Xantrex XPower 500 User manual

Xantrex Inverter 500
Owner’s Guide
445-0140-01-01 Printed in China
Web: www.xantrex.com
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Phone: [phone] (toll free in North America)
Fax: [phone]
Fax: [phone] (toll free in North America)

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 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
Xantrex is a registered trademark of Xantrex Technology Inc.
© 2001 Xantrex International. All rights reserved.
Notice of Copyright
Xantrex Inverter 500 Owner’s Guide © September 2001 Xantrex
International.
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.While every precaution has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the contents of this guide, Xantrex International assumes no
responsibility for errors or omissions. Note as well that specifications
and product functionality may change without notice.
Date and Revision
October 2001, Revision 3
Part Number
445-0140-01-01
Contact Information
Web: www.xantrex.com
Email: CustomerServic[email protected]om
Phone: [phone]
Phone: [phone] (toll free in North America)
Fax: [phone]
Fax: [phone] (toll free in North America)

Contents
i
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2. Important Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3. Xantrex 500 Inverter Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
AC Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4. Connecting the 500 Inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Choosing a Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Fastening the Inverter to a Mounting Surface . . . . . . . 8
Connecting the 500 Inverter to DC Power . . . . . . . . . 9
Using the Battery Clip Wire Assembly. . . . . . . . . . 11
Hardwiring the Inverter to the Battery . . . . . . . . . . 13
Disconnecting the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Replacing the In-Line Fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
5. Operating the 500 Inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Operating Statuses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Interference With Electronic Equipment. . . . . . . . . 18
6. Battery Operating Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
7. Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
8. Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Returning a Product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
To Place of Purchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
To Xantrex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Out-of-Warranty Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
9. Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Regulatory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

ii

1 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Xantrex 500 Inverter. The
500 Inverter is part of a family of advanced, high-
performance power inverters from Xantrex, the leader in the
field of high-frequency inverter design.
Connected directly to a 12 volt battery, the 500 Inverter
efficiently and reliably powers a wide variety of household
AC products, such as TVs and VCRs, laptop computers,
camcorder and cell phone chargers, compact fluorescent
lights, soldering irons, and small power tools.
The 500 Inverter uses reliable solid state power electronics
for years of safe, trouble-free operation and includes
automatic safety monitoring circuitry to protect it from
inadvertent overload conditions.
Read this guide before connecting or using the 500 Inverter,
and save it for future reference. The main topics in the guide
are:
• Safety information (page 2)
• 500 Inverter features (page 5)
• Instructions for connecting the inverter (page 9)
• Operating guidelines (page 16)
• Troubleshooting information (page 20)
• Warranty and service information (page 23)
• Specifications (page 27)

2
2 Important Safety Information
If the 500 Inverter is connected or used incorrectly,
hazardous conditions may be created. Read and save this
safety information, and pay special attention to all Caution
and Warning statements in the guide and on the inverter
itself. Warnings and Cautions are indicated by this symbol:
•Warning statements identify conditions that could
result in personal injury or loss of life.
•Caution statements identify conditions or practices that
could result in damage to the 500 Inverter or other
equipment.
Warnings and Cautions
Warning! Shock hazard.
The 500 Inverter generates the same potentially
lethal AC power as a household wall outlet. Do not
insert foreign objects in the inverter’s AC outlet or
any other openings in the inverter. Do not open the
inverter. Have a qualified individual complete any
service work.
Warning! Shock hazard.
Do not expose the 500 Inverter to water, rain,
snow, or spray.

3
Warning! Risk of fire or explosion.
The 500 Inverter contains components that tend to
produce arcs or sparks. To prevent fire or
explosion, do not install the inverter in
compartments containing batteries or flammable
materials or in locations that require ignition-
protected equipment.
Warning! Fire hazard.
To reduce the risk of fire, do not cover or obstruct
the ventilation openings. Do not install the
500 Inverter in a zero-clearance compartment.
Overheating may result.
Warning! Shock and fire hazard.
During installation route all cable/wiring away
from sharp edges and hot surfaces of the engine
compartment or vehicle.
Caution! Risk of damage to equipment.
The 500 Inverter is designed to be directly
connected to standard electrical and electronic
equipment in the manner described in this guide.
Do not connect it to household or RV AC
distribution wiring. Do not connect it to any AC
load circuit in which the neutral conductor is
connected to ground (earth) or to the negative of
the DC (battery) source.

4
Caution! Risk of damage to the 500 Inverter.
Reverse battery polarity (negative connected to
positive; positive connected to negative) will
damage the 500 Inverter, and it will require
servicing. Damage caused by reverse polarity is
not covered by your warranty.
Caution! Risk of damage to rechargeable
appliances.
The output of the 500 Inverter is non-sinusoidal.
Certain battery chargers can be damaged if they are
connected to the 500 Inverter. Two particular types
of equipment are prone to this problem:
• Small battery-operated appliances such as
rechargeable flashlights, shavers, and night
lights that can be plugged directly into an AC
receptacle to recharge.
• Certain battery chargers for battery packs used
in hand power tools. These chargers have a
warning label stating that dangerous voltages
are present at the charger battery terminals.
Do not use the 500 Inverter with the type of
appliances just described.
Caution! Risk of damage due to high
temperatures.
Do not use the 500 Inverter in temperatures over
40° C (105° F). Overheating may result.

5
3 Xantrex 500 Inverter Features
This section describes the main features of the 500 Inverter.
Figure 1 shows the inverter’s AC panel.
Figure 1 AC Panel on the 500 Inverter (European AC Outlet)
➀ AC Outlet An AC outlet is located on one end of the
inverter. It allows you to plug in a 230 volt AC product with
a power consumption of 500 watts or less when the inverter
is connected to a 12 volt battery.
The AC outlet on your inverter may be different from the
one shown here. For all available outlets, see Figure 2,
Figure 3, and Figure 4, on page 7.
➁ On/Standby Switch The two positions on the On/Standby
switch are: = Standby and = On.
①②③④
➄