Sima Products STP-150 manual Installation, Operation, Lights and Alarms, Product Specifications

Installation

Needed for Installation (not included)

Mounting hardware for the inverter

Tools for mounting and electrical wiring

Mounting

Step #1: The STP-150 should be mounted on a solid flat surface capable of handling the weight of the unit, with space around the unit for ventilation. It is very important that the unit be secured using the proper sized mounting hardware (not included) to keep the unit from moving around or becoming loose in emergency situations.

CAUTION: The power inverter must be mounted securely in any type of moving vehicle. In an emergency situation, if the power

inverter is not securely mounted, it could cause bodily injury

Connection to Power Source

The STP-150 requires connection to a standard 12 volt DC power source as found in most cars, trucks, RVs and boats. The power source must provide between 11 and 15 volts DC. The power source must be able to provide sufficient current to power the load. At full power, the STP-150 will draw about 15 amps. The STP-150 comes with a cigarette lighter plug for easy connection to the power source. The tip of the plug is positive and the side contacts are negative. Insert the plug into a cigarette socket by pushing firmly for a good connection. A red indicator light on the adapter will light up.

Do not use a 12V extension cord with this unit.

Testing the Power Inverter

Make sure the 12 volt power source is wired properly to the power inverter. With nothing plugged into the 115 VAC outlets, turn on the power switch of the STP-150.

If the green power light does not come on, turn the power switch off and check your wiring and external fuse.

With the inverter turned off, plug the appliance you want to use into the 115 VAC power outlet on the unit. Turn on the power switch of the STP- 150. The appliance should now be operational.

Operation

Equipment Power Usage

It is important to use only products that draw less than 150 watts with the STP-150. Use of products greater than 150 watts may either cause the protection circuitry of the STP-150 to shut down or the fuse to blow. Repeated use of excessive power draw can cause failure of the STP-150.

How to calculate power usage.

Most products have a power rating on them such as 45 watts. Others may be marked with their current draw, such as .9 amps. To convert the current to watts multiply the current by 115. Thus .9 amps x 115 = 104 watts.

Turn the unit on

Plug the appliance you want to use into the 115 VAC power outlet on the STP-150 (see Fig. 1 below). Turn on the power switch of the STP-150 so the green power light is illuminated. Turn on the appliance. The appliance should now be operational.*

Fig. 1

*Note : Some products, such as televisions, draw a high surge current to start up. If the appliance does not operate and the inverter turns off, you may need a larger inverter. Check that the battery and the 12V wiring to the inverter is large enough to handle the current draw. Be sure the battery is fully charged. You may need to turn the power switch on and off a few times to get the appliance “started”. Some motors and televisions may require this technique to get them operational.

Typical Power Usage Chart

Typical Appliance	Typical Appliance
	Current Draw
Cellular phone charger	20 watts
Camcorder	23 watts
VCR	40 watts
Soldering iron	45 watts
Laptop computer	75 watts
13” TV	80 watts
100 watt work light	100 watts
Small stereo system	150 watts

Important: The STP-150 will not operate most appliances

designed to produce heat such as hair dryers, heaters, toasters,

and coffee makers.

Important: The STP-150 can draw up to 15 amps from your car’s battery when operating. If you are using it for extended periods of time, you will want to operate your car occasionally to maintain the charge in your car’s battery. The STP-150 will also draw a small current when not operating, so it should be disconnected from your car’s battery if your vehicle will not be used for a few days.

Lights and Alarms

Power Indicator (Green light)

The green light is illuminated when the inverter is turned on and is operating normally. If this light goes out, either the 12 volt power supply is missing (possible blown fuse) or some fault condition has occurred. These fault conditions include: output overload, output short circuit, low input voltage and over-temperature of the unit. This can happen if a device has a large start-up surge, if an appliance (like a drill or saw) is stalled or if the inverter does not have a circulating supply of cool air.

Overload Fault (Red light)

The red light is illuminated when a current overload fault is detected. An overload fault occurs when the power draw exceeds the inverter’s maximum capability.

An under-voltage fault (beep)

An under-voltage fault can occur when the input voltage reaches about

10.2volts. The STP-150 will sound a continuous alarm and shut off when the input voltage drops to 9.6v to protect your battery from being completely discharged.

An over-temperature fault

An over-temperature fault occurs when the STP-150 internal circuitry gets too hot due to overload or improper air circulation. The STP-150 will turn off the green power light and the unit will turn off.

Fuse Replacement (see figure 2)

If you overload the STP-150, it is possible that the fuse in the cigarette plug might blow. If this happens, unplug the cigarette plug from the power source, wait for the tip to cool and unscrew the metal tip on the plug. Remove the tip. Remove the fuse and install a new fuse rated at 15 amps. Never use a fuse greater than 15 amps. Replace the tip and screw firmly but do not over tighten. Always determine why the fuse blew and remedy the problem before using the STP-150 again.

Fig. 2

Troubleshooting Guide

Problem		Possible cause		Solution
•	Unit does not	•	Input voltage is	• Attach to proper power
	operate.		below 10 volts.	supply.
		•	Fuse is blown.	• Determine cause for fuse
				blowing and then replace
				the fuse feeding the inverter.
•	Unit operates	• Load is trying to		• Be sure the load is less than
	for a short time		draw too much	the rated watts of inverter.
	and turns off.		current.	Remove excessive load.
				Turn the inverter off and
				back on.
•	Unit operates	•	Inverter is in	• Allow inverter to cool down.
	for a while and		thermal shutdown	Turn the inverter off and on
	gets hot and		mode.	to reset.
	shuts off.
•	Low battery	•	Input voltage is	• Make sure car engine is
	alarm is on.		below 10.2 volts.	running.
				• Check condition of wiring.
				• Battery may be low and
				needs recharged.
•	Television and	•	RF interference	• Position the power inverter
	stereo		from power inverter	and wiring as far as possible
	interference.			from electronic equipment,
				antennas and cables.
				Re-orient as necessary.
•	115 VAC	•	Modified sine wave	• Use a true RMS meter like a
	Output voltage		output can cause	Fluke 8060A or Triplett 4200
	reads		an incorrect	to measure correct voltage.
	incorrectly.		reading on a typical
			multimeter.

Product Specifications

Max. continuous power output	150 watts
Surge (peak) power output	300 watts
Input voltage range	11 to 15 vdc
No load current draw	< 0.2 amp
Full load current draw	15 amps DC
Low battery alarm/shut-down	10.2 V / 9.6V, +/- 0.5 V
Efficiency	90%
Output	115VAC, 60 Hz, Modified sine wave
Weight	1.2 lbs.
Size	5.7” x 4.3” x 2”

Battery Life Chart

Power	Approx 12v	Typical operation time with	Typical operation time with
Usage	current	50 amp-hr. car battery	100 amp-hr. car battery
100 watt	9 amps	5.5 hours	11 hours