Smooth Start Series User Instructions for Model STP-1500 Power Inverter Model STP-1500 Safety Information IMPORTANT Read all the Cautions and Warnings before installing and using the power inverter. The inverter must be properly installed. IMPORTANT If you are not familiar with 12 volt high current wiring, it is recommended that you have a professional automotive installer install the inverter. CAUTION The power inverter generates 115 VAC power from your 12 volt car battery. Treat the 115 VAC output just like you treat the 115 VAC in your house. Keep children away from the unit. Do not connect the unit to AC distribution wiring. Keep the unit away from water. Do not allow water to drip or splash on to the power inverter. Keep the unit in cool environments. Ambient air temperature should be between 32 degrees and 75 degrees F. Keep out of direct sunlight and away from heating vents. Keep the unit away from flammable material or in any location which may accumulate flammable fumes or gases, such as the battery compartment of your car, boat, RV or truck. With heavy use, the unit will become warm and possibly hot. So keep it away from any heat sensitive materials. Make sure the opening to the fan and vent holes are not blocked. Do not open the unit. High voltages are inside. Use proper size wiring. High power inverters can draw many amps from the 12 volt source and can melt wires if not fused and sized properly. IMPORTANT Sima Products Corporation does not authorize any products to be used in life support devices or systems. Serial # ___________________ Date Purchased ___________ page 2 Table of Contents Safety Information ...................................................................................................2 Introduction..............................................................................................................4 Key Features ............................................................................................................4 Package Includes......................................................................................................4 Needed for Installation (not included) .....................................................................4 Overview of the Power Inverter...............................................................................5 Installation ...............................................................................................................6 Installation Overview ....................................................................................................................6 Step #1: Mounting the Inverter .....................................................................................................6 Step #2: Wiring Inverter to 12 volt Power ....................................................................................7 Permanent Installation...............................................................................................................8 Wiring Steps..............................................................................................................................8 Advanced Installation................................................................................................................9 Step #3: Testing the Power Inverter ..............................................................................................9 Operation ...............................................................................................................10 Equipment Power Usage .............................................................................................................10 Battery Life .................................................................................................................................10 Lights and Alarms .......................................................................................................................11 How the Inverter Works.........................................................................................12 Troubleshooting .....................................................................................................13 Product Specifications ...........................................................................................14 Warranty ................................................................................................................15 page 3 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of a Sima Products Corporation power inverter. It provides 115 VAC anywhere you have 12 DC volts in your car, truck, RV or boat. It is designed to be easy to use and provide years of dependable service. Key Features High-efficiency operation to provide the most output with the least battery power. Advanced protection · Thermal Protection shuts the unit off to guard against the unit getting too hot · Overload Protection protects the unit from excessive loads · Under Voltage Protection turns the unit off to protect the battery from being over discharged The STP-1500 power inverter produces a modified sine wave output that is suitable for most AC loads. This includes lights, appliances, motors, TVs and most electronics. Caution: A few battery chargers are not compatible with modified sine wave operation. These are typically small, rechargeable, battery operated devices like razors and flashlights that can be plugged directly into an AC receptacle to recharge. Some chargers for battery packs used in power tools also should not be used with an inverter. These chargers typically have a warning label indicating that dangerous voltages are present at the battery terminals. Only a true sine wave inverter should be used with these types of appliances. Damage to the device could result if you attempt to use them with any type of modified sine wave inverter. Do not use this power inverter with the above devices. Package Includes Inverter (STP-1500) Cables with ring terminals This manual Needed for Installation (not included) Mounting hardware for the inverter 12 volt DC power wiring, fuse block and connectors Tools ­ Drill and drill bit, small socket set, wire crimpers, volt meter Optional: wiring kit from Sima (SK-200) page 4 Overview of the Power Inverter The STP-1500 power inverters are electronic devices that convert the low voltage 12 VOLTS DC from a battery or other power source to 115 VAC to run standard household appliances. See the section on How it Works to learn more about the technology used in these power inverters. DC Side (12 VOLTS Input) STP-1500 AC Side (115 VAC Output) Figure #1, DC and AC Sides of the STP-1500 Inverter page 5 Installation Installation Overview There are three basic steps you need to follow when installing the power inverter. 1) Mounting: Mount the inverter securely 2) Wiring: Wire the inverter to a 12 VOLT source 3) Testing: Test for proper operation Step #1: Mounting the Inverter The power inverter should be secured to a solid flat surface capable of handling the weight of the unit. It is very important that the unit be secured using the proper size mounting hardware (not included) to keep the unit from moving around or becoming loose in emergency situations. The power inverter should be placed with space around the unit for proper ventilation. Do not block the air entrance to the fan or block the exhaust holes located on the side or bottom of the unit. The unit must be mounted in a dry, cool area. Do not allow water to drip or splash onto the inverter. The ambient air temperature should be between 32 deg F and 75 deg F. The unit must not be mounted in an area with batteries or in any area capable of storing flammable liquids such as gasoline. To minimize cable lengths, the unit should be mounted as close as possible to the battery, but not in the same compartment. If you have a choice, it is better to run longer AC wires than DC cables. Caution: The power inverter must be mounted securely in any type of moving vehicle. In an emergency situation, if the power inverter is not securely mounted, it could cause bodily injury Figure 2, Mounting the power inverter page 6 Step #2: Wiring Inverter to 12 volt Power The power inverter requires connection to a standard 12 volt DC power source as found in most cars, trucks, RVs and boats. The power source must provide between 11 and 15 volts DC. The power source must be able to provide sufficient current to power the load. See the chart below that shows minimal wire sizing and current draw at full load. Wire Size Chart Current at Suggested Suggested Suggested rated power User Wire gauge, Wire gauge, Installed 12 less than-10' 10' to 25' volt Fuse Size 140 Amps 150A 2 AWG 0 AWG Inverter Model STP-1500 Always connect the positive, red (+) terminal to the positive connection and the negative, black (-) terminal to the negative or ground side of the power system. WARNING Failure to connect the correct polarity may cause damage to the power inverter and/or your electrical system and is not covered by the warranty. Installation Tip To minimize electrical interference, keep the DC power cables as short as possible and twist them with 1 to 3 twists per foot. This minimizes radiated interference from the cables. page 7 Permanent Installation Figure 3, Wiring the STP-1500 power inverter Caution: Always use adequate wire size and fusing for any installation Wiring Steps · Disconnect the positive battery terminal before doing any wiring to the inverter. · Using proper sized copper wire and proper terminations, wire the inverter to the electrical system and fuse block. See your local RV dealer or automotive shop for wire, connectors, fuse block and other wiring parts. Tighten all connections firmly, but do not over tighten. Remember to recheck all connections every few months of operation. WARNING Do not operate the power inverter without a fuse installed. page 8 · · Double check all wiring for proper polarity. Install the fuse and reconnect the wire to the battery. Note, a slight spark and beep from the inverter is normal when the unit is first connected to 12 volt power. Advanced Installation Large inverters can draw high currents from your battery and charging system especially when used with appliances and tools that use a lot of power. In these applications, you may need to increase the capacity of your 12 volt system. There are several ways to do this. High Capacity Batteries You can purchase high capacity batteries that are specially designed for deep discharge operation. Contact your automotive or RV specialist for more information. Multiple Batteries In systems with more than one battery, you typically wire the system with the batteries in parallel (negative to negative and positive to positive) with a battery isolator between the positive terminals. The isolator allows a single alternator to charge all batteries but lets the inverter only use the second battery so the vehicle's battery is not discharged during operation. Contact your automotive or RV specialist for more information about battery isolators and wiring. Larger Alternator Typical automotive alternators may not be able to supply the power required for continuous operation of the inverter at high power usage. Contact your automotive or RV specialist for more information about larger output alternators. Step #3: Testing the Power Inverter After you make sure the 12 volt power is wired properly to the power inverter, with nothing plugged into the 115 VAC outlets, turn the power switch on the power inverter to On. The green POWER light will light. Note: If the inverter does not operate properly and the POWER light does not illuminate, turn the power switch off and check your wiring and external fuse. With the inverter turned off, plug the appliance you want to use into the 115 VAC power outlet on the unit. Turn the power switch on the power inverter on so the green POWER light is illuminated. Turn on the appliance. The appliance should now be operational. Check the Troubleshooting section if you have any difficulties. page 9 Operation Equipment Power Usage It is important to use only products that draw less than the power rating of the power inverter. Use of products greater than the rated power rating may either cause the protection circuitry of the power inverter to shut down or the fuse to blow. Repeated use of excessive power draw can cause failure of the power inverter. How to calculate power usage. Most products have a power rating on them such as 45 watts. Others may be marked with their current draw, such as .9 amps. To convert the current to watts multiply the current by 115. (Example: .9 amps x 115 = 104 watts) Typical Power Usage Chart Typical Appliance VCR/TV combo 19" TV Small power drill 3/8" Blender Toaster Vacuum Small microwave oven Hair Dryer Space Heater Current Draw 120 watts 160 watts 500 watts 650 watts 850 watts 900 watts 1100 watts 1200 watts 1300 watts Some products draw ...