Xantrex xpower 200W User manual

by
Digital Inverter200W,
400 W, 800 W
Owner’s Guide
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page i Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

About Xantrex
Xantrex Technology Inc. is a world-leading supplier of advanced power electronics and
controls with products from 50 watt mobile units to one MW utility-scale systems for
wind, solar, batteries, fuel cells, microturbines, and backup power applications in both
grid-connected and stand-alone systems. Xantrex products include inverters, battery
chargers, programmable power supplies, and variable speed drives that convert, supply,
control, clean, and distribute electrical power.
Trademarks
Digital Inverter 200 W, 400 W, 800 W 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
Digital Inverter 200 W, 400 W, 800 W Owner’s Guide © October 2005 Xantrex
International. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AGREED TO IN WRITING, XANTREX TECHNOLOGY INC. (“XANTREX”)
(a) MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY, SUFFICIENCY OR SUITABILITY OF ANY
TECHNICAL OR OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED IN ITS MANUALS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION.
(b) ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE, WHETHER 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
October 2005 Revision B
Part Number
975-0176-01-01
Contact Information
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web: www.xantrex.com/support
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page ii Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Important Safety Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Additional Safety Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3. Digital Inverter Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
AC (Front) Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
DC (Back) Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Digital Display (Top) Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Types of Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4. Connecting the Digital Inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Choosing a Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Connecting for Loads Under 150 W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Connecting for Loads Over 150 W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5. Operating the Digital Inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Operating Conditions and Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Shutting the inverter off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Operating normal loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Operating loads with high surge requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Contents
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page iii Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

iv
6. Maintaining Battery Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
7. Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Common Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Buzz in audio systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Television interference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Troubleshooting Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
8. Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
9. Warranty and Return. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
10. Other Xantrex Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page iv Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

1
1 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the XPower Digital Inverter 200 W, 400 W,
800 W. These Digital Inverters are part of a family of advanced high-
performance power inverters from Xantrex, the leader in high frequency
inverter design.
Connected to the 12 volt outlet in your car, truck, boat, RV, or directly
from a dedicated 12 V battery (400 and 800 W only), the Digital
Inverter efficiently and reliably powers a wide variety of household AC
products, such as portable stereos, laptop computers, TVs, VCRs, and
other similar products.
The Digital Inverter uses 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:
• Low battery alarm
• Low voltage shutdown
• High voltage shutdown
• Overload shutdown
• Overheating shutdown
• Short-circuit protection
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page 1 Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

2
About This Guide
To get the best performance from your Digital Inverter, we recommend
that you read this guide before connecting and using the Digital
Inverter. Save this guide for future reference.
This guide contains:
• Important safety information (page 3)
• Digital Inverter features (page 6)
• Instructions for connecting the inverter (page 14)
• Operating guidelines (page 19)
• Troubleshooting information (page 26)
• Specifications (page 31)
• Warranty and service information (page 33)
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page 2 Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

3
2 Important Safety Information
Misusing or incorrectly connecting the Digital Inverter 200 W, 400 W,
800 W 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 unit or
other equipment.
Warnings and Cautions
WARNING: Shock hazard
Keep children away from the Digital Inverter inverter. The inverter
generates the same potentially lethal AC power as a normal household
wall outlet. Treat the outlet with respect!
WARNING: Heated surface
The Digital Inverter 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.
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page 3 Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

4
WARNING: Explosion hazard
Do not use the Digital Inverter 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 Digital Inverter 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.
WARNING: Crash hazard
Vehicle drivers should not configure or troubleshoot the Digital Inverter
while they are driving the vehicle.
CAUTION: Output non-sinusoidal
Some chargers for small nickel-cadmium batteries can be damaged if
connected to the Digital Inverter. 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.
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page 4 Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

5
Additional Safety Guidelines
• Do not insert foreign objects in the Digital Inverter outlets or
ventilation openings.
• Never connect the inverter to power utility AC distribution wiring.
• Do not use the Digital Inverter in temperatures over 100° F (40° C).
• Do not expose the Digital Inverter to water, rain, snow, or spray.
Failure to follow these safety guidelines may cause personal injury and/
or damage to the Digital Inverter. It may also void your product
warranty.
CAUTION
Do not connect live AC power to the Digital Inverter’s AC outlets. The
inverter will be damaged even if it is turned off.
Do not connect any AC load that has its neutral conductor connected to
ground to the Digital Inverter.
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page 5 Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM

6
3 Digital Inverter Features
This section describes the main features of the Digital Inverter.
AC (Front) Panel
Figure 1 shows the AC panel of the 200 W unit.
Figure 1 AC Panel of 200 W unit
An AC receptacle is located on one end of the 200 W unit. You can plug
in 120 V appliances with a combined total continuous power
consumption of 160 W or less when the inverter is turned on.
CAUTION
To prevent overheating, ensure that all the ventilation openings on the
unit are kept clear.
OUTPUT: 115 VAC 60 HZ
160 W/1.4A Continuous
XP_Digital_200-400-800.book Page 6 Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:51 PM