Vector VEC043, 750 Watt Power Inverter Owner's Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

& WARRANTY INFORMATION

THIS MANUAL CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING SAFETY,
OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE OF THIS PRODUCT. BEFORE USING,
READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL CAUTIONS, WARNINGS, INSTRUCTIONS AND
PRODUCT LABELS, PLUS YOUR VEHICLE'S BATTERY MANUFACTURER GUIDELINES.
FAILURE TO DO SO COULD RESULT IN INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

4140 SW 28th Way, FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33312

Tel [phone] • TOLL FREE: 866-584-5504 • Fax [phone]

www.vectormfg.com

VEC043

750 WATT

POWER INVERTER

NEW

SOFT START

TECHNOLOGY

1500 WATT PEAK

IMPOR

TANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

To ensure reliable service, your power inverter must be installed and used properly.
Please read the installation and operating instructions thoroughly prior to installation
and use. Pay particular attention to the WARNING and CAUTION statements in this
manual. The CAUTION statements advise against certain conditions and practices
that may result in damage to your inverter. The WARNING statements identify
conditions or practices that may result in personal injury.

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING THIS POWER INVERTER!

WARNINGS

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK, EXPLOSION OR INJURY:

• Do not connect to AC distribution wiring

• Remove appliance plug from outlet strip or turn off inverter before
working on the appliance. Multiple outlet power strips with switches
and circuit breakers only interrupt power to the "hot" receptacle
terminals. The "neutral" terminals remain powered with respect to
the "ground" terminals

• Do not make any electrical connections or disconnections in areas
designated as IGNITION PROTECTED. This includes 12 volt DC plug
connections, and ring terminal connections

• This is not a toy - keep away from children

CAUTIONS

• Do not use with positive ground electrical systems (the majority of
modern automobiles, RVs, trucks and boats are negative ground).
Reverse polarity connection will result in a blown fuse and may cause
permanent damage to the inverter and will void warranty

• This inverter will not operate high wattage appliances or equipment
that produce heat, such as hair dryers, microwave ovens and toasters

• Grounding the Neutral will cause the inverter to shut down. Do not
operate this inverter if it is wet. Do not install in engine compartment ­install in a well ventilated area

• This inverter is not tested for use with medical devices.

Important Cable Information Substantial power loss and reduced battery operating
time results from inverters installed with cables that are not able to supply full
power. Symptoms of low battery power can result from cables that are either
excessively long or an insufficient gauge. Therefore, the installer/operator should
be especially aware of the requirements to maintain secure, tight, water-resistant
electrical connections and to provide for strain relief for DC cables and appliance
wiring. Cable insulation must be the appropriate type for the environment.

2

CONTENTS

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2. Controls, indicators and connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,5

3. How your inverter works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3.1 Principal of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3.2 The Maxx 750 output waveform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 6

4. Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

4.1 Power source requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

4.2 Connection to power source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7

4.3 Connection to load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

4.4 Placement of inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

5. Operating tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

5.1 Rated versus actual current draw of equipment . . . . . . . . 9

5.2 Battery operating time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

6. Protective features of inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 10

7. Common problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

8. Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

9. Fuse replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

10. Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

11. Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 13

3

1. INTRODUCTION

Your new Vector MAXX 750 SST inverter is one in a series of the most advanced
DC to AC inverters available. With proper care and appropriate usage, it will
give you years of dependable service in your car, truck, RV or boat.

The MAXX 750 SST supplies 750 watts of continuous power, with a 1500 watt
peak, in the form of three household-type outlets that are ready to deliver 110 volt
AC power whenever and wherever you need it! The heavy-duty inverter has
enough power to run most household or electronic appliances. It also comes
equipped with battery clips to handle higher amperage/load applications, such as
power tools, stereo amplifiers, vacuums, etc. Added safety features include automatic
shutdown and a low battery alarm to prevent damage to your battery.

This power inverter is configured with the latest Soft Start Technology (SST). Before
introduction of soft-start, high start-up currents from large inductive loads could
shut down the inverter. Soft start improves inverter operation. Three major features
incorporated in SST include: first, gradual voltage ramp-up during inverter start-up.
This eliminates failed cold starts under load. Second, output that momentarily dips in
voltage and quickly recovers to allow large motorized loads to start. This eliminates
almost all shutdowns from momentary overloads. Last, the inverter automatically
re-starts when an overload that causes inverter shutdown is removed. Previously,
manual reset was required.

This power inverter also incorporates a new cooling technology that directly benefits
our customers. The new design more efficiently cools the power transistors, and
combined with soft start, dramatically increases reliability and the life of the product.

2. CONTROLS, INDICATORS AND CONNECTORS

Figure 1 details the front panel of the inverter. The front panel provides two LED
indicators. A green LED shows proper operation when lit. The red LED shows inverter
shutdown from overload, over voltage or over temperature. Power is supplied through
two grounded standard North American outlets. Outlets accommodate either two or
three pin AC plugs. An ON/OFF switch turns the inverter circuitry ON and OFF. The
switch is used to force a reset of inverter circuits if it is switched OFF, then ON.

FIGURE 1

4

RED SHUT DOWN LED

ON/OFF SWITCH

TWO 110 RECEPTACLES

GREEN OPERATING LED

FIGURE 2 - Shows location of the cooling fan and DC terminals

3. HOW YOUR VECTOR INVERTER WORKS

The inverter converts low voltage DC (direct current) from a battery or other power
source to standard 110 volt AC (alternating current) household power.

3.1 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

The inverter converts power in two stages. The first stage is a DC-to-DC conver­sion process that raises the low voltage DC at the inverter input to 145 volts DC.
The second stage is the actual inverter stage that converts the high voltage DC into
110 volts, 60 Hz AC.

The DC-to-DC converter stage uses modern high frequency power conversion
techniques that have replaced the bulky transformers found in less technological­ly-advanced models. The inverter stage uses advanced power MOSFET transistors
in a full bridge configuration. This ensures excellent overload capability and the
ability to operate reactive loads like small induction motors.

FIGURE 3 - Principle of Operation

5

12VDC TO

145VDC

CONVERSION

145VDC TO

110VAC

CONVERSION

Internal

Fuses

Two AC

Outlets

12VDC

Input

110 VAC, 60Hz
To AC Appliances

3.2 THE MAXX 750SST OUTPUT WAVEFORM

The AC output waveform of the MAXX 750 SST is known as “modified sine wave”.
It is a waveform that has characteristics similar to the sine wave shape of utility
power. This type of waveform is suitable for most AC loads, including linear and
switching power supplies used in electronic equipment, transformers, and motors.

HIGH SPEED COOLING FAN

(+) DC POWER CONNECTION(–) DC POWER CONNECTION