Victron Energy Phoenix Inverter VE.Direct 500VA, 12/500, 24/500 and 48/500 230V Schuko12V, 24V or 48V 500VA sine-wave inverter with Schuko outlet

Overview

The Phoenix Inverter VE.Direct 500VA is offered with Schuko outlet as 12/500 (PIN121501200), 24/500 (PIN241501200) and 48/500 (PIN481501200). It supplies 400W continuous at 25°C, 350W at 40°C and 900W peak, at 90–91% maximum efficiency, from a 3.9kg case of 86×172×275mm. ECO mode lowers no-load draw from 6–9W to 1–3W. Victron's minimum battery is 60Ah on 12V, 40Ah on 24V and 20Ah on 48V. It suits laptops, small kitchen appliances and entertainment loads on board or in a camper.

• 250VA to 1600VA, 12V, 24V and 48V models
• Schuko outlet, screw terminals for battery cables
• Internal DC fuse; external fuse needed beyond 1.5m
• ON/OFF/ECO switch and two-pole remote connector
• VE.Direct port for VictronConnect, GX devices and VRM
• Fan-assisted, -40…+65°C, derating above 40°C

How it works

These inverters supply 230V AC with a sine wave from a 12V, 24V or 48V battery. A full bridge with toroidal transformer gives the start-up reserve for LED drivers, filament lamps and small tools, and the electronics shut down on short circuit, overload, high or low battery voltage, overheating and DC ripple, retrying after 30s. Output voltage is adjustable from 210V to 245V and frequency can be set to 50Hz or 60Hz. A three-way switch selects ON, OFF or ECO.

In ECO mode the inverter stands by while the load stays below the set level and checks for a load at intervals of 2.5s by default, which brings no-load draw down to about 1–3W. The low-battery shutdown (9.3V, 18.6V or 37.2V by default), restart and alarm levels can be changed, or replaced by a load-dependent dynamic cut-off. Victron is moving the range to new hardware (HW15) with watt-based ratings; each product page here states which data apply.

Installation and compatibility

Mount the unit on a floor or shelf, on a wall with the fan at the bottom, or horizontally on a wall; ceiling mounting and fan-on-top positions are not allowed. Keep 10cm free around it, away from water and direct sun, and never above the batteries. An internal DC fuse is fitted, replaceable only from 800VA upwards. If the battery cable is longer than 1.5m, add a fuse or DC breaker close to the battery. The manuals list cable sections and fuses for each model.

The AC output is isolated from the DC input and the chassis. Where local rules require a true neutral, for example to make a residual current device work, an internal wire connects neutral to the chassis, which must then be earthed. The earth lead must have at least half the section of the battery cables. The output must never be connected to the grid or a generator; for automatic changeover Victron suggests a Filax2 transfer switch.

Monitoring and settings

Bluetooth is not built in. The VE.Direct port connects to VictronConnect through a VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle or a VE.Direct to USB interface, both sold separately, giving access to output voltage, frequency, ECO settings, low-battery levels and dynamic cut-off, plus readings of battery voltage, AC output voltage and load. A VE.Direct cable links the inverter to a Cerbo GX or other GX device, or a GlobalLink 520, for the VRM portal. The remote connector accepts a switch, an ignition wire or a BMS signal.

Questions and answers