MM Series Inverters Owner’s Manual
Disclaimer of Liability The use of this manual and the conditions or methods of installation, operation, use, and maintenance of the MM Series Inverter are beyond the control of Magnum Energy, Inc. Therefore, this company assumes no responsibility and expressly disclaims any liability for loss, damage, or expense whether direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental that may arise out of or in anyway connected with such installation, operation, use, or maintenance.
Terminology AC source or External AC power - refers to Alternating Current (AC) provided by the utility electric power grid or from a generator. In some applications this is referred to as shore power. AE application - typically refers to using the inverter in an system that uses Alternative Energy (e.g., solar, wind, or hydro). This term is also used to refer to inverters used in a home, office, or a cabin installation.
IMPORTANT BATTERY SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS • Wear eye protection such as safety glasses when working with batteries. • Remove all jewelry such as rings, watches, bracelets, etc., when installing or performing maintenance on the inverter. • Never work alone. Always have someone near you when working around batteries. • Use proper lifting techniques when working with batteries. • Never use old or untested batteries. Check each battery’s label for age, type, and date code to ensure all batteries are identical.
Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................1 MM Series Models ................................................................. 1 How an Inverter/Charger Works ............................................. 2 What Appliances will run from a Modified Sine Inverter .............. 2 Appliances and Run Time....................................................... 2 Standard Features and Benefits ..............................................
Table of Contents Appendix A - Remote Control and Monitoring ....................29 Using the MM-R and MM-RC Remotes .....................................29 ON/OFF Switch....................................................................30 Monitoring the LED Indicators ...............................................30 MM-R and MM-RC Remotes...............................................30 INVERT (green) ..........................................................30 AC IN (green) .............................
1.0 Introduction 1.0 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of an MM Series inverter from Magnum Energy, Inc. This product is designed to be powerful, yet simple to use, and provide you with years of trouble-free use. Please read this chapter to familiarize yourself with the features and benefits of your particular MM Series model. Figure 1, MM Series Inverter MM Series Models MM612 - a 600 watt inverter with 7 amp AC transfer relay.
1.0 Introduction How an Inverter/Charger Works An inverter takes direct current (DC) from your batteries and turns it into alternating current (AC), like you use at home. With MM Series models that have the battery charger feature, it also takes alternating current (when connected to a generator or to shore power) and transforms it into direct current to recharge your batteries.
1.0 Introduction Standard Features and Benefits The MM Series inverter converts 12 Volts Direct Current (VDC) power from your battery to 120 Volts Alternating Current (VAC) power. On models with the multi-stage battery charger feature, the incoming AC power is optimized using Power Factor Correction (PFC) technology to keep the inverter’s battery bank fully charged.
1.0 Introduction 1. Inverter Status Indicator - this green light emitting diode (LED) illuminates to provide information on the inverter’s operation. 2. Power switch - momentary push button switch that turns the inverter On or Off. 3. Negative DC terminal (black) - the inverter’s connection to the negative terminal on the 12 VDC battery bank. 4. Positive DC terminal (red) - the inverter’s connection to the positive terminal on the 12 VDC battery bank. 5.
1.0 Introduction 15 16 17 Figure 4, Left Side Features 15. AC output connection - AC knockout (output) for hardwiring. 16. AC input connection - AC knockout (input) for hardwiring. 17. DC Ground terminal - this connection is used to tie the exposed chassis of the inverter to the DC grounding system. This terminal accepts CU/AL conductors from #14 AWG to #6 AWG.
2.0 Installation 2.0 Installation Pre-Installation Before installing the inverter, read the entire Installation section. The more thorough you plan in the beginning, the better your inverter needs will be met. WARNING: Installations should be performed by qualified personnel, such as a licensed or certified electrician. It is the installer’s responsibility to determine which safety codes apply and to ensure that all applicable installation requirements are followed.
2.0 Installation MM Series Inverter AC IN DC Ground DC disconnect and overcurrent device AC OUT AC Main Panel Battery Bank AC Sub-Panel TV AC Outlet Tools VCR AC Loads Figure 6, Basic Installation Diagram © 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
2.0 Installation Locating and Mounting the Inverter WARNINGS: • Do not mount the inverter near any flammable or combustible fluid or components. • Provide adequate clearance/ventilation to the inverter. • Mount only on a “non-combustible” surface. • Maximum ambient temperature around the inverter must not exceed 77° F (25° C) to meet power specifications.
2.0 Installation Do not install this inverter in any area that contains extremely flammable liquids like gasoline or propane, or in locations that require ignition-protected devices. Close to the battery bank - As with any inverter, it should be located as close to the batteries as possible. Long DC wires tend to lose efficiency and reduce the overall performance of an inverter.
2.0 Installation Mounting holes x 4 [¼” (0.25") diameter ] ~ 4 11/16 " (4.66") 10.0" ~ 16 5/8" (16.59") ~6 3/4 " (6.71") ~ 7 ½" (7.51") ~ 8 7/16 " (8.41") Figure 8, MM Series Inverter Dimensions Wiring Guidelines • Before connecting any wires, determine all wire routes to and from the inverter throughout the RV or vehicle/boat.
2.0 Installation • Do not attempt to use a vehicle metal frame in place of the DC negative connection or DC ground. The inverter requires a reliable negative and ground return path directly to the battery. • DC wires and cables should be tied together with wire ties or electrical tape approximately every 6 inches. 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 filter capacitors.
2.0 Installation Info: The DC wires must be color coded with colored tape or heat shrink tubing; RED for positive (+), BLACK for negative (-), and GREEN for DC ground. The DC wires must have soldered and crimped lugs, crimped copper compression lugs, or aluminum mechanical lugs. Soldered connections alone are not acceptable for this application.
2.0 Installation DC Overcurrent Protection For safety and to comply with electrical code regulations, you must install a DC overcurrent protection device in the positive DC cable line to protect your DC cables. This DC overcurrent device must be DC rated and can be a fuse or circuit-breaker. It must be correctly sized according to the size of DC cables being used, which means it is required to open before the cable reaches its maximum current carrying capability, thereby preventing a fire.
2.0 Installation DC Cable Connections When connecting the DC cable to the battery or inverter DC terminals, the hardware should be installed in the correct order to prevent high resistance connections which will heat up and could cause the connections to melt. Follow Figures 9 and 10 to stack the hardware correctly. Tighten the terminal connections from 10 to 12 foot-pounds. CAUTION: Do not put anything between the DC cable ring lug and the battery terminal post or inverter’s DC terminal.
2.0 Installation Battery Bank Wiring WARNING: Lethal currents will be present if the positive and negative cables attached to the battery bank touch each other. During the installation and wiring process, ensure the cable ends are insulated or covered to prevent touching/shorting the cables.
2.0 Installation Info: The DC overcurrent device (i.e., fuse or circuit breaker) must be placed in the positive (RED) DC cable line between the inverter’s positive DC terminal and the battery’s positive terminal (RED); as close to the battery as possible. DC Ground Wire Route an appropriately sized DC grounding wire (GREEN or bare wire) from the inverter’s DC Ground Terminal (see Figure 4, Item 17) to a dedicated system ground. Recommended tightening torque is 45 in. lbs.
2.0 Installation AC Wiring This section describes the required AC wire size and the overcurrent protection needed. It also provides information on how to make the AC connections. Neutral to Safety Ground Bonding Electrical safety standards for wiring mobile (RV, boat, or truck) installations require the AC source (inverter, shore power, or a generator) to have the neutral conductor tied to ground.
2.0 Installation The AC wires inside the AC compartment are #16 AWG with a temperature rating of 105° C, all AC connections should be made using an approved connector for your application (e.g., split bolt, twist-on wire connectors, etc.). Ensure the wire connectors used are rated for the size and number of wires you are connecting. After connecting the wires together, gently pull on the wires to ensure they are securely held together. In a proper connection, no bare wire should be exposed.
2.0 Installation AC Input Wiring Your inverter has an AC transfer feature that passes the AC input power to the inverter’s output. Connection to the AC input is made by hardwiring from a distribution panel as described below: 1. Run an appropriately sized 2-conductor plus ground cable (from the AC distribution panel) through a strain relief on the AC IN opening. Refer to Table 4 for minimum wire size and overcurrent protection required for the AC input wiring. 2.
2.0 Installation AC Output Wiring CAUTION: The inverter’s AC output must never be connected to an AC power source. This will cause severe damage to the inverter and is not covered under warranty. When hardwiring the output of the inverter, a cable must be routed from the inverter’s output to an AC distribution panel (sub-panel) that provides overcurrent protection to the loads powered by the inverter. Connect the AC output to this distribution panel as described below: 1.
2.0 Installation Functional Test After all electrical connections to the inverter, batteries, AC source, and loads (using a sub-panel) have been completed, follow these steps to test the installation and the inverter’s operation. 1. Check the battery voltage and polarity before connecting the batteries to the inverter. Use a multimeter to verify 10 to 15 VDC at the batteries’ positive and negative terminals. 2.
3.0 Operation 3.0 Operation Operating Modes The MM Series inverter has two normal modes of operation; Invert Mode, which powers your loads using the batteries, and Transfer Mode, which powers your loads from the incoming AC power (i.e., shore power or a generator). This inverter also has extensive protection circuitry and will go into the Protection Mode under certain fault conditions. Invert Mode In Invert Mode, the inverter supplies AC power to your appliances by inverting the DC power from the battery.
3.0 Operation Protection Mode The inverter is protected against five fault conditions, and in normal usage it will be rare to see any. If there is a situation the inverter can’t handle, then it will shut down and attempt to protect itself, the battery bank, and your appliances. If there is a condition that causes one of the following five faults to be enabled, refer to the Troubleshooting section to diagnose and clear the fault.
3.0 Operation When an AC source (shore power or generator) is connected to an inverter that has a battery charger, the inverter will monitor the AC input for acceptable voltage. Once the inverter has accepted the AC input, the AC transfer relay will close and Charge Mode will begin. Once in Charge Mode, the DC voltage will be monitored to determine how to charge. If the DC voltage is ≤12.9 VDC, the charger will go to bulk charging. If the DC voltage is >12.
3.0 Operation Start-up ON/OFF Switch - Turning the inverter ON and OFF is controlled by a momentary switch on the front of the inverter (see Figure 2, Item 2). When the inverter is connected to the batteries, or when its automatic protection circuit has turned the inverter off, the ON/OFF switch will need to be pressed to start the unit. Once the inverter has been turned on, pressing the ON/OFF switch alternately turns the unit on and off.
3.0 Operation Factory Default Settings Your MM Series inverter uses default settings that are adequate for most installations. However, if you determine that some of your operating parameters need to be changed, the optional ME-RC50 remote allows you to control the operation and to customize the programming parameters of the inverter and/or charger. Table 5, Inverter Default Settings Function Default Settings Search Watts NA (MM612), 5W (MM1212) LowBatCutOut Battery AmpHrs 10.
4.0 Troubleshooting 4.0 Troubleshooting The MM Series inverter is a fairly simple device to troubleshoot. There are only two active circuits (AC and DC) as well as a charging circuit in some of the models. The following chart is designed to help you quickly pinpoint the most common inverter and charger faults.
5.0 Specifications 5.0 Specifications Table 7, MM Series Specifications MODEL MM612 MM1212 Inverter Specifications Input DC voltage range 9 to 15.5 Vdc Output voltage AC 120 VRMS +/- 5% Output frequency 60 Hz +/- .
Appendix A - Remote Control and Monitoring Appendix A - Remote Control and Monitoring There are several remotes that let you monitor and switch the inverter on/off from a convenient location. Using the supplied cable with RJ11 connectors, they connect easily to the REMOTE port located on the front side of the MM Series (see Figure 3, Item 10).
Appendix A - Remote Control and Monitoring ON/OFF Switch The ON/OFF Switch is a momentary push-button switch that duplicates the ON/OFF switch on the inverter. This switch also allows additional changes to be made while in the Invert or Charge Mode. When the inverter is first connected to the batteries, the inverter and remote go through an internal 10 seconds start-up test. After this test is completed, the ON/OFF switch can be pressed to turn on the inverter.
Appendix A - Remote Control and Monitoring • Off - The inverter is disabled. The inverter is not on or will not come on if AC power is lost or disconnected. AC IN (green) • On (solid) - the external AC power (utility/shore power or generator) is connected to the inverter’s input, and passing through the inverter to power the AC loads connected to the inverter’s output. • Blinking On (once every second) - the external AC power is detected on the inverter’s input, but not actively being used. Either: 1.
Appendix A - Remote Control and Monitoring MM-RC Remote Only The MM-RC provides three additional charging LED indicators. Monitor these indicators for at least 10 seconds to determine the charger status. BULK (yellow) • On (solid) - Bulk Charging; the charger is delivering maximum current to the batteries. The charger will remain in bulk charge until 14.6 VDC* is achieved (determined by the Battery Type selection**). • Blinks On (1 time every 4 seconds) - Charger Back-off; the charger current is reduced.
Appendix B - Battery Information Appendix B - Battery Information Battery Bank Sizing The size of the battery bank determines how long the inverter can power the AC loads without recharging. The larger the battery bank, the longer the run time. Size your battery bank to the system’s AC load requirements and the length of time required to run the load from the batteries. In general, the battery bank should not be discharged more than 50%.
Appendix B - Battery Information Parallel Wiring Wiring the batteries in parallel increases the total run time the batteries can operate the AC loads. A parallel connection combines overall battery capacity by the number of batteries in the string. Even though there are multiple batteries, the voltage remains the same. In the example below (Figure 15), four 12 VDC/100 AHr batteries are combined into a single 12 VDC/400 AHr battery bank.
Appendix C - Preventive Maintenance Appendix C - Preventive Maintenance Recommended Inverter and Battery Care The MM Series inverter is designed to provide you with years of trouble-free service. Even though there are no user-serviceable parts, it is recommended that every 6 months you perform the following maintenance steps to ensure optimum performance and extend the life of your batteries. WARNING: Prior to performing these checks, switch both the AC and DC circuits OFF.
Appendix D - Warranty/Service Information Appendix D - Warranty/Service Information 24 Month Limited Warranty Magnum Energy, Inc., warrants the MM Series Inverter to be free from defects in material and workmanship that result in product failure during normal usage, according to the following terms and conditions: 1. The limited warranty for the product extends for 24 months beginning from the product’s original date of purchase. 2.
© 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
Magnum Energy, Inc. 2211 West Casino Rd. Everett, WA 98204 Phone: (425) 353-8833 Fax: (425) 353-8390 Web: www.magnumenergy.com PN: 64-0008 Rev B © 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
