Xantrex RV Series Inverter/Charger Owner’s Manual

Installation

Environment

Inverters are sophisticated electronic devices and should be treated accordingly. When selecting the operating environment for the inverter, don’t think of it in the same terms as other equipment that works with it, such as batteries, diesel generators, motor generators, washing machines, and so on. It is a highly complex microprocessor-controlled device, similar in nature to stereo equipment, television sets or computers. The use of conformal-coated circuit boards, plated copper bus bars, powder coated metal components, and stainless steel fasteners improves tolerance to hostile environments. However, in a condensing environment (one in which humidity and/or temperature change causes water to form on components) all the ingredients for electrolysis are present—water, electricity and metals. In a condensing environment the life expectancy of the inverter is indeterminate and the warranty is voided.

Caution: It is in your best interests to install the inverter in a dry, protected location away from sources of high temperature and moisture. Exposure to salt water is particularly destructive and potentially hazardous.

Locate the inverter as close to the batteries as possible in order to keep the battery cables short. However, do not locate the inverter in the same compartment as the batteries. Batteries generate hydrogen sulfide gas, which is very corrosive to electronics equipment—and everything else. They also generate hydrogen and oxygen. If allowed to accumulate, this mixture could be ignited by an arc caused by the connecting of battery cables or the switching of a relay. Mounting the inverter in a ventilated enclosure with sealed batteries is acceptable.

Do not mount the inverter in a closed container. To operate at high power for sustained periods of time, unrestricted airflow is required. Without it, the protection circuitry will activate and reduce the maximum power available, or cause complete shutdown of the inverter.

UL specification 458 (land vehicle installations) requires that the inverter be mounted on a flat surface (on a shelf). The purpose of this requirement is to orient the inverter so that its bottom cover has no holes that would allow burning material to be ejected in the event of an internal fire.

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