VENTILATED –
Keep the area surrounding the inverter clear to ensure free air circulation around
the unit. Do not place items on or over the inverter during operation. The unit will shut down if the
internal temperature gets too hot. The inverter will auto-reset after it cools down.
SAFE –
Do not use the inverter near flammable materials or in any locations that may accumulate
flammable fumes or gases. This is an electrical appliance that can briefly spark when electrical
connections are made or broken.
Rated Versus Actual Current Draw of Equipment
Most electrical tools, appliances, electronic devices and audio/visual equipment have labels that
indicate the power consumption in amps or watts. Be sure that the power consumption of the item
to be operated is below 100 watts. If the power consumption is rated in amps AC, simply multiply
by the AC volts (120) to determine the power.
Resistive loads are the easiest for the inverter to run; however, it will not run larger resistive loads
(such as electric stoves and heaters), which require far more wattage than the inverter can deliver.
Inductive loads (such as TVs and stereos) require more current to operate than do resistive loads
of the same wattage rating.
For safety reasons, the unit will simply shut down if it is overloaded. To restart the unit, simply
remove the load and unplug the unit from the 12 volt DC power source; then plug the unit back in
to the 12 volt DC power source.
Note:
This inverter will not operate appliances and equipment that generate heat, such as hair
dryers, electric blankets, microwave ovens and toasters.
HOW THIS INVERTER WORKS
This inverter is an electronic device that converts low voltage DC (direct current) electricity from a
battery to 115 volt AC (alternating current) household power. In designing this inverter, the
manufacturer has incorporated design techniques previously employed in computer power
supplies. The result of these design innovations is a smaller, lighter and easier-to-use power
inverter.
The inverter converts power in two stages. The first stage is a DC-to-DC conversion process that raises
the low voltage DC at the inverter input to 145 volts DC. The second stage is a MOSFET bridge stage
that converts the high voltage DC into 115 volts, 60 Hz AC.
The DC-to-DC converter stage uses creative, high frequency, zero voltage switching power
conversion techniques that replace the bulky transformers found in less technologically advanced
models. The inverter stage uses advanced power MOSFET transistors in a full bridge configuration.
Inverter Output Waveform
The AC output waveform of this inverter is known as a modified sine wave. It is a stepped
waveform that has characteristics similar to the sine wave shape of utility power. This type of
waveform is suitable for most AC loads, including linear and switching power supplies used in
electronic equipment, transformers, and small motors.
OPERATION OF INVERTER
Once properly connected to a 12 volt DC power source, the Power LED indicator lights green
indicating that the Inverter is functioning properly. If the Power LED Indicator fails to light,
indicating a fault condition exists, refer to the “Troubleshooting” section on page 6 of this manual.
The standard North American 120 Volt AC and USB Outlets allow the user to operate multiple
devices simultaneously. Simply plug the equipment into the unit and operate normally.
Notes: Ensure wattage of all equipment simultaneously plugged into the VEC411 does not
exceed 100 watts continuous.
Always connect the inverter to the 12 volt DC power source before plugging any devices
into the inverter.
CAUTION: Rechargeable Devices
• Certain rechargeable devices are designed to be charged by plugging them
directly into an AC receptacle.
• These devices may damage the inverter or the charging circuit.
• When using a rechargeable device, monitor its temperature for the initial ten
minutes of use to determine if it produces excessive heat.
• If excessive heat is produced, this indicates the device should not be used with
this inverter.
• This problem does not occur with most battery-operated equipment. Most of
these devices use a separate charger or transformer that is plugged into an AC
receptacle.
• The inverter is capable of running most chargers and transformers.
PROTECTIVE FEATURES
The inverter monitors the following conditions:
Low Battery Voltage – this condition is not harmful to the inverter but could damage the power
source, so the inverter automatically shuts down when input voltage drops to 10 ± 0.3 volts. When
this condition is corrected, the unit will auto-reset.
Over Voltage Protection – the inverter will automatically shut down when the input voltage exceeds
15 volts DC.
Short Circuit Protection – the inverter will automatically shut down when short circuit occurs.
OPERATING TIPS
The inverter should only be operated in locations that are:
DRY –
Do not allow water or other liquids to come into contact with the inverter.
COOL –
Surrounding air temperature should be between –20°C and 40°C — ideally between
15°C and 25°C (60 – 80°F). Keep the inverter away from direct sunlight, when possible.
4
5
VEC411_Manual_032706 4/20/06 4:11 PM Page 4
