Xantrex

sunchaser · Jun 28, 2012

Psneeld - assuming reading the manual and hiring a (real) pro are not in some's game plan, towing insurance seems popular for those stray not too far from home. Towing insurance though is kind of like the hammer which is always looking for a nail.

But for those who indeed travel far from home (and tow assist vessels) and into perilous waters - books, manuals, above average electronics and a back up plan for those unforeseen events are essential for safety and enjoyment. I agree with you on redundancy and spare parts, but these are no substitute for insuring a sound vessel and pre-voyage repairs, checks and basics are covered.

For those of us who reside in the PNW and are curious as to today's best inverter/charger, whose brand does your experience lean towards in the 3000 watt range?

Capn Chuck · Jun 28, 2012

sunchaser, I highly recommend the Victron, especially with its power sharing feature or the Magnum as the two best options IMO. Chuck

psneeld · Jun 28, 2012

sunchaser said:
Psneeld - assuming reading the manual and hiring a (real) pro are not in some's game plan, towing insurance seems popular for those stray not too far from home. Towing insurance though is kind of like the hammer which is always looking for a nail.

But for those who indeed travel far from home (and tow assist vessels) and into perilous waters - books, manuals, above average electronics and a back up plan for those unforeseen events are essential for safety and enjoyment. I agree with you on redundancy and spare parts, but these are no substitute for insuring a sound vessel and pre-voyage repairs, checks and basics are covered.

For those of us who reside in the PNW and are curious as to today's best inverter/charger, whose brand does your experience lean towards in the 3000 watt range?

Some of that I agree with and some I don't...a seaworthy vessel may have only a handheld GPS and good paper charts...sophisticated or expensive electronics are a luxury...not a necessity. And don't pull the PNW stuff like some...I've flown and boated from the Carribean to Alaska...so I know what the different areas entail.

As I've posted several times...I don't like/trust any of them. My next 3000 watt one might be a pair of $150 dollar ones from Harbor Freight. They all fail way too soon...not to say many people have great service but WAY too many people have crappy service from every brand. So why pay over $1000 dollars for one when $300 bucks will get me one and a spare?

When I finally here enough good reports of one brand...and no or few bad reports...I'll be jumping for joy...till then...I'm happy with my genset and NO inverter...but may add a cheapo and spare when I head south this winter.

Larry M · Jun 29, 2012

sunchaser said:
For those of us who reside in the PNW and are curious as to today's best inverter/charger, whose brand does your experience lean towards in the 3000 watt range?

We installed an OutBack Inverter/Charger model #: VFX2812M in 2007 when we were in the PNW. We cruise full time and have never had any issues. Rumor has it that a couple of the original engineers left Freedom/Heart in and went "Outback" to start their own company. :lol:

If needed, field servicing is easy with only 3 circuit boards. The required AC input neutral/ground switching is taken care of with an internal 30 amp AC transfer switch for shore or generator hook-up. They also have a great users forum.

No interest in the company just one happy cruiser.

OutBack Power / Products / Sinewave Inverter / Mobile

psneeld · Jun 29, 2012

Larry M said:
We installed an OutBack Inverter/Charger model #: VFX2812M in 2007 when we were in the PNW. We cruise full time and have never had any issues. Rumor has it that a couple of the original engineers left Freedom/Heart in and went "Outback" to start their own company. :lol:

If needed, field servicing is easy with only 3 circuit boards. The required AC input neutral/ground switching is taken care of with an internal 30 amp AC transfer switch for shore or generator hook-up. They also have a great users forum.

No interest in the company just one happy cruiser.

OutBack Power / Products / Sinewave Inverter / Mobile

Heard the same about the engineers who left and started their own with the concept of easier repair....then again...maybe I remember an older post from you!!

sunchaser · Jun 30, 2012

Thanks guys, question answered. Larry and Chuck recommend good, long lasting and well respected (today anyway) Victron, Magnum and Outback while psneeld recommends cheap throw away stuff anticipating the next (pre-ordained maybe) failure.

psneeld · Jun 30, 2012

sunchaser said:
Thanks guys, question answered. Larry and Chuck recommend good, long lasting and well respected (today anyway) Victron, Magnum and Outback while psneeld recommends cheap throw away stuff anticipating the next (pre-ordained maybe) failure.

I would be recommending a brand too... IF... I heard or believed there was such a thing as a good, long lasting and well respected inverter (today anyway) like Victron, Magnum and Outback.

I've just heard too many negatives.

I usually like the 20 year rule...whatever I do on my boat I like to last 20 years wityhout doing much more than admiring the install...unfortnately it's often the manufacturers that are letting us down...not the maintenance or installs of cruisers.

FF · Jul 1, 2012

"I estimate my daily electrical draw at 300 amps per day, almost all of it due to my antiquated Norcold refrig."

Perhaps its time for a new fridge that will cut the daily amps required by 2/3 or 5/6 ?

FF

Moonstruck · Jul 7, 2012

Still in conversation with Xantrex about the inverter. They asked today if I am still getting error messages A 0 and A 01. I said no it quit working last before the end of June. It is off the boat and in the box it came in.

I have told them that I do not want to install a replacement unit for two that failed. I would have no faith in it. I would like them to work with me on another type unit. If it is more expensive, I will consider paying some difference.

We will see what happens next. At least they are still talking about it. I would like to get to the bottom of the situation. They know exactly how it was installed, and seem to have no problem with that. I don't have pictures to put up, but it looks very similar to the way the charger was installed.

One worked perfectly for 11 months. The other 2 weeks.

FlyWright · Jul 7, 2012

Moonstruck said:
They know exactly how it was installed, and seem to have no problem with that. I don't have pictures to put up, but it looks very similar to the way the charger was installed.

One worked perfectly for 11 months. The other 2 weeks.

Don, does it look like this?

I made the mistake of inviting the PG's aboard yesterday afternoon before I finished installing a new subwoofer on the FB and speaker control panel at the lower helm. They saw the 35 year old spider web of wires hiding behind my lower helm engine gages panel. :facepalm:

I think I heard a thinly disguised gasp from Jennifer when she saw it.

I'm so embarrassed!! :hide:

Capn Chuck · Jul 7, 2012

I have to applaud your tenacity but I sure don't understand your need for self deprecation with another Xantrex unit. You can dress a pig up in fancy clothes but it's still a pig. Chuck

Moonstruck · Jul 7, 2012

Capn Chuck said:
I have to applaud your tenacity but I sure don't understand your need for self deprecation with another Xantrex unit. You can dress a pig up in fancy clothes but it's still a pig. Chuck

Well you are probably right. One thing for sure, if they replace the failed unit, I will have a band new in box for sale at a very attractive price.

On the other hand, I have been impressed with the guys that have gotten good service out of their Xantrex units. I know they may have oder ones, but nevertheless Xantrex must have done some things right.

By the way Capn. Chuck I have a question for you. When I got the charger home and broke it down, I discovered it was the cooling fan that was bad and not the controller. So, I found one on the internet and ordered it. Like an idiot I did not note the direction the fan operated. Did it take air in through the grill cover on the front or exhaust it there. In other words, was it a pusher or a puller. I will send the question to Xantrex, but who knows when they will get around to it.

Thanks.

FlyWright · Jul 7, 2012

Moonstruck said:
Well you are probably right. One thing for sure, if they replace the failed unit, I will have a band new in box for sale at a very attractive price.

When I got the charger home and broke it down, I discovered it was the cooling fan that was bad and not the controller. So, I found one on the internet and ordered it. Like an idiot I did not note the direction the fan operated. Did it take air in through the grill cover on the front or exhaust it there. In other words, was it a pusher or a puller. I will send the question to Xantrex, but who knows when they will get around to it.

Thanks.

Don, I just turned on my POC Xantex and put a tissue to the fan. The fan sucks air into the unit, expelling the air out the vents.

I'd be interested in that Xantrex unit if you are going to sell it.

Capn Chuck · Jul 7, 2012

All of my chargers pull air into the units. Chuck

rwidman · Jul 7, 2012

FlyWright said:
Don, I just turned on my POC Xantex and put a tissue to the fan. The fan sucks air into the unit, expelling the air out the vents..

Perhaps that's why they seem to fail so often!

Equipment cooling fans usually pull air through the unit and exhaust it at the fan. Maybe they are installing the fans backwands. :banghead:

sunchaser · Jul 7, 2012

Be sure the inverter box air inlets and exhaust outlet(s) are unobstructed. My Xantrex unit is mounted with exhaust fan outlet on top, tnat makes sense since heat rises. The cooler the location the better as many/most inverters have a high temperature cutoff.

FlyWright · Jul 7, 2012

rwidman said:
Perhaps that's why they seem to fail so often!

Equipment cooling fans usually pull air through the unit and exhaust it at the fan. Maybe they are installing the fans backwands.

Our equipment bays on our planes have vent fans mounted low and large vents mounted high. This allows the fans to pull in cool air down low and exhaust the hot air high. We had an overheating issue one time in flight and landed. We learned that the mechanic had reinstalled the vent fan backwards, greatly reducing the cooling effectiveness.

My Xantrex inverter and ProTech charger both operate the same way, pulling air into the unit.

psneeld · Jul 7, 2012

We all know that manufacturers/engineers experts are the go to guys when things work the way we want them to...at least for us...but aren't qualified for anything if the products fails more often than we would like.

Moonstruck · Jul 7, 2012

FlyWright said:
Our equipment bays on our planes have vent fans mounted low and large vents mounted high. This allows the fans to pull in cool air down low and exhaust the hot air high. We had an overheating issue one time in flight and landed. We learned that the mechanic had reinstalled the vent fan backwards, greatly reducing the cooling effectiveness.

Flywright are you blonde? We are talking boats here not air planes. The physics is different on an airplane. The high altitude air is thinner and lighter. It doesn't react in the same manner as on a boat where the air may be slightly below sea level.

FlyWright · Jul 7, 2012

Moonstruck said:
Flywright are you blonde? We are talking boats here not air planes. The physics is different on an airplane. The high altitude air is thinner and lighter. It doesn't react in the same manner as on a boat where the air may be slightly below sea level.

:lol:

timjet · Jul 7, 2012

FF said:
"I estimate my daily electrical draw at 300 amps per day, almost all of it due to my antiquated Norcold refrig."

Perhaps its time for a new fridge that will cut the daily amps required by 2/3 or 5/6 ?

FF

Yup and patiently waiting for the Norcold to die.

Moonstruck · Jul 7, 2012

FlyWright said:
Don, does it look like this?

I made the mistake of inviting the PG's aboard yesterday afternoon before I finished installing a new subwoofer on the FB and speaker control panel at the lower helm. They saw the 35 year old spider web of wires hiding behind my lower helm engine gages panel. I think I heard a thinly disguised gasp from Jennifer when she saw it. I'm so embarrassed!!

Flywright, your picture did not show. Get Ben to teach you how to post pictures. He's real good.

. . . . . . or maybe it was censored.

FlyWright · Jul 8, 2012

Moonstruck said:
Flywright, your picture did show. Get Ben to teach you how to post pictures. He's real good.

Moonman,

Here's what I meant to post on Post #100.

Really, I'm not blonde anymore.

Now it's grey and thinning.

Moonstruck · Jul 8, 2012

FlyWright said:
Moonman,

Here's what I meant to post on Post #100.

Really, I'm not blonde anymore. Now it's grey and thinning.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

Edelweiss · Jul 8, 2012

FlyWright said:
Moonman,

Here's what I meant to post on Post #100.

Really, I'm not blonde anymore. Now it's grey and thinning.

--------------------------------------------------
Last time I saw a wiring job like this was on the "Red Green show." :facepalm:

Larry B

FF · Jul 8, 2012

"Perhaps that's why they seem to fail so often!

"

Many electric items fail because folks think they are an "install & forget" item like a light switch in their dirt home.

Maint is required as a device that can draw hundreds of amps is very subject to problems from feeder corrosion or a poor ground.

When do most folks go over the DC system , even after a unit has failed?

Almost NEVER!

FF

Edelweiss · Jul 8, 2012

FlyWright said:
Xantrex LinkPro Battery Monitor. I also monitor the inverter output via a Kill-a-Watt meter. I don't have the whole boat wired through the inverter, just to a single power strip in the galley.

Edelweiss, yes, mine is a Xantrex XPower 1000. My heaviest draw is my 800W coffee pot. The microwave is about 625W. The most I saw on the fridge is 8.5W!!

--------------------------------------------------
Wow Al
UPS delivered the new POC Xantrex inverter Friday and I installed it yesterday. The most difficult part of the install was figuring out how to run 110 AC between the aft cabin locker and the fly bridge fridg. Snaking that wire was a nightmare.

I was surprised how quiet it runs. With just the fridge on the inverter the fan doesn't even run. I was a little concerned about cooling having it in an enclosed space, but as you experienced, it runs very cool. Thanks for the tip!!

Larry B

ben2go · Jul 8, 2012

Moonstruck said:
Flywright, your picture did not show. Get Ben to teach you how to post pictures. He's real good.

. . . . . . or maybe it was censored.

:lol:

FlyWright said:
Moonman,

Here's what I meant to post on Post #100.

Really, I'm not blonde anymore. Now it's grey and thinning.

That's quality wiring right there. :angel:

Moonstruck · Jul 25, 2012

Well, that's it for me with Xantrex. They backed up on my deal that took weeks to work out. Now, they told me since it was July 24 that the unit was now out of warranty, and they will do nothing about it.

I am glad that some of you guys have had a good experience with them. As for me, all Xantrex is going to be off my boat. I will not be dealing with them anymore.

I think the idea of cheap throw away units is a good one. Most electronics are now made in China anyway, so I'll just take my chances.

Larry M · Jul 25, 2012

Moonstruck said:
Well, that's it for me with Xantrex. They backed up on my deal that took weeks to work out. Now, they told me since it was July 24 that the unit was now out of warranty, and they will do nothing about it..../QUOTE]

Don: WTF? You started dialog with these guys back in mid June. And now it's out of warranty? I'm ....

Xantrex

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