Xantrex 120 VAC/60 Owner's Manual

Contents

Xantrex 120 VAC/60 Owner's Manual Manual pdf 114 page image

TECHNICAL INFORMATIONPage106 2001 Xantrex Technology, Inc.5916 - 195th Street N. E.Arlington, WA 98223Telephone: 360/435-8826Fax: 360/435-2229www.traceengineering.comSW Series Inverter/ChargerPart No. 2031-5Rev. C: February 2001BATTERY INSTALLATIONCAUTION: Batteries can produce extremely high currents if they are short-circuited. Bevery careful when working around them. Read the important safety instructions at the startof this manual and the battery supplier’s precautions before installing the inverter andbatteries.LOCATIONBatteries should be located in an accessible location with nothing restricting the access to the battery capsand terminals on the tops. At least 2 feet of clearance above is recommended. They must be located asclose as possible to the inverter, but can not limit the access to the inverter and the inverter’s DCdisconnect. With the SW Series inverter, the batteries are best located to the right side. This is where theDC connections are located.Battery to inverter cabling should be only as long as required. For 12 VDC systems, do not exceed 5 feet(one way) if 4/0 AWG cables are used. For 24 VDC systems, do not exceed 10 feet (one way) if 4/0 AWGcables are used. For 48 VDC cables, do not exceed 10 feet (one way) if 2/0 AWG cables are used, or 20feet (one way) if 4/0 AWG cables are used.BATTERY ENCLOSURESThe batteries must be protected inside a ventilated, lockable enclosure or room to prevent access byuntrained personnel. The enclosure should be ventilated to the outdoors from the highest point to preventaccumulation of hydrogen gasses released in the battery charging process. An air intake should also beprovided at a low point in the enclosure to allow air to enter the enclosure to promote good ventilation. Formost systems, a 1-inch diameter vent pipe from the top of the enclosure is adequate to preventaccumulation of hydrogen. A sloped top can help direct the hydrogen to the vent location and preventpockets of hydrogen from occurring. The enclosure should also be capable of holding at least one batterycell’s worth of electrolyte incase a spill or leak occurs. It should be made of acid resistant material or havean acid resistant finish applied to resist the corrosion from spilled electrolyte and fumes released. If thebatteries are located outside, the enclosure should be rainproof and include mesh screens over anyopenings to prevent insects and rodents from entering. Before putting the batteries in, cover the bottom ofthe enclosure with a layer of baking soda to neutralize any acid that might be spilled in the future.BATTERY TEMPERATUREThe effective capacity of a battery is reduced when cold. This phenomenon is more significant with leadacid type batteries compared to alkaline types. When the internal temperature of a lead acid battery is32 °F (0 °C) the capacity can be reduced by as much as 50%. This effectively reduces the size of thesystem’s “gas tank”, requiring more frequent “refueling” by the backup source (usually a generator). Thisshould be considered when designing the system. If extremely cold temperatures are expected at thelocation 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 thebatteries. During the charging process, the batteries release heat due to the internal resistance of thebattery. If the batteries are insulated, the heat can be kept in the batteries to keep them warmer. This willsubstantially increase the performance of the system.Insulated battery enclosures also ensure that the temperatures of the individual battery cells are moreconsistent, preventing unequal charging which can cause battery failure (some cells will be overchargedwhile others are undercharged).The batteries should also be protected from high temperature as well. This can be caused by highambient temperatures, solar heating of the battery enclosure, or heat released by a closely locatedgenerator. High battery temperatures will result in short battery life and should be avoided by ventilatingthe enclosure and reducing the external heat sources by shading and insulation.