Owner’s Manual Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger
Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger Owner’s Manual
About Xantrex Xantrex Technology Inc. is a world-leading supplier of advanced power electronics and controls with products from 50 watt mobile units to one MW utility-scale systems for wind, solar, batteries, fuel cells, microturbines, and backup power applications in both grid-connected and stand-alone systems. Xantrex products include inverters, battery chargers, programmable power supplies, and variable speed drives that convert, supply, control, clean, and distribute electrical power.
About This Manual Purpose The purpose of this Owner’s Manual is to provide explanations and procedures for installing, operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting the Freedom 10 Inverter/ Charger. Scope The Manual provides safety guidelines, detailed planning and setup information, procedures for installing the inverter, as well as information about operating and troubleshooting the unit. It does not provide details about particular brands of batteries.
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Important Safety Instructions WARNING This chapter contains important safety and operating instructions. Read and keep this Owner’s Manual for future reference. Important: General safety information for installation and operation is contained throughout this manual where they apply and are not included In this summary. 1.
Safety Explosive gas precautions WARNING: Explosion hazard 1. Working in the vicinity of lead-acid batteries is dangerous. Batteries generate explosive gases during normal operation. Therefore, you must read this guide and follow the instructions exactly before installing or using your Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger. 2. This equipment contains components that tend to produce arcs or sparks.
Safety 8. Wear complete eye protection and clothing protection. Avoid touching your eyes while working near batteries. 9. If battery acid contacts skin or clothing, wash immediately with soap and water. If acid enters your eye, immediately flood it with running cold water for at least twenty minutes and get medical attention immediately. 10. If you need to remove a battery, always remove the ground terminal from the battery first. Make sure all accessories are off so you don’t cause a spark.
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Contents Important Safety Instructions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -v 1 Introduction Introduction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1–2 Things You Should Know- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1–3 Intended Use - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Contents 3 Operation Freedom 10 Power Switch - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3–2 Remote Control Panel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3–2 12 V Models - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3–2 24 V Models - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1 Introduction Chapter 1 describes the features and functions of the Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger.
Introduction Introduction This Owner’s Manual describes the Xantrex Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger. This unit performs four distinct functions: 1. DC to AC power inverting 2. Automatic transfer switching between inverter power and incoming AC power 3. Three-stage automatic battery charging plus manual battery equalizing 4. AC to DC power converter. The inverter provides 1,000 watts of voltage and frequency-regulated AC power from a deep-cycle battery bank.
Things You Should Know DC power supply With an external AC source connected, the Freedom 10 charger also serves the functions of an AC to DC converter to supply all of the DC loads that are connected to the battery. Simple, automatic operation is made possible by the microprocessor that is the brain of the Freedom 10. In most cases, the unit is left on and no attention or maintenance is required.
Introduction Electronic Protection Fast-acting electronic circuits protect the inverter from extreme overloads, low and high battery voltage and over-temperature. They can be reset by cycling the power switch off and on. The fault condition must be eliminated before reset will occur. For example, remove the overload, recharge the batteries, or allow the unit to cool. See “Troubleshooting” on page 4–1.
2 Installation Chapter 2 contains information and procedures to install the Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger.
Installation Installation Precautions WARNING: Fire or explosion hazard This equipment is not ignition protected and employs components that tend to produce arcs or sparks. To reduce the risk of fire or explosions, do not install in compartments containing batteries or flammable materials or areas in which ignition-protected equipment is required.
Installation Precautions Key Installation Points • • • • • • • 975-0251-01-01 Observe proper polarity when connecting batteries. Reverse DC polarity will result in damage to the Freedom 10. Do not backfeed the AC output of the inverter with incoming AC power. Double check all aspects of your AC wiring for the possibility of backfeeding. A backfeed will cause significant damage to your unit. Do not connect the AC input to the AC output.
Installation Recreational Vehicle Installation Before installing the inverter in a recreational vehicle, you must consider factors such as: • • • • • • • • “Location” (see page 2–4) “Grounding” (see page 2–5) “Neutral Bonding” (see page 2–5) “AC Wiring” (see page 2–6) “Residual Current Circuit Breaker” (see page 2–7) “Remote Control Wiring” (see page 2–7) “DC Wiring” (see page 2–8) “Battery Cable Fusing” (see page 2–9).
Recreational Vehicle Installation 4. Allow 13 cm (minimum) of clearance around the unit and allow for a supply of fresh air to the cooling fan. Do not block any of the vents or louvers. The fan pulls air from outside the unit. It blows the air across the internal components, particularly the transformer and heat sinks, then out the side vents. 5. The mounting location should be as close to the batteries as possible. The battery cables can be extended, however each cable must not be over 3.
Installation AC Wiring Use a screwdriver to remove the screws that secure the AC wiring compartment cover plate. See Figure 2-2. Remove these screws Wire Nut Connectors Figure 2-2 AC Compartment Cover Plate Screws Inside you will see that the compartment is divided into two sections, one labeled AC INPUT, the other labeled AC OUTPUT. Each side contains three pigtails: blue, brown, green/yellow. Wire nut connectors are provided.
Recreational Vehicle Installation AC Input Route the 3-conductor AC input wires through the cover plate knockouts and into the AC input compartment. You should have about 15 cm of individually insulated brown, blue and green/yellow wire. Strip about 1 cm of insulation off each conductor and connect to the Freedom 10 pigtails: brown to brown, blue to blue and green/yellow to green/yellow. Use the wire nuts provided to make the wire connections.
Installation DC Wiring Two battery cables are provided with the unit. Both are black. The positive (+) cable has a piece of red heat shrink insulation on the end. Keep in mind that high current will pass through the DC wiring. All wires must be properly sized and all connections clean and tight. It is recommended that the battery cables not be lengthened at all. However, it is possible to extend the cables if necessary. Extension cables must be 35.
Recreational Vehicle Installation Battery Cable Fusing A fuse is required for safety reasons to protect the battery and cables. The fuse must be installed in the positive battery cable, within 45.7 cm of the battery.
Installation Marine Installation Before installing the inverter in a marine application, you must consider factors such as: • • • • • • • • “Location” (see page 2–10) “Grounding” (see page 2–11) “Neutral Bonding” (see page 2–11) “AC Wiring” (see page 2–12) “Residual Current Circuit Breaker” (see page 2–13) “Remote Control Wiring” (see page 2–13) “DC Wiring” (see page 2–14) “Battery Cable Fusing” (see page 2–15). Location The following factors should be considered when planning to install the Freedom 10.
Marine Installation 4. Allow 13 cm (minimum) of clearance around the unit and allow for a supply of fresh air to the cooling fan. Do not block any of the vents or louvers. The fan pulls air from outside the unit. It blows the air across the internal components, particularly the transformer and heat sinks, then out the side vents. 5. The mounting location should be as close to the batteries as possible. The battery cables can be extended, however each cable must not be over 3.
Installation AC Wiring Use a screwdriver to remove the screws which secure the AC wiring compartment cover plate. Remove these screws Wire Nut Connectors Figure 2-6 AC Compartment Cover Plate Screws Inside you will see the compartment is divided into two sections, one labeled AC INPUT, the other labeled AC OUTPUT. Each side contains three pigtails: brown, blue and green/yellow. Wire nut connectors are provided.
Marine Installation AC Input Route the 3-conductor AC input wires through the cover plate knockouts and into the AC input compartment. You should have about 15 cm of individually insulated brown, blue and green/yellow wire. Strip about 1 cm of insulation off each conductor and connect to the Freedom 10 pigtails: brown to brown, blue to blue and green/yellow to green/yellow. To meet marine electrical codes, you may want to use butt splices instead of the wire nuts provided to make the wire connections.
Installation DC Wiring Two battery cables are provided with the unit. Both are black. The positive (+) cable has a piece of red heat shrink insulation on the end. Keep in mind that high current will pass through the DC wiring. All wires must be properly sized and all connections clean and tight. It is recommended that the battery cables not be lengthened at all. However, it is possible to extend the cables if necessary. Extension cables must be 35.
Marine Installation Battery Cable Fusing A fuse is required for safety reasons to protect the battery and cables. The fuse must be installed in the positive battery cable, within 45.7 cm of the battery.
Installation Residential Solar Installation Before installing the inverter in a residential solar application, you must consider factors such as: • • • • • • • • “Location” (see page 2–16) “Grounding” (see page 2–17) “Neutral Bonding” (see page 2–17) “AC Wiring” (see page 2–18) “Residual Current Circuit Breaker” (see page 2–19) “Remote Control Wiring” (see page 2–19) “DC Wiring” (see page 2–20) “Battery Cable Fusing” (see page 2–21).
Residential Solar Installation 4. Allow 13 cm (minimum) of clearance around the unit and allow for a supply of fresh air to the cooling fan. Do not block any of the vents or louvers. 5. The mounting location should be as close to the batteries as possible. The battery cables can be extended, however each cable must not be over 3.04 m in total length from the inverter to battery terminals.
Installation AC Wiring Use a screwdriver to remove the screws that secure the AC wiring compartment cover plate. Remove these screws Wire Nut Connectors Figure 2-10 AC Compartment Cover Plate Screws Inside you will see that the compartment is divided into two sections, one labeled AC INPUT, the other labeled AC OUTPUT. Each side contains three pigtails: brown, blue, green/yellow. Wire nut connectors are provided.
Residential Solar Installation AC Input Route the 3-conductor AC input wires through the cover plate knockouts and into the AC input compartment. You should have about 15 cm of individually insulated brown, blue and green/yellow wire. Strip about 1 cm of insulation off each conductor and connect to the Freedom 10 pigtails: brown to brown, blue to blue and green/yellow to green/yellow. Use the wire nuts provided to make the wire connections.
Installation DC Wiring Two battery cables are provided with the unit. Both are black. The positive (+) cable has a piece of red heat shrink insulation on the end. Keep in mind that high current will pass through the DC wiring. All wires must be properly sized and all connections clean and tight. It is recommended that the battery cables not be lengthened at all. However, it is possible to extend the cables if necessary. Extension cables must be 35.
Residential Solar Installation Battery Cable Fusing A fuse is required for safety reasons to protect the battery and cables. The fuse must be installed in the positive battery cable, within 45.7 cm of the battery.
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3 Operation Chapter 3 describes the operation of the Freedom 10 Inverter/ Charger.
Operation Freedom 10 Power Switch The power switch is located on the front panel of the Freedom 10. This switch controls ON/OFF and RESET for the inverter. Expect a 3-second delay when the power switch is turned ON before the unit is activated. If installed with the remote control panel, the power switch on the unit itself should be left in the OFF position. If the unit is connected to external AC power, the power switch may be turned off, but the battery charger will continue to function.
Remote Control Panel 24 V Models This section contains information about the remote control panel for 24 V models. The remote control panel provides LED bar graphs that show system status, battery voltage, and current in both inverter and charge modes. These bar graphs can also display DIP switch positions and shutdown conditions.
Operation Table 3-1 System Status LED summary Status LED Appearance Purpose OVERLOAD Blinking Inverter mode: shutdown. Diagnose problem with DC amps bar graph. Charger mode: thermal shutdown. After cooling, reset by cycling power switch. AC INPUT On Steady Illuminates when incoming AC power has been applied and the transfer relays have been engaged. There is a 7- to 12-second delay from the time the AC is applied and this LED illuminates. INV/CHRG On Steady Power On light.
Remote Control Panel Figure 3-4 Freedom Remote Control Dip Switches Equalize or Three-Stage Charging (Switch #1) Cycling this switch ON for 1 second, then OFF, will initiate an equalizing charge cycle. The battery charger must be engaged before cycling the switch. The switch must always be left in the OFF position. If it is left ON, an equalizing charge cycle will initiate every time the charger is engaged - this could cause battery damage.
Operation Idle Sensitivity (Switch #5 and 6) Most installations will be connected to the electrical system. With no appliances turned on, this represents a small load. This is due to the capacitance of the wires. Using a trial and error process, the idle circuit can be adjusted until the unit will detect small loads but still drop into idle mode when all loads are shut off. Some small loads may not pull the unit out of idle mode.
Link 2000 Remote Control Panel Table 3-2 DIP switch function and position summary Feature Idle Sensitivity Power Sharing Switch Number Set Point Off Enable: Charger on when AC connected.* 5 6 On On Idle disabled Off On 15 watts On Off 6 watts Off Off 4 watts* 7 8 On On 2 amps Off On 5 amps On Off 10 amps Off Off 15 amps* * Default setting. ** Refer to voltages under “Battery Charger Voltage Settings”. Remote Control Wiring The remote control panel is supplied with 7.
Operation Batteries This section discusses how battery types, connection, and battery bank size affect the operation of your inverter/charger. Battery Types Use only deep-cycle batteries with your Freedom 10. These fall into two broad categories: wet cell and gel cell. Wet Cell Batteries True deep-cycle wet cell batteries are characterized by relatively thick plates that are alloyed with antimony. Common Marine/RV deep-cycle batteries are the least expensive and lowest quality battery that is acceptable.
Batteries No Maintenance There is no need to add water and the tops of the batteries stay clean. Also the batteries can be used in any position and are Coast Guard approved for use without a battery box. Low Self-Discharge Rate Unlike wet cell batteries, the gel cell will hold its charge for months if left sitting with no load and no float charge. They can be stored in the off-season without a constant float charge and without fear of freezing.
Operation Parallel Connecting two batteries in parallel will double the amp hour rating of the battery bank, while the voltage will be the same as each individual battery. For example, two 12 volt 105 amp-hour batteries in parallel will produce one 12-volt, 210 amp-hour battery bank. + – + – Figure 3-6 Parallel Battery Connection Only similar batteries should be connected together in one bank. Do not connect old and new batteries or wet and gel cell batteries together.
Batteries To calculate amp-hour consumption, first look at the rating plate on your AC appliances. Each appliance will be rated in either AC amps or AC watts or AC VA (volt-amps) apparent power. Use one of the following formulas to calculate the DC amp-hour draw for a 12-volt system: (AC amps × 10) × 1.1 × hours of operation = DC amp hours * (AC watts ÷ 12) × 1.1 × hours of operation = DC amp hours * (AC VA ÷ 12) × 1.1 × hours of operation = DC amp hours * In all formulas, 1.
Operation Battery Charging Completely recharging wet cell deep-cycle batteries requires that the battery voltage be raised beyond what is known as the gassing point. This is the voltage at which the battery begins to bubble and gas is given off. If charging stops short of this point, sulfate is left on the plates and deterioration of the battery begins. The gassing point will vary with battery temperature. At 25 degrees C, the gassing point of a 12-volt battery is about 14.0 volts.
Battery Charging Amps 50 "Bulk Charge" Constant Current Freedom Charger 40 "Acceptance Charge" Constant Voltage 30 Finish "Float" Charge 20 Equalizing 10 11 Traditional Charger 100 Amp Taper Charger 12 13 Volts 14 15 16 Quicker, more complete recharging, safe long-term charging and battery rejuvenation through an equalizing charge. Figure 3-7 Benefits of the Freedom Charger vs. the Traditional Taper Charger The battery charger stages are: • • 975-0251-01-01 Stage 1—Bulk Charge.
Operation • • Stage 3—Float Charge. When the acceptance stage is terminated, either because the charge current ramped down to 6 to 7 amps (3 to 4 amps for a 24-volt system) or the timer engaged, battery charger current will shut off and the unit monitors the battery voltage while it drifts down from the bulk charge voltage limit. When it reaches the float voltage set point, the float charge stage is engaged.
Battery Charging Equalizing is not required on gel cell batteries. You will note that if the DIP switches are set in one of the two gel cell positions, the equalizing charge voltage is the same as the bulk charge voltage, therefore equalizing is equivalent to an 8hour acceptance stage and is not harmful. Equalize charging is current limited to 16 A DC. Remove all DC loads from the output of the inverter/charger.
Operation Battery Charger Voltage Settings Table 3-5 Battery Charger Voltage Settings Battery Type and Temperature Acceptance Voltage/ Max Time Float Voltage Equalize Voltage 12-volt wet cell warm temperature 14.0 / 1 hour 13.1 15.8 12-volt wet cell cool temperature 14.4 / 1 hour 13.5 16.3 12-volt gel cell warm temperature 13.8 / 3 hours 13.3 14.1** 12-volt gel cell cool temperature 14.1 / 3 hours 13.6 14.1** 24-volt wet cell warm temperature 28.0 / 1 hour 26.2 31.
4 Troubleshooting Chapter 4 contains information and procedures to troubleshoot the Freedom 10. This chapter also describes how to use the DC Amps LED bar graph on the remote control to troubleshoot the unit.
Troubleshooting Using the Remote Control DC Amps LED Bar Graph The remote control LEDs are numbered by counting up from the bottom. LED Number Indication 1 Illuminates if the unit shuts down for any reason. 2 Over-temperature. Allow to cool. 3 The unit detected a failure. Call Xantrex technical support. 4 Inverter overload caused by too large a load or short circuit. Reset by cycling power switch or plugging in incoming AC power. 5 Battery overload caused by excessively discharged batteries.
A Specifications Appendix A contains the electrical and physical specifications for the Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger. All specifications are subject to change without notice.
Specifications Specifications Nominal Battery Voltage 12 VDC 24 VDC Battery Voltage Range 10.0 to 15.5 VDC 20 to 31 VDC Low Battery Cutout 10 VDC 20 VDC AC Input Voltage Range 180 to 260 VAC Frequency Regulation 0.005% @ 50 Hz Inverter Output Power 1000 VA Inverter RMS Voltage Regulation 230 VAC ± 5% True RMS Wave Shape Modified Sine Wave Surge Power (15 seconds) 3000 VA Power Factors Allowed All Full Load Efficiency 85% Peak Efficiency 92% No Load Power Current Drain 0.12 A 0.
B Glossary Appendix B contains a glossary of terms used in this manual. This appendix also defines some common electrical terms and concepts.
Glossary Glossary of Terms Alternating Current (AC) An electric current that reverses direction at regular intervals. Sources of alternating current are shore power, utility power, inverter output power, generator power or household current. Ampere (Amp, A) The unit of measure of electron flow rate of current through a circuit. Ampere-hour (Amp-hr.
Glossary of Terms 975-0251-01-01 Equalize Charge A controlled overcharge of the batteries which brings all cells up to the same voltage potential, extends the battery life, restores capacity and mixes the electrolyte. Gel Cell Battery A type of battery that uses a gelled electrolyte solution. These batteries are sealed and are virtually maintenance free. Not all sealed batteries are the gel cell type. Ground The reference potential of a circuit.
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Warranty and Return Information Warranty What does this warranty cover? This Limited Warranty is provided by Xantrex Technology Inc. ("Xantrex") and covers defects in workmanship and materials in your Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger. This warranty period lasts for 24 months from the date of purchase at the point of sale to you, the original end user customer. You require proof of purchase to make warranty claims.
Warranty and Return What does this warranty not cover? This Limited Warranty does not cover normal wear and tear of the product or costs related to the removal, installation, or troubleshooting of the customer's electrical systems.
Warranty and Return Return Material Authorization Policy Before returning a product directly to Xantrex you must obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number and the correct factory "Ship To" address. Products must also be shipped prepaid. Product shipments will be refused and returned at your expense if they are unauthorized, returned without an RMA number clearly marked on the outside of the shipping box, if they are shipped collect, or if they are shipped to the wrong location.
Warranty and Return Information About Your System As soon as you open your Freedom 10 Inverter/Charger package, record the following information and be sure to keep your proof of purchase. p Serial Number (on DC end) _________________________________ p Purchased From _________________________________ p Purchase Date _________________________________ If you need to contact Customer Service, please record the following details before calling.
Xantrex Technology Inc. 34 93 470 5330 Tel 34 93 473 6093 Fax support.europe@xantrex.com www.xantrex.
