Velleman PI3000M Notice page 4

Back of the device:
1. Ventilation opening: do not obstruct this opening, and allow
at least 5cm clearance for air intake.
2. Black / negative connector
3. Red / positive connector. Do not invert the polarity as this
may permanently damage the device.
4. Chassis ground plug: operation of the inverter without a
proper ground connection may result in an electrical safety
hazard.
4. Set-Up and Operational Check
a. DC Power Source
The power source must provide between 11 and 15Vdc and must be able to supply sufficient current to operate the
test load. As a guide, divide the wattage of the test load by 10 to obtain the current the power source must deliver.
(e.g. test load = 250W => power supply must deliver 250/10=25A)
Battery: use a fully-charged 12V (nominal) battery that can deliver the required current while maintaining its voltage
above 11V. A fully-charged 12V car battery is capable of delivering up to 50A without excessive voltage drops.
DC power supply: use a well regulated DC power supply that has an output voltage between 11 and 15V and can
deliver the required current. If the supply is adjustable, make sure it is set between 11 and 15V. The inverter may
shut down if the voltage is outside these limits and may even be damaged if the voltage is above 16V. Also make
sure that the current limit control is set to a level that the power supply can deliver the required current.
b. Cables
The cables must be as short as possible and large enough to handle the required current, to minimize the voltage
drop between the power source and the inverter when the inverter is drawing large currents from the power source. If
the cables introduce an excessive voltage drop, the inverter may shut down when drawing higher currents because
the voltage drops below 10V. Also, longer and/or thinner cables will reduce the efficiency of the overall system, since
excessive power will be dissipated in the cabling. See "5.c. Battery Cables" on p.7 for cable thickness indications.
Ideally, the cables should be no longer than 1.5m. Strip approximately 1cm of insulation from the ends of the cables
to be connected to the inverter. Use a proper crimping tool to attach 5/16" ring terminals to the ends of the wires to
be attached to the DC terminals. The other ends of the cables, connected to the power source, must be terminated
with lugs or other connectors that allow a secure, low resistance connection to be made to the power source.
c. Test Load
Use test loads that require 220-240Vac at 50Hz. Start with a low power load, such as a 100W lamp, to verify the set-
up before trying higher power loads. Use test loads that easily connect to the PI3000B & M (e.g. with an AC plug).
d. Connections
1. Before establishing connections, make sure all devices are switched off.
2. Connect the positive and negative poles of the power source to the positive (red) and negative (black) connectors
on the back of the device respectively. Make sure all connections are tightly secured.
• Loose connectors may result in excessive voltage drop and cause overheated wires and melted insulation.
• Reverse polarity connection will blow the fuses in the PI3000B & M and may permanently damage it.
Damage caused by reversed polarity is not covered by the warranty.
• A spark may occur when establishing connections since current may flow to charge capacitors in the
PI3000B & M. Do not establish connections in the presence of flammable fumes to avoid explosion or fire.
3. If a DC power supply is used as power source, switch it on. Then switch on the PI3000B & M (fig.2 #2). The
battery voltage indicator (fig.2 #4) should indicate 11 to 14V, depending on the voltage of the power source. If it
does not, check your power source and the connections to the inverter. Other indicators should be off.
PI3000B & M 12V
Fig. 3
4 VELLEMAN