Samlexpower VR175 Owner's manual - 5. Operating
5. OPERATING
TIPS
5.1
RATED VERSUS ACTUAL CURRENT DRAW OF EQUIPMENT
Most electrical tools, appliances and audio/video equipment have labels that
indicate the power consumption in amps or watts. Be sure that the power
consumption of the item you wish to operate is rated at 175/250/400 watts or
less. (If the power consumption is rated in amps AC, simply multiply by the AC
volts (230) to determine the wattage). The inverter has overload protection, so
it is safe to try to operate equipment rated at 175/250/400 watts or less. The
inverter will shut down if it is overloaded. The overload must be removed
before the inverter will restart. Resistive loads are the easiest for the inverter to
run. However, larger resistive loads, such as electric stoves or heaters, usually
require more wattage than the inverter can deliver. Inductive loads, such as
TV’s and stereos, require more current to operate than do resistive loads of the
same wattage rating. Induction motors, as well as some televisions, may
require 2 to 6 times their wattage rating to start up. The most demanding in this
category are those that start under load, such as compressors and pumps.
Testing is the only definitive way to determine whether a specific load can be
started and how long it can run. The unit will simply shut down if it is
overloaded. To restart the unit after a shutdown due to overloading, remove
the overload if necessary turn the power switch OFF then ON.
CAUTION: This inverter will not operate high wattage appliances or equipment
that produce heat, such as hair dryers and ovens.
5.2 BATTERY OPERATING TIME
With a typical fully charged vehicle battery, a nominal operating time of 2 to 3
hours can be expected for 150watt output. In most instances, 5 to 10 hours of
operating time is achievable for lower loading. However, SAMLEX
recommends that the operator start the vehicle every 2 to 3 hours to recharge
the battery system. This will guard against any unexpected shut-down of the
equipment and will ensure that there is always sufficient battery capacity to
start the vehicle’s engine. The inverter will sound its alarm when DC voltage
drops to 10.6 volt.
The inverter may be used whether or not the vehicle’s engine is running.
However, the inverter may not operate while the engine is starting since the
battery voltage can drop substantially during cranking.
The inverter draws less than 0.4 ampere from the battery when it is not
supplying power to a load and power switch is in the ON position. In most
instances, the inverter can be left connected to the battery when not in use,
make sure power switch is in the OFF position. However if the vehicle is to
remain unused for several days, disconnect the inverter from the battery.
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