Xantrex 250 User manual

Owner’s Guide
tel: [phone]
fax: [phone]
email: [email protected]
web: www.xantrex.com
445-0123-01-01 Printed in China

About Xantrex
Xantrex Technology Inc. is a world-leading supplier of advanced power electronics with a
product line that ranges from 50-watt mobile units to 1 W 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
Jazz, PORTAWATTZ, TRUECHARGE and xPower are trademarks and PROsine is a
registered trademark of Xantrex International. Xantrex is a registered trademark of
Xantrex Technology Inc.
© 2001 Xantrex International. All rights reserved.
Notice of Copyright
Jazz Portable Power 250 Owners Guide © arch 2001 Xantrex International.
Disclaimer
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
arch 2001, Revision 1
Part Number
445-0123-01-01
Contact nformation
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.xantrex.com

Contents
1 Introduction ............................................................................ 1
2 Safety First  .......................................................................... 2
3 Quick Start Guide .................................................................... 3
3.1 Overview ............................................................................ 3
3.2 An Explanation of Power Ratings and Battery Life ............... 4
3.3 Operating AC Ele tri al Produ ts ......................................... 4
3.4 Operating 12-Volt DC Produ ts ........................................... 5
3.5 Re harging Jazz Portable Power 250 .................................. 5
3.6 Using Jazz Portable Power 250 to Jump-Start a Vehi le ...... 5
4 Indicators, Controls and Connectors ....................................... 6
4.1 Battery Level Indi ators ...................................................... 6
4.2 Re harge Indi ator ............................................................. 6
4.3 Vehi le-Jump Start Indi ators .............................................. 7
4.4 Charger Input So ket ......................................................... 7
4.5 DC Power So ket ............................................................... 7
4.6 AC Outlet .......................................................................... 7
4.7 AC Outlet Swit h ............................................................... 8
4.8 Audio Alarm ....................................................................... 8
4.9 Jumper Cable Port .............................................................. 8
5 owering AC Electrical roducts .............................................. 9
5.1 General Information ........................................................... 9
5.2 Conne ting Your AC Ele tri al Produ ts .............................. 9
5.3 Automati Overload, Overheating, and Low Battery
Prote tion ........................................................................ 10
5.4 Interferen e with Ele troni Equipment ........................... 11
5.4.1 Buzzing Sound in Audio Systems ........................ 11
5.4.2 Television Interference ...................................... 11
5.5 AC Produ t Operating Times ............................................ 12

6 owering 12-Volt DC roducts .............................................. 13
6.1 Conne ting 12-Volt DC Produ ts ....................................... 13
6.2 Built-in Fluores ent Light .................................................. 13
6.3 DC Produ t Operating Times ............................................ 14
7 Vehicle or Boat Engine Starting Assistance ........................... 15
7.1 Jump-Starting Dire t to the Battery .................................. 15
7.2 Jump-Starting via a Vehi les Lighter So ket ...................... 16
8 Recharging Jazz ortable ower 250 .................................... 17
8.1 General Information on Batteries and Charging ................. 17
8.1.1 Ch rging Options ............................................... 17
8.1.2 B ttery Self-Disch rge nd Shelf Life .................. 17
8.2 Re harging with the AC Charger ....................................... 17
8.3 Re harging from Your Vehi le ............................................ 18
8.4 Re harging with a Generators 12-Volt DC Power Outlet ... 19
8.5 Re harging with a Solar Panel ........................................... 19
9 Connecting to an External Battery ......................................... 20
9.1 Extended Operating Time ................................................ 20
9.2 Conne ting an External Battery ........................................ 20
10 Battery Replacement ............................................................. 21
10.1 General Information About Battery Life ............................ 21
10.2 Repla ing Jazz Portable Power 250s Internal Battery ........ 21
10.3 Obtaining a Repla ement Battery ..................................... 23
11 Troubleshooting .................................................................... 24
12 Specifications* ...................................................................... 26
13 Limited Warranty (USA and Canada only) and Out-of-Warranty
Service Information .............................................................. 27
14 Other roducts from Xantrex ................................................. 29

1
1 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing Jazz Portable Power 250, your source for Power
That Really Mo es. Easy to use and designed for years of reliable ser ice,
Portable Power 250 can run a wide ariety of AC electrical products where er
you need household power for work or play. In addition, its the product to
ha e close at hand should your power go out at home or you need to jump-
start a ehicle.
Read this guide before using Portable Power 250 and save it for future
reference.
Be sure to charge Portable Power 250 immediately after purchase (see Section
8). Its automatic charging system is intended to be left permanently plugged
into a household AC outlet to keep its battery fully charged and ready for use.

2
2 Safety First 
Misuse of Portable Power 250 may result in danger to the user. We urge you to
pay special attention to all CAUTION and WARNING statements. CAUTION
statements identify conditions or practices that may result in damage to
Portable Power 250 or to other equipment. WARNING statements identify
conditions that may result in personal injury or loss of life.
WARNING! Sho k hazard. Keep away from hildren.
 This produ t generates the same potentially lethal AC power as
a normal household wall outlet. Treat it with the same respe t
that you would any AC outlet.
 Do not insert any obje ts into its AC outlet, DC Power So ket,
the Jumper Cable Port, or the ventilation holes. Do not expose
this produ t to water.
 Do not, under any ir umstan es, onne t Portable Power 250s
AC re epta le to utility power AC distribution wiring.
 Failure to follow the above safety instru tions may result in
personal injury and/or damage to the produ t.
WARNING! Explosion hazard.
 Do not use this produ t where there are flammable fumes or
gases, su h as in the bilge of a gasoline powered boat, or near
propane tanks. Do not use this produ t in an en losure
ontaining automotive-type lead a id batteries. These
batteries, unlike the sealed battery in Portable Power 250, vent
explosive hydrogen gas whi h an be ignited by sparks from
ele tri al onne tions.
 When working on ele tri al equipment, always ensure someone
is nearby to help you in an emergen y.
WARNING! Heated surfa e.
 Ensure at least 2 in (5 m) air spa e is maintained on all sides of
the unit. During operation, keep away from materials that may
be affe ted by high temperatures su h as blankets, pillows and
sleeping bags.
CAUTION
 Do not onne t any AC load, whose neutral ondu tor is
onne ted to ground, to this produ t.
 Do not expose Portable Power 250 to temperatures in ex ess
of 104°F (40°C).

3
3 Quick Start Guide
3.1 Overview
The following instructions provide a brief overview of Portable
Power 250s key features. For complete information be sure to
read this manual fully. The diagram below presents product
features and accessories.
Figure 1 - Portable Power 250s Key Features

4
3.2 An Explanation of Power Ratings and
Battery Life
AC powered products are rated by how much electrical power
(in watts) they consume. Portable Power 250s internal AC
in erter is capable of generating a maximum of 250 watts to
power AC products plugged into its AC receptacle. As an
example, a lamp with a 40 watt bulb can be operated from
Portable Power 250 for up to 3 hours when its internal battery is
fully charged.
12-volt DC auto and arine accessories are generally rated
according to how much electrical current (in amperes or
amps) they draw from the battery. The built-in 12- olt
fluorescent light draws less than 0.7 amps and will operate up
to 23 hours with both bulbs illuminated, or about 46 hours with
one bulb illuminated before the internal battery needs
recharging. Portable Power 250 can supply up to 12 amps from
its DC Power Socket.
Re e ber: The fewer watts an AC product uses, or the fewer
amps a DC accessory draws, the longer Portable Power 250 will
operate before recharging is required.
3.3 Operating AC Electrical Prod cts
1. Ensure the internal battery is fully charged. (See Section
8 for details.)
2. Turn the AC in erter switch ON. The switch illuminates
to indicates AC power is a ailable at the AC outlet.
3. Plug the AC product you wish to operate into the AC
outlet and switch the product ON. Portable Power 250
will operate most de ices rated up to 230 watts.
4. In the e ent of an o erload, low battery oltage, or
o erheating, the AC in erter will automatically shut
down. (See Section 5.3 for details.)
5. Fully recharge the internal battery as soon as possible
after each use.

5
3.4 Operating 12-Volt DC Prod cts
1. Ensure the internal battery is fully charged. (See Section
8 for details.)
2. Plug the accessory into the DC Power Socket, and switch
the accessory on (if required). Portable Power 250 will
operate any 12- olt DC auto or marine accessory that
draws 12 amps or less.
3. Because the DC Power Socket is internally wired direct to
the internal battery, extended operation of a 12- olt
accessory may result in excessi e battery discharge.
I portant: Care must be taken to ensure the battery does
not become totally discharged. (See Section 6.1 for
details.)
3.5 Recharging Jazz Portable Power 250
1. The batterys charge le el may be seen by pressing the
Battery Status Button on the front of the product.
2. To recharge, plug the AC Charger into a household AC
outlet and plug the AC Charger cord into the Charger
Input Socket located below the AC outlet. The Recharge
Indicator will change from amber to green when charging
is complete (about 35 hours). It is safe (and
recommended) to lea e the AC Charger connected when
Portable Power 250 is stored.
3. Charging may also be done from the 12- olt outlet or
lighter socket in a ehicle. (See Section 8.3 for details.)
3.6 Using Jazz Portable Power 250 to J mp-
Start a Vehicle
Please re iew Section 7 for a detailed explanation.

6
4 Indicators, Controls and Connectors
Refer to Figure 1 in Section 3.1 and in Figure 2 below for the location of items
described in this section.
4.1 Battery Level Indicators
The Battery Level Indicators show the state of charge of the
internal battery. Its function is similar to the fuel gauge in a car.
When pressing and holding the Battery Status Button one or
more of the four lights will illuminate showing the approximate
amount of charge remaining in the battery. Figure 3 shows the
function of each light:
When the battery is fully charged all four lights will illuminate.
When discharged (empty) only the red light will illuminate and
the battery must be recharged promptly. Figure 3 shows the
battery is approximately ¾ full.
Battery condition is indicated most accurately when the battery
has been unused for 15 minutes. Pressing the Battery Status
Button while supplying power to an AC or DC product may
result in false battery charge level reading.
4.2 Recharge Indicator
The Recharge Indicator operates only when the battery is
being recharged through the Charger Input Socket. It will not
operate when other charging methods are used. When
Figure 2 - Portable Power 250s Display Panel
Figure 3

7
charging the battery with the AC Charger, this light will glow
amber, then change to green when the battery is fully charged.
Once fully charged, the charging circuitry automatically
switches into its charge maintenance mode.
4.3 Vehicle-J mp Start Indicators
There are two indicators that pertain to the ehicle jump-start
feature; one is labeled Battery Clips Correct and the other is
labeled Battery Clips Incorrect. When using the Jump-Start
Cables supplied, the green Battery Clips Correct light will
illuminate when the Jump-Start Cables are correctly connected
to the positi e and negati e terminals of the ehicle battery
you want to boost. If the Jump-Start Cables are not correctly
connected to the battery terminals, the red Battery Clips
Incorrect light will illuminate and the alarm will sound.
Portable Power 250 can detect a re erse polarity condition
caused by incorrectly connecting the Jump-Start Cables to a
battery and automatically cancel the flow of current through
the Jump-Start Cables. This important feature pre ents
sparking at the battery terminals and potential damage to your
ehicles electrical system. (See Section 7.1.)
4.4 Charger Inp t Socket
The AC Charger supplied connects to this socket when
recharging is required. Other low power charging de ices can
also be connected here. (See Sections 8.2 and 8.5 for full
details.)
4.5 DC Power Socket
The DC Power Socket is a cigarette lighter style connector used
for powering 12- olt DC auto or marine products, and for
recharging Portable Power 250 from a 12- olt outlet in a ehicle.
(See Sections 6 and 8.3.)
4.6 AC O tlet
The integrated AC in erter con erts 12 olts DC (supplied by
the internal battery) to 110 olts AC. A standard 3-prong AC
outlet supplies this 110 olts AC power for running your AC
electrical products. See Section 5 for complete details on using
the AC in erter.

8
4.7 AC O tlet Switch
The AC outlet has an ON/OFF switch (located abo e the AC
outlet) which illuminates when the switch is turned on
indicating power is a ailable at the AC outlet.
4.8 A dio Alarm
Three types of conditions will set off the audio alarm. A low
battery oltage condition, an o er-temperature condition, and a
re erse polarity connection. (See Sections 4.3 and 5.3.)
4.9 J mper Cable Port
The Jumper Cable Port supplies high-power DC current and is
located on the lower left side of the unit. This port is wired
directly to the internal battery. The Jump-Start Cables supplied
connect to the Jumper Cable Port when you need to boost a
vehicles starting battery. e sure to read Section 7 for full
details before attempting to jump-start a vehicle. This port can
also be used to connect an external battery to Portable Power
250 to increase operating time. See Section 9 for more
information.

9
5 Powerin AC Electrical Products
5.1 General Information
Portable Power 250 is capable of powering most 110- olt AC
products and equipment that use 230 watts or less. Its AC
output wa eform, called a quasi-sine wa e or modified sine
wa e, is designed to function similarly to the sine wa e shape
of utility power.
CAUTION: Do not use Portable Power 250 with the
following equipment:
 Small battery operated produ ts su h as re hargeable
flashlights, some re hargeable shavers, and night-lights
that are plugged dire tly into an AC re epta le to
re harge.
 Certain battery hargers for battery pa ks used in hand
power tools. These hargers will have a warning label
stating that dangerous voltages are present at the
hargers battery terminals.
The power, or wattage, rating of AC products is the a erage
power they use. During the first moments after they are
switched on, many products such as tele isions, monitors, and
products with motors, consume much more power than their
a erage rating. Although this product can supply momentary
surge power greater than 250 watts, some products may exceed
its capabilities and trigger the in erters safety o erload
shutdown circuit. See details in Section 5.3 for the reset
procedure.
5.2 Connecting Yo r AC Electrical Prod cts
The following steps assume you ha e fully charged Portable
Power 250s battery. (See Section 8.)
1. Open the protecti e co ering on the units right side.
Turn on the AC Outlet ON/OFF Switch. In the ON state,
the switch illuminates indicating AC power is a ailable at
the AC outlet. See Figure 1 in Section 3.1.
2. Plug the AC product you wish to operate into the AC
outlet and switch the product on. The product should
operate normally, just as it would if plugged into a wall
receptacle.

10
3. As the AC product is operated, you can check the le el
of the battery as detailed in Section 4.1. This will gi e
you an idea of how much time remains until the battery
needs recharging.
4. When the battery becomes nearly discharged, or
empty, a low oltage warning will sound. This will gi e
you time to shut down a computer, for example. If this
warning is ignored, the in erter will switch off
automatically a few minutes later to pre ent battery
damage. (See Section 5.3 for full details.)
5. Fully recharge the internal battery as soon as possible
after each use. (See Section 8.)
5.3 A tomatic Overload, Overheating, and Low
Battery Protection
Portable Power 250s in erter has built-in protection against
output o erload and from o erheating. If an AC product rated
higher than 230 watts (or which draws excessi e surge power at
start up) is connected, or if the in erter exceeds a safe
temperature, power to the AC outlet will automatically shut off.
If an o er temperature condition caused the shut down, the
audio alarm will sound. To reset, unplug the product, turn off
the AC Power ON/OFF Switch, and let the in erter cool.
If an o erload condition caused the shut down, unplug the
product and confirm that the product power requirement is 230
watts or less before attempting to restart the product. In the
case of an extreme o erload, the 30-amp external fuse located
below the AC outlet will open. It will be necessary to replace
this fuse in order for power to flow to the AC outlet. Replace
only with a 30 A, 32 Vdc, automoti e blade type fuse which is
a ailable at many auto parts stores.
If the battery is allowed to discharge excessi ely, damage may
occur. To pre ent this, an audio warning alerts you when the
internal battery is nearly discharged (10.7 olts). If this warning
is ignored, the in erter will automatically switch off when the
battery reaches empty (10.0 olts). Promptly recharge the
battery. (See Section 8.)

11
5.4 Interference with Electronic Eq ipment
5.4.1 Buzzing Sound in Audio Systems
Some inexpensi e stereo systems and boom-boxes will
emit a buzzing sound from their loudspeakers when
operating from the AC outlet of Portable Power 250. This
is because the power supply in the equipment does not
adequately filter the modified sine wa e produced by the
AC in erter. Unless the stereo can be operated directly
from Portable Power 250s 12- olt DC Power Socket, the
only solution is a sound system with a higher quality
internal power filter.
5.4. Television Interference
Portable Power 250s AC in erter is shielded to minimize
interference with TV signals. In some cases, particularly
with weak TV signals, some interference may still be
isible in the form of scrolling lines across the screen. In
this case, take the following correcti e measures:
1. Use an extension cord to position Portable Power 250
as far away as possible from the tele ision, antenna
and cables.
2. Adjust the orientation of Portable Power 250,
tele ision, antenna and cables to minimize
interference.
3. Maximize TV signal strength by using a better
antenna, and ensure a shielded antenna cable is
used.
4. Try a different TV. Different models of TV sets ary
greatly in their susceptibility to interference.

12
5.5 AC Prod ct Operating Times
Below are examples of AC products that may be operated by
Portable Power 250 with estimated operating times.
(1) Represents actual power consumption as measured on sample
products.
(2) Operating times assume a fully charged battery and may vary based
on model/brand used.
Portable Power 250 will not operate AC products rated at more
than 230 watts continuous such as hair dryers microwave
ovens and toasters.
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13
6 Powerin 12-Volt DC Products
6.1 Connecting 12-Volt DC Prod cts
Portable Power 250 can operate any product that is intended to
run from a ehicles lighter socket. Simply insert the DC
products plug into the DC Power Socket located on the right
side of the unit. Portable Power 250s DC Power Socket will
operate any 12- olt DC auto, marine, or other portable 12- olt
product that draws 12 amps or less. Follow these steps after
fully charging Portable Power 250s battery. (See Section 8).
1. Plug the 12- olt product into the DC Power Socket, and
switch the product on (if required).
2. The 12- olt product will operate until the battery runs out
of power. Refer to step 4 (below) to a oid battery damage
due to excessi e discharge.
3. If the 12- olt product is drawing more than 12 amps (or
has a short circuit defect), Portable Power 250s internal
circuit breaker will switch off power to the 12- olt
product. If this occurs, unplug the 12- olt product and
the breaker will automatically reset after a few seconds.
4. The DC Power Socket does not automatically switch off
when the battery is discharged. To protect the battery
against damage resulting from total discharge, it is
strongly recommended that the AC in erter is switched
on, e en when powering a 12- olt product. This will
enable the in erters alarm to warn you when the 12- olt
product has nearly depleted the battery. The power used
by the in erter to monitor the batterys charge le el is
negligible.
5. Fully recharge Portable Power 250s battery as soon as
possible after each use. (See Section 8.)
6.2 B ilt-in Fl orescent Light
The switch to turn the fluorescent light on is located on the left
side of Portable Power 250, below the fluorescent light. Slide
the switch toward the right and stop at the first setting to
illuminate one tube or the second setting to illuminate both
tubes. With the internal battery fully charged, Portable Power
250 will illuminate both lamps for about 23 hours.

14
Should tube replacement be necessary first turn off the light
then remove the clear cover by grasping it on each side at the
top and pulling the top of the cover away from the unit. Gently
grasp the tube and rotate ¼ turn to remove. Insert the
replacement tube and rotate ¼ turn to lock in place. Attach
clear cover.
6.3 DC Prod ct Operating Times
Below are examples of DC products that may be operated by
Portable Power 250 with estimated operating times.
(1) Represents actual power consumption as measured on sample
products.
(2) Operating times assume a fully charged battery and may vary based
on model/brand used.
(3) Represents tal time available from 11 recharge cycles.
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15
7 Vehicle or Boat Engine Starting
Assistance
7.1 J mp-Starting Direct to the Battery
With the Jump-Start Cables supplied Portable Power 250 may
be used to jump-start a vehicle or boat that has a 12-volt
starting battery. Portable Power 250 has a special jump-start
safety feature that eliminates the sparking that sometimes
occurs when jump-start cables are connected to a battery.
Because of this important feature the instructions below are
different from those often supplied with other jump-start
products or booster cables. Follow these steps only when
using Portable Power 250:
1. Turn off the vehicle or boat ignition and all accessories.
2. Engage the park or emergency brake and place the
transmission in park or neutral.
3. If jump-starting a boat engine purge the engine
compartment and bilge of all fumes before jump-starting.
4. Connect the Jump-Start Cables to the Jumper Cable Port
on the left side of the unit. (See Figure 1.)
5. Position Portable Power 250 on a flat stable surface near
the battery and clear of all moving parts of the engine.
6. Connect the red positive (+) clip at the end of the Jump-
Start Cables to the positive (+) terminal of the engine
battery. The batterys positive terminal is usually larger
in diameter than the negative terminal. In most vehicles it
has a red wire connected to it.
7. Connect the black negative (-) clip at the end of the Jump-
Start Cables to the engine block cylinder head or other
stationary heavy metal part of the motor or to the
negative (-) battery terminal.
8. If the positive and negative clips are properly connected
the green Battery Clips Correct light will illuminate. If the
clips are not properly connected the Reverse Polarity
Alarm will sound and the red Battery Clips Incorrect light
will illuminate. Remove both clips to cancel the alarm and
repeat steps 6 and 7.

16
9. After the clips are properly connected and the green
Battery Clips Correct light is illuminated, make sure that
Portable Power 250 and the Jump-Start Cables are clear of
belts and fans before attempting to start the engine.
WARNING: Do not remove the Jump-Start Cables from
the Jumper Cable Port when the positive and negative
lips are onne ted to the vehi le battery terminals. This
will disable the jump-start safety feature and ould result in
sparking and explosion.
10. After the ehicle is started and while the cables are still
connected, you can run the ehicles engine at fast idle
for 2 minutes to fast-charge Portable Power 250s battery.
After recharging, remo e the red clip first and black clip
second. The Jump-Start Cables should be remo ed from
Portable Power 250 only after the clips are remo ed from
the battery terminals.
7.2 J mp-Starting via a Vehicles Lighter Socket
The following procedure is often sufficient to start a ehicle
when its battery is not completely dead.
1. Connect your ehicles cigarette lighter socket (or 12- olt
outlet) to Portable Power 250s DC Power Socket using
the DC Charging Cable supplied. You may need to switch
the ehicles ignition to the accessory position to allow
power to flow from the lighter socket to the ehicles
battery.
2. Wait 15 minutes while Portable Power 250 partially
charges your ehicles battery. Then remo e DC
Charging Cable from the Portable Power 250s DC Power
Socket and from the ehicles cigarette lighter socket.
3. If your ehicle does not start, attempt to jump-start as
described in Section 7.1.
4. Fully recharge the internal battery as soon as possible
after each use. (See Section 8.)