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1 Introduction

About the Inverter

Connected to the 12 V outlet in your car, truck, boat, RV, or directly 
from a dedicated 12 V battery, the XPower Inverter 400 efficiently and 

reliably powers a wide variety of household AC products, such as 
portable stereos, laptop computers, TVs, VCRs, and other similar 
products.
The inverter uses reliable solid state power electronics for years of safe, 
trouble-free operation and includes the following automatic features to 
ensure safe and trouble-free operation:

Low battery alarm

Low voltage shutdown

High voltage shutdown

Overload shutdown

Overheating shutdown

Short-circuit protection

Summary of Contents for XPower 400

Page 1: ...1 REV A Printed in China ARTWORK NO 975 0164 01 01 REV A 2004 07 05 by t 1 800 670 0707 toll free in North America 1 360 925 5097 direct f 1 800 994 7828 toll free in North America 1 360 925 5143 direct e CustomerService xantrex com www xantrex com ...

Page 2: ...by XPower Inverter 400 Owner s Guide ...

Page 3: ...ners and are used herein for identification purposes only Notice of Copyright XPower Inverter 400 Owner s Guide July 2004 Xantrex International All rights reserved Disclaimer 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 ...

Page 4: ... and Cautions 3 Additional safety guidelines 5 3 Inverter Features 6 AC front panel 6 DC back panel 7 Digital display top panel 8 Types of connections 10 Accessories 10 4 Connecting the Inverter 11 Choosing a location 11 Connecting for loads under 150 W 12 Connecting for loads over 150 W 13 Contents ...

Page 5: ...rter off 17 Operating normal loads 17 Operating loads with high surge requirements 18 6 Maintaining Battery Condition 20 7 Troubleshooting 22 Common problems 23 Buzz in audio systems 23 Television interference 23 Troubleshooting reference 24 8 Specifications 28 9 Warranty and Return 29 ...

Page 6: ...ousehold AC products such as portable stereos laptop computers TVs VCRs and other similar products The inverter uses reliable solid state power electronics for years of safe trouble free operation and includes the following automatic features to ensure safe and trouble free operation Low battery alarm Low voltage shutdown High voltage shutdown Overload shutdown Overheating shutdown Short circuit p...

Page 7: ...u read this guide before connecting and using the inverter and then save it for future reference This guide contains Important safety information page 3 Instructions for connecting the inverter page 11 Operating guidelines page 16 Troubleshooting guidelines page 22 Specifications page 28 ...

Page 8: ...e Cautions identify conditions or practices that may damage the unit or other equipment Warnings and Cautions WARNING Shock hazard Keep children away from the inverter The inverter generates the same lethal AC power as a normal household wall outlet Treat the outlet with respect WARNING Heated surface The inverter housing may become uncomfortably warm reaching 60 C 140 F under extended high power ...

Page 9: ...rd Vehicle drivers should not configure or troubleshoot the inverter while they are driving the vehicle CAUTION Output non sinusoidal Some chargers for small nickel cadmium batteries can be damaged if connected to the inverter Do not use the inverter with the following equipment Small battery operated appliances like rechargeable flashlights some rechargeable shavers and night lights that are plug...

Page 10: ...er 104 F 40 C Do not expose the inverter to water rain snow or spray Failure to follow these safety guidelines may cause personal injury and or damage to the inverter It may also void your product warranty CAUTION Do not connect live AC power to the inverter s AC outlets The inverter will be damaged even if it is turned off Do not connect any AC load that has its neutral conductor connected to gro...

Page 11: ...e 1 shows the AC panel of the inverter Figure 1 AC Panel Two AC receptacles are located on one end of the inverter You can plug in 120 V appliances with a combined total continuous power consumption of up to 400 W CAUTION To prevent overheating ensure that all the ventilation openings on the unit are kept clear ...

Page 12: ...ed to operate only when output power is greater than approximately 80 W When the inverter is turned on the fan may operate momentarily The ventilation openings should not be covered at any time while the inverter is operating 2 A Positive and B Negative Cabling Terminals Connect the ring terminals on the power cables to these terminals To ensure correct polarity red must be connected to red and bl...

Page 13: ...8 Digital display top panel Figure 3 shows the digital display panel Use Table 2 to identify the function of items Figure 3 Digital Display Panel 2 1 3 ...

Page 14: ...r output voltage 2 Normal Operation Digital display shows input voltage output power or output voltage Error Mode Digital display shows error codes and alarm sounds when unit has shut down due to under voltage over voltage over load overheating or high surge 3 LEDs indicate the status of the digital display Audible Alarm An audible alarm warns you if an under voltage shutdown is about to occur ...

Page 15: ...of 150 W or less Lighter plug cable to connect the inverter to a 12 V outlet in your vehicle See Figure 4 For AC loads up to 400 W Cable clamps to connect the inverter directly to a dedicated 12 V battery See Figure 5 Accessories Figure 4 Lighter Plug Cable Figure 5 Cable for Direct Connection to 12 V Battery ...

Page 16: ...or more Dry Do not expose the inverter to water rain snow or spray Cool Operate the inverter in ambient temperatures between 0 C and 40 C 32 F and 100 F Keep it away from heating vents and direct sunlight Well ventilated For proper cooling allow at least 2 5 cm of clearance around the inverter Clean and free of dust and dirt Choose a location that is free of any debris that could get into the inve...

Page 17: ...als are shown in Figure 2 Fasten the positive red ring terminal to the positive cabling terminal and then fasten the negative black ring terminal to the negative cabling terminal CAUTION Reverse polarity Power connections of the 12 V DC battery to the inverter must be positive to positive and negative to negative A reverse polarity connection positive to negative will blow a fuse in the inverter a...

Page 18: ...ays turn the inverter off by holding the switch until the digital display turns off Connecting for loads over 150 W To operate loads greater than 150 W continuously you must connect the unit directly to a 12 V battery using the DC cable clamps When the inverter is connected this way you can operate loads of up to 400 W WARNING Shock hazard Batteries contain corrosive materials and present an elect...

Page 19: ...ten the negative black ring terminal to the negative cabling terminal 4 Tighten the nut on each cabling terminal until it is snug Do not over tighten CAUTION Reverse polarity Power connections of the 12 V DC battery to the inverter must be positive to positive and negative to negative A reverse polarity connection positive to negative will blow a fuse in the inverter and may permanently damage the...

Page 20: ... the switch located on top of the unit until 888 is shown on the display The digital display will show the battery voltage indicating that the inverter is operating normally and AC power is available at the outlet 7 Plug in the AC appliance you want to operate 8 When not in use always turn the inverter off by holding the switch until the digital display turns off ...

Page 21: ...r AC products and turn them on one at a time Low Battery Alarm and Shutdown As the battery discharges its voltage decreases When the inverter senses that the voltage at its DC input has dropped to 11 0 V it sounds an alarm giving you time to shut down sensitive loads such as computers If you ignore the alarm and the DC input voltage drops below 10 5 V the inverter shuts down all loads to save the ...

Page 22: ... safe operating temperature The overheating error code E04 will show on the digital display Shutting the inverter off If you are going to disconnect the battery turn the inverter off first Turn the inverter off by holding the switch until the display turns off Operating normal loads The inverter is capable of continuously powering most 120 V AC products with the following power rating maximums Tab...

Page 23: ...ore power than their power rating when they are first turned on TVs monitors and electric motors are some products that have high surge requirements at start up The inverter can supply momentary surge power that is higher than its maximum power rating Some products rated less than power rating maximum for your inverter may exceed its surge capability and trigger an overload shutdown If this proble...

Page 24: ...attsb b If you want to power two or more products simultaneously add the power require ments of both products to determine the total wattage Will operate with inverter Cell phone camcorder charger 10 Yes Video game console 20 Yes Portable work light 25 Yes Stereo system 50 Yes Laptop computer 75 Yes 13 TV 100 Yes 27 TV 200 Yes 20 TV VCR combo 300 Yes Small appliances 400 No Power tools 400 No ...

Page 25: ...evel of the battery battery capacity and the amount of power drawn by the AC loads you are operating With a typical vehicle battery you can expect the following Table 5 Battery Operating Times Load Sample Appliance Operating Time 50 W CD player 6 8 hours 100 W small TV 3 4 hours 200 W TV VCR 1 2 hours ...

Page 26: ...low voltage shutdown Vehicle batteries are designed to provide brief periods of very high current needed for engine starting They are not intended for constant deep discharge Regularly operating the inverter from a vehicle battery until the low voltage alarm sounds will shorten the life of the battery Consider connecting the inverter to a separate deep discharge type battery if you will be frequen...

Page 27: ...this section before contacting Customer Service If you are unable to solve a problem and need to contact service please prepare for the call by writing down the following details Inverter s serial number How long the inverter has been in use Where it is installed Appliances operating when the problem occurred A brief description of the problem Customer Service Hotline 1 800 670 0707 ...

Page 28: ...the form of lines scrolling across the screen Try one of these suggestions to minimize or eliminate the problem Adjust the orientation of the inverter television antenna and cables Maximize TV signal strength by using a better antenna and use shielded antenna cable where possible Try a different TV Different models vary considerably in their susceptibility to interference WARNING Electrical shock ...

Page 29: ...e Cause Solution Battery is defective Check battery and replace if required The inverter has been connected with reverse DC input polarity Check connection to battery The inverter has likely been damaged and needs to be repaired Have the unit repaired not covered under warranty Loose cable connections Check cables and connections Tighten as required Possible Cause Solution Voltage drop across DC c...

Page 30: ...ut requires a true RMS voltmeter for accurate measurements The battery voltage is too low Recharge the battery Possible Cause Solution The AC product power consumption is higher than rated Use a larger battery to make up for the increased power requirement The battery is old or defective Replace the battery The battery is not being charged properly Some chargers are not able to fully recharge a ba...

Page 31: ...h the lighter plug cable which is fuse limited to 180 watts Connect the inverter directly to the battery using the DC cable with clips The battery does not produce enough volts to supply the inverter with sufficient power Turn vehicle on and then connect the inverter directly to the battery using the DC cable with clips ...

Page 32: ... Use a product with a power rating within the inverter s continuous power rating see Table 3 E04 The inverter has overheated due to poor ventilation Overheating shutdown has occurred Turn inverter off and allow to cool for 15 minutes Clear blocked fan or remove objects covering unit Move the inverter to a cooler place Reduce load if continuous operation is required E05 The AC products connected ha...

Page 33: ... output power 400 W Maximum AC output surge power 700 W AC output frequency 60 1 Hz AC output waveform Modified Sine Wave No load current draw at 12 V input 0 3 A Efficiency maximum 90 Ambient operating temperature range 32 104 F 0 40 C Low voltage alarm Low voltage shutdown High voltage shutdown 11 0 V 10 5 V 15 5 V Dimensions L W H 5 4 2 137 102 51 mm Weight 1 lb 0 44 kg 5 8 ...

Page 34: ...antrex will at its option use new and or reconditioned parts in performing warranty repair and building replacement products Xantrex reserves the right to use parts or products of original or improved design in the repair or replacement If Xantrex repairs or replaces a product its warranty continues for the remaining portion of the original Warranty Period or 90 days from the date of the return sh...

Page 35: ...embled or modified without prior written authorization by Xantrex Proof of purchase may be in any one of the following forms The dated purchase receipt from the original purchase of the product at point of sale to the end user or The dated dealer invoice or purchase receipt showing original equipment manufacturer OEM status or The dated invoice or purchase receipt showing the product exchanged und...

Page 36: ... service centers hereafter ASCs d the product if it is used as a component part of a product expressly war ranted by another manufacturer e the product if its original identification trade mark serial number mark ings have been defaced altered or removed Disclaimer Product THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE WARRANTY PROVIDED BY XANTREX IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR XANTREX PRODUCT AND IS WH...

Page 37: ...OR THE INCORRECT INSTALLATION INTEGRATION OR OPERATION OF THE PRODUCT Exclusions If this product is a consumer product federal law does not allow an exclusion of implied warranties To the extent you are entitled to implied warranties under federal law to the extent permitted by applicable law they are limited to the duration of this Limited Warranty Some states and provinces do not allow limitatio...

Page 38: ...FOREGOING XANTREX MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES REGARDING THE USE OF THE XANTREX XPOWER INVERTER 400 IN CONNECTION WITH LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS OR OTHER MEDICAL EQUIPMENT OR DEVICES Please note that the XPower Inverter 400 is not intended for use as an uninterruptible power supply and Xantrex makes no warranty or representation in connection with any use of the product for such purposes ...

Page 39: ... Xantrex 1 Package the unit safely preferably using the original box and packing materials Please ensure that your product is shipped fully insured in the original packaging or equivalent This warranty will not apply where the product is damaged due to improper packaging 2 Include the following The RMA number supplied by Xantrex Technology Inc clearly marked on the outside of the box A return addr...

Page 40: ...to obtain service please have your instruction manual ready for reference and be prepared to supply The serial number of your product Information about the installation and use of the unit Information about the failure and or reason for the return A copy of your dated proof of purchase If you are returning a product from outside of the USA or Canada In addition to the above you MUST include return...

Page 41: ...er Inverter 400 for out of warranty service contact Xantrex Customer Service for a Return Material Authorization RMA number and follow the other steps outlined in Return Procedure on page 34 Payment options such as credit card or money order will be explained by the Customer Service Representative In cases where the minimum flat fee does not apply as with incomplete units or units with excessive d...

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