Owners Manual

12 © 2015 Sensata Technologies
Installation
Refer to Figure 2-7 when connecting the DC wires to the battery, and to
Figure 2-8 when connecting to the inverter. Also, consider the following
requirements to ensure maximum performance:
• The DC positive and negative cables connected to the inverter from the
battery bank should be tied together with wire ties/straps or electrical
tape approximately every 6 inches (15.3 cm). This helps improve the
surge capability and reduces the effects of inductance, which improves
the inverter waveform and reduces the wear of the inverter’s fi lter
capacitors. Keeping the battery cables close together also reduces the
chance of radio frequency interference.
• Be aware that over-tightening or misthreading the nuts on the DC
terminals can cause the bolts to strip and snap/break off.
• Make sure cables have a smooth bend radius and do not become kinked.
Follow existing wire runs where possible.
• Crimped and sealed copper ring terminal lugs with at least a 6 mm
(1/4”) bolt hole to connect the DC wires to the inverter’s DC terminals.
• The battery bank voltage MUST be between 10.5-15.5 for the inverter
to operate. If the voltage exceeds 16.0V, the inverter may be damaged.
• To ensure the maximum performance from the inverter, all connections
from the battery bank to the inverter should be minimized. The
exceptions are the DC fuse and disconnect, or the DC circuit breaker—
required at the battery to protect the DC wiring—in the positive line. Any
other additional connection will contribute to additional voltage drops,
and these extra connection points may loosen during use.
• A brief spark or arc may occur when connecting the battery cables to the
inverter DC terminals; this is normal and due to the inverter’s internal
capacitors being charged.
• Before routing the wiring, color code the DC cables/wires with colored
tape or heat shrink tubing: RED for positive (+); WHITE for negative (–);
and GREEN (or bare copper) for DC ground, to avoid polarity problems.
• A cable should be connected directly from the inverter negative terminal
to the battery negative connection; this ensures the inverter has a
reliable return path directly to the battery. Do not use the chassis in
place of the battery negative connection to the inverter.
2.4.1 DC Wire Sizing
It is important to use the correct sized DC wire to achieve maximum
effi ciency from the system and to reduce fi re hazards associated with
overheating. Always keep your wire runs as short as practical to prevent
low voltage shutdowns and to keep the DC breaker from nuisance tripping
(or open fuses) because of increased current draw. See Table 2-2 to select
the minimum DC wire size (and corresponding overcurrent device) required
based on your inverter model. The cable sizes listed in this table are required
in order to reduce stress on the inverter, minimize voltage drops, increase
system effi ciency, and ensure the inverter’s ability to surge heavy loads.
If the distance from the inverter to the battery is >5 feet (1.5 m), the DC
wire will need to be increased. Longer cable distances affect the performance
of the inverter. See the lower part of Table 2-2 to determine the minimum
DC wire size needed for various distances greater than 5 feet—based on your
inverter model.