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The purpose of this section is not to push Xantrex products
- although they make some good stuff. It is to help you differentiate their many models of inverters. There are many other
brands of inverters available that are as good, or better, than the Xantrex inverters.
Xantrex sells Trace, Heart, and Statpower inverters and associated
components. It can be very confusing trying to figure out the differences in the Xantrex inverters. There are so many that
initially it can be overwhelming.
None of the Xantrex products feature monitors with cumulative
amp hours, which I (and most experts) consider a requirement. You will have to augment the instrumentation for this function
if you use a Xantrex inverter. All of the inverters discussed here have equalization. Here is my opinion on their various
products.
The Prosine 2.0 Inverter/charger is pure sine wave, has separate
battery charger controls, has equalization, battery temperature sensing, and comes with a remote control panel. It is 30 amp
only, so it will require a sub panel if installed in a 50 amp RV. They retail for $2000, but are easy to find cheaper. I would
combine it with a Trimetric 2020 meter. If I was considering this inverter, I would look carefully at the RS series as a better
alternative.
The RV series (RV2012) is a modified
sine wave inverter with a split-phase 50-amp transfer switch. You can use it with a 50 amp RV. It does have equalization and
a temperature compensation capability. However, it does not have the ability to turn the battery charger off. As long as AC
power is available the charger is in operation. Personally, I don’t like this “feature”; I prefer to have
control over charging. Use it with the RC6 remote, which provides basic monitoring and “On/Off” control. Add a
Trimetric for advanced monitoring. Retail is $1700.
The DR series of inverters are modified sine wave with a 30-amp
transfer switch. The 2412 has a 2400-watt inverter with a 120 amp charger. Like the RV series, the battery charger is always
“On”. Use it with the basic RC8 remote, and augment with a Trimetric. Retail runs around $1100. If you are considering
this inverter, look at the Freedom 458 2.0 as a better alternative (cheaper, and with a Link monitor does not require the
Trimetric).
The SW series is 24-volt and 48-volt
only. Not suitable for most RV applications.
The Freedom 458 series (Heart) is a modified sine wave inverter with a 30-amp transfer switch. It has temperature
compensation, equalization and a battery charger that is controllable. Use it with the Link 1000 monitor for full system
control and monitoring, including cummulative amp hours. This is a nice combination if it’s specifications work for
you. Retail is $1225, but they are commonly available for under $900; the Link 1000 runs around $250. This combination is
the best value of all the Xantrex inverters in this size range, and works well. I've used it in two of my personal RV's and
installed it in others.
The RS series is a pure sine wave inverter available with a
30-amp transfer switch (RS2000) or a split-phase 50 amp transfer switch (RS3000). It has selectable charger control, equalization,
temperature compensation and uses the SCP monitor (System Control Panel). The
SCP allows control of multiple Xantrex devices from a single control panel. The most likely device you would add would
be a generator remote start. Personally, I like this series the most. Although it does not have cumulative amp hours (you
still have to add the Trimetric) it has great features, and is moderately priced for what you get. On a 50-amp RV I would
use the RS3000. The RS2000 list price is $1600; the RS3000 is $2000, but you can find the RS2000 for $1125 and the RS3000
for $1395. The SCP sells for around $205.
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