Thank you for purchasing a Xantrex Freedom 458 Series Inverter/Charger. Xantrex
Technology Inc. takes pride in manufacturing quality products specifically
designed to meet your power requirements.
Freedom 458 Inverter/Chargers provide silent, efficient and reliable AC power for a
variety of applications. They feature “hands-free” operation, automatic three-stage battery
charging and automatic AC transfer switching. For your convenience, service is available
world-wide from qualified service centers.
If you have any questions about your Freedom Inverter/Charger, please contact
Xantrex at 1-800-670-0707 (toll free) or 1-604-422-2777 (direct).
For technical support and additional information about Xantrex products, visit our Web
site at www.xantrex.com or e-mail us at CustomerService@xantrex.com
SAFETY SUMMARY
Safety information for installation and
operation is contained throughout this
manual where it applies and is not included
in this summary.
Definitions:
Warning statements identify conditions or
practices which could result in personal injury,
loss of life, damage to equipment or other
property.
Fuse Replacement For continued protection
against the possibility of fire, replace the fuse
only with a fuse of the specified voltage,
current and type ratings.
Power Source To avoid damage, operate the
equipment only within the specified AC (line)
and DC (battery) voltages.
Servicing To reduce the risk of electric shock
do not open this unit. There are no user
serviceable parts inside. Refer all service to
qualified personnel.
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.
Date and Revision December 2002, Revision 2 Part Number 445-0193-01-01
Contact Information Web: www.xantrex.com Email: CustomerService@xantrex.com
Phone: 1-800-670-0707 (toll free in North America), 1-604-422-2777 (direct) Fax: 1-604-420-2145
Things You Should Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Circuit Breaker Protection
Thermostat Controlled Cooling
Inverter Idle Circuit
Low and High Battery Shutdown
Power Sharing
Temperature Sensitive Charging
Key Installation Points
Grounding
Neutral Bonding
AC Wiring
AC Input
AC Output
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters
Remote Control Wiring
TSC Temperature Sensor
DC Wiring
Battery Cable Fusing
Power ON Checks
This owner’s manual describes the
Freedom 458 Series
Xantrex. These units perform three distinct
functions:
1. DC to AC power inverting.
2. Automatic transfer switching between
inverter power and incoming AC power.
3. Automatic three-stage battery charging
plus manual battery equalizing.
• The inverter provides regulated 120 volt AC
power at a crystal controlled frequency from a
deep cycle battery bank and is rated at:
Freedom 101000 watts
Freedom 15 & 15D1500 watts
Freedom 20 & 20D2000 watts
Freedom 25 2500 watts
Freedom 303000 watts
The output is a modified sine wave and is
compatible with most appliances, tools and
other 120 VAC equipment. (Note: Certain laser
printers, breadmakers, digital clocks and small
battery chargers may not operate on modified
sine wave.) An idle mode reduces battery
power consumption when loads are removed
from the inverter. There is a low battery cutout
protection circuit and momentary surge power
of more than twice the inverter rating for starting electric motors. High efficiency ensures the
longest possible battery life between charges.
• The internal transfer switch allows the
Freedom Inverter/Charger to be connected to
an external AC source and transfer the source
power through directly to the loads. When the
external AC power source is disconnected, the
transfer switch allows automatic switching
back to the inverter.
Inverter/Chargers from
The Freedom Inverter/Charger operates
as a self-contained backup power system—
just add batteries.
• Freedom battery chargers are electronically
controlled and rated at a maximum output
current:
Freedom 1050 amps DC
Freedom 15 & 15D75 amps DC
Freedom 20 & 20D100 amps DC
Freedom 25130 amps DC
Freedom 30 140 amps DC
They are designed to rapidly and optimally
charge wet, gel, or Absorbed Glass Mat
(AGM)** cell deep-cycle batteries. Battery
charging is automatically accomplished in
three stages: Bulk Charge, Acceptance
Charge and Float Charge.
Using a Remote Control Panel or Link
Instrumentation, a manually engaged
Equalizing Charge cycle is possible. Simple,
automatic operation is made possible by the
microprocessor in the Freedom Inverter/Charger.
In most cases, no attention or maintenance is
required.
Electronic Protection
Fast-acting electronic circuits protect
the inverter from overloads and short circuits.
Other protection includes a low and high
battery voltage cutoff and automatic shutdown
if an over-temperature condition occurs. When
the fault condition is corrected, the unit will
automatically reset. Example: remove
overload, charge batteries or allow to cool.
**Battery type selection is set on the front of the unit
or with an optional remote (Remote Control Panel or
Link Instrument).
4
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Circuit Breaker Protection
The Freedom Inverter/Charger is
supplemental breaker protected.
The INVERT/CHARGE breaker on the front
of the unit protects against sustained inverter/
charger over-current conditions.
These breakers are reset by pushing the
button back in.
The output circuit breakers protect the output
AC circuits. Models are available with one or
two outputs.
Thermostat Controlled Cooling
Freedom Inverter/Chargers are equipped
with a thermostatically controlled fan that cools
the unit so it can operate continually at its rated
units with only supplemental circuit breakers
between the unit and the load. Appropriate wire
gauges must be used throughout the installation.
Refer to NEC specifications.
Circuit Breaker Protection
INV/CHG
10
15
15D
20
20D
25
25
30
*Circuit breaker configurations include 15/15,
*Note: Supplemental circuit breakers are reset
by pushing the button back in. The fault must be
removed before resetting the circuit breaker. Integral branch circuit rated breakers are reset by
setting the appropriate breaker switch to the “on”
position. The fault must be removed before resetting the circuit breaker.
If a 30-ampere service supplies the input to the
unit, a model with integral branch circuit rated
breakers allows direct wiring from the unit to the
load.
15
20
20
25
25
30
30
15/20, and 20/20
OUT 1
N/A
N/A
15/20*
N/A
15/20*
N/A
N/A
OUT 2
N/A
N/A
15/20*
N/A
15/20*
N/A
N/A
Inverter Idle Circuit
This automatic energy saving feature
reduces battery power consumption when no
AC load is present. Response from idle is
instantaneous. In most cases, the operation of
the idle circuit is not noticeable. Use of the
Remote Control Panel or Link Instrumentation
allows the idle threshold to be adjusted. The
unit does not put out 120 volts when in idle. To
bring the unit out of the idle condition, apply a
load.
Low and High Battery Shutdown
When in invert mode, if the battery
voltage drops to 10.0 volts, the inverter will
automatically shut off. Charge the batteries to
13.5 volts to automatically resume operation.
Voltage shutdown also occurs for a high
battery condition at 15.5 volts. Operation will
resume automatically when the battery voltage
drops below 15.5 volts. Check all DC sources
on the system for the reason for the excessive
voltage.
Power Sharing
When connected to an external AC
source the battery charger and transfer
functions are engaged. A unique Power
Sharing feature automatically reduces the AC
power consumption of the battery charger
allowing necessary AC power to go to the load.
This prevents the source AC INPUT circuit
breaker from tripping within the specified rating
of the AC circuit breaker.
The Power Sharing set point of each unit
has a factory default setting of 30 amps. This
can be changed using the Remote Control
Panel or Link Instrumentation.
5
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Freedom 458 Series
with Branch Circuit Rated Breakers
Branch Circuit Breakers
20 Amp
15 Amp
Shown:
Freedom 20D
81-2022-12
Integral Branch Circuit Rated Breakers
Models 15D&20D
Inverter/Charger
Branch Circuit
Rated Breaker
INPUT
To LOADS
Temperature Sensitive Charging
When the supplied battery temperature
sensor is connected to the unit and the
batteries, the charge voltage is controlled
based on battery temperature. The charger
adjusts the charge voltage to the best level,
minimizing water loss in wet cell batteries.
Charge voltage regulation optimizes the battery life cycle.
TSC Sensor
Battery
Units with integral branch circuit rated
breaker protection require a branch circuit
rated breaker at the input only. The output to
two branch loads may be connected directly
at the unit output.
NOTE: The INPUT branch rated circuit
breaker may be at the source of AC power
(such as shorepower or generator, or from a
main AC distribution panel located before
the input of the unit).
Supplemental
Branch Circuit Rated Breakers
Inverter/Charger
Models
10,15,20,25,30
Branch Circuit
Rated Breaker
6
INPUT
*Models 25 and 30 include a
second input and output
Branch Circuit
Rated Breaker
OPERATION
The Freedom 458 Inverter/Charger provides
120 volt AC power from auxiliary DC batteries,
automatic battery charging and automatic AC
transfer switching between an external AC
source and inverter mode.
External AC Power
When external AC power is available, the
three-stage battery charger, transfer switching,
and Power Sharing automatically function.
When external AC power is not available
and the INVERT switch is ON (either through
the auxiliary switch or the INVERT button on
the remote), the inverter will automatically turn
ON. If the INVERT switch is OFF (the INVERT
LED will not be illuminated), the inverter will be
OFF.
If installed with the Remote Control Panel
or Link Instrumentation, the unit will be set up
and controlled from the remote. Refer to the
remote manual for more information.
Front Panel Controls and Indicators
INVERT MODE
The INVERT push-button switch is
located on the front of the unit and has two
functions:
• Turn the inverter ON/OFF and reset after
a fault condition. Pressing the INVERT switch
turns the inverter ON. The green INVERT LED
will be ON when the inverter is inverting. When
the inverter is ON, pressing the INVERT switch
turns the inverter OFF.
INVERT
CHARGE
• Battery type setup. To enter the battery
type select mode, press and hold the INVERT
switch for five seconds. The status LEDs will
change from indicating status information to
indicating battery type. The selection of the
battery type is made with the Charge switch.
Turning the INVERT OFF will reduce
battery power consumption to a very low level.
This is recommended if the unit will not be
used for an extended period of time.
CHARGE MODE
The CHARGE push-button switch has
two functions:
• Turn the charger ON and OFF
If external AC is present, pressing the
CHARGE switch will turn the charger ON.
The green CHARGE LED will be ON when the
charger is charging. When the charger is ON,
pressing this switch will turn the charger OFF.
• Select the battery type
After holding the INVERT switch for five seconds,
press the CHARGE switch to select the battery
type. One of the four LEDs will rapidly blink,
indicating the present battery type setting.
Press the CHARGE switch again to change
the battery type. Continue to press until the
desired battery type is selected. If the CHARGE
switch is not pressed for five seconds, the unit
will return to normal operation and the battery
type selection will have been made.
When the 12-volt input to the unit is
disconnected, the battery type setting is stored
in non-volatile memory. When the unit is
reconnected, the battery type selection
conveniently returns to the setting.
Freedom 20
7
OPERATION
STATUS LEDs
Each Status LED performs two functions,
providing battery type selection and operation
status.
Status LEDs
INVERT
CHARGE
OVERTEMP
OVERLOAD / AGM
LOW BATTERY / GEL 2
CHARGE / GEL1
INVERT / WET
REMOTE
TSC
Battery Type Selection
After holding the INVERT button down for
five seconds, use the CHARGE button to select
battery type:
WET GEL 1 GEL 2 AGM
Operation Status
INVERT - Green LED
The INVERT push-button switch is located on
the front of the unit.
• When the LED is solid green, the unit is
in invert mode. This occurs by pressing the
INVERT switch for (three to five seconds).
• When the LED is blinking slowly (once
per second), the inverter is in standby with AC
power applied and the transfer switch engaged
• Press the INVERT switch again to turn
the inverter OFF.
CHARGE - Green LED
• The CHARGE push-button switch is
located on the front of the unit.
When external AC is applied to the AC
input of the unit, the charger automatically
turns ON. The CHARGE LED will be solid green.
• When the LED is blinking slowly (once
per second), the charger is ready, but external
AC power is not available.
• Press the CHARGE switch again to turn
the charger OFF. The charger defaults to ON
when operation without a remote or with the
Freedom Remote Control Panel.
• When the LED is OFF, the charger has
been manually turned OFF. This can only be
accomplished while AC power is being
supplied.
NOTE: When AC power is available, the
default setting for the charger is ON. If the unit
was manually turned OFF and AC power is
interrupted and becomes available again, the
charger will return to ON.
LOW BATTERY - Red LED
• When the LED is OFF the battery
voltage is normal, between 10.5 and 15.0
volts DC.
• When the LED is solid red, it indicates a
battery warning condition, the battery voltage is
below 10.5 volts DC or above 15.0 volts DC.
• When the LED is blinking slowly, (once
per second), a battery shutdown has occurred.
The voltage is either below 10.0 volts DC or
above 15.5 volts DC.
• When the LED is blinking rapidly (five
times per second), a potential problem in the
DC system has been detected. Check your
batteries, battery cables and DC loads.
OVERTEMP/OVERLOAD - Red LED
• When the LED is Off, operation is
normal.
• When the LED is red, there is an over
temp or overload condition. Check for
excessive loads or a short circuit on the output
of the inverter. Correct the condition and restart
by pushing the INVERT switch.
8
• When the LED is blinking slowly (once
per second), an over-current condition or a
short circuit has occured. The system has
shut OFF and will not automatically restart.
Correct the fault condition and manually restart
the system.
LOW BATTERY AND OVERTEMP/OVERLOAD - Red LEDs
• When both LEDs are blinking, an AC
backfeed has been detected. A backfeed
occurs when AC power from an external
source is connected to the output of the
inverter. Inspect wiring for possible input/output
wiring error. This condition will damage the unit
and must be corrected before further
operation.
TSC (Temperature Sensitive Charging)
This provides for the connection of a
sensor to measure battery temperature for
compensated charging. If no sensor is
connected the charge voltage levels are set to
defaults based on battery type.
Low
Battery
Overtemp
Remote
OPERATION
TSC
Auxiliary Port
OPTIONAL REMOTES
If using one of the remotes, refer to the
installation instructions included with the
remote.
Note: When a Freedom Remote Control
Panel or Link is installed, the jumper included
in the parts plastic bag is
Auxiliary Switch Port (AUX SWITCH) on the
front panel of the inverter/charger. See page 23
for more details.
not used in the
9
OPTIONAL REMOTE CONTROL PANELS
Freedom Remote Control Panel
An optional remote control panel is
available. The LED bar graphs on the remote
control panel show battery voltage and DC
current in both inverter and charger modes.
Easy-to-see red, yellow and green LEDs
show the battery state of charge. Power
Sharing, charger ON/OFF, inverter ON/OFF
controls are provided. Setup features include
selection of Idle Threshold, Battery Type and
Battery Capacity.
Freedom Remote Control Panel
LINK 2000
The Link 2000 has the same features as
the Link 1000, providing inverter/charger
control and complete battery state of charge
information. It monitors two battery banks.
LINK 2000
LINK 2000-R
The Link 2000-R adds the ability to
regulate an engine-driven alternator. The
precision regulator in the Link 2000-R allows
the alternator to be controlled as a three-stage
battery charging system.
ADVANCED REMOTE CONTROL PANELS
Link Instrument
Advanced remote control panels are also
available: the Link 1000, 2000 and 2000-R.
LINK 1000
Link 1000 controls the Freedom Inverter/
Charger and provides complete battery
state of charge information including DC
voltage, current, amp hours consumed, Time
Remaining and historical data for a single
battery bank.
LINK 1000
10
If a Link Instrument is used to control the
inverter/charger, refer to the Link Owner’s
Manual for setup and control information.
Refer to the Freedom Remote Control Panel
or Link Owner’s Manual for
installation and operation instructions
The jumper is not installed in the AUX
Switch Port on the front panel of the
inverter when the Freedom Remote
Control Panel or Link Instrument is used.
See page 23 for more details.
BATTERIES
Wet cell batteries will give off gas as a
natural result of charging and will experience
some water loss. It is very important that theelectrolyte level be checked frequently and
topped off with distilled water when necessary.
Follow the battery manufacturer’s
recommendations for maintenance.
Never allow the top of the battery plates to
be exposed to air, as contamination of the cell
will result. Keep the top of batteries clean.
Always provide adequate ventilation for the
battery storage compartment.
BATTERY TYPES
Use only deep-cycle batteries with your
Freedom Inverter/Charger. These fall into three
broad categories: wet cell, gel cell and
Advanced AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat)
batteries.
Wet Cell Batteries
True deep-cycle wet cell batteries are
characterized by relatively thick internal plates
that are alloyed with antimony.
Common 12-volt marine/RV deep-cycle
batteries are acceptable. Golf cart
batteries perform well and may have a
longer life. These 6-volt batteries must beused in series connected in pairs. High
quality deep-cycle batteries offer good
performance and are available in a wide
variety of sizes.
Do not use ordinary car batteries or
engine starting batteries with your inverter/
charger. Beware of any battery that is rated in
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA). This is a rating
which applies only to engine starting batteries.
In general, most wet cell batteries that are
described as hybrid type batteries, suitable for
either engine starting or deep-cycle
applications are a compromise and will have
limited life if deeply discharged.
11
BATTERIES
Beware of so-called maintenance-free
batteries. These batteries have calcium
alloyed with the lead and hold the liquid
electrolyte in a sponge-like material. They are
sealed and water cannot be added. Do not
confuse them with true gel cell or AGM
batteries—they will not hold up well to deep
discharging and repeated cycling.
Gel Cell Batteries
Gel cell batteries are lead-acid batteries
similar in many ways to the common wet cell
battery, but differences in the chemistry and
construction provide some unique features.
• No Maintenance
• Low Self-Discharge Rate
• Low Internal Resistance
Even though gel cells are sealed
batteries, the battery compartment should still
be ventilated.
Series
Connecting two batteries in series will
double the voltage of the battery bank. For
instance, two 6-volt batteries connected in
series will produce 12 volts. The amp-hour
capacity of the battery bank will be the same
as each individual battery. Example, two 6-volt
220 amp-hour batteries in series will produce
one 12-volt 220 amp-hour battery bank.
+
+
+
Series
Advanced AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat)
Batteries
This battery is lead acid but maintenancefree. The performance is similar to gel cell
batteries. The charge parameters are similar
to wet cell batteries.
Battery Selection
The most important feature to consider in
making your battery selection is to select true
deep cycle batteries rated in amp hours (Ah)
and sized to match your power requirements.
BATTERY INTERCONNECTION
In most cases, you will be using a bank
of two or more batteries with your inverter/
charger. You may connect batteries together in
two configurations—series and parallel—
depending on their voltage.
12
Series Increase Voltage
+
6 V
_
EACH BATTERY
CAPACITY:
220
AMP HOURS
@ 6 VDC
+
6 V
_
+
12 V INVERTER
_
TOTAL BATTERY
BANK CAPACITY:
220
AMP HOURS
@ 12 VDC
BATTERIES
Parallel
Connecting two batteries in parallel will
double the amp-hour rating of the battery bank,
while the voltage will be the same as each
individual battery. For example, two 12-volt 105
amp-hour batteries in parallel will produce one
12-volt 210 amp-hour battery bank.
+
+
Parallel
Parallel Increase Amp-Hour Capacity
+
12 V
_
EACH BATTERY
CAPACITY:
105
AMP HOURS
@ 12 VDC
12 V
_
+
+
1
2 V INVERTER
_
TOTAL BATTERY
BANK CAPACITY:
210
AMP HOURS
@ 12 VDC
Note: It is not advisable to connect
batteries of different case sizes or amp-hour
ratings in the same battery bank.
Always use properly sized wire and
terminals for your interconnecting battery
cables. For size information refer to NEC
requirements or contact your local
electrician.
BATTERY BANK RATINGS AND SIZING
Deep-cycle batteries are usually rated in
amp hours. The amp-hour rating is based on a
20-hour discharge rate; therefore, a 100
amp-hour battery can deliver 5 amps for 20
hours. If the discharge rate is greater than 5
amps, the available amp hours are decreased.
For example, if the load is increased to 100
amps, only about 45 amp hours will be available at this rate of discharge.
Deep-cycle batteries can be discharged
about 80% of capacity before damage occurs.
Shallow cycling will result in much longer
battery life. Calculating a battery bank size
based on 50% discharge cycling is generally
considered to be a good compromise between
long battery life and size.
Only similar batteries should be
connected together in one bank. Do not
connect old and new batteries together or wet
and gel cell batteries together. In the above
drawing, the load is connected to the positive
terminal of the first battery and the negative
terminal of the last battery. This practice helps
to balance the battery bank and is called
cross-connecting the battery bank.
13
BATTERIES
To achieve 50% cycling you should
calculate your amp-hour consumption
between charging cycles and use a battery
bank with twice that capacity**. Each AC
appliance or tool has a rating plate on it and will
be rated in either AC amps or watts or AC VA
(volt-amps) apparent power. To calculate amphour consumption, use one of the formulas to
the right to calculate the DC amp-hour draw for
a 12-volt system.
Calculate the amp hours for every AC
appliance or tool that will be operated on the
inverter. This will provide the total number of
amp hours used between recharges. Size the
battery bank using this number as a guideline.
A good rule to follow is to size the battery bank
a minimum of two times larger than the
total amp-hour load requirement. Plan on
recharging when 50% discharged.
**Batteries are typically charged to 85% of full
charge when charging with alternators without threestage regulators.
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14
AMP-HOUR CONSUMPTION FORMULAS
(AC amps x 10) x 1.1 x hours of
operation = DC amp hours
(watts/ DC voltage) x 1.1 x hours of
operation = DC amp hours
(AC VA/ DC voltage) x 1.1 x hours of
operation = DC amp hours
DC voltage is 12, 24 or 32 depending on
your system.
In all formulas, 1.1 is the correction factor for
inverter efficiency.
Typical Power Consumptlon
The chart identifies typical power
consumption for common AC loads. Use it as
a guide when identifying your power
requirements.
Many electric motors have
momentary starting requirements
well above their operational rating.
Start up watts are listed where
sruoHpmA/semiTnuRecnailppA
appropriate. Individual styles and
brands of appliances may vary.
If using the same battery
bank for the inverter and other
DC loads, be sure to consider
the power consumption of the
DC loads when sizing the
battery bank.
NOTE Certain laser printers, breadmakers,
digital clocks and appliance/tool chargers
Completely charging wet cell deep-cycle
batteries requires the battery voltage to be
raised beyond what is known as the gassing
point. This is the voltage at which the battery
begins to bubble and gas is given off. If
charging stops short of this point, sulfate is left
on the plates and deterioration of the battery
begins. The gassing point will vary with battery
temperature.
At 77 °F, the gassing point of a 12-volt
battery is about 14.0 volts.
AGM and Gel cell batteries must not be
charged to their gassing point. In fact, highvoltage charging that gasses these batteries is
harmful to them. They typically require a lower
bulk charge voltage and a higher float voltage
than wet cell batteries. Consult the battery
manufacturer for specifications.
Freedom Battery Chargers
Freedom battery chargers are designed
to overcome the limitations of conventional
chargers by utilizing three distinct charge
stages, each designed for optimal charging of
wet, gel cell and AGM deep-cycle batteries.
Battery type selection is made on the front
panel of the inverter/charger or through the
Freedom Remote Control Panel or Link Instrumentation. For more information on battery
type selection, see page 7 or refer to the
Freedom Remote Control Panel manual.
15
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