘temp’ will flash to indicate that critical temperature is almost
reached. If the internal temperature is too high the LED ‘temp’ will
illuminate and the inverter switches off. The inverter restarts automatically
once the temperature has dropped to an acceptable level.
short circuit
current =
current
supplied when
a short-circuit
on the output
occurs.

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2.4 LOW INPUT VOLTAGE PROTECTION
2.4.1 12 VoltDC battery
The inverter switches off if the input voltage drops below 9.6 VDC and
restarts once the input voltage has risen above approximately 11.0 VDC.
2.4.2 24 VoltDC battery
The inverter switches off if the input voltage drops below 19.5 VDC and
restarts once the input voltage has risen above approximately 22.0 VDC.
2.4.3 Alarm indication ‘low batt.’
If the battery voltage is low the LED ‘low batt.’ will flash. When the
battery voltage is too low the inverter will switch off and the LED ‘low
batt.’ will illuminate continuously.
2.5 HIGH INPUT VOLTAGE PROTECTION
2.5.1 12 VoltDC battery
The inverter switches off if the input voltage rises above 17.0 VDC and
restarts once the input voltage has dropped below approximately 16.5 VDC.
2.5.2 24 VoltDC battery
The inverter switches off if the input voltage rises above 32.5 VDC and
restarts once the input voltage has dropped below approximately 31.0 VDC.
2.6 REVERSED POLARITY
The Victron Energy Phoenix 12/300, 12/500, 24/500 and 24/900 are
electronically protected against reverse polarity. Reversing the polarity at
the input of these inverters does not damage the inverter in any way. After
connecting the battery cables switch the inverter ON. If the inverter does
not work, switch it OFF and change the polarity of the battery cables.

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2.7 RIPPLE VOLTAGE PROTECTION
The Victron Energy Phoenix 12/300, 12/500, 24/500 and 24/900 are
protected against too high ripple voltage at the input. If the rms value of
the input voltage-ripple exceeds 10% of the nominal DC input voltage,
the inverter will state an alarm; the LED ‘low batt.’ and the LED
‘overload’ will flash. If the previous alarm situation is on for a period of
over 21 minutes, the inverter will switch off and the following alarm
indication can be seen; the LED ‘low batt.’ and the LED ‘overload’
illuminate.
The inverter has to be resetted before it will continue operation.
Resetting can be done by means of switching the inverter off and on
again.

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3. INSTALLATION AND CONNECTION
3.1 LOCATION
Install the inverter in a dry area with good ventilation.
NOTE:
High ambient temperatures will impair efficiency and shorten working life
or will completely shut the inverter off (see section 7 ‘Specifications’).
There are holes in the bottom and rear of the cabinet enabling floor or wall
mounting. For dimensions see section 8 (‘Dimensions’).
Except for the Phoenix 12/300 and the Phoenix 24/500, the inverter has a
built in fan. The Phoenix without fan has to be mounted in a vertical
position due to natural convection. The Phoenix with fan can be mounted
in any position, although it is recommended to mount the unit in a vertical
position for optimal cooling. Make sure you will have easy access to the
inside of the unit after installation.
Keep the distance between the Phoenix inverter and the battery as short as
possible to minimize the losses in the cables.
3.2 INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
The Victron Phoenix inverter should be installed with the help of the
following equipment:
3.2.1 Installation equipment
• two battery cables (max. length 6 meters, with clamps)
• one spanner or wrench (10 mm or M6), to connect the battery cables.
• one screw driver (no. 1), to connect the 230 VAC cables
3.2.2 Battery cables
The cross sections of the battery cables are suitable for continuous loads
and peak loads.
length 0 - 1.5 meters length 1.5 - 6 meters
Phoenix 12/300 6 mm210 mm2
Phoenix 12/500 10 mm216 mm2
Phoenix 24/500 6 mm210 mm2
Phoenix 24/900 6 mm210 mm2
Avoid contact resistances by tightening all connections.

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3.3 CONNECTIONS
The connections are an important issue. The connections are situated
inside the unit on the PCB (Illustration 1). The battery connections are
coded and indicate the positive (‘+’) and the negative (‘-‘) connections.
Illustration 1.

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Earth connection
The ground connection (earth protection
conductor) from the mains is located on the
AC-terminal block (Illustration 1). The circuit
is functional only if the cabinet is connected
to earth. A M4 earth screw is fitted in the
bottom of the cabinet. Connect the cabinet
earth terminal to earth (Illustration 2).
The earth for vessels is the hull or earth plate;
for motor vehicles it is the chassis.
3.4 CONNECTING THE BATTERY CABLES
To take full advantage of the Phoenix inverter, particularly under
peak/surge load conditions, the inverter should be connected to the battery
with special battery cables. See section 3.2.2.
Connection procedure battery cables
The following procedure is to be carried out carefully.
step 1.
Unscrew the four screws of the front panel.
step 2.
Connect the battery cables: the '+' (red) to the left and the '-'
(black) to the right.
step 3.
If the DC-input cables to the inverter are connected in
reverse polarity (+ on - and – on +), the inverter will not work.
step 4.
If the inverter does not work disconnect the cables and re-connect them
correctly.
Illustration 2.

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step 5.
Make sure that the connections are screwed tight; (use a 10 mm or M6
spanner or wrench).
3.5 CONNECTING THE 230 VAC CABLES
The terminal block is located on the PCB (see Illustration 1). The 230 VAC
external equipment must be connected to the inverter by means of a
three-wire cable. Use a cable with a flexible core and a cross section of 2.5
mm².
Connection procedure 230 VAC cables
step 1.
Unscrew the four screws of the front panel .
step 2.
The 230 VAC equipment may be directly connected to the
connector block on the left side of the PCB, with a
three-wire cable. The connections are clearly coded and
from left to right they are: ‘L’, ‘N’, and ‘PE’. The AC
output is automatically current limited in the event of a short
circuit on the output (see section 2.1).
The inverter will be seriously damaged if an external
voltage is connected to the inverter's AC-block. This
damage will occur regardless of the switch position of the
inverter is ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’.
step 3.
Replace the front panel with the four screws.

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3.6 REMOTE CONTROL CONNECTION
Phoenix inverters can be switched ‘on’, ‘off’ and ‘economy’ by remote
control. In addition all five indicator LED's can also be remotely
connected. Illustration 3 illustrates how to make the connections.
Alternatively a complete remote control panel, incorporating the indicator
LED’s and ‘on/off/economy’ switch is available from Victron Energy.
3.7 VARIOUS POINTS OF ATTENTION
The rms value of the ripple voltage at the input should be limited to
maximum 10% of the DC input voltage.
Never use a battery charger as a power supply for these Victron Energy
inverters, unless batteries or a suitable ripple suppressor are connected.
Illustration 3.

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4. OPERATION
4.1 LED
INDICATIONS
The switch and LED’s are located on the front of the Phoenix inverter (see
Illustration 4).
LED’s:
On = indication when unit is 'ON'.
Economy = indication when unit is in
‘economy’ mode.
Overload = indication for overload
condition.
low batt. = indication for low battery condition.
Temp. = indication for high temperature
condition.
4.2 ON/OFF/ECONOMY SWITCH
With the ‘on/off/economy’ switch the inverter
switches on, off or in economy mode, (see
Illustration 5). When switching to ‘ON’, the
following startup procedure takes place
1. The LED ‘low batt’ will illuminate
for one second;
2. The LED ‘on’ will illuminate.
When switching to ‘economy’ the led ‘economy’ will flash.
If the load is high enough the inverter will switch on and
the led ‘economy’ and the led ‘on’ will illuminate.
(see section 4.7).
4.3 OVERLOAD INDICATION
When the inverter is overloaded, the 'overload' LED will flash. If the
overload is too high the inverter will switch off automatically, in this case
the LED ‘overload’ will illuminate continuously. The Phoenix inverter will
automatically switch on again after 25 seconds.
Illustration 4.
Illustration 5.