Prime Inverter LI-PS12200012V 2000W pure sine wave inverter with grid transfer switch

Overview

The LI-PS122000 brings 2000W of pure sine wave output at 220/230VAC to a 12V battery. It accepts 2000–2390W for one minute, a surge below 4000W for 1s and peaks of 6240W for 200ms. Its AC input terminal can be wired to a 230V grid supply, with an automatic transfer switch acting in about 20ms. No-load current is 0.8A, efficiency at 80% load is 90%, and remote standby draws at most 0.08W. The manufacturer's thermal test recorded 184.3A from 12.5V at 2068W, so battery cabling needs careful sizing.

• 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