Customer Reviews

Xantrex Technologies 851-0700 XPower Plus 700-Watt Inverter

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have 2 of these inverters. On in a Jeep Wrangler that I take offroad and camping. Works great for powering lights, etc. Handles the abuse of bouncing around on rocky terrain fine. I have the unit installed under the dash and leave it on 24/7. Has yet to drain the battery due to its small standby draw (I drive it atleast every other day). The fan only turns on when the output exceeds 100 watts making this unit very quiet.

The other inverter is installed under the passegner seat in a Toyota Sequoia. Never had any issues with this one either. Works great for powering the PlayStation2, portable DVD players, and other electronics.

Since the 700 model is cabable of powering electronics of 560 watts 4.8 amps continously, which is 46 amps on 12v power it is not able to be used through your cigarette lighter. The cigarette wiring is too thin to handle this kind of current not to mention the cigarette lighter fuse is not rated for it either. Xantrex provides battery clamps, which I find don't work well if you want the inverter inside the vehicle.

The solution is to pickup some 6 gauge wire from your local Home Depot or Lowes and some heavy duty terminals and heat shrink. Mount the inverter and run 6 guage red wire to the battery. Crimp on the terminals and heat shrink it. For the ground I used a bolt on the firewall of the Jeep and the bolt on the seat in the Toyota. Use 6 guage black wire for this.

If the above is not something you want to do your local audio installation store should be able to install it. Otherwise go with the XPower 400 watt model which can be used with the cigarette lighter for small loads, it does require the battery clamps or hard wiring for loads over 150 watts.

This item is not compatible with a cigarette lighter. I bought one and it came with two connectors to attach directly to the terminals on a car battery. The instruction manual specifically states that the 700 unit cannot be powered by a cigarette lighter, but the smaller 400 and 175 models can.

I have one of these power inverters for those instances (about 3 times/year)of power losses from rain- or snow-storms. Between my car, the car battery and the power inverter, I have the equivalent of a generator. Be sure to determine the wattage of the electrical devices that will be powered. A 32"-TV will require about 190 watts; floor- or desk lamps require about 75 watts each; a laptop computer needs about 47 watts. A 25-cuft side-by-side refrigerator uses about 750 kilowatt-hours per year (about 85 watts average; 170 watts "surge" when the compressor kicks in )

I received two of the inverters and both worked great. I was able to easily run a 27" TV and a VCR off one inverter without problems. I would suggest the use of a deep cycle battery if you want to use them long term, multiple times.

I love this thing. Don't make the mistake I did and reverse polarity from the battery. Zap. If you do though, mine was an easy fix. Open the bottom of the case and there are 2 40 amp (look like car fuses) fuses. I burned both of mine out. I replaced them and it is back to work. I use this thing for tailgaiting by the way. It runs a 32 inch LCD and Satellite receiver with no problems.

My solution for the reverse polarity.. Big Red Dot by the Positive terminal. I guess I have to make it idiot proof (me)

I was surprised at how small and lightweight this inverter is for it's rated output; which is 540 watts continuous. I can pull 580 to 600 watts (from my 120 volt 5 amp weed wacker) for about 20 minutes before the unit beeps, but it still runs about another 5 minutes before it automatically shuts down. Let it cool and it's ready to go again; very nice feature. Virtually silent, including the fan. Great inverter for the price.

The product I believe is possible very good for what it was meant to be. I have never tried it. This was my fault as I was seeking a converter that would plug into a car cigerette lighter and power small items while driving the car. They exist. They are about 100 watts and would draw a little less than 10 amps. This one was 700 watts and the power draw from the battery would be greater than any fuse size utilized within the auto. It must be attached with alligator clips directly to the car battery terminals. I wasn't thinking about the amp drawing requirement. The review should have somehow indicated how it needed to be attached to the battery.

I work on my boat which is stored in a yard without any electrical hookups. This unit handles a palm sander and polisher with ease. A perfect solution for devices that have moderate power ratings such as those I've mentioned.

the inverter works as advertised. handles the power for 4 laptops and runs relatively quiet. I have it mounted under the driver's seat with large cable-ties. I can still reach and turn it off, because the no-load draw is enough to drain the battery if the vehicle sits idle for a few days.

What the description does not say (and why I give it only 3 stars) is that it has a maximum continuous output of 560 watts. This is right below the limit of what I need. So don't buy this is 560 isn't enough. Other than that it works just fine and it gives a nice annoying alarm when the source battery charge drops--either that or it was a thermal alarm.

I now get to do more research and find an inverter that actually will put out 700 watts continuous. (Looking at the Black-Decker-750-Watt-Inverter which says it handles 750w continuous and peaks at 1500 or maybe the Coleman 800w Power Inverter which peeks at 1600w.)