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©
2020 Sensata Technologies
Installation
2.1.3
Locating the Inverter
Only install the inverter in a location that meets the following requirements:
Clean and Dry
– The inverter should not be installed in an area that allows dust, fumes, insects,
or rodents to enter or block the inverter’s ventilation openings. This area also must be free from
any risk of condensation, water, or any other liquid that can enter or fall on the inverter. The
inverter uses stainless steel fasteners, plated copper busbars, a powder-coated aluminum base
and the internal circuit boards are conformal coated—to help
fi
ght the harmful effects of corrosive
environments. However, the inverter’s life is uncertain if used in these type of environments, and
inverter failure under these conditions is not covered under warranty.
Info:
If the inverter is installed in an area where moisture may occur, we recommend
putting silicone dielectric grease compound into the electrical ports (Figure 1-1, Items
3, 6, and 7). Before installing the cables, or if leaving any ports open, squirt a liberal
amount into each port. Silicone dielectric compound makes an effective moisture and
corrosive barrier to help protect and prevent corrosion to the RJ11 connections.
Cool
– The inverter should be protected from direct sun exposure or equipment that produces
extreme heat. The ambient temperature around the inverter must not exceed 77°F (25°C) to
meet power speci
fi
cations.
Ventilation
– In order for the inverter to provide full output power and to avoid over-temperature
fault conditions, do not cover or block the inverter’s ventilation openings or install this inverter in
an area with limited air
fl
ow. The inverter uses two fans to provide forced air cooling, these fans
pull in air through the intake vents (Figure 1-2, Item 10) and blow out air through the exhaust
vents (Figure 1-3, Item 14). Allow at the minimum an airspace clearance of 6” (15.2 cm) at the
intake and exhaust vents, and 3” (7.6 cm) everywhere else to provide adequate ventilation.
If installed in an enclosure, a fresh air intake opening must be provided directly to the front side
(intake vents) of the inverter and an exhaust opening on the back side (exhaust vents) of the
inverter. This allows cool air from the outside to
fl
ow into the inverter and heated air to exit the
inverter and the enclosure. When mounted in an enclosed compartment, air
fl
ow must be
≥
100
cfm in order to maintain no more than a 68°F (20°C) rise in compartment temperature.
CAUTION:
Do not mount this inverter in a zero clearance compartment, nor cover or
obstruct the ventilation openings—overheating may result.
Safe
– Keep any
fl
ammable/combustible material (e.g., paper, cloth, plastic, etc.,) that may be
ignited by heat, sparks, or
fl
ames at a minimum distance of 2 feet (61 cm) away from the inverter.
WARNING:
The MSH3012RV inverter/charger is not ignition protected. Do not install
this inverter in any area that contains extremely
fl
ammable liquids like gasoline or
propane.
Close to the battery bank
– The inverter should be located as close to the batteries as possible.
Long DC wires tend to lose ef
fi
ciency and reduce the overall performance of an inverter. However,
the unit should not be installed in the same compartment as the batteries or mounted where it
will be exposed to gases produced by the batteries. These gases are corrosive and will damage
the inverter; also, if these gases are not ventilated and allowed to collect, they could ignite and
cause an explosion.
Accessible
–
Do not block access to the inverter’s remote control and accessory ports, as well as
the inverter’s controls and status indicator. Allow enough room to access the AC and DC wiring
terminals and connections, as they will need to be checked and tightened periodically. See Figure
2-3 for the MSH3012RV inverter/charger’s dimensions.
Away from sensitive electronic equipment
– High powered inverters can generate levels of RFI
(Radio Frequency Interference). Locate any electronic equipment susceptible to radio frequency
and electromagnetic interference as far away from the inverter as possible.
