Xantrex XPower 175 PLUS User manual

Owner’s Guide
XPower Inverter
175 PLUS
400 PLUS
700 PLUS
t 1-800-670-0707 (toll free)
t 604-422-2777
f 604-420-2145
e [email protected]
www.xantrex.com
400 PLUS model shown
445-0215-01-01 Printe in China
445-0215-98-01 REV. 1 DEC 12, 2002

XPower Inverter 175 Plus,
400 Plus, 700 Plus
Owner’s Manual

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About Xantrex
Xantrex Technology Inc. is a world-leading supplier of advanced power
electronics and controls with products from 50 watt mobile units to 1 MW utility-
scale systems for wind, solar, batteries, fuel cells, microturbines and backup
power applications in both grid-connected and standalone systems. Xantrex
products include inverters, battery chargers, programmable power supplies, and
variable speed drives that convert, supply, control, clean, and distribute electrical
power.
Trademarks
XPower is a trademark of Xantrex International. Xantrex is a registered
trademark of Xantrex International.
Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and product names are the property of
their respective owners, and are used herein for identification purposes only.
Notice of Copyright
XPower 175 Plus, 400 Plus, 700 Plus Inverter Owner’s Manual ©
December 2002 Xantrex International reserved.

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Disclaimer
WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, UNLESS
SPECIFICALLY AGREED TO BY IT IN WRITING, XANTREX
a) MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY, SUFFICIENCY OR
SUITABILITY OF ANY TECHNICAL OR OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED IN
MANUALS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED BY IT IN CONNECTION
WITH THE PRODUCT; AND
b) ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSSES, DAMAGES,
COSTS OR EXPENSES, WHETHER SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT,
CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL, WHICH MIGHT ARISE OUT OF THE USE OF
SUCH INFORMATION.
THE USE OF ANY SUCH INFORMATION WILL BE ENTIRELY AT THE USER’S RISK.
Date and Revision
December 2002, Revision 1
Part Number
445-0215-01-01
Contact Information
Web: www.xantrex.com
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Phone: [phone] (Toll Free North America)
Fax: [phone]

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
About the XPower Plus Inverters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2. Important Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Additional Safety Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3. XPower Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
AC (Front) Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
DC (Back) Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4. Connecting the XPower Plus Inverters . . . . . . . . . . 21
Choosing a Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Connecting the XPower 175 Plus and
XPower 400 Plus for Loads Under 150 Watts . . . . . 23
Connecting the XPower 400 Plus and
XPower 700 Plus for Loads Over 150 Watts . . . . . . 24

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5. Operating the XPower Inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Operating Conditions and Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6. Maintaining Battery Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
7. Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Common Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Troubleshooting Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
8. Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
9. Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
10. Other Xantrex Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

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1 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing an XPower Plus Inverter. The XPower
175 Plus, XPower 400 Plus, and XPower 700 Plus are part of a
family of ultra compact and highly portable power inverters from
Xantrex Technology Inc., the leader in high-frequency inverter
design.
About the XPower Plus Inverters
Connected to the 12 volt outlet in your vehicle, boat, RV, or
directly from a dedicated 12 volt battery (400 and 700 watt only),
the XPower efficiently and reliably powers a wide variety of
household AC products such as portable stereos, laptop
computers, TVs, VCRs, and other similar products.
The XPower employs reliable solid state power electronics for
years of safe, trouble-free operation, and includes the following
automatic features to ensure safe and trouble-free operation:

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• Low battery alarm
• Low voltage shutdown
• High voltage shutdown
• Overload shutdown
• Over temperature shutdown
• Short circuit protection
About This Guide
To get the best performance from your XPower inverter, Xantrex
recommends that you read this guide before connecting and using
the inverter, and then save it for future reference.
This guide contains:
• Important safety information
• Instructions for connecting the inverter
• Operating guidelines
• Troubleshooting guidelines
• Warranty and service information

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2 Important Safety Information
Misusing or incorrectly connecting the XPower may damage the
equipment or create hazardous conditions for users. Read the
following safety instructions and pay special attention to all
Caution and Warning statements in the guide.
Warnings identify conditions that may result in personal injury
or loss of life.
Cautions identify conditions or practices that may damage the
XPower or other equipment.
Warnings and Cautions
Warning! Shock Hazard
Keep children away from the XPower inverter. The
inverter generates the same potentially lethal AC
power as a normal household wall outlet.

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Warning! Heated Surface
The XPower housing may become uncomfortably
warm, reaching 140° F (60° C) under extended high
power operation. Ensure that at least 2 inches (5 cm)
of air surround the inverter. During operation, keep it
away from materials that may be affected by high
temperatures.
Warning! Explosion Hazard.
Do not use the XPower in the presence of flammable
fumes or gases, such as in the bilge of a gasoline
powered boat, or near propane tanks. Do not use the
XPower in an enclosure containing automotive-type,
lead-acid batteries. These batteries, unlike sealed
batteries, vent explosive hydrogen gas, which can be
ignited by sparks from electrical connections.

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Caution!
Some chargers for small nickel-cadmium batteries can
be damaged if connected to the XPower. Do not use
the inverter with the following appliances:
• Small battery-operated appliances like
rechargeable flashlights, some rechargeable
shavers, and night lights that are plugged directly
into an AC receptacle to recharge.
• Battery chargers used in hand power tools. These
chargers display a warning label stating that
dangerous voltages are present at the charger
battery terminals.

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Additional Safety Guidelines
• Do not insert foreign objects in the XPower outlets.
• Never connect the inverter to power utility AC distribution
wiring.
• Do not use the XPower in temperatures over 104° F (40° C).
• Do not expose the XPower to water, rain, snow, or spray.
Failure to follow these safety guidelines may cause personal
injury and/or damage to the XPower. It may also void your
product warranty.
Caution!
Do not connect live AC power to the XPower’s AC
outlets. The inverter will be damaged even if it is
switched OFF.
Do not connect any AC load, which has its neutral
conductor connected to ground, to the XPower.

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3 XPower Features
This section describes the main features of the XPower inverters.
AC (Front) Panel
Figure 1 shows the AC panel of the XPower 175 Plus inverter.
Figure 1 AC Panel of XPower 175 Plus
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4

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Figure 2 shows the AC panel of the XPower 400 Plus and
XPower 700 Plus inverters.
Figure 2 AC Panel of XPower 400 Plus and XPower 700 Plus
AC Outlets
XPower 175 Plus An AC receptacle is located on one end of
the XPower 175 Plus. You can plug in any 120-volt
appliances with a combined total power consumption of 150
watts or less when the inverter is turned on.
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1

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XPower 400 Plus Two AC receptacles are located on one
end of the XPower 400 Plus. You can plug in any 120-volt
appliances with a combined total power consumption of 320
watts or less when the inverter is turned on.
XPower 700 Plus Two AC receptacles are located on one
end of the XPower 700 Plus. You can plug in any 120-volt
appliances with a combined total power consumption of 560
watts or less when the inverter is turned on.
On/Off Switch When the On/Off switch is on, AC power is
available at the outlet.
POWER Light The green POWER light indicates that AC
power is present at the outlet and that the XPower is operating
normally.
FAULT Light The red FAULT light indicates that the inverter
has shut down. Shutdown is caused by low or high battery
voltage, overload, or excessively high temperatures.
Audible Alarm An audible alarm warns of an impending low
voltage shutdown.
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3
4

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Ventilation Openings To prevent overheating, ensure that the
ventilation openings on the front and back panels are kept clear.
DC (Back) Panel
Figure 3 shows the DC panel of the XPower 175 Plus inverter.
Figure 3 DC Panel of XPower 175 Plus

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Figure 4 shows the DC panel of the XPower 400 Plus and
XPower 700 Plus inverters.
Figure 4 DC Panel of XPower 400 Plus and XPower 700 Plus
Fan and Ventilation Openings: The cooling fan on the
XPower 400 Plus and XPower 700 Plus units are designed to
operate only when output power is greater than approximately
100 watts. When the inverter is turned on, the fan may operate
momentarily. The ventilation openings should not be covered at
any time the inverter is operating.
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2
1
1

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Positive and Negative Cabling Terminals: For XPower
400 Plus and XPower 700 Plus, you connect the ring terminals on
the power cables to these terminals. To ensure correct polarity,
red must be connected to red and black must be connected to
black.
Figure 5 Lighter Plug Cable
2 3

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Figure 6 Cable for Direct Connection to 12 Volt Battery
Caution!
The XPower 175 Plus can not power loads over 150
watts, so it is not equipped with cabling terminals and
can not be run from a 12 volt battery.