Manual - Effective Solar
Contents
1. Also longer and or thinner cables will reduce the efficiency of the overall system since excessive power will be dissipated in the cabling For temporary operation at reduced power levels the Max Test Load Min Cable Size guidelines listed in Table 1 may Copper material be followed or you can use the Consumption for only y Short Term Test y cable sizes in Table 6 100 Watts 16 AWG l deally the cables should be no KONE Seen more than 4 ft 1 5m long See table 2 for a pictorial 500 Watts 8 AWG representation of the wire gauges Table 1 Temporary Load Wire Gauge Chart CAUTION DO NOT operate your inverter for more than 5 minutes or ata higher power using these cable sizes Referto table 6 Strip approximately 1 2 1 25cm of insulation from the ends of the cables being connected to the inverter Attach 5 16 ring terminals to the ends of the wires to be attached to the DC terminals on the Portawattz 3000 The ring terminals should be crimped with a proper crimping tool Another option is to use Ilsco or equivalent box lug terminals available at electrical parts suppliers The bare cable end can then be inserted into the lug terminal The other ends of the cables which are connected to the power source must be terminated with lugs or other connectors that allow a secure low resistance connection to be made to the power source For instance if2. as motors The Portawattz 3000 will operate most AC loads within these ratings Some induction motors require very high surge currents to start The Portawattz 3000 may not be able to start some of these motors even though their rated current draw is within the PRO watt s limits The Portawattz 3000 will normally start single phase induction motors rated at 1HP or less If a motor refuses to start observe the battery voltage indicator while trying to start the motor If the battery voltage indicator drops below 11 volts while the Portawattz 3000 is attempting to start the motor this may be why the motor won t start Make sure that the battery connections are good and that the battery is fully charged If the connections are good and the battery is charged but the voltage still drops below 11volts you may need to use a larger battery See Battery Sizing notes in Section 4 2 6 2 2 Input Voltage The Portawattz 3000 will operate from input voltages between 10 volts and 15 volts However optimum performance is achieved with input voltages between 12 0 volts and 14 0 volts If the voltage drops below 10 7 volts the low battery waming will sound and the voltage indicator will be in the lower red zone The Portawattz 3000 will shut down if the input voltage drops below 10 volts This protects your battery from being over discharged The Portawattz will not restart unless the input voltage exceeds 11 volts The Portawattz 3000 will also shu
3. battery selector switch switch it to select one of the batteries Set the ON OFF switch on the Portawattz 3000 to the ON position Check the meters and indicators on the front panel of the Portawattz 3000 The battery voltage indicator should indicate 12 to 13 volts depending on the voltage of the battery If it does not check your battery and the connections to the Portawattz 3000 The other indicators should be OFF 6 Operation To operate the Portawattz 3000 tum it on using the ON OFF switch on the front panel The Portawattz 3000 is now ready to deliver AC power to your loads If you are operating several loads from the Portawattz 3000 turn them on separately after the unit has been tumed ON This will ensure that the Portawattz does not have to deliver the starting currents for all the loads at once 6 1 Front Panel Controls and Indicators 6 1 1 ON OFF Switch The ON OFF switch turns the control circuit in the Portawattz 3000 on and off It does not disconnect power from the Portawattz 3000 When the switch is in the OFF position the Portawattz 3000 draws less than 0 2mA of current from the battery When the Switch is in the ON position but no power is being supplied to the load the Portawattz 3000 draws less than 600 milliamperes from the battery This is a low current draw It would take more than a week to discharge a 100 ampere hour battery at this current so you don t have to worry about excessive drain on your bat
4. the length of cable required to connect the inverter to the battery butnotin the same compartment It is better and cheaper to run longer AC wires than longer DC cables because of the much lower currents in the AC wires CAUTION To reduce fire hazard do notcoverorobstruct ventilation openings Do not install the Portawattz 3000 in a zero clearance compartment Overheating may result WARNING This equipmentcontains components which tend to produce arcs orsparks To reduce risk of fire orexplosion do notinstall in compartments containing batteries orflammable materials orin locations which require ignition protected equipment Mount the Portawattz on a flat surface using the mounting flanges on the front and rear panels Mounting hardware should be corrosion resistant and 10 or larger The Portawattz may be mounted horizontally or vertically 10 5 2 Battery The battery you use strongly affects the performance you can expect from your Portawattz 3000 It is important to connect the Portawattz 3000 to the correct size and type of battery The following information will help you select the appropriate batteries for your application 5 2 1 Battery type The lead acid battery which is probably most familiar is the starting battery in your automobile An automotive starting battery is designed to deliver a large amount of current for a short period of time so it can start your engine Only a small portion of the battery s capac
5. the power source is a battery the cables must be terminated with battery terminals that clamp to the posts on the battery fi A solid low resistance connection to the DC power wa SOUICE is essential for proper operation 4 3 Test Loads ALPHA Neoprene Welding C able Use only equipment rated for 110 120 volt Saai ouei 60 Hz AC operation that has a power WireSize Diameter AWG consumption of 500 watts or less We inches mm recommend that you start with a relatively 6 0 35 8 89 low power load such as a 100 watt lamp 4 0 42 10 70 to verify your test set up before trying high 2 0 48 12 19 power loads m GHEE er 1 0 0 58 14 77 JS Senge nen 2 0 0 64 16 26 Follow the connection sequence described 310 0 70 17 78 below 4 0 0 82 20 83 STEP 1 Ensure the ON OFF switch on Table 2 Wire size Chart the Portawattz 3000 is in the OFF position If the power source is a DC power supply switch it off as well Battery or Rear Panel Power Supply Figure 4 Connections to the Portawattz 3000 STEP 2 Connect the DC cables to the power input terminals on the rear panel of the Portawattz 3000 The Red terminal is positive and the Black terminal is negative Tighten the wire connections securely see figure 4 STEP 3 Connect the cable from the negative Black terminal of the Portawattz 3000 to the negative terminal of th
6. tool Another option is to use Ilsco or equivalent box lug terminals available at electrical parts suppliers The bare cable end can then be inserted into the lug terminal 17 The other ends of the cables which are connected to the battery must be terminated with battery terminals that clamp to the posts on the battery result in a poor long term connection Di Do not tin the cable ends with solder Doing so will gt 2 aui A solid low resistance connection to the DC power source is essential for proper operation 5 4 Connections 5 4 1 AC Wiring You can plug your AC loads directly into the receptacles on the inverter front panel Output power to each receptacle is limited by a circuit breaker to 1500 Watts 15A You may also make a permanent AC connection via the AC knockout This connection must be made in accordance with applicable electrical codes If you are not familiar with the applicable electrical codes and wiring practices we recommend you have the inverter installed by a qualified electrician 5 4 2 Ground Wiring The Portawattz 3000 has a lug on the rear panel This is to connect the chassis of the Portawattz 3000 and therefore the inverter s AC output ground to your AC distribution system ground The ground wire in the AC junction box on the front panel of the Portawattz 3000 is connected to the chassis The chassis ground lug must be connected to a grounding point which will vary depending o
7. 0 amperes The charging system must also be able to charge each 12 volt battery up to approximately 14 4 volts and then drop back to a float voltage of 13 5 to 14 volts or shut off A typical engine alternator may not be able to meet these requirements if large capacity batteries are used Alternators are typically rated for the current they can deliver when they are cold In actual use alternators heat up and their output current capability drops by as much as 2596 Thus standard alternators with ratings of 40 amperes to 105 amperes will only deliver a maximum of 30 to 80 amperes in actual use and will deliver even less as battery voltage rises Many alternators cannot produce more than 13 6 volts when they are hot As a result a standard alternator may not be able to charge a large battery quickly and completely One solution is to install an alternator controller that will bypass the voltage regulator and boost the alternator s output voltage during charging This will increase the alternators charging rate at higher battery voltages and ensure more rapid and complete charging Alternator controllers are available from marine product dealers Another solution is to install a high output alternator Heavy duty alternators rated from 100 amperes to 140 amperes are available from RV and marine dealers and auto parts suppliers These alternators are designed to directly replace standard alternators but produce the higher current and h
8. 3000 directly to the vehicle starting battery Ta Chassis Alternator Vehicle Hattery Figure 6 Connection for Light Duty Applications CAUTION The Portawatiz 3000 mustbe connected only to batteries with a nominal output voltage of 12 volts The Portawattz 3000 will not operate from a 6 volt battery and willbe damaged if itis connected to a 24 volt battery 5 2 2 Battery Sizing There are a number of different standards for rating battery energy storage capacity Automotive starting batteries are normally rated by cranking amps This is not a relevant rating for continuous use Deep cycle batteries are rated either by reserve capacity in minutes or by ampere hour capacity Battery reserve capacity is a measure of how long a battery can deliver a certain amount of current usually 25 amperes For instance a battery with a reserve capacity of 180 minutes can deliver 25 amperes for 180 minutes before it is completely discharged Ampere hour capacity is a measure of how many amperes a battery can deliver for a specified length of time usually 20 hours For example a typical marine or RV battery rated for 100 ampere hours can deliver 5 amperes for 20 hours 5 amperes x 20 hours 100 amp hrs Actual battery capacity decreases as discharge current increases A battery rated at 100 ampere hours which can deliver 5 amperes for 20 hours may deliver 20 amperes for 12 only 4 hours resulting in an actual capacity of 80 a
9. C polarity 1 Turn inverter ON 2 Check wiring to inverter Check battery fuse 3 Have qualified service technician check and replace 4 Have qualified service technician check and replace fuse observe Correct polarity No output voltage voltage indicator in upper red zone High input voltage Make sure unit is connected to 12V battery check regulation of charging system Low battery alarm on all the time voltage indicator below 11 volts Poor DC wiring poor batter condition Use proper cable and make solid connections Charge battery or use new battery No output voltage OVERTEMP indicator ON load in excess of 2500 Watts 250 ampere input current Thermal shutdown Allow unit to cool down Reduce load if continuous opertion required No output voltage OVERTEMP indicator ON load less than 2500 Watts 250 ampere input current Thermal shutdown Improve ventilation make sure ventilation openings in unit are not obstructed reduce ambient temperature No output voltage OVERLOAD indicator ON 1 Short circuit or wiring error 2 Very high power load 1 Check AC wiring for Short circuit or improper polarity hot and neutral reversed 2 Remove or reduce load 25 26 9 Maintenance Very litle maintenance is required to keep your Portawattz 3000 operating properly You should clean the exterior of the unit periodically wit
10. PORTAWATTZ 3000 DE to AC POWER INVERTER OWNER S MANUAL Table of Contents DL IMtrOGUCHION eec 1 2 How Your Portawattz 3000 Inverter Works eee 1 2 1 Principle of Operation eege aha ae ate dete 2 2 Portawattz 3000 Inverter Output Waveform 3 Physical Layout of the Portawattz 3000 Inverter 3 4 Quick Operational Check optional enn 5 4 1 DG Power SOUIce cu d arare c adr em 5 Ab Ce ri coal err ex Por no E erste trei e EL gor ex ELE ERR ARTES 5 4 12 DC Power Supply prr a ne FO PERI Re PHAR 5 AD DC EI 5 43 TeSt E To eines earar aiai ier 4 4 Connections 5 Permanent Installation eene nnn 9 ENT ULM DERE 9 EE ae ome a i o d o n nn i a n io d n v 10 5 2 T Battery type rn orn ehe n me e n e e HR eram n RE Re Th 10 5 2 2 Battery SIZIng EE 11 5 2 3 Using Multiple Batteries cess ac e te tp xb RO 13 5 2 4 Battery TIps i und EE 14 5 2 5 Alternators and Charging Systems sse 15 5 3 Battery Cables canh a Ub ERO PO Hec iter 16 5 4 Connections 1 nenne nnn nenne trino nans sonans iro ran asso teete 18 54 LAC le 18 542 Ground WINING s t d e oe rh Re aded an a 18 5 4 3 DG true n oett ee ver Fe ten mm eee Sto e deae tud 19 6 Operation ene eee 20 6 1 Front Panel Controls and Indicators AE 20 6 1 1 ONJOFE SWItC D coeno t t e REEL eet EO E Me 6 1 2 Remote ON OFF Jack ee tener wick e oe cm nm ts 6 1 3 Batte
11. and industrial batteries To get more information on our products orto just find out more about us give us a call at 604 420 1585 or visit us on the world wide web at www statpower com STATPZWER Ihe Power ti Make if Happen 7725 Lougheed Highway Bumaby BC Canada V5A 4V8 Tel 604 420 1585 Fax 604 420 1591 Website www statpower com
12. e cable from the negative black terminal of the Portawattz 3000 to the negative terminal of the battery Make a secure connection CAUTION Loose connectors resultin excessive voltage drop and may cause overheated wires and melted insulation STEP 4 Before proceeding further carefully check that the cable you have just attached connects the negative terminal of the Portawattz 3000 to the negative terminal of the battery Power connections to the Portawattz 3000 must be positive to positive and negative to negative CAUTION We recommend a Main Fuse in the battery positive cable to protectagainst DC wiring shortcircuits extemalto the inverter The fuse should be as close to the battery as possible We recommend an approved class R or class J fuse such as Bussman JJ N or FRN Littelfuse J LLN or FLN or equivalent The specific fuse ampere rating should be sized to allow operation ofallyourDC powered equipmentand to properly protectyour battery cables WARNING You may observe a spark when you make the following connection since current may flow to charge capacitors in the Portawattz 3000 Do notmake this connection in the presence offlammable fumes Explosion orfire may result STEP 5 Connect the cable from the positive red terminal of the Portawattz 3000 to the positive terminal of the battery Main Fuse or to the battery selector switch if you are using one Make a secure connection STEP 6 If you are using a
13. e power source battery or power supply Make a secure connection CAUTION Loose connectors result in excessive voltage drop and may cause overheated wires and melted insulation STEP 4 Before proceeding further carefully check that the cable you have just attached connects the negative terminal of the Portawattz 3000 to the negative output terminal of the power source Power connections to the Portawattz 3000 must be positive to positive and negative to negative CAUTION Reverse polarity connection positive to negative will blow the fuses in the Portawattz 3000 and may permanently damage the unit Damage caused by reverse polarity connection is not covered by your warranty WARNING You may observe a spark when you make the following connection since current may flow to charge capacitors in the Portawattz 3000 Do not make this connection in the presence offlammable fumes Explosion orfire may result STEP 5 Connectthe cable from the positive Red terminal of the Portawattz 3000 to the positive terminal of the power source Make a secure connection STEP 6 If you are using a DC power supply as the power source switch it on Set the ON OFF switch on the Portawattz 3000 to the ON position Check the meters and indicators on the front panel of the Portawattz 3000 The battery voltage indicator should indicate 11 to 14 volts depending on the voltage of the power source If it does not check your power source and the c
14. gligence or fault Statpower owns all parts removed from repaired products Statpower uses new and reconditioned parts made by various manufacturers in performing warranty repairs and building replacement products If Statpower repairs or replaces a product its warranty term is not extended This is Statpower s only warranty and The Company makes no warranties express or implied including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose 10 2 To Obtain Warranty Service If your Portawattz 3000 requires service please return it to the place of purchase If you are unable to contact your merchant or the merchant is unable to provide service contact Statpower directly BY PHONE 604 420 1585 BYFAX 604 420 1591 BY MAIL Statpower Technologies Corporation 7125 Lougheed Highway Burnaby BC V5A 4V8 CANADA BY EMAIL support Q statpower com WEBSITE www statpower com You must obtain a Return Authorization Number from Statpower before returning a Portawattz 3000 directly to Statpower Do not return a Portawattz 3000 to Statpower without first obtaining a Return Authorization Number When you contact Statpowerto obtain service be prepared to supply a description of the problem the serial number of the unit serial number can be located on the back panel of the unit and the name and address of the dealer where you purchased the unit and the date of purchase If you are retuming a Portawattz 3000
15. h a damp Cloth to prevent accumulation of dust and dirt The air intake on the rear panel and air exhaust slots on the front panel are especially prone to dust and dirt accumulation A regular maintenance check is recommended and the nuts on the DC input terminals should be tightened periodically 10 Warranty 10 1 Warranty Terms Statpower manufacturers its hardware products from parts and components that are new or equivalent to new in accordance with industry standard practices Statpower warrants the Portawattz 3000 to be free from defects in workmanship or materials for 6 months from the date of purchase During this period Statpower will at its option repair or replace the defective product free of charge This warranty will be considered void if the unit has suffered any physical damage or alteration either internally or externally and does not cover damage arising from improper use attempting to operate products with excessive power consumption requirements or from use in an unsuitable environment This warranty will not apply where the product has been misused neglected improperly installed or repaired by anyone other than Statpower In order to qualify for the warranty the product must not be disassembled or modified without prior authorization by Statpower Repair or replacement is your sole remedy and Statpower shall not be liable for damages whether direct incidental special or consequential even though caused by ne
16. icrowave Operating Time N R NR N R 1 5 Hrs 4Hrs 1000 Toaster Operating Time N R NR N R lHr 3Hrs 1500 Full Size Microwave Operating Time N R NR N R 0 5 Hrs 2Hrs 2500 alr eere Washing Operating Time NR NR NR 0 2 Hrs 0 8 Hrs N R Not Recommended Table 4 12 Volt Battery Sizing Chart When sizing your battery be conservative More capacity is better since you will have more reserve capacity and your battery won t be discharged as deeply Battery life is directly dependent on how deeply the battery is discharged The deeper the discharge the shorter the battery life Ideally the number of ampere hours consumed by your loads before recharging the battery should be no more than 50 of the battery s rated capacity 5 2 3 Using Multiple Batteries To obtain sufficient battery capacity you may need to use more than one battery Two identical batteries can be connected to and to in a parallel system that doubles capacity and maintains the voltage of a single battery Do not connect batteries from different manufacturers or with different amp hr ratings in parallel decreased battery life may result see Figure 7 If you are using different batteries or need to use more than two batteries we recommend that you set up two separate battery banks and use them alternately Battery selector switches are available from marine and RV dealers which allow you to select between two banks of batteries or
17. igher voltage required to charge multiple battery systems When recharging from AC power use a good quality marine battery charger or RV converter that meets the requirements specified above Do not use chargers intended for occasional recharging of automotive starting batteries these chargers are not intended for continuous use Your batteries may also be recharged from alternative energy Sources such as solar panels wind or hydro systems Make sure that you use the appropriate battery charge controller for your energy source Do not operate the Portawattz 3000 directly from a charging source such as an alternator or solar panel The Portawattz must be connected to a battery or a well regulated high current DC power supply to work properly 5 3 Battery Cables Proper wire and wiring is very important for the safe and proper operation of the Portawattz 3000 Because the Portawattz 3000 has a low voltage high curent input low resistance wiring between the battery and the Portawattz 3000 is essential to deliver the maximum amount of usable energy to your load Don t waste the investment you have made in batteries and a highly efficient inverter by using undersized wires Use only copper wire Aluminum wire has about 1 3 more resistance than copper wire of the same size and it is more difficult to make a good low resistance connection We recommend 2 x 1AWG or 1 X 3 OAWG copper cable 909C insulation rating as the minimum size f
18. is applied to the large terminals on the rear of the unit and flows forward to the AC receptacles on the front panel All of the indicators controls and output connections that you will need to access after a permanent installation are conveniently located on the front panel see Figure 3 See Section 6 1 Front Panel Controls and Indicators for a detailed explanation of the functions ofthe various controls and indicators on your Portawattz 3000 Forced air cooling also flows in the same direction with the fan drawing air in from the rear and blowing it out through the vents on the front panel Ke NOTE It is important to provide an adequate airspace around these x surfaces to allow for convection cooling See Section 5 1 for installation notes 15 AMF ar HRzAK R Fron PANEL NEGATIVE CONNECTOR 323m VE CONNECTOR SrASSE Ret TRAINE LUG REAR PANEL Figure 3 Front and Rear panel 4 Quick Operational Check optional This section will give you the information you need if you wish to quickly hook up your Portawattz 3000 and check its performance before going ahead with permanent installation You will need the following a a 12 volt DC power source b two cables to connect the DC power source to the Portawattz 3000 c a test load of 100 1000 Watts d a line cord to connect the test load to the AC receptacle 4 1 DC PowerSource The power source must provide between 11 and 15 volts DC and must be able to su
19. ity is used when starting the engine and it is quickly recharged by the running engine It is not designed for repeated charge discharge cycles where the battery is almost completely discharged and then recharged If it is used in this kind of deep discharge service it will wear out very rapidly Deep cycle lead acid batteries are designed for deep discharge service where they will be repeatedly discharged and recharged They are marketed for use in recreational vehicles boats and electric golf carts so you may see them referred to as RV batteries marine batteries or golf cart batteries Figure 5 Configuration for Medium Duty Applications For most applications of the Portawattz 3000 Statpower recommends that you use one or more deep cycle batteries that are separated from the starting battery in your vehicle by a battery isolator A battery isolatoris a solid state electronic circuit which allows equipmentto be operated from an auxiliary battery without danger of discharging the vehicle s starting battery During vehicle operation the battery isolator automatically directs the charge from the alternator to the battery requiring the charge Battery isolators can be obtained at marine and RV dealers and most auto parts stores If your application involves relatively low power loads i e power consumption of 300 watts or less and relatively short operating times before recharging one hour or less you may connect the Portawattz
20. le with current in the yellow area If the current rises to the red area the Portawattz will reduce its output voltage to protect itself 6 1 5 OVERTEMP Indicator The OVERTEMP indicator illuminates and the alarm indicator sounds when the Portawattz 3000 has overheated and shut itself down The Portawattz may overheat because it has been operated at power levels above its 2500 watt continuous output rating or because it has been installed in a location which does not allow it to dissipate heat properly The Portawattz 3000 will restart automatically once it has cooled 6 1 6 OVERLOAD Indicator The OVERLOAD indicator illuminates when the Portawattz 3000 has shut itself down because of a severe overload To Restart the Portawattz 3000 switch the ON OFF switch to OFF correct the fault condition disconnect the load and then switch the ON OFF switch back to ON 6 1 7 ALARM Indicator An audible alarm will sound when any of the following conditions occur OVERTEMP condition Low Battery Voltage 10 7V Low Voltage Shutdown 10 0V 6 2 Operating Lim its 6 2 1 Power Output The Portawattz 3000 will deliver up to 2500 watts or 22 amperes continuously It will deliver 3000 watts or 27 amperes for approximately 5 minutes The Portawattz must cool for 15 minutes before it can resume operation at 3000 watts The wattage rating applies to resistive loads such as heaters while the current rating applies to reactive loads such
21. mpere hours For this reason it is difficult to compare rated ampere hour capacity with battery reserve capacity For example a battery with a reserve capacity of 180 minutes has the following calculated ampere hour capacity However its actual ampere hour rating will be closer to 100 ampere hours because it is rated at the discharge current 180 min 60 3 hrs required to get 20 hours of operation about 5 amperes Therefore To determine the battery capacity you require follow these steps 3 hr x25 amps 75 amp hrs STEP 1 Foreach piece of equipment you will be operating from the Portawattz 3000 determine how many watts it consumes This can normally be found on a label on the product If only the current draw is given multiply the current draw by 115 to get the power consumption in watts STEP 2 Foreach piece of equipment you will be operating from the Portawattz 3000 estimate how many hours it will operate between battery charging cycles STEP 3 Calculate total watt hours of energy consumption total hours running time and average power consumption as in the following example Power P WattHours Equipment Consumption Operating time Power x Operating Time Watts TV amp VCR 115 3Hrs 345 Sewing Machine 150 1Hr 150 Waterpik 90 0 25 Hrs 15 Min 22 5 Blender 300 0 25 Hrs 15 Min 15 Coffee Maker 750 0 3 Hrs 18 Min 225 C
22. n where the Portawattz 3000 is installed In a vehicle connect the chassis ground to the chassis of the vehicle In a boat connect to the boat s grounding system In a fixed location connect the chassis ground lug to earth ground by connecting to a ground rod a metal rod pounded into the earth or other proper service en trance ground Use a 8 AWG orlarger copper wire preferably with green yellow insulation to connect the chassis ground lug to the grounding point The neutral common conductor of the Portawattz 3000 AC output circuit is connected to chassis ground Therefore when the chassis is connected to ground the neutral conductor will also be grounded This conforms to National Electrical Code requirements that separately derived AC sources such as inverters and generators have their neutral conductors tied to ground in the same way that the neutral conductor from the utility line is tied to ground at the AC breaker panel WARNING Do notoperate the Portawattz 3000 without connecting itto ground Electrical shock may result 5 4 3 DC Wiring STEP 1 Ensure the ON OFF switch on the Portawattz 3000 is in the OFF position If you are using a battery selector switch switch it off as well STEP 2 Connect the cables to the power input terminals on the rear panel of the Portawattz 3000 The red terminal is positive and the black terminal is negative Tighten the wire connections securely STEP 3 Connect th
23. nce connection Do not use alligator clips Clean the connections regularly and prevent corrosion by using an insulating spray coating or Vaseline 6 Battery state of charge can be measured with a hydrometer or Voltage radi more easily with a voltmeter Use a digital voltmeter that can display Berlin 100 tenths or hundredths of a volt 12 5 12 6 80 when measuring 10 to 30 volts 12 3 12 4 60 Make your measurements after 12 1 12 2 40 the 12 volt battery has not been 119 120 209 charged or discharged for several h For a deep cvcle batte Table 5 Battery Charge ours FO p cy ry State at 25 C 77 F refer to table 5 5 2 5 Altemators and Charging Systems A good charging system is important for the health of your batteries Poor recharging methods can quickly damage your batteries When possible recharge your batteries when they are about 50 discharged This will give you much longer battery cycle life than recharging when the batteries are almost completely discharged The StatpowerTRU EC HARGE family of battery chargers are designed to maximize your battery s performance and useful life see your Statpower dealer for more details The charging system should be capable of delivering a charging current equal to 2596 of the ampere hour capacity of your battery For instance if you have a 200 ampere hour battery the charging system should be able to deliver 5
24. of a modified sine wave correctly They will read about 2 to 20 volts low when measuring the output of the Portawattz 3000 For accurate measurement of the output voltage a true RMS reading voltmeter such as a Fluke 87 Fluke 27 Tektronix DMM 249 or B amp K Precision Model 391 must be used CAUTION RECHARGEABLE APPLIANCES DO NOT USE THE PORTAW ATTZ 3000 WITH THE EQUIPMENT LIS TED BELOW Certain rechargers for small nickel cad mium batteries can be damaged if connected to the unit Two particular types of equipment are prone to this problem 1 small battery operated appliances such as flashlights razors and night lights that can be plugged directly into an AC receptacle to recharge 2 certain battery chargers for battery packs used in hand power tools These chargers will have a waming label stating dangerous voltages are present atthe battery terminals This problem does notoccur with the vast majority of battery operated equipment Mostofthis equipmentuses a separate charger or transformer that is plugged into the AC receptacle and produces a low voltage output Ifthe label on the AC adapter or charger states that the adapter or charger produces a low voltage AC or DC output less than 30 volts the Portawattz will have no trouble powering this charger or adapter safely 3 Physical Layout of the Portawattz 3000 Inverter Your inverter was designed with a logical and efficient back to front flow in mind Battery power
25. offee Grinder 100 0 2 Hrs 12 Min 20 Microwave Oven 1500 0 5 Hrs 30 Min 750 Washing Machine 1500 0 5 Hrs 30 Min 750 TOTAL 6 0Hrs 2337 5 watt hours Table 3 STEP 4 Using Table 3 find the battery size that will give you the required operating time at the calculated average power consumption For instance from the example below the required operating time is 6 hours and the average power consumption is 387 watts From the chart the smallest battery size which will give more than 6 hours of operation at a power level between 300 and 400 watts are two 400 amp hr batteries in parallel which offers between 10 and 12 hours of operating time Average Power Consumption 2337 watt hrs 6 hours 390 watts 12 volt Ampere Hours Consumed Watt hours 10 2337 10 234 ampere hours Battery Size Inverter Power Typical Load Geer 1 n e _ s Watts Capacity 90 min 140 min 180 min 400 min 900 min A P 0 00 00 400 50 Stereo System Operating Time 9 Hrs 14 Hrs 20 Hrs 40 Hrs 80 Hrs 100 19 Colour TV Operating Time 4 Hrs 6 Hrs 10 Hrs 20 Hrs 40 Hrs 200 Computer System Operating Time 2Hrs 3Hrs 4 5 Hrs 10 Hrs 20 Hrs 300 Blender Operating Time 1 3 Hrs 2 2 Hrs 3Hrs 6 Hrs 12Hrs 400 Power Drill Operating Time 1Hr 1 5 Hrs 2 Hrs 4 5 Hrs 10 Hrs 600 Small Coffee Maker Operating Time N R NR lHr 2 5 Hrs 6Hrs 800 Small M
26. onnections to the Portawattz 3000 The other indicators should be off STEP 7 Setthe Portawattz 3000 ON OFF switch to the OFF position The indicator lights may blink and the intemal alarm may sound momentarily This is normal Plug in the test load now but make sure that it is first switched off STEP 8 Setthe Portawattz 3000 ON OFF switch to the ON position and tum the test load on The Portawattz 3000 should supply power to the load If it does not refer to the troubleshooting section of this manual If you plan to measure the output voltage of the Portawattz 3000 refer to Section 2 2 of this manual 5 Permanent Installation 5 1 Where to Install The Portawattz 3000 should be installed in a location that meets the following requirements Dry Do not allow water to drip or splash on the Portawattz 3000 Cool Ambient air temperature should be between 09C and 25 C 329F and 779F The cooler the better Ventilated Ensure that the unit is in a compartment that is ventilated and that you allow at least 1 inch 2 5cm of clearance around the Portawattz 3000 for air flow Ensure that ventilation openings on the front and rear of the unit are not obstructed Safe Do not install the Portawattz in the same compartment as batteries or in any compartment capable of storing flammable liquids such as gasoline see warning below Close to Battery Install as close to the battery as possible in order to minimize
27. or connecting between the battery and the Portawattz 3000 Keep the cable as short as possible Max 10 ft 3 m This will keep the D Ca overall system running at peak ET Lower efficiency means efficiency and will keep the voltage e shorterrun times drop between the battery and the unit to a minimum If the battery cables introduce an excessive voltage drop the inverter may shut down when drawing higher currents because the voltage atthe inverter drops below 10 volts If you must use longer cables then referto Table 6 to decide on the next best size Max Length Min Cable Min Cable of Cable Size if using Size if using ft m Single Cables Double Cables 10 3 No 3 0 AWG 2xNo 1AWG 15 4 6 250 MCM 2 x No 2 0 AWG 20 6 1 400 MCM 2 x No 3 0 AWG Table 6 DC Cable Sizes for voltage drop less than 0 5Vdc total based on 90 C cable CAUTION Use cable rated at902C Forcable rated below 909C or run in conduit referto applicable codes orstandards for yourapplication Based on Table 1 ofthe Canadian Electrical Code Part1 and on Table 310 17 ofthe U S National Electrical Code NFPA 70 1993 Strip approximately 1 2 12 5mm of insulation from the ends of the DC cables being connected to the inverter Attach 5 16 ring terminals to the ends of the wires to be attached to the DC terminals on the Portawattz 3000 The ring terminals should be crimped with a proper crimping
28. power conversion techniques that eliminate the bulky transformers found in inverters based on older technology The inverter stage uses advanced power MOSFET transistors in a full bridge configuration This gives you excellent overload capability and the ability to operate tough reactive loads like lamp ballasts and induction motors Ab Vale INVERTER SECTION N e DD CONVERTER alvarls Isalatinay CLASS S IERT GROJN2 115 Vac Figure 1 Principle of Operation 2 2 Portawattz 3000 Inverter Output Waveform The AC output waveform of the Portawattz 3000 is called a quasi sine wave or a modified sine wave see Figure 2 It is a stepped waveform that is designed to have characteristics similar to the sine wave shape of utility power A waveform of this type is suitable for most AC loads including linear and switching power supplies used in electronic equipment transformers and motors This waveform is much superior to the square wave produced by many other DC to AC inverters Figure 2 Modified Sine Wave The modified sine wave produced by the Portawattz 3000 is designed to have an RMS voltage of 115 volts the same as standard household power Most AC voltmeters both digital and analog are sensitive to the average value of the waveform rather than the RMS value They are calibrated for RMS voltage under the assumption that the waveform measured will be a pure sine wave These meters will not read the RMS voltage
29. pply sufficient current to operate the test load As a rough guide divide the wattage of the test load by 10 to obtain the current Amps the power source must deliver see example 4 1 1 Battery Use a fully charged 12 volt nominal battery that can deliver the required current while maintaining its voltage above 11 volts A fully Example charged 12 volt automobile battery Test load is rated at 250 watts Is capable of delivering up to 50 Power supply must be able to deliver amperes without an excessive 250 10 25 Amps voltage drop 4 1 2 DC Power Supply Use a well regulated DC power supply that has an output voltage between 11 volts and 15 volts and can deliver the required current If the supply is adjustable make sure that the output voltage is adjusted to be between 11 volts and 15 volts The inverter may shut down if the voltage is outside these limits and may be damaged if the voltage is above 16 volts Also ensure that any current limit control is set so that the power supply can deliver the required current 4 2 DC Cables Your cables must be as short as possible and large enough to handle the required current This is to minimize the voltage drop between the power source and the inverter when the inverter is drawing large currents from the power source If the cables introduce an excessive voltage drop the inverter may shut down when drawing higher currents because the voltage at the inverter drops below 10 volts
30. ry Voltage Indicator 6 1 4 Battery Current Indicator 6 1 5 OVERTEMP Indicator aiteite EI reet entend fom d de c cunts 6 1 6 0 VEREOAD Indicator senger ee Eder ee EES 6 1 7 ALARM Indicator iiir id I et e eh Ht Etc o do E d d c te Portawattz is a trademark of Statpower Technologies Corporation Copyright 1998 1999 Statpower Technologies Corporation All rights reserved 6 2 Operating limits oen te eb A A ROREM 22 6 23 PoWerOUtDUE couette edet eet tt on ettet tos 22 6 2 2 Ihp tVoltaje coo ER t e EE deter e e 22 7 Accessories EEN RENE ene nnne nnne nnne nnn nnn nnn nnn nu nnn nn 23 7 1 Remote ON OFF switch option ENEE 23 7 2 DC Box Eug COnInectors oet aeter i te e 23 8 Troubleshooting eene enne nne nnn nnn nnn nnn 24 B21 COMMON Probletmis cer Eme qm pri i n ct id 24 8 1 1 Buzz in Audio Systems NENNEN 24 8 1 1 Television Interference 5 ah Pe UD e rei a nur 24 8 2 Troubleshooting Guide 9 Maintenance eene nennen nnn nnn nni nn nana n n n nn 26 10 Warranty eene nnne nne nnn nnn nnn n a n nn 26 10 1 Warranty Terris eer tenete ro en tenen ea 26 10 2 To Obtain Warranty Service EEN 27 11 Specifications cccseeeeeee eee eee 29 11 1 Electrical Performance EEN 29 112 DIMENSIONS inte poe arco di en ao e et e 29 12 Other Products from Statpower eene 30 1 Introduction Your new Portawattz 3000 inverter is a member of the most advanced line of DC to AC inverters a
31. s Corporation develops manufactures and markets power electronic products Our goal is to offer you top quality products that convertand control electric power We specialize in DC to AC inverters battery chargers backup power supplies and other products associated with mobile or power backup applications Portawattz Inverters These compact and economical DC to AC inverters range from 140 Watts to 3000 Watts They provide a well regulated quasi sine wave output suitable for general applications NOTEpower Inverters These compact easy to use and affordable DC to AC inverters are ideal for low power applications recharging camcorders cell phones laptop computers etc These inverters are offered in the 50 Watt and 75 Watt range PROsine Inverters Superior performance for those demanding applications These true sinewave DC to AC inverters can deliver as much as 1800 Watts continuous and are ideal for those applications that are sensitive to AC power quality PROsine InvertereC hargers A combined package offering a true sine wave DC to AC inverter and battery charger Delivers superior performance for those demanding applications These DC to AC inverter chargers are designed to deliver as much as 3000 Watts of continuous AC power and 120 amperes of battery charging current TRUECHARGE Battery Chargers These microprocessor controlled multi step automatic battery chargers are ideal for deep cycle marine RV
32. t down if the input voltage exceeds 15 volts This protects the inverter against excessive input voltage The voltage indicator will be in the upper red zone Although the Portawattz 3000 incorporates protection against overvoltage it may still be damaged if the input voltage exceeds 16 volts 7 Accessories 7 1 Remote ON OFF switch option With this Statpower option installed the Portawattz 3000 can be turned on and off from a remote location The remote ON OFF switch is equipped with a cable which allows the switch to be positioned as far as 20 ft 6 1 m away from the Portawattz 3000 The remote switch has a push button and indicator light showing thatthe inverter is ON or OFF see your Statpower dealer for more details on the PROwatt Remote ON OFF switch 7 2 DC Box Lug connectors These connectors are often used when itis not desirable or practical to attach ring terminals to wires They are available at electrical parts suppliers 23 24 8 Troubleshooting 8 1 Common Problems 8 1 1 Buzz in Audio Systems Some inexpensive and or portable stereo systems will emit a buzzing noise from their loudspeakers when operated from the Portawattz 3000 This is because the power supply in the stereo amplifier does not adequately filter the modified sine wave produced by the Portawattz 3000 The solution is to use a sound system that incorporates a higher quality power supply 8 1 1 Television Interference Operation of the Porta
33. tery if you leave the Portawattz 3000 switched on for a few days Do switch the Portawattz OFF if you are not planning to recharge your battery within a week or so 6 1 2 Remote ON OFF J ack The Portawattz 3000 has a jack which interfaces with the optional remote ON OFF switch The remote switch allows you to mount 20 your Portawattz out of sight and tum your Portawattz ON or OFF from a conveniently located panel The remote switch has a push button and indicator light showing that the inverter is ON or OFF see your Statpower dealer for more details on the Portawattz Remote ON OFF switch 6 1 3 Battery Voltage Indicator The battery voltage indicator displays the voltage at the input terminals of the Portawattz 3000 At low input currents this voltage is very close to the battery voltage At high input currents this voltage will be lower than the battery voltage because ofthe voltage drop across the cables and connections Ideally the voltage should remain in the green area of the indicator If the voltage goes into the red area at the top or bottom of the indicator the Portawattz 3000 may shut down 6 1 4 Battery Current Indicator The battery current indicator displays the current drawn from the battery by the Portawattz 3000 It will not indicate current drawn by other loads also connected to the battery For long term operation the current should remain in the green area of the indicator Short term operation is possib
34. to Statpower from the USA follow this procedure 1 Obtain a Return Authorization Number from Statpower 2 Package the unit safely preferably using the original box and packing materials Include the Retum Authorization Number a retum address where the repaired unit can be shipped a contact telephone number and a brief description of the problem 3 Ship the unit to the following address freight prepaid Statpower Technologies Corporation C O Intemational Parcel Service Warehouse P O Box 1850 200 14th Street Blaine WA 98230 27 28 If you are returning a Portawattz 3000 from Canada follow the procedure above but ship the unit freight prepaid to the following address Statpower Technologies Corporation 7725 Lougheed Highway Burnaby B C V5A 4V8 11 Specifications 11 1 Electrical Performance OutputPower 5 minutes 3000 Watts Output Power Max continuous 2500 watts Output voltage 115 VAC RMS 5 Outputwaveform Modified sine wave phase corrected Output frequency 60 Hz 0 01Hz Inputvoltage 10 to 15 VDC Low battery alarm audible 10 7 VDC Low battery cutout 10VDC Efficiency 85 90 No load current draw Switch ON lt 0 6 ADC No load current draw Switch OFF lt 0 2 mADC 11 2 Dimensions Height 6 25 159mm Width 8 0 203mm Length 18 5 470mm Weight 20lbs 9kg All specifications subjectto change without notice 29 30 12 Other Products from Statpower Statpower Technologie
35. use both in parallel or disconnect both from the load see Figure 8 Figure 7 Parallel Batteries Rank 1 Bank 2 To Chass 5 Grannd lsolatar VL Vehicle Battery Figure 8 Configuration for heavy duty Applications 5 2 4 Battery Tips 1 With the exception of sealed batteries lead acid batteries emit hydrogen and oxygen gases and sulfuric acid fumes when recharging Vent the battery compartment to prevent accumulation of these gases and do not install electronic or electrical equipment in the battery compartment Do not smoke or carry an open flame when working around batteries 14 2 The capacity of lead acid batteries is temperature sensitive Battery capacity is rated at 259C 779F At 209C 09F the ampere hour capacity will be about half the rated capacity 3 Do not leave batteries in a discharged state for more than a day or two They will undergo a chemical process called sulfation which can permanently damage the batteries Also batteries will self discharge over a period of 3 to 6 months so they should be periodically recharged even if they are not being used 4 If your batteries are not the maintenance free type check the electrolyte fluid level at least once a month Use only distilled water to replenish the electrolyte fluid Excessive fluid loss is a sign of overcharging 5 Connections to battery posts must be made with permanent connectors that provide a reliable low resista
36. vailable today It will give you years of dependable service in your boat RV service vehicle or remote home To getthe most out of your Portawattz 3000 it must be installed and used properly Please read the installation and operating instructions in this manual carefully before installing and using your Portawattz 3000 Pay special attention to the CAUTION and WARNING statements in this manual and on the unit CAUTION statements identify conditions or practices which could result in damage to your unit or to other equipment WARNING statements identify conditions or practices that could result in personal injury or loss of life 2 How Your Portawattz 3000 Inverter Works An inverter is an electronic device that converts low voltage DC direct current electricity from a battery or other power source to standard 115 volt AC alternating current household power In designing the Portawattz 3000 Statpower has used power conversion technology previously employed in computer power supplies to give you an inverter that is smaller lighter and easier to use than inverters based on older technology 2 1 Principle of Operation The Portawattz 3000 converts power in two stages The first stage is a DC to DC converter which raises the low voltage DC atthe inverter input to 145 volts DC The second stage is the actual inverter stage It converts the high voltage DC into 115 volts 60 Hz AC The DC to DC converter stage uses modern high frequency
37. wattz 3000 can interfere with television reception on some channels If this situation occurs the following steps may help to alleviate the problem 1 Make sure that the chassis ground lug on the rear panel of the Portawattz 3000 is solidly connected to the ground system of your vehicle boat or home Do not operate high power loads with the Portawattz 3000 while watching television Make sure that the antenna feeding your television provides an adequate snow free signal and that you are using good quality cable between the antenna and the television Move the television as far away from the Portawattz 3000 as possible Keep the cables between the battery and the Portawattz 3000 as short as possible and twist them together with as many twists per footas is possible This minimizes radiated interference from the cables 8 2 Troubleshooting Guide Problem and symptoms Possible Cause Solution Low output voltage 96Vac to 104Vac Using an average reading voltmeter Use true RMS reading meter See section 2 2 of manual Low output voltage and current indicator in red zone Overload Reduce load No output voltage and voltage indicator in lower red zone Low input voltage Recharge battery check connections and cable No output voltage no voltage indication 1 Inverter switched OFF 2 No power to inverter 3 Internal fuse open 4 Reverse D
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