Xantrex RV Series Inverter/Charger Owner’s Manual

It is also good to check the battery interconnections for tightness and corrosion. If any corrosion is found, disconnect the cables and carefully clean with a mild solution of baking soda and water. DO NOT ALLOW THE SOLUTION TO ENTER THE BATTERY. Rinse the top of the battery with clean water when finished.

To reduce the amount of corrosion on the battery terminals, coat them with a thin layer of petroleum jelly or anti-corrosion grease available from automotive parts stores or battery suppliers. Do not apply any material between the terminal and the cable lugs—the connection should be metal to metal. Apply the protective material after the bolts have been tightened.

Battery Installation

WARNING: Batteries can produce extremely high currents if they are short-circuited. Be very careful when working around them. Read the important safety instructions at the start of this manual and the battery supplier’s precautions before installing the inverter and batteries.

Battery Location

Batteries should be located in an accessible location with nothing restricting the access to the battery caps and terminals on the tops. At least 2 feet of clearance above is recommended. They must be located as close as possible to the inverter, but cannot limit the access to the inverter and the inverter’s over-current protection device. With the RV Series inverter, the batteries are best located to the left of the inverter.

The over-current protection device must be located per code within 18” of the battery installation, and must be covered to prevent possibility of a short circuit.

Battery Enclosures

The batteries must be protected inside of a ventilated enclosure. The enclosure should be ventilated to the outdoors from the highest point to prevent accumulation of hydrogen gasses released in the battery charging process. An air intake should also be provided at a low point in the enclosure to allow air to enter the enclosure to promote good ventilation. For most systems, a 1-inch diameter vent pipe from the top of the enclosure is adequate to prevent accumulation of hydrogen.

Battery Temperature

The effective capacity of a battery is reduced when cold. This phenomenon is more significant with lead acid-type batteries compared to alkaline types. When the internal temperature of a lead acid battery is 32 ° F (0 ° C) the capacity can be reduced by as much as 50%. This effectively reduces the size of the system’s “gas tank,” requiring more frequent “refueling” by the backup source (usually a generator). This should be considered when designing the system. If extremely cold temperatures are expected at the location of a system, either a heated equipment room or alkaline batteries should be considered.

If the system is located in an unheated space, an insulated enclosure is highly recommended for the batteries. During the charging process, the batteries release heat due to the internal resistance of the battery. If the batteries are insulated, the heat can be kept in the batteries to keep them warmer. This will substantially increase the performance of the system.

Insulated battery enclosures also ensure that the temperatures of the individual battery cells are more consistent, preventing unequal charging that can cause battery failure (some cells will be overcharged while others are undercharged).

The batteries should also be protected from high temperature as well. This can be caused by high ambient temperatures, solar heating of the battery enclosure, or heat released by a closely

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