Xantrex RV2012GS Owner's Manual

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Xantrex RV2012GS Owner's Manual Manual pdf 44 page image

Operation3–4 975-0209-01-01Inductive LoadsAny device that has a coil of wire in it probably has an inductive loadcharacteristic. Most electronics have transformers (TVs, and stereos, for example)and are therefore inductive. Typically, the most inductive loads are motors. Themost difficult load for the inverter to drive will be the largest motor you manage tostart. With inductive loads, the rise in voltage applied to the load is notaccompanied by a simultaneous rise in current. The current is delayed. The lengthof the delay is a measure of inductance. The current makes up for its slow start bycontinuing to flow after the inverter stops delivering a voltage signal. How theinverter handles current that is delivered to it while it is essentially “turned off”affects its efficiency and “friendliness” with inductive loads. The best place forthis out-of-phase current is in the load, and the RV Series Inverter/Charger’simpulse phase correction circuitry routes it there.Inductive loads, by their nature, require more current to operate than a resistiveload of the same wattage rating, regardless of whether power is being supplied byan inverter, a generator or grid. An air conditioner is a common inductive load inan RV.Induction motors (motors without brushes) require two to six times their runningcurrent on startup. The most demanding are those that start under load, such ascompressors and pumps. Of the capacitor start motors, typical in drill presses andband saws, the largest you may expect to run is ½ to 1 hp. Universal motors aregenerally easier to start. Since motor characteristics vary, only testing willdetermine if a specific load can be started and how long it can be run.If a motor fails to start within a few seconds, or it begins to lose power afterrunning for a time, it should be turned off. When the inverter attempts to start aload that is greater than it can handle, it will turn itself off after about 10 seconds.Low Battery DropoutThe inverter will turn off to protect itself if your battery bank cannot deliver thenecessary amperage to drive a particular load without falling below the lowvoltage protection point (10.5 V) for three seconds. With the inverter off, thebattery voltage will rise and then it will resume operation.Problem LoadsXantrex inverters can drive nearly every type of load. However, there are specialsituations in which inverter power may behave differently than utility power.Very small loads If the power consumed by a device is less than the thresholdof the search mode circuitry, it will not run. This can usually be solved byplugging in an additional load such as a 100-watt light bulb.Fluorescent lights and power supplies Some devices when scanned by theload sensor cannot be detected. Small fluorescent lights are the most commonexample. (Try altering the plug polarity by turning the plug over.) Somecomputers and sophisticated electronics have power supplies that do not present a