Xantrex Technology 1800 Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters GFCIs, Making DC Wiring Connections

AC Safety Grounding: During the AC wiring installation, AC input and output ground wires are connected to the inverter. The AC input ground wire must connect to the incoming ground from your AC utility source. The AC output ground wire should go to the grounding point for your loads (e.g. a distribution panel ground bus).

Neutral Grounding:

a)120V models: The neutral conductor of the AC output circuit of the Prosine Inverter is automatically connected to the safety ground during inverter operation. 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 is tied to ground at the AC breaker panel. For models configured with a transfer relay, when AC utility power is present and the Prosine Inverter is in bypass mode, this connection (neutral of the inverter‘s AC output to input safety ground) is not present so that the utility neutral is only connected to ground at your breaker panel, as required.

b)230V models: There is no connection made inside the Prosine Inverter from either of the line conductors (line or neutral) to the safety ground.

2.4.3Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)

Installations in Recreational Vehicles (for North American approvals) will require GFCI protection of all branch circuits connected to the AC output of the hardwire terminal equipped Prosine Inverters. In addition, electrical codes require GFCI protection of certain receptacles in residential installations. While the true sine wave output of the Prosine Inverter is equivalent to the waveform provided by utilities, compliance with UL standards requires us to test and recommend specific GFCIs.

Xantrex has tested the following GFCI-protected 15 A receptacles and found that they functioned properly when connected to the AC output of the inverter:

Manufacturer	Model
LEVITON	6599/701
LEVITON	6598/722*
EAGLE	Shock Sentry
PASS & SEYMOUR	1591-WCN
HUBBELL	GF252GYA
BRYANT	GFR52FTI
BRYANT	GFR82FTI**

*With Line/Load inversion check & indicator light

**Hospital Grade

2.4.4 Making DC Wiring Connections

Follow this procedure to connect the battery cables to the DC input terminals on the Prosine Inverter. Your cables should be as short as possible (ideally, less than 10 ft./3 m) and large enough to handle the required current, in accordance with the electrical codes or regulations applicable to your installation. Cables that are not an adequate gauge (too narrow) or are too long will cause decreased inverter performance such as poor

V = I x R

Voltage = Current x Resistance

	Inverter	500	1000	1500	2000	2500	3000
	Output (W)
	Current (A)	50	100	150	200	250	300
Wire	Resistance	Voltage	Voltage	Voltage	Voltage	Voltage	Voltage
Gauge	(ohms/ft)	Drop	Drop	Drop	Drop	Drop	Drop
(AWG)	@ 25°C	per ft.	per ft.	per ft.	per ft.	per ft.	per ft.
4/0	0.000050	0.0025	0.0050	0.0075	0.0100	0.0125	0.0150
3/0	0.000063	0.0032	0.0063	0.0095	0.0126	0.0158	0.0189
2/0	0.000079	0.0040	0.0079	0.0119	0.0158	0.0198	0.0237
0	0.000100	0.0050	0.0100	0.0150	0.0200	0.0250	0.0300
1	0.000126	0.0063	0.0126	0.0189	0.0252	0.0315	0.0378
2	0.000159	0.0080	0.0159	0.0239	0.0318	0.0398	0.0477
3	0.000201	0.0101	0.0201	0.0302	0.0402	0.0503	0.0603
4	0.000253	0.0127	0.0253	0.0380	0.0506	0.0633	0.0759

Table 3. Voltage drop per ft of DC cable

surge capability and frequent low input voltage warnings and shutdowns.

These low input voltage warnings are due to DC voltage drop across the cables from the inverter to the batteries. The longer and narrower these cables, the greater the voltage drop. Table 3 shows voltage drop per foot of cable, at various power output levels.

For example, if the 1800 Inverter is 10 ft. from your battery, is operating at 2000 watts, and is improperly connected with #4AWG wire, then you can expect a voltage drop per foot of 0.0506 V. Total cable length is actually 20 ft., not 10 ft., since the cable length is measured from the battery to the inverter and back. Therefore, multiply 0.0506 V by 20 to get a total voltage drop of 1.012 V. If your battery voltage is only 11.2 VDC, then the actual voltage at the inverter is 10.188 (11.2 V–1.012 V) because of this significant voltage drop. The Prosine Inverter will either be in low input voltage warning or shutdown in such a condition. In high current draw and surge situations, the unit may go into low input voltage shutdown if the cables are too small and too long.

Increasing your DC cable size will help improve the situation. With cables sized correctly, and using a #0 AWG cable, your voltage drop will be 0.02 VDC (multiplied by 20, you get a total voltage drop of 0.4 VDC). This illustrates that at 10 ft. away from the battery and with large cables, you can expect voltage drop. Again, try to keep cable length to a minimum and use the maximum gauge cable possible. Xantrex recommends the following cables for optimum inverter performance (apply to both 120 V and 230 V versions).

1000/12: #0 AWG or 55 mm2

1000/24: #6 AWG or 13 mm2

1800/12: #4/0 AWG or 110 mm2

1800/24: #2 AWG or 34 mm2

Also, use only high quality copper wiring and keep cable length short, a maximum of 3–6 ft.

Xantrex Prosine Inverter Owner’s Manual English 7