Customer Assistance
A1
English
Our Thanks To You
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Cobra®CPI 1500
inverter. Properly used, this Cobra®product
will give you many years of reliable service.
How Your Cobra®Power Inverter Works
The Cobra®Power Inverter is an electronic product that
has been designed and built to take low voltage DC (Direct
Current) power from your automobile or other low voltage
power supplies and CONVERT it to standard 115 volt AC
(Alternating Current) power like the current you have in
your home. This conversion process thereby allows you
to use many of your household appliances and electronic
products in automobiles, RVs, boats, tractors, trucks and
virtually anywhere else.
Customer Assistance
Should you encounter any problems with this product,
or not understand its many features, please refer to this
owner’s manual. If you require further assistance after
reading this manual, Cobra®Electronics offers the
following customer assistance services:
For Assistance In the U.S.A.
Automated Help Desk English only.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week 773-889-3087 (phone).
Customer Assistance Operators English and Spanish.
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday
(except holidays) 773-889-3087 (phone).
Questions English and Spanish.
Faxes can be received at 773-622-2269 (fax).
Technical Assistance English only.
www.cobra.com (on-line: Frequently Asked Questions).
English and Spanish. productinfo@cobra.com (e-mail).
For Assistance Outside the U.S.A.
Contact Your Local Dealer
©2003 Cobra®Electronics Corporation
6500 West Cortland Street
Chicago, Illinois 60707 USA
www.cobra.com
Operating Instructions
Nothing Comes Close To A Cobra
™
English
1500 WATT POWER INVERTER
CPI 1500
Printed in China
Part No. 480-059-P
A3
English
A2
English
Controls/Indicators
and Product Features
Introduction Introduction
On/Off Power
Switch
Remote
On/Off
Switch
Jack
AC Outlets
Current
Meter
Positive Battery
Cable Terminal
(Red)
Negative Battery
Cable Terminal
(Black)
Ground
Terminal
Cooling Fans
Table of Contents
Introduction
Our Thanks to You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1
Controls and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Product Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Important Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Quick Evaluation Before Installation . . . . . . .4
Installation
Installation Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Connecting Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Power Consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Ground Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Operation
Turning Your Inverter On or Off . . . . . . . . 14
Remote On/Off Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Power and Protection Indicators . . . . . . . 16
Operating Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Troubleshooting Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Warranty
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Customer Assistance
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Product Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Accessories and Order Form . . . . . . . . . . 22
Features
• Three AC Receptacles
• Current Meter
• Remote On/Off Capable
• Automatic Thermal
Protection/Shutdown
• Reverse Polarity
Protection
• Low Battery Alarm
• Low Battery Shutdown
Power & Protection
Indicators
1
Nothing comes close to a Cobra
™
Introduction
Important Safety
Information
Important Safety Information
•
Before installing and using your Cobra®Power Inverter,
please read these general precautions and warnings.
Caution and Warning Statements
To make the most of this inverter, it must be installed
and used properly. Please read the installation and
operating instructions carefully before installing and
using it. Special attention must be paid to the CAUTION
and WARNING statements in the manual.
CAUTION Statements specify conditions which
could cause damage to the unit or other equipment.
WARNING Statements identify conditions that
could result in personal injury or loss of life.
General Precautions
1. Never install the inverter in a boat’s engine compartment
where gas and battery fumes are present.
2. Do not operate the inverter if it has been dropped
or damaged in any way.
3. Do not open the inverter; it contains no userserviceable parts. Attempting to service unit
could cause electrical shock.
NOTE Internal components remain
charged after all power is disconnected.
4. Do not expose the inverter to rain, snow,
bilge water or spray.
5. Do not obstruct the ventilation openings.
6. Do not install the inverter in zero-clearance
compartment.
CAUTION This inverter should be used in
negative ground applications only.
Continued…
3
Nothing comes close to a Cobra
™
2
English
Important Safety
Information
Introduction
WARNING Power inverters contain components
that tend to produce arcs or sparks. To prevent
fire or explosion, do not install the inverter in
areas or compartments containing batteries or
flammable materials or in locations that require
ignition-protected equipment.
WARNING To reduce the risk of fire, do not cover
or obstruct the ventilation openings. Do not install
inverter in zero-clearance compartment.
Caution: Rechargeable Appliances
Certain chargers for small nickel cadmium batteries
can be damaged if connected to the Cobra®1500W
inverter. Two (2) particular types of equipment are
prone to this problem:
1. Small battery-operated appliances
such as flashlights, razors, and
night lights that can be plugged
directly into an AC receptacle to
recharge.
2. 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 battery terminals.
This problem does not occur with the vast majority of
battery operated equipment. Most use a separate charger
or transformer that is plugged into the AC receptacle and
produces a low voltage output. If the label on the AC
adapter or charger states that it produces a low voltage
AC or DC output (less than 30 volts), the inverter will
have no problem powering the adapter safely.
Cobra®1500W Output Waveform
Some very sensitive electronic equipment may not
operate satisfactory on “square wave” or “modified
sine wave.” The output waveform is referred to as
“square wave” or “modified sine wave.” It is a stepped
waveform designed to have characteristics similar
to the sine wave shape of utility power. A waveform
of this nature is suitable for most AC loads (including
linear and switching power suppliers used in electronic
equipment, transformers and motors).
Important Safety
Information
Introduction
Plug In Directly
Dangerous Voltages
5
Nothing comes close to a Cobra
™
4
English
Quick Evaluation
Before Installation
Introduction
Quick Evaluation
Before Installation
Introduction
Quick Evaluation Before Installation
•
This section provides you with basic information about the
inverter and how to check its performance before installation.
Be Sure to Have on Hand:
A 12 volt DC power source (such as a vehicle battery).
The power source must provide
between 11 and 15 volts DC and
be able to supply enough current to
run the test load. As a rough guide,
divide the wattage of the test load by
10 to get the current (in amperes)
the power source must deliver.
Cables to connect the power source to the inverter
(not included).
The cables must be as short and thick as possible in
order to reduce the voltage drop between the power
source and the inverter when it is drawing current
from the power source.
If the cable suffers an excessive voltage drop, the inverter
may shut down when drawing higher currents because
the voltage at the inverter dropped below 10 volts.
#4 AWG stranded copper cable is recommended.
It should be no longer than 1.5 meters (4 ft.).
The end of the cable that connects to the inverter must
have its insulation stripped off for about 1⁄2 inch (1.25
cm) back from the end, exposing the bare copper.
The other end of the cable, which connects to the power
source, must be terminated with a lug or other connector
that provides a secure, low resistance connection.
For example, if the power source is a battery, the cable
must be terminated with a battery terminal that clamps
to the post on the battery.
A test load that can be plugged into the AC receptacle on
the inverter for short term testing at a low power level.
The following cables are recommended for testing low
power level test loads only.
Test Load Minimum
Power Cable Size
100w # 16 AWG copper
250w # 12 AWG copper
500w # 8 AWG copper
To Check Your Inverter's Performance Before Installation:
1. Turn the inverter Off (see page 14
for details). If the power source is
a DC power supply, switch it Off
as well.
2. Connect cables to Power Input
Terminals (see page 8 for details).
3. Connect cables to power source
(see page 8 for details).
4. Check to make sure all
connections are secure.
5. Turn the inverter On. If the power
source is a DC power supply,
switch it On first.
6. Plug in the test load.
The inverter should supply power
to the load. If the inverter is not
working properly, refer to the
Troubleshooting Guide on page 18
or Power and Protection Indicators
section on page 16.
Power Supply
Test Load
On/Off Switch to Off
Connect Terminals
Connect Power Source
On/Off Switch to On
Connect Test Load
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