Xantrex Portawattz 1000 User Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction.................................................................................................................. 2

2. How Your Portawattz 1000 Works............................................................................. 2

2.1 Principle of Operation ........................................................................................ 3

2.2 Portawattz 1000 Output Waveform .................................................................... 3

3. Quick Checkout............................................................................................................ 4

3.1 Power Source......................................................................................................5

Battery............................................................................................................. 5

DC Power Supply ...........................................................................................5

3.2 Cables................................................................................................................. 5

3.3 Test Loads .......................................................................................................... 6

3.4 Connections........................................................................................................ 7

4. Installation.................................................................................................................... 8

4.1 Where to Install .................................................................................................. 8

4.2 Battery ................................................................................................................ 9

Battery Type.................................................................................................... 9

Battery Sizing................................................................................................11

Using Multiple Batteries............................................................................... 13

Battery Tips...................................................................................................14

Alternators and Charging Systems................................................................ 15

4.3 Cables............................................................................................................... 17

4.4 Connections...................................................................................................... 17

AC Connections............................................................................................ 17

Ground Wiring.............................................................................................. 19

DC Wiring.....................................................................................................20

5. Operation....................................................................................................................22

5.1 Controls and Indicators ....................................................................................22

5.2 Operating Limits...............................................................................................23

Power Output ................................................................................................ 23

Input Voltage ................................................................................................ 24

6. Troubleshooting..........................................................................................................25

6.1 Common Problems...........................................................................................25

Buzz in Audio Systems ................................................................................. 25

Television Interference.................................................................................. 25

6.2 Troubleshooting Guide..................................................................................... 26

7. Maintenance ............................................................................................................... 27

8. Limited Warranty ...................................................................................................... 28

9. Product Specifications................................................................................................30

9.1 Electrical Performance .....................................................................................30

9.2 Dimensions....................................................................................................... 30

10. Other Products From Statpower Technologies......................................................31

Portawattz is a trademark of Statpower Technologies Corporation. Copyright  1996, 1997, 1999 Statpower
Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved.

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1. Introduction

Your new Portawattz 1000 inverter is a member of the most advanced line of DC
to AC inverters available today. It will give you years of dependable service in
your boat, RV, service vehicle or remote home.

To get the most out of your Portawattz 1000, it must be installed and used
properly. Please read the installation and operating instructions in this manual
carefully before installing and using your Portawattz 1000. Pay special attention
to the CAUTION and WARNING statements in this manual and on the
Portawattz 1000. CAUTION statements identify conditions or practices
thatcould result in damage to your Portawattz 1000 or to other equipment.
WARNING statements identify conditions or practices that could result in
personal injury or loss of life.

2. How Your Portawattz 1000 Works

An inverter is an electronic device that converts low voltage DC (direct current)
electricity from a battery or other power source to standard 115 volt AC
(alternating current) household power. In designing the Portawattz 1000,
Statpower has used power conversion technology previously employed in
computer power supplies to give you an inverter that is smaller, lighter, and
easier to use than inverters based on older technology.

Figure 1. Principle of Operation

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2.1 Principle of Operation

The Portawattz 1000 converts power in two stages. The first stage is a DC-to­DC converter which raises the low voltage DC at the inverter input to 145 volts
DC. The second stage is the actual inverter stage. It converts the high voltage
DC into 115 volts, 60 Hz AC.

The DC-to-DC converter stage uses modern high frequency power conversion
techniques that eliminate the bulky transformers found in inverters based on
older technology. The inverter stage uses advanced power MOSFET transistors
in a full bridge configuration. This gives you excellent overload capability and
the ability to operate tough reactive loads like lamp ballasts and induction
motors.

2.2 Portawattz 1000 Output Waveform

The AC output waveform of the Portawattz 1000 is called a "quasi-sine wave" or
a "modified sine wave". It is a stepped waveform that is designed to have
characteristics similar to the sine wave shape of utility power. A waveform of
this type is suitable for most AC loads, including linear and switching power
supplies used in electronic equipment, transformers, and motors. This waveform
is much superior to the square wave produced by some other DC to AC
inverters.

CAUTION: RECHARGEABLE APPLIANCES

Certain rechargers for small nickel cadmium batteries can be damaged if
connected to the Portawattz. Two 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.

Do NOT use the Portawattz with the above equipment.

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Figure 2. Modified Sine Wave

This problem does not occur with the vast majority of battery operated
equipment. Most of this equipment uses 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 the adapter or charger produces a low
voltage AC or DC output (less than 30 volts), the Portawattz will have no trouble
powering this charger or adapter safely.

The modified sine wave produced by the Portawattz 1000 is designed to have an
RMS (root mean square) voltage of 115 volts, the same as standard household
power. Most AC voltmeters (both digital and analog) are sensitive to the
average value of the waveform rather than the RMS value. They are calibrated
for RMS voltage under the assumption that the waveform measured will be a
pure sine wave. These meters will not read the RMS voltage of a modified sine
wave correctly. They will read about 2 to 20 volts low when measuring the
output of the Portawattz 1000. For accurate measurement of the output voltage
of the Portawattz 1000, a true RMS reading voltmeter, such as a Fluke 87,
Fluke 27, Tektronix DMM249, or B&K Precision Model must be used.

3. Quick Checkout

This section will give you the information you need to quickly hook-up your
Portawattz 1000 and check its performance before going ahead with permanent
installation. You will need the following:

a) a 12 volt DC power source
b) two cables to connect the power source to the Portawattz 1000
c) a test load that can be plugged into the AC receptacle on the

Portawattz 1000.

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3.1 Power Source

For optimum performance, the power source must provide between 11 and 15
volts DC and must be able to supply sufficient current to operate the test load.
As a rough guideline, divide the wattage of the test load by 10 to obtain the
current (in amperes) the power source must deliver.

Example:

Test load is rated at 250 watts.

Power source must be able to deliver

250 ÷ 10 = 25 amperes.

Battery

Use a fully-charged 12 volt (nominal) battery that can deliver the required
current while maintaining its voltage above 11 volts. A fully-charged (12 volt)
automobile battery is capable of delivering up to 50 amperes without an
excessive voltage drop.

DC Power Supply

Use a well regulated DC power supply that has an output voltage between 11
volts and 15 volts and can deliver the required current. If the supply is
adjustable, make sure that the output voltage is adjusted to be between 11 volts
and 15 volts. The inverter may shut down if the voltage is outside these limits
and may be damaged if the voltage is above 16 volts. Also ensure that any
current limit control is set so that the power supply can deliver the required
current.

3.2 Cables

Your cables must be as short as possible and large enough to handle the required
current. This is to minimize the voltage drop between the power source and the
inverter when the inverter is drawing current from the power source. If the
cables introduce an excessive voltage drop, the inverter may shut down when
drawing higher currents because the voltage at the inverter drops below 10 volts.

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We recommend #4 AWG stranded
copper cable that is no longer than 4 ft
(1.5 m) if you want to test the Portawattz
1000 to its maximum ratings. For short
term testing at reduced power levels, the
guidelines below should be followed:

Ideally, the cable should be no more

Power

Consumed

(Watts)

100 16

250 12

500 8

Table 1 - Test Load Power

Consumption For Short Term Test

Min. Copper

Cable Size

(AWG)

than 4 ft (1.5 m) long.

The end of the cable to be connected to the inverter must have its insulation
stripped for about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) back from the end, exposing the bare
copper conductor. The other end of the cable, which is connected to the power
source, must be terminated with a lug or other connector that allows a secure,
low resistance connection to be made to the power source. For instance, 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 SOLID, LOW RESISTANCE CONNECTION TO THE POWER
SOURCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THE
PORTAWATTZ 1000.

3.3 Test Loads

Use only equipment rated for 110-120 volt, 60 Hz AC operation that has a power
consumption of 1000 watts or less. We recommend that you start with a
relatively low power load, such as a 100 watt lamp, to verify your test set-up
before trying high power loads.

Figure 3. Connections to the Portawattz

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3.4 Connections

Follow the connection sequence described below.

STEP 1 Ensure that the ON/OFF switch on the Portawattz 1000 is in the OFF

position. If the power source is a DC power supply, switch it off as
well.

STEP 2 Connect the cables to the power input terminals on the rear panel of the

Portawattz 1000. The red terminal is positive (+) and the black
terminal is negative (-). Insert the bare ends of the cables into the
terminals and tighten the screws to clamp the wires securely.

STEP 3 Connect the cable from the negative (black) terminal of the Portawattz

1000 to the negative terminal of the power source. Make a secure
connection.

CAUTION! LOOSELY TIGHTENED CONNECTORS RESULT IN EXCESSIVE
VOLTAGE DROP AND MAY CAUSE OVERHEATED WIRES AND MELTED
INSULATION.

STEP 4 Before proceeding further, carefully check that the cable you have just

connected connects the negative terminal of the Portawattz 1000 to the
negative output terminal of the power source. Power connections to the
Portawattz 1000 must be positive to positive and negative to negative.

CAUTION! REVERSE POLARITY CONNECTION (POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE)
WILL BLOW THE FUSES IN THE PORTAWATTZ 1000 AND MAY
PERMANENTLY DAMAGE THE PORTAWATTZ 1000. DAMAGE CAUSED
BY REVERSE POLARITY CONNECTION IS NOT COVERED BY YOUR
WARRANTY.

STEP 5 Connect the cable from the positive (red) terminal of the Portawattz

1000 to the positive terminal of the power source. Make a secure
connection.

WARNING! You may observe a spark when you make this connection since
current may flow to charge capacitors in the Portawattz 1000. DO NOT MAKE

THIS CONNECTION IN THE PRESENCE OF FLAMMABLE FUMES.
EXPLOSION OR FIRE MAY RESULT.

STEP 6 If you are using a DC power supply as the power source, switch it on.

Set the ON/OFF switch on the Portawattz 1000 to the ON position.
Check the meters and indicators on the front panel of the Portawattz

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1000. The voltage bar graph should indicate 11 to 14 volts, depending
on the voltage of the power source. If it does not, check your power
source and the connections to the Portawattz 1000. The other
indicators should be off.

STEP 7 Set the Portawattz 1000 ON/OFF switch to the OFF position. The

indicator lights may blink and the internal alarm may sound
momentarily. This is normal. Plug the test load into the AC receptacle
on the front panel of the Portawattz 1000. Leave the test load switched
off.

STEP 8 Set the Portawattz 1000 ON/OFF switch to the ON position and turn the

test load on. The Portawattz 1000 should supply power to the load. If
it does not, refer to the troubleshooting section of this manual. If you
plan to measure the output voltage of the Portawattz 1000, refer to
Section 2.2 of this manual.

4. Installation

4.1 Where to Install

The Portawattz 1000 should be installed in a location that meets the following
requirements:

a) Dry - do not allow water to drip or splash on the Portawattz 1000.

b) Cool - ambient air temperature should be between 0

o

(30

F and 105o F) - the cooler the better.

o

C and 40o C

c) Ventilated - allow at least 1 inch (3cm) of clearance around the

Portawattz 1000 for air flow. Ensure that ventilation openings on
the rear and bottom of the unit are not obstructed.

d) Safe - do not install the Portawattz in the same compartment as

batteries or in any compartment capable of storing flammable
liquids such as gasoline.

e) Close to Battery - install as close to the battery as possible in

order to minimize the length of cable required to connect the
inverter to the battery. It is better and cheaper to run longer AC
wires than longer DC cables.

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