Prime Inverter LI-PS12100012V 1000W pure sine wave inverter

Overview

The LI-PS121000 is the 12V version of the 1000W LI-PS inverter. It delivers 1000W of pure sine wave power at 220/230VAC, up to 1240W for one minute and a surge below 3000W for 1s. The input range is 10.5–16.5V, with shutdown at 10.0V and restart at 12.5V; no-load current is 0.6A and efficiency at 80% load is 91%. One European socket, a power switch and an indicator LED make up the front panel. In the manufacturer's thermal test the unit drew 96.5A at 12.51V for 1000W output, so heavy battery cables are needed.

• 1000W, 2000W and 3000W continuous output, THD below 3%
• Battery input at 12V, 24V or 48V, no PV input
• 1s surge ratings, plus 200ms peaks on 2000W and 3000W
• 2000W models: grid input with automatic transfer in about 20ms
• LCD display, USB 2.1, USB Type-C and remote port on larger models
• Under/over-voltage, overload, short-circuit and over-temperature protection

How it works

LI-PS inverters convert the DC voltage of a 12V, 24V or 48V battery bank into a 220/230VAC pure sine wave with less than 3% THD, at 50Hz or 60Hz. The datasheets describe a soft-switching boost stage with a step-up transformer, followed by an SPWM-controlled H-bridge managed by two microcontrollers. Rated output is 1000W, 2000W or 3000W; for up to one minute the units accept a moderate overload, and for 1s a surge of up to 3000W, 4000W or 6000W respectively.

The DC input is specified for a battery only: there is no PV input, so a solar array has to charge the battery through a separate charge controller. Full continuous power is available from 10.5V to 16V on 12V models, 21V to 32V on 24V models and 42V to 64V on 48V models. On the 12V versions the output switches off at 10.0V to protect the battery and restarts automatically once the voltage has recovered to 12.5V.

Models and connections

The 1000W models keep things simple: one European socket, an on/off switch and an indicator LED. The 2000W and 3000W models add an LCD display, USB 2.1 and USB Type-C ports, a remote port and a three-position switch for on, off and remote control; in remote standby they draw no more than 0.08W. The 3000W units have two European sockets plus an AC output terminal block, while the 2000W units have one socket, an AC output terminal and an AC input terminal.

Through that AC input the 2000W models can be connected to a 230V grid supply. An automatic transfer switch changes over between the grid supply and the inverter output in about 20ms. The datasheets do not specify a battery charger in any model, so the battery needs its own charging source, such as a solar charge controller or a separate mains charger.

Protection and alarms

A buzzer signals each fault with a set number of beeps: low battery warning (two), low-voltage shutdown (three), over-voltage (four) and over-temperature at 85±5°C (five). Overload is handled in steps: at 100–115% of rated power the output shuts down after 60s, at 116–150% after 3s, at 151–200% after 1s and above 200% after 200ms. After an overload or short-circuit shutdown the inverter stays locked until it is restarted. Reverse battery polarity opens an internal fuse.

Installation notes

Fans cool the inverter, and the derating curve gives full continuous power from -30°C to 40°C ambient, falling linearly to 40% at 60°C, so a ventilated mounting position matters. Battery currents are high on low-voltage models: in the manufacturer's thermal test a 12V 2000W unit drew 184.3A at 12.5V. These are EMC class A products; in a residential environment they may cause radio interference, and the user may then need to take suitable measures.

Questions and answers