Electricity has become another basic necessity of life, and the grid is no longer enough to supply our power needs. Even if you enjoy adequate power supply in your home, what about your camping van, boat, or RV? How do you power the electrical appliances in them? You probably need an additional source of power for them.
That’s why people go for a solar power system. The system helps to meet their power needs for all these recreational facilities. Some people also use it as a backup system in their homes. The power generated and supplied by solar panels is in the form of direct current.
The bad news is that many electrical appliances do not support direct current. The good news is that there’s a device that converts the direct current generated by solar panels to alternating current that your electrical appliances will supply. It is the inverter.
There are several brands and sizes of inverters. Xantrex is one of them. It is one of the most popular inverter brands because of the qualities of its inverters. This article discusses the Xantrex brand of inverters.
It discusses how a Xantrex inverter works, and you will also learn how to reset the Xantrex inverter in this write-up. So, sit back and enjoy the article. It is necessary to read it before buying your inverter.
What is a Xantrex Inverter?
Xantrex is a special brand of inverter that became popular for several reasons. Here are some of the qualities that make Xantrex one of the best inverters in the market right now.
They are Available in Multiple Models – The brand has several models of inverters on the market. These models are available in several capacities. Some of them are ideal for homes, while others are great for recreational vehicles like the camp van, motorhome, and RV. Some of the models of Xantrex inverters are:
- Xantrex freedom xc 2000
- Xantrex freedom 458
- Xantrex pro xm1000
- Xantrex prowatt sw 2000
- Xantrex freedom xc pro 3000
How to Reset a Xantrex Inverter? 4 Easy Steps
For smaller inverters, you can reset them by switching them off for about 2 minutes and switching them on again. For larger Xantrex inverters, it will take a few steps.
Step 1 – You need to turn off the circuit breaker. You can do that from the service panel. It is usually labeled “solar”. It may be difficult to locate in other brands of inverters, but the circuit breaker is easy to locate on Xantrex inverters. However, you may seek the assistance of an expert if you can’t locate the circuit breaker.
Step 2 – Now, you can switch off the DC disconnect. If it has an integrated DC disconnect, you need to turn that on of too.
Step 3 – Leave the inverter for about 5 to 10 minutes for its energy to drain off.
Step 4 – Restart the inverter. When it’s on, you can switch on the circuit breaker, and the DC disconnect. If you switched off an integrated DC disconnect or any other appliance, switch it on too.
The inverter will carry out its internal checks before it gets reconnected to the grid. This should not take more than 5 minutes.
How Does a Xantrex Inverter Work?
Xantrex inverters are hybrid inverters. So, each of them is intelligent enough to carry out several functions. These are their functions
- A Xantrex inverter converts direct current from solar panels to alternating current, which your electrical appliances can use. This happens when the sun is shining.
- At the same time, it stores surplus current in the batteries connected to it.
- When the sun goes down, it takes power from the charged batteries.
- When you’re taking power from the grid, the inverter remains on standby. And it kicks in immediately a power outage occurs.
These are the reasons why people love the brand. You can install it as a backup for the grid, and you can use it as the main source of power supply in locations where electricity is not available. Also, you can install it in your van, RV, or motorhome.
Are Xantrex Inverters Any Good?
Yes, Xantrex inverters are among the best power inverters and that’s why the brand is popular. First off, you’ll notice that a Xantrex inverter will respond to a power outage so fast that many people may not be aware of the switch. According to some of its users, it takes 16 milliseconds to switch from the grid to your inverter. That’s about 1/50th of a second.
Another attractive feature of the inverter is ruggedness. This inverter can withstand an extended power outage. That’s why it is one of the best for locations where there’s no grid electricity. There are models of Xantrex inverters designed for RVs and boats and there are other models designed for homes.
What Does Inverter Wet Mean?
When the status is blinking, “wet” most likely means that the inverter is on standby mode. And when the status shows a solid green, it is an indication that the device has begun inverting. The status is used while in setup mode. It is used to describe the battery type.
Since the status is “wet”, it means the battery type is a wet-flooded cell. You may need to unplug the control cable of the inverter and plug it back after about 3 minutes. For more information, try to check page 31 of the user manual. It has that particular LED light status.
What does AC in fault Overtemp mean?
First, you should understand that “Overtemp” likely means the device got above the recommended temperature. It means that the device got overheated. This happens when you leave your inverter to work longer than it should work. It may get overworked and overheated.
If you don’t quickly shut it down, its motherboard may get burned. And you’ll have to get the motherboard changed. So, you should shut down your inverter and let it rest for at least an hour before switching it on. If this does not solve the problem, your motherboard may be burned. Contact the dealer.
How Do You Read a Xantrex Inverter?
One thing you’ll love about Xantrex inverters is their ability to communicate through their LED display units. However, they communicate with codes. So, to understand what each code means, you need to study the LED status section of their manuals and understand what every code means.
In addition, when any strange code pops up, you can quickly look it up in the manual to be able to respond to it. Generally, it is a good practice to study the entire manual of your inverter before you even get it installed. Finally, if you still don’t understand any status after checking it up in its manual, you may need to take a picture of it and send it to the dealer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Xantrex Inverters:
1. What are the best Environmental Conditions to Install a Xantrex Inverter?
Ans: Install them in a dry location with an adequate supply of fresh air. They are resistant to rust and corrosion, but they are not resistant to water. So, place them in a location that is devoid of moisture or splashes of water.
2. Can I Install my Xantrex Inverter in a Gasoline Engine Compartment?
Ans: No Xantrex inverter is ignition proof. So, you should not install them in your gasoline engine compartment or anywhere close to gasoline. However, you are free to install them in a diesel engine compartment.
3. How Near Should the Inverter be to the Batteries?
Ans: We will recommend that your inverter should be about 10 feet or less from the batteries. If for any reason, you want to increase the distance, you will need larger DC cables to make up for the drop in voltage and DC ripple. That will be an additional cost that can be avoided by adopting the right distance.
4. Can I Install an Inverter Without a Fuse?
Ans: No! A fuse is not an option. It is a must. You can’t rule out a power surge, but you can prevent it from damaging your equipment. When a power surge occurs, the fuse will get blown off, protecting your inverter, entire electrical system, and the appliances plugged into the inverter.
A fuse is one of the cheapest components of the system. It costs less than a buck. You can get a replacement. Without a fuse, a power surge can lead to a fire. No insurance company will compensate you for this claim if they find out that you installed an inverter without a fuse.
Installing an inverter without a fuse is like driving a car without proper insurance, a fire extinguisher, or a spare tire. It is a strong foundation for a disaster. Please follow the installation guide in the owner manual. Don’t sit on a keg of gun powder.
5. Should I leave the Inverter on/off When Shore Power is Available?
Ans: This is based on your personal preference. In terms of safety, both ideas are okay. However, both of them have their pro and con. Most times, it is necessary to reduce your power usage once your inverter kicks in. This will help you to enjoy the power for a longer period.
When you leave your power inverter on, the advantage is that when there’s a power outage, the inverter will kick in. So, you won’t experience any moment of the outage. However, it has a flip side. You may not know that your inverter has kicked in. You’ll still think you are using shore power.
So, you won’t reduce your power usage until your batteries are weak. On the other hand, if you leave your inverter off, you will experience a moment of a power outage when the shore power fails. You’ll have to switch on the inverter yourself.
The advantage is that before you switch on the inverter, you’d likely turn off some appliances to reduce power usage. So, you will enjoy the power supplied by your inverter for a longer period of time. Now, you can choose the option that suits you more.
6. Can I run Heavy Appliances on My Xantrex Inverter?
Ans: Yes. You can power any heavy equipment with your inverter. However, you need the right capacity as Xantrex inverters to come in different sizes and capacities.
In other words, you need to find out the total power consumption of your electrical appliances and choose a suitable inverter for them.
7. How Long Can a Xantrex Inverter Work?
Ans: All Xantrex inverters are tough and rugged enough to work for several hours non-stop. However, your usage depends on the amp-hour capacity of your batteries.
8. Can I buy the Components of my Solar Power System in Bits?
Ans: No, we don’t recommend that. It leads to several issues. Your solar panels may not support your inverter output. The components may not support each other. Also, the warranty on your inverter starts counting from the point of purchase.
If you eventually install it about a year after buying it, you would have lost a year out of the warranty period. Also, we usually advise people to test a product within its return window so that if they don’t like it, they can return it for a refund. In this case, the return window would have expired before you install it.
So, if you don’t like the inverter, you won’t be able to return it. You would be stuck with what you can use. So, to prevent your money from going down the drain, don’t buy the components of your solar power system in bits. Get a total estimate and save towards it.
9. Can I Uncouple My Xantrex Inverter?
Ans: Never! On no account should you tamper with an inverter? You could damage it. And when it is discovered that you or any other unqualified technician has tampered with the inverter, the warranty on it will be voided, and the manufacturer may withdraw all other supports.
When your inverter develops a problem that you can’t handle. You should either contact the manufacturer or call a certified professional.
10. Where can I purchase a Xantrex Inverter?
Ans: It is available on Amazon and several other online and offline stores.
11. Does the Efficiency of Xantrex Inverters Reduce Over Time?
Ans: No. The performance of some other inverters may reduce over time, but that of Xantrex inverters does not reduce. However, the efficiency of your entire solar power system may reduce. This is because your solar panels will lose about 0.5 to 1% efficiency every year.
So, after 20 years, the efficiency of your power system will be about 80 to 90%. It is actually caused by the reduction in the efficiency of your solar panels, not your inverter.
Final Word
To conclude this article, based on the outlined features of Xantrex inverters, we hereby recommend it to you or anyone. You’re good with any model of Xantrex inverter. If, after reading this piece, you still need more information about Xantrex inverters, you may get it on www.xantrex.com.
