Installing Inverter "Upside Down"?

[Osprey69]

So I am replacing my newish crappy Xantrex inverter with a Magnum CSW 2012 of the same approximate footprint. The Xantrex was mounted vertically with the panel up. So I assumed the same can be done with the Magnum. Nope. According to the owners manual I can mount in any which way except vertical with panel up. Huh? So they want me to mount it with the fans up and panel down where the fans are exposed and the panel cannot be read?

So I call Magnum and the nice person there did not have the information deeper than the owners manual as to the logic (or lack thereof) of the vertical mount. He did say folks mount them every which way, but he cannot recommend that (understandably).

Given the fans will have air flow if mounted "upside down" and these units are solid state, I do not see why it need be panel down and fans up.

Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Suspect fans are exhausting and hot air rises.

 

[Osprey69]

Suspect fans are exhausting and hot air rises.

Fans only turn on at 122 degrees or more. It is in the engine room, but with blowers on it probably gets into the 90s, maybe 100ish, but 122 degrees? Prob not.

 

[Dwk]

I just looked the the owners manual for this inverter and the last page of installation instructions shows multiple positions for mounting “every which way”. I would have copied and pasted but couldn’t get it to work. Have a look at online manual to confirm.
https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/file/2420/download?token=TtcenB3k

 

[Osprey69]

I just looked the the owners manual for this inverter and the last page of installation instructions shows multiple positions for mounting “every which way”. I would have copied and pasted but couldn’t get it to work. Have a look at online manual to confirm.
https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/file/2420/download?token=TtcenB3k

Huh...my 2015 downloaded manual (downloaded from Magnum) differs from the 2017 you attached. 2015, page 9 says no fans down. But the 2017 does not seem to care. Funny that the customer service rep agreed with 2015. Thank you. You have answered my question.

 

[Dwk]

Our CSW 1012 (1000wt) has been mounted nultiple ways over the last 7-8 yrs without failure. Glad you got it sorted.

 

[Jeff F]

Fans only turn on at 122 degrees or more. It is in the engine room, but with blowers on it probably gets into the 90s, maybe 100ish, but 122 degrees? Prob not.

Cooling is a challenge under high inverter loads. There may be good convective flow through the unit by the time the fans come on. When they do come on they should be aiding the convective flow rather than trying to reverse it. If upside down this might be a problem.

If you're not hammering the inverter it probably doesn't matter.

 

[twistedtree]

I'm confused. Here's what that manual says:


Orienting the inverter – This inverter has no restriction on the direction on which it can be mounted. It can be mounted on/underneath a horizontal surface (shelf or table), on a vertical surface (wall or bulkhead) with the DC terminals facing left or right, or towards the top or bottom (see Figure 2-3).
Use the base of the inverter’s chassis as a template to mark your mounting screw locations (or, refer to the dimensions in Figures 2-4 thru 2-6). If this unit is used in a mobile application, you may want to place flexible washers or bushings between the mounting surface and the inverter’s mounting flanges to reduce vibration.

 

[Osprey69]

I'm confused. Here's what that manual says:


Orienting the inverter – This inverter has no restriction on the direction on which it can be mounted. It can be mounted on/underneath a horizontal surface (shelf or table), on a vertical surface (wall or bulkhead) with the DC terminals facing left or right, or towards the top or bottom (see Figure 2-3).
Use the base of the inverter’s chassis as a template to mark your mounting screw locations (or, refer to the dimensions in Figures 2-4 thru 2-6). If this unit is used in a mobile application, you may want to place flexible washers or bushings between the mounting surface and the inverter’s mounting flanges to reduce vibration.

See my post #5. My 2015 manual differed from the 2017 manual. And customer service reiterated that 2015 manual wrong info. Hence my past confusion, now clarity.

 

[cks]

Don’t follow OEM Instructions at your peril.
I suspect that failure modes with the inverter upside down are well known to their engineering Dept. and if you tried to submit a warranty repair, it would be obvious to them that the inverter was rotated 180°.

 

[Ken E.]

Had a Xantrex 2.5 inverter charger, mounted vertical, fan up. Replaced it 10 years ago with a Magnum 3.1 unit, same vertical mount, fan up. No ill effects. I wasn't aware this was even an issue before this post.

 

[Steve DAntonio]

Only one orientation will allow the inverter to shed water, I believe this is the reason for the guidance, "Orientating the inverter - When mounted indoors, the CSW2012-X inverter can be mounted on/underneath a horizontal surface (shelf or table) or on a
vertical surface (wall or bulkhead) with the DC terminals facing left, right, or
up; do not mount with the DC terminals facing downward (see Figure 2-2)."

If you mount it in an orientation where water can drip onto it, and enter the enclosure, you should also install a drip shield.

https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/inverter-installations/

 

[SIBERNUT]

?

Ergo, water cannot enter thru the fans.
REALLY ?

 

[DDW]

If this unit is used in a mobile application, you may want to place flexible washers or bushings between the mounting surface and the inverter’s mounting flanges to reduce vibration. [/FONT]

This might be the best advice - not to protect the inverter, but rather your ears. The Magnum I have makes enough noise to keep you awake. It isn't the fans, rather their low frequency design.

 

[High Wire]

I do remember reading that you needed to have a solid side down to prevent molten slag of a fault from pouring out. Pretty sure that was in the Magnum installation instructions. DO what the manual says!

 

[SteveK]

I do remember reading that you needed to have a solid side down to prevent molten slag of a fault from pouring out. Pretty sure that was in the Magnum installation instructions. DO what the manual says!

Really?, like to see that in the manual.
The only way it should not be mounted is with the exhaust air down. And then that is with some model years as was shown by another poster where it no longer mattered.

 

[Steve DAntonio]

I do remember reading that you needed to have a solid side down to prevent molten slag of a fault from pouring out. Pretty sure that was in the Magnum installation instructions. DO what the manual says!

I believe that's correct, and that open side can face down if there is a screen in the opening.