Xantrex Technology 120 VAC/60 - Manual (Page 28)

INSTALLATION
Page
20
 2001 Xantrex Technology, Inc.
5916 - 195th Street N. E.
Arlington, WA 98223
Telephone: 360/435-8826
Fax: 360/435-2229
www.traceengineering.com
SW Series Inverter/Charger
Part No. 2031-5
Rev. C: February 2001
AC INSTALLATION GUIDELINES
The following steps are a basic guideline for installation and connection of the AC wiring into and out of
the inverter.
1. Disconnect the inverter from the battery bank (if already connected), by either removing the DC side
fuse, or opening the DC disconnect. Then remove the AC wiring compartment cover from the front of
the inverter by removing the two screws on the cover.
2. If conduit will be utilized (consult code, it may be required in your installation), determine which
knockout(s) will be utilized and remove them from the inverter. Using appropriate conduit connectors,
fasten the conduit to the inverter. Feed all AC wiring through the conduit and into the inverter AC
terminal block. Be sure to leave yourself several extra inches of wire to work with. Remember that you
need at least two sets of three conductor wiring, one for AC Hot, Neutral, and Ground into the inverter,
and another for AC Hot, Neutral and Ground out of the inverter to the loads. Torque all AC terminals
to 10 to 15 inch-pounds.
3. Connect the Hot (black) and Neutral (white) wires from the AC source(s) to the appropriately labeled
terminals in the AC terminal block. The Safety Ground (green) should be connected to the terminal
stud labeled “AC Ground” bolted to the chassis. Repeat the procedure for the AC wiring going to the
AC sub-panel which will power the loads, except connect these wires to the terminals labeled AC HOT
OUT.
4. Inspect all wiring for proper installation and then replace the access cover using the two screws to
secure it.
IMPORTANT PRECAUTION
The AC output of the inverter must at no time be connected directly to utility power or a generator.
This condition can be far worse than a short circuit. If the inverter survives this condition, it will shut down
until corrections are made. Connection to a utility or generator must be only done internally by the
inverters built-in relays. This allows the inverter to first synchronize to the other AC sources waveform,
preventing damage. Connect the utility or generator to the provided input terminals AC HOT IN 1 or AC
HOT IN 2 respectively.
When the inverter output is connected directly to an external source, the inverter will shut down and
indicate an error on the control panel. Checking the ERROR CAUSES menu heading will show a YES for
the AC SOURCE WIRED TO OUTPUT menu item. Either determine the source of the AC or call a
qualified electrician to correct the situation.
EXTERNAL TRANSFER RELAYS
It is not acceptable to switch the AC input from one AC source to another while the inverter is
connected. This applies whether the inverter is in battery charging mode or inverter mode. Switching the
AC input from one source to another can result in a loss of synchronization that can cause a severe
overcurrent condition that is far worse than short circuiting the inverter. Two separate AC inputs are
provided to eliminate the need for use of external transfer relays. If a transfer relay is used, it must provide
a center “OFF” position (“break before make”) that causes a loss of input power to the inverter for a period
of at least 100 milliseconds. This will allow the inverter to disconnect from the original AC input and then
re-synchronize to the new AC source although the same AC input terminal is being used. During the
transition period, the inverter will have to operate the load while it re-synchronizes to the new AC source
(about a thirty-second period at the minimum). Most transfer relays will switch too fast for the inverter to
detect - and will cause the inverter to lose synchronization with the AC source. This is indicated by the
inverter shutting down upon transfer and the red overcurrent LED indicator flashing or turning on.
Manually, hand operated transfer switches may be acceptable since the transfer time can be slow enough
for the inverter to detect. The switch must go through a center “off” position. They are often used to switch
from one generator to another. Since the inverter has a separate AC input for a utility grid, a transfer
switch is not required to switch from the utility grid to a back-up generator. The inverter will not allow the
generator to be connected to the utility - if both are available, the generator will be disconnected and the
inverter will connect to the utility on AC HOT IN 1.