Vector VEC018 Power Supply User Manual


 
11
OPERATING TIPS
The Power Force 50™ should only be operated in locations that meet the
following criteria:
DRY - Do not allow water or other liquids to come into contact with the inverter.
COOL - Ambient air temperature should be between -20°C and 40°C - ideally
between 15°C and 25°C (60 - 80°F). Do not place the inverter on or near a
heating vent or any piece of equipment which is generating heat above room
temperature. Keep the inverter away from direct sunlight, if at all possible.
VENTILATED - Keep the area surrounding the Power Force 50™ clear to ensure
free air circulation around the unit. Do not place items on or over the inverter
during operation. The unit will shut down if the internal temperature exceeds 90°C.
Restart the unit once it cools down sufficiently.
SAFE - Do not use the Power Force 50™ near flammable materials or in any
locations that may accumulate flammable fumes or gases.
Rated Versus Actual Current Draw of Equipment
Most electrical tools, appliances, electronic devices and audio/visual equipment
have labels that indicate the power consumption in amps or watts. Be sure that the
power consumption of the item to be operated is below 50 watts. If the power
consumption is rated in amps, simply multiply by the AC volts (110) to determine
the wattage.
Resistive loads are the easiest for the Power Force 50™ to run; however, it will not
run larger resistive loads (such as electric stoves and heaters) which require far more
wattage than the Power Force 50™ can deliver on a continuous basis. Inductive
loads (such as TVs and stereos) require more current to operate than do resistive
loads of the same wattage rating. Induction motors, as well as some TVs, 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. For safety reasons, the unit will simply shut down if it is
overloaded. To restart the unit after a shutdown due to overloading, momentarily
turn off the power to the unit.
Note: The Power Force 50™ will not operate appliances and equipment that
generate heat, such as hair dryers, microwave ovens, and toasters.
NOTE: Vector™ recommends charging from a vehicle only while its engine is
running, so as not to run down the vehicle’s battery. The ideal charging
rate is 14.5-15.5 volts, which is nearly identical to the charging rate of
most vehicle batteries.
OPERATION
Estimated run-times.
4
12 VOLT DC APPLIANCE APPROX. RUNNING TIME
CELL PHONE,
FLORESCENT LIGHT 6-12 HOURS
RADIO, FAN, DEPTH FINDER 5 HOURS
CAMCORDER, VCR, SPOTLIGHT 2.5 HOURS
ELECTRIC TOOLS, BILGE PUMP 1 HOUR
INFLATOR/RAFT 50 MINUTES
AIR COMPRESSOR 25 MINUTES
110 VOLT AC APPLIANCE APPROX. RUNNING TIME
50 WATT LAMP 40 MINUTES
LAPTOP / PRINTER 1.5 HOURS
DESK FAN 2.0 HOURS
STEREO/CD PLAYER 2.5 HOURS
CELLULAR PHONE, POWER TOOLS 5 TO 10 HOURS
& CAMCORDER CHARGERS