XPower 1500 Owner's Manual

by

XPower 1500 Portable
Household Power

Owner's Guide

445-0127-01-01 REV. 2 Printed in China

t 1 408-987-6030
f 1 360-925-5143

www.xantrex.com

by

XPower 1500 Portable
Household Power

Owner’s Guide

About Xantrex

Xantrex Technology Inc. is a world-leading supplier of advanced power electronics and controls with
products ranging from small mobile units to 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 1500 Portable Household Power 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 1500 Portable Household Power Owner’s Guide © October 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 MANUAL 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

October 2007 Revision 2

Pa rt Number

445-0127-01-01

Product Number

802-1500

Contact Information

Telephone: [phone] (toll free North America)

1 408 987 6030 (direct)

Fax: [phone] (toll free North America)

1 360 925 5143 (direct)
Email: [e-mail]
Web: www.xantrex.com

iii

Important Safety Instructions

Misuse of XPower 1500 may result in danger to the user. We urge you to
pay special attention to all CAUTION and WARNING statements.
CAUTION statements identify conditions or practices that may result in
damage to XPower 1500 or to other equipment. WARNING statements
identify conditions that may result in personal injury or loss of life.

This chapter contains important safety and operating instructions. Read
and keep this Owner’s Guide for future reference.

Before installing and using the XPower 1500, read all instructions and
cautionary markings on the XPower 1500 and all appropriate sections of
this guide.

WARNING: Limitations on use

The XPower 1500 is not intended for use in connection with life support systems
or other medical equipment or devices.

WARNING: Shock or fire hazard

• XPower 1500 generates the same potentially lethal AC power as a normal
household wall outlet. Treat it with the same respect that you would any AC
outlet.

• Do not insert any foreign objects into XPower 1500’s AC outlets, its DC
Power Socket, or the ventilation holes. Do not remove the covers on the High
Power DC Terminals, unless connecting cables. Do not expose xPower1500
to water.

• Do not, under any circumstances, connect the XPower 1500’s AC receptacle
to power utility AC distribution wiring.

• Failure to follow the above safety instructions may result in personal injury
and/or damage to xPower1500.

WARNING: Explosion hazard

• Do not use XPower 1500 where there are flammable fumes or gases, such as
in the bilge of a gasoline powered boat, or near propane tanks. Do not use
XPower 1500 in an enclosure containing automotive-type lead acid batteries.
These batteries, unlike the sealed battery pack in the XPower 1500, vent
explosive hydrogen gas, which can be ignited by sparks from electrical
connections.

• When working on electrical equipment always ensure someone is nearby to
help you in an emergency.

Safety

iv 445-0127-01-01

Precautions for Using Rechargeable Appliances

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 small rechargeable batteries can be damaged if
connected to the XPower 1500.

WARNING: Heat hazard

XPower 1500’s internal inverter components may become uncomfortably warm,
reaching 140°F (60°C) under extended high power operation. Ensure at least
15 cm (6 in) of air space is maintained on all sides and on top of

XPower 1500.

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 load whose neutral conductor is connected to ground,
to XPower 1500.

• Do not expose XPower 1500 to temperatures in excess of 104°F (40°C).

CAUTION: Equipment damage

Do not use the following with the XPower 1500:

• 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 power hand 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
XPower 1500, contact the equipment manufacturer to find out if there are high
voltages at the battery terminals or if the appliance incorporates the use of
transformers.

445-0127-01-01 v

Important Safety Instructions

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - iii

1

Introduction

Topics Covered in the Guide - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1–1
Features and Accessories - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1–2
Assembling the Handle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1–3

2

Operation

Power Ratings and Battery Life- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2–2
XPower 1500 Basic Operation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–3

Operating 115-volt AC Products - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–3
Operating 12-volt DC Accessories - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–3
Recharging XPower 1500 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2–4

Using XPower 1500 to Jump-Start Your Vehicle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–4
Indicators, Controls, and Connection Points - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–5
Powering 115-volt AC Products - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2–9

Connecting Your AC Products - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2–9

Automatic Protection: Overload, Overheating, and Low Battery - - - - - - - - - - 2–10

Battery Operating Times - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–11
Powering 12-volt DC Accessories - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–12

Connecting 12-volt DC Accessories - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–12

Battery Operating Times - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–13
Vehicle or Boat Engine Starting - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–14

Jump-starting Directly to the Battery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–14

Jump-starting via a Vehicle’s Lighter Plug Socket - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–15
Recharging XPower 1500 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–16

Charging Options - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–16

Battery Self-discharge and Shelf Life - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–16

Recharging with the AC Charger - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–17

Recharging from your Vehicle - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–18

Recharging with a Generator’s 12-volt DC Power Outlet - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–19

Recharging with a Solar Panel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–19

Contents

Contents

vi 445-0127-01-01

Connecting to an External Battery- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–20

Extended Operating Time - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–20
Preparing the Cables - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–20
Connecting the Cables - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–21

Battery Replacement- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–23

Replacing XPower 1500’s Internal Battery Pack - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–23
Obtaining a Battery Replacement - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2–24

3

Troubleshooting

Common Problems- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3–1

Buzzing Sound in Audio Systems - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3–1
Television Interference - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3–1

Troubleshooting Reference - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3–2

A

Specifications

12-volt DC Section- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -A–1
115-volt AC Section - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -A–1
Charging System - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -A–2
Mechanical - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -A–2

Warranty and Return Information

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WA–1

1–1

1 Introduction

Thank you for purchasing XPower 1500 Portable Household Power, the
1500-watt electronic generator that’s portable and rechargeable. Designed
for both indoor and outdoor use, XPower 1500™ can run a wide range of
electrical products – from power tools to entertainment equipment, and
even refrigerators. XPower 1500’s rugged, cart-like design gives you go­anywhere AC power and its “plug-in-and-forget” charging system keeps
it fully charged and ready for use any time the power goes out. With an
optional set of jump-start cables, XPower 1500 can even start a vehicle or
boat.

Read this guide before using XPower 1500 and save it for future
reference.

Be sure to charge XPower 1500 immediately after purchase (see
“Recharging XPower 1500” on page 2–16). XPower 1500’s “plug-in-and­forget” charging system can be left permanently plugged into a wall outlet
to keep its battery pack fully charged and ready for use.

Topics Covered in the Guide

• How to use XPower 1500 as a source of 115-volt AC power to run
household or workplace products.

• How to use XPower 1500 as a source of 12-volt DC power to run
typical auto or marine accessories.

• How to use XPower 1500 to jump-start a vehicle.

• How to recharge XPower 1500’s internal battery pack.

• How to connect an external battery to XPower 1500.

1–2 445-0127-01-01

Features and Accessories

A brief overview of XPower 1500’s features is provided below. For
complete information, be sure to read this manual fully. Figure 1-1 below
shows

XPower 1500’s key features and accessories.

Figure 1-1

Features and Accessories

Assembling the Handle

445-0127-01-01 1–3

Assembling the Handle

Figure 1-2 below shows how to assemble the handle and attach it to

XPower 1500.

Figure 1-2

Handle Assembly

1–4

2–1

2 Operation

Chapter 2 explains how to operate the XPower 1500 efficiently and
effectively.

The following topics are covered in this chapter:

• “Power Ratings and Battery Life”

• “XPower 1500 Basic Operation”

• “Indicators, Controls, and Connection Points”

• “Powering 115-volt AC Products”

• “Powering 12-volt DC Accessories”

• “Vehicle or Boat Engine Starting”

• “Recharging XPower 1500”

• “Connecting to an External Battery”

• “Battery Replacement”

2–2 445-0127-01-01

Power Ratings and Battery Life

AC powered products are rated by how much electrical power (in watts)
they consume. XPower 1500 is capable of g enerating a maximum of 1350
watts (maximum continuous) to power AC products plugged into the AC
outlets. As an example, a lamp with a 40-watt light bulb can be operated
from XPower 1500 for up to 9 hours when XPower 1500’s internal
battery pack is fully charged.

12-volt DC auto and marine accessories are generally rated according to
how much electrical current (in amperes or “amps”) they draw from the
battery. For example, a small 12-volt fluorescent light draws less than 0.7
amps. When connected to XPower 1500’s DC Power Socket, this light
could be expected to operate for about 60 hours before XPower 1500’s
battery pack needs recharging. XPower 150 0 is design ed to supply up to
12 amps from its DC Power Socket.

Important:

The fewer watts an AC product uses, or the fewer amps a DC
accessory draws, the longer XPower 1500 will operate before recharging is
required.

XPower 1500 Basic Operation

445-0127-01-01 2–3

XPower 1500 Basic Operation

Operating 115-volt AC Products

1. Ensure XPower 1500’s battery pack is fully charged. See “Recharging
XPower 1500” on page 2–16 for details.

2. Turn the AC Outlets switch ON. The green POWER light indicates
AC power is available at the AC outlets.

3. Plug the AC product(s) you wish to operate into the AC outlet(s) and
switch the product(s) ON, one at a time. XPower 1500 will operate
most devices rated up to 1350 watts.

4. In the event of an overload, low battery voltage or overheating, the
AC outlets will automatically shut down and the red F AULT light will
illuminate. See “Automatic Protection: Overload, Overheating, and
Low Battery” on page 2–10 for details.

5. Fully recharge XPower 1500’s battery pack as soon as possible after
each use.

Operating 12-volt DC Accessories

1. Ensure XPower 1500’s battery pack is fully charged. See “Recharging
XPower 1500” on page 2–16 for details.

2. Plug the accessory into XPower 1500’ s DC Power Socket, and switch
the accessory on (if required). XPower 1500 will operate any 12-volt
DC auto or marine accessory that draws 12 amps or less.

3. Because the DC Power Socket is internally wired directly to XPower
1500’s internal battery pack, extended operation of a 12-volt
accessory may result in excessive battery discharge.

Important:

Care must be taken to ensure the battery pack does not become
totally discharged. See “Powering 12-volt DC Accessories” on page 2–12 for
details.

Note: The internal cooling fan is thermally activated whenever

the AC Outlet’s switch is ON. The cooling fan helps maintain
XPower 1500’s output power when products with high power
requirements are run.