Xantrex Technology Solar 400 User Manual
by
XPower Powerpack
Solar 400
Owner’s Guide
About Xantrex
Xantrex Technology Inc. is a world-leading supplier of advanced power electronics
and controls with products from 50 watt mobile units to 2.5 MW 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
XPower Powerpack Solar 400 is a trademark of Xantrex International. Xantrex is a
registered trademark of Xantrex International.
Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and product names are the property of their
respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.
Notice of Copyright
XPower™ Powerpack Solar 400 Owner’s Guide © March 2007 Xantrex
International. All rights reserved.
Exclusion for Documentation
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 LOSSES, DAMAGES, COSTS OR
EXPENSES, WHETHER SPECIAL, 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; AND
(c) REMINDS YOU THAT IF THIS MAN UAL IS IN ANY LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH,
ALTHOUGH STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO MAINTAIN THE ACCURACY OF THE
TRANSLATION, THE ACCURACY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. APPROVED XANTREX
CONTENT IS CONTAINED WITH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION WHICH IS POSTED AT
WWW.XANTREX.COM.
Date and Revision
March 2007 Revision B
Part Number
975-0328-01-01
Product Number
852-2071
Contact Information
Telephone: 1-888-291-3544 (Xantrex toll free)
About This Guide
Purpose
The purpose of this Owner’s Guide is to provide explanations
and procedures for installing, operating, maintaining, and
troubleshooting the XPower Powerpack Solar 400.
Conventions Used
The following conventions are used in this guide.
WARNING
Warnings identify conditions that could result in personal
injury or loss of life.
CAUTION
Cautions identify conditions or practices that could result in
damage to the product or to other equipment.
Important: These notes describe an important action item
or an item that you must pay attention to.
i
About This Guide
Related Information
You can find more information about Xantrex Technology
Inc. as well as its products and services at
www.xantrex.com.
ii 975-0328-01-01
Important Safety Instructions
The XPower Powerpack Solar 400 generates a type of AC
power similar to a normal household wall outlet. Operating
the Powerpack Solar 400 incorrectly or misusing it may
damage the equipment or create hazardous conditions for the
user.
Important: Before using your XPower Powerpack Solar 400, be
sure to read these safety instructions and the operational
procedures in the manual. Retain this manual for future reference.
Warnings and Cautions
WARNING: Limitations on Use
The XPower Powerpack Solar 400 is not intended for use in
connection with life support systems or other medical equipment or
devices.
WARNING: Shock hazard. Keep away from
children.
The Powerpack Solar 400 generates the same potentially lethal AC
power as a normal household wall outlet. Do not insert foreign
objects into the AC sockets, the DC input/output power socket (DC
socket), USB port, speaker grills, or the ventilation holes. Do not
expose this product to water, rain, snow, or spray.
Do not open or disassemble the Powerpack Solar 400.
iii
Important Safety Instructions
WARNING: Explosion hazard
Do not use this product where there are flammable fumes or gases,
such as in the bilge of a gasoline- powered boat, or near propane
tanks. Do not use this product in an enclosure containing
automotive-type lead acid batteries. These batteries, unlike the
sealed AGM battery in Powerpack Solar 400, vent explosive
hydrogen gas which can be ignited by sparks caused when making
electrical connections.
When working on electrical equipment, always ensure someone is
nearby to help you in an emergency.
WARNING: Heated surface
Ensure at least 2" (5 cm) air space is maintained on all sides of the
Powerpack Solar 400. During operation, keep away from materials
that may be affected by high temperatures such as blankets, pillows
and sleeping bags.
CAUTION
Do not connect any AC appliance with the neutral conductor
connected to ground to the Powerpack Solar 400 including AC
residential electrical distribution panels.
CAUTION
Do not expose the Powerpack Solar 400 to temperatures over
104 °F (40 °C).
iv 975-0328-01-01
Important Safety Instructions
Precautions for Using Rechargeable
Appliances
CAUTION
The output of the inverter is non-sinusoidal.
Most rechargeable battery-operated equipment uses a
separate charger or transformer that is plugged into an AC
receptacle and produces a low voltage charging output.
Some chargers for rechargeable batteries can be damaged if
connected to the XPower Powerpack Solar 400.
Do not use the following with the XPower Powerpack Solar
400:
• Small battery-operated appliances like flashlights, razors,
and night lights that can be plugged directly into an AC
receptacle to recharge.
• Some chargers for battery packs used in hand power
tools. These affected chargers display a warning label
stating that dangerous voltages are present at the battery
terminals.
Important: If you are unsure about using your rechargeable
appliance with the Powerpack Solar 400, contact the equipment
manufacturer to determine the rechargeable appliance’s
compatibility with the modified sine wave (non-sinusoidal) AC
waveform.
975-0328-01-01 v
Important Safety Instructions
First Aid
The internal battery is a sealed, lead-acid type battery. It is
not designed to be user replaceable. However, if a leak is
detected, stop operating and handling the Powerpack Solar
400 immediately.
IF BATTERY ACID CONTACTS EYES:
1. Immediately flush with cold running water for at least 15
minutes.
2. Then seek prompt medical attention.
IF BATTERY ACID CONTACTS SKIN:
1. Wash thoroughly with soap and water.
2. If skin irritation persists, obtain medical attention
immediately.
Note: Baking soda neutralizes lead-acid battery electrolyte.
vi 975-0328-01-01
Contents
Important Safety Instructions
Warnings and Cautions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -iii
Precautions for Using Rechargeable Appliances - - - - - - - - - - - - v
First Aid - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - vi
1
Introduction
About the Powerpack Solar 400 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Comprehensive Protection - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Automatic Overload - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Overheating- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2
Low Battery Protection - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2
2
Features
Contents - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3
Powerpack Solar 400 Features - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
Front and Side Panels - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
Control Panel and Display - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5
Power Socket Side Panel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6
Solar Panel Components - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
Backside Panel- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8
Accessories - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -iii
3
Operation
Operating Conditions and Guidelines - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9
Choosing a Location- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10
Recharging the Powerpack Solar 400 Battery - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11
Charging with the AC Charger - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12
Powerpack Solar 400 AC Charging Feature- - - - - - - - - 12
vii
Contents
Charging with the DC-to-DC Accessory Cable - - - - - - - - - 14
Recharging with a Generator’s Regulated 12 Vdc Outlet- - - 16
Recharging From the Solar Panel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Interpreting Display Codes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19
Checking Battery and AC Status - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19
AC Appliances- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22
Operating AC Appliances - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23
Low-Battery Alarm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23
Overload Protection- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24
High Surge Appliances - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24
Trouble Appliances - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24
12 Vdc Appliances - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25
Operating DC Appliances - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26
Low-Battery Alarm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26
Overload Protection- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26
USB Devices- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27
Charging Devices via the USB Port - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28
Low Battery Alarm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28
Using the LED Lamps- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
Low Battery Alarm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
Using the Back Stand - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 30
4
Maintenance
Solar Panel Maintenance - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31
Battery Maintenance- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31
Battery Life - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
Recycling - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
viii 975-0328-01-01
5
Troubleshooting
Common Problems- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 35
Buzz in Audio Equipment - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 35
Television Interference - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 35
Troubleshooting Reference - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36
A
Specifications
Electrical Specifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 41
Physical Specifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 43
Contents
Warranty and Return Information
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 45
975-0328-01-01 ix
x
Tables
Table 5-1 Troubleshooting reference - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36
Table 5-2 Display Error Codes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 39
xi
xii
Figures
Figure 2-1 Package Contents - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3
Figure 2-2 Front and Side Panels - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
Figure 2-3 Control Panel and Display - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5
Figure 2-4 Power Sockets - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6
Figure 2-5 Solar Panel Component - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
Figure 2-6 Backside Panel- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8
Figure 2-7 Accessories - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8
Figure 3-1 Charging with AC Power - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13
Figure 3-2 Charging with DC Power - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15
Figure 3-3 Male/female Connectors - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Figure 3-4 Charging with the Solar Panel- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18
Figure 3-5 Different Display Codes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19
Figure 3-6 Operating AC Appliances- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23
Figure 3-7 Operating DC Appliances- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26
Figure 3-8 Charging USB Devices - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28
Figure 3-9 LED Lamp Controls - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
Figure 3-10 Back Stand - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 30
xiii
xiv
1 Introduction
About the Powerpack Solar 400
Easy-to-use and designed for years of reliable service, the
Powerpack Solar 400 is a portable power source designed to
provide limited AC power in the event utility power is
interrupted or is not available. It can run many AC appliances
and 12-volt DC appliances and charge many USB-enabled
devices via the USB charging port.
Powerpack Solar 400:
• Powers 115-volt AC appliances up to 320 W continuous
power and 400 W peak power
• Powers 12-volt DC appliances
• Charges small devices via a USB port
• Provides lighting for emergency use
• Allows the detachable solar panel (supplied) to charge
the internal battery
• Allows AC, DC, and USB appliances to be run on the
unit for an extended period of time while the solar panel
receives energy from sunlight
Comprehensive Protection
Automatic Overload
The Powerpack Solar 400 has built-in protection against
output overload. If you connect an appliance that draws more
than 400 W from the AC Socket(s), or one which draws
excessive surge power up to 600 W, the power to the AC
Sockets automatically shut off. The unit will reset
automatically after the loads are removed and the unit cools
down.
1
Introduction
The DC Socket is protected by a thermal switch. If an
overload condition (> 144 W) occurs while using the DC
Socket, the excessive temperature will cause the switch to
open and shut down the power to the socket.
Overheating
The Powerpack Solar 400 is protected from overheating. If
the inverter exceeds a safe temperature, power to the unit
automatically shuts off. It will reset automatically after the
unit cools down.
Low Battery Protection
Low battery protection protects the internal battery from
excessive discharge and possible damage. An audible alarm
alerts you when the internal battery is nearly discharged at
11.0 Vdc and the unit turns off at 10.5 Vdc.
2 975-0328-01-01
2 Features
Chapter 2 describes the main features of the Powerpack Solar
400. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with these
features before operating the unit.
Contents
Your Powerpack Solar 400 package includes the items shown
in Figure 2-1.
If any of these materials are missing or are unsatisfactory in
any way, please contact Customer Service, see “Warranty and
Return Information” on page 45.
Figure 2-1
AC Charger
DC Charging Cable
Package Contents
3
Powerpack Solar 400 Features
Powerpack Solar 400 Features
Front and Side Panels
1
2
4
3
Figure 2-2
Feature Description
1
2
3
4
Not
shown
4 975-0328-01-01
Front and Side Panels
Hi-bright LED Lamp (located on each side)
Provides ambient light to surrounding area. The button switch is
located on the control panel.
Power Socket Side Panel
Contains the DC and AC sockets, AC charging port, and USB port.
Solar Panel Component
Contains the detachable solar panel and connectors.
Control Panel
Contains the digital display and main controls for operating the
Powerpack Solar 400.
Audible Alarm (inside the unit) sounds in the event of an overload,
over-temperature, or a low battery condition.
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