Thor Forums - View Single Post

Judge · 07-02-2019, 06:36 PM

I just upgraded the Xantrex Pro XM 1000 on my 2018 Outlaw 29H and learned a lot in the process.

First and foremost.... Thor does not seem to follow Xantrex's recommendation for the proper installation of their Inverters. If they are not installed properly, they can kick out error conditions depending on how the Inverter is being used..... and it isn't necessarily the Inverter's fault.

Here is what I learned after a thorough investigation of my Outlaw when doing the upgrade.

1) Xantrex recommends that the cable run between the batteries and the Inverter are not more than 5 feet.

- On my rig Thor placed in the Inverter in the rear drivers side outer storage compartment when the batteries are under the steps behind the passenger seat. I estimate the cable run for my Inverter is at least 20 - 25 feet, which is 5x the recommendation.

2) Xantrex recommends that the positive and negative cable be run directly to the battery posts.

- On my rig Thor ran the positive cable to the battery but they ran an 18" cable for the negative and grounded it to the chassis and not to the negative terminal on the battery, which is not recommended.

3) Xantrex recommends 2 AWG cables for the 1000W Inverters and 2/0 AWG cables for the 1800W / 2000W Inverters.

- Given the length of cable run on my rig, Thor should have been using 3/0 or 4/0 AWG and they used 2 AWG.

4) Xantrex recommends that a subpanel with its own breaker be used for the AC output when hardwiring the Inverter.

- On my rig Thor pulled the Inverter's built-in GFCI outlet and wired the AC output to it and is using the Inverter's built-in breaker that was for the GFCI outlet. They cut the cost and work involved with adding the subpanel and breaker.

Given all of this... I'm surprised I never had any error codes. But then again I did not use the Inverter very much and it was under very little load.

Given the installation on my rig, I can guarantee there would be serious voltage drops that could trip error messages.... but that would not be the fault of the Inverter.