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VEHICLE POWER SYSTEM
500 WATT POWER INVERTER
WITH USB CHARGING PORT
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Catalog Number PI500BB
SAFETY GUIDELINES / DEFINITIONS
DANGER: Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious
injury.
WARNING: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious
injury.
CAUTION: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate
injury.
CAUTION: Used without the safety alert symbol indicates potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
may result in property damage.
RISK OF UNSAFE OPERATION. When using tools or equipment, basic safety precautions should always be
followed to reduce the risk of personal injury. Improper operation, maintenance or modification of tools or
equipment could result in serious injury and property damage. There are certain applications for which tools
and equipment are designed. Black & Decker strongly recommends that this product NOT be modified and/or
used for any application other than for which it was designed. Read and understand all warnings and operating
instructions before using any tool or equipment.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
GENERAL SAFETY WARNINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL APPLIANCES
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: Read all instructions before operating product. Failure to follow all instructions listed below may
result in electric shock, fire and/or serious injury.
• AVOID DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENTS. Don't use appliances in damp or wet locations. Don't use appliances
in the rain.
• STORE IDLE APPLIANCES INDOORS. When not in use, appliances should be stored indoors in dry, and high
or locked-up place – out of reach of children.
• DON'T FORCE APPLIANCE. It will do the job better and with less likelihood of a risk of injury at the rate for
which it was designed.
• USE RIGHT APPLIANCE. Do not use the appliance for any job except that for which it is intended.
• DISCONNECT APPLIANCES. Disconnect the appliance from the power supply when not in use,
before servicing, and when changing accessories such as blades and the like.
• PROPER COOLING IS ESSENTIAL WHEN OPERATING THE INVERTER. Do not place the unit near the
vehicle's heat vent or in direct sunlight.
• USE OF ACCESSORIES AND ATTACHMENTS. The use of any accessory or attachment not recommended for
use with this appliance could be hazardous. Note: Refer to the accessory section of this manual for further
details.
• CHECK DAMAGED PARTS. A part that is damaged should be properly repaired or replaced by an authorized
service center.
• OUTDOOR USE EXTENSION CORDS. When an appliance plugged into this unit is used outdoors, use only
extension cords intended for use outdoors and so marked. Note that this INVERTER is NOT INTENDED TO
BE USED OUTDOORS.
• EXTENSION CORDS. Make sure your extension cord is in good condition. When using an extension cord,
be sure to use one heavy enough to carry the current your product will draw. An undersized cord will cause
a drop in line voltage resulting in loss of power and overheating. The following table shows the correct size
to use depending on cord length and nameplate ampere rating. If in doubt, use the next heavier gauge. The
smaller the gauge number, the heavier the cord.
Minimum Gauge for Cord Sets
Volts
120V
0-25
(0-7.6m)
240V
0-50
(0-15.2m)
Ampere Rating
More
Not more
Than
Than
0 -
6
18
6 -
10
18
10 -
12
16
12 -
16
14
WARNING: This product or its power cord contains lead, a chemical known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defect or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK:
• Do not connect to AC distribution wiring.
Total Length of Cord in Feet
26-50
51-100
101-150
(7.6-15.2m)
(15.2-30.4m)
(30.4-45.7m)
51-100
101-200
201-300
(15.2-30.4m)
(30.4-60.9m)
(60.9-91.4m)
American Wire Gauge
16
16
14
16
14
12
16
14
12
12
Not Recommended
• Do not make any electrical connections or disconnections in areas designated as IGNITION
PROTECTED. This includes DC cigarette lighter type plug connection or airplane adapter. This unit
is NOT approved for ignition protected areas.
• NEVER immerse the unit in water or any other liquid, or use when wet.
• Do not insert foreign objects into the AC outlet or the USB outlet.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE:
• Do not operate near flammable materials, fumes or gases.
• DO NOT expose to extreme heat or flames.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE:
• Remove appliance plug from outlet before working on the appliance.
• DO NOT attempt to connect or set up the unit or its components while operating your vehicle.
Not paying attention to the road may result in a serious accident.
• Always use the inverter where there is adequate ventilation. Do not block ventilation slots.
• ALWAYS turn the inverter OFF by disconnecting it from the DC source when not in use.
• Make sure the nominal powering voltage is 12 volts DC, center connection positive (+).
• When using this unit in a vehicle, check the vehicle owner's manual for maximum power rating
and recommended output. Do not install in engine compartment — install in a well ventilated
area.
• Do not use with positive ground electrical systems.* Reverse polarity connection will result in a
blown fuse and may cause permanent damage to the inverter and will void warranty.
*The majority of modern automobiles, RVs and trucks are negative ground.
• Keep in mind that this inverter will not operate high wattage appliances or equipment that
produce heat, such as hair dryers, microwave ovens and toasters.
• Do not open the inverter — there are no user-serviceable parts inside.
• Do not use this inverter with medical devices. It is not tested for medical applications.
• Keep away from children.This is not a toy!
• Install and operate unit only as described in this Instruction Manual.
• Do not use this inverter on a watercraft. It is not qualified for marine applications.
• Check unit periodically for wear and tear. Take to a qualified technician for replacement of worn
or defective parts immediately.
• Read And Understand This Instruction Manual Before Using This Unit.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY:
Follow these instructions and those published by battery manfacturer and the manufacturer of any
equipment you intend to use with this unit. Review cautionary markings on these products and on
engine.
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the
PI500BB 500 watt Power Inverter with USB Charging Port.
inverter can be used to operate personal electronics such as: laptop computers, digital/video
cameras, MP3 players, cell phones, PDAs, and more. It can also be used to recharge 110/120 volt
AC devices that have an appropriate recharging adapter with a standard North American two- or
three-prong plug. Please read this Instruction Manual carefully before use to ensure optimum
performance and to avoid damage to this product.
FEATURES
The unit has 2 LED indicators, 1 to show input conditions and 1 to show output conditions.
The input LED is located beside the power button and the output LED is located on the top of the
unit between the 2 AC outlets. A green LED indicates normal operation, a red LED indicates a
fault condition (refer to Troubleshooting Section of this manual.) and an amber LED indicates low
input voltage from the DC source. The AC and USB outlets are ready to use if you have a green
output LED.
The Power Pushbutton turns the inverter ON and OFF. It can also be used to force reset of
inverter
circuits by pressing it OFF (no LEDs are lit), then back ON again.
AC power is supplied through two standard North American three-prong type outlets. The outlets
can accommodate either two- or three-pin AC plugs.
Controls and Functions
ON/OFF
POWER BUTTON
DC ACCESSORY
OUTLET PLUG
BATTERY CLIPS
(WITH CABLES)
115 VOLT AC OUT-
LETS
USB OUTLET
HOW THIS INVERTER WORKS
This inverter is an electronic device that converts low voltage DC (direct current) electricity from a
battery to 115 volt AC (alternating current) household power. In designing this inverter, Black & Decker has
incorporated design techniques previously employed in computer power supplies. The result of these design
innovations is a smaller, lighter and easier-to-use power inverter.
Power Inverter Output Waveform
NOTICE: THE OUTPUT OF THIS DEVICE IS NOT SINUSOIDAL. IT HAS A TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION OF
36 PERCENT AND MAXIMUM SINGLE HARMONIC OF 28 PERCENT AT 100% RATED LOAD.
IMPORTANT: This inverter output is not pure-sinusoidal. Therefore this is not suitable for use to power the
following devices:
. Microwave Ovens;
. Transformerless Battery Chargers
Doing so, may cause the device to run warmer or overheat.
The AC output waveform of this inverter is known as a modified sine wave. It is a stepped waveform that has
characteristics similar to the sine wave shape of utility power. This type of waveform is suitable for most AC
loads, including linear and switching power supplies used in electronic equipment, transformers, and small
motors.
The modified sine wave produced by this inverter has an RMS (root mean square) voltage of 115 volts. Most
AC voltmeters (both digital and analog) are sensitive to the average value of the waveform rather than the
RMS value. They are calibrated for RMS voltage under the assumption that the waveform measured will be
a pure sine wave. These meters will not correctly read the RMS voltage of a modified sine wave. Non-TRUE
RMS meters will read about 20 to 30 volts low when measuring the output of this inverter. For accurate
measurement of the output voltage of this unit, use a TRUE RMS reading voltmeter such as a Fluke 87, Fluke
8080A, Beckman 4410 or Triplett 4200.
115 Volt AC Output
CAUTION – Rechargeable Devices
• Certain rechargeable devices are designed to be charged by plugging them directly into an AC
receptacle. These devices may damage the inverter or the charging circuit.
• When using a rechargeable device, monitor its temperature for the initial ten minutes of use to
determine if it produces excessive heat.
• If excessive heat is produced, this indicates the device should not be used with this inverter.
• This problem does not occur with most battery-operated equipment. Most of these devices use a
separate charger or transformer that is plugged into an AC receptacle.
• The inverter is capable of running most chargers and transformers.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
The Power Inverter must be connected only to batteries with a nominal output voltage of 12 volts. The unit will
not operate from a 6 volt battery and will sustain permanent damage if connected to a 24 volt battery.
Always connect the PI500BB to the 12 volt DC power source before plugging any devices into the unit.
The standard North American 115 volt AC and USB outlets allow simultaneous operation of multiple devices.
Simply plug the equipment into the unit and operate normally. Ensure that the wattage of all equipment
simultaneously plugged into the PI500BB does not exceed 500 watts continuous.
BACK OF UNIT
INPUT
LED INDICATOR
HIGH-SPEED COOLING FAN
(BLACK) NEGATIVE
(RED) POSITIVE
CABLE POST
OUTPUT LED
INDICATOR
DC ACCESSORY
OUTLET
This
CABLE POST
Related Manuals for Black & Decker PI500BB
Summary of Contents for Black & Decker PI500BB
- Page 1 6 volt battery and will sustain permanent damage if connected to a 24 volt battery. Always connect the PI500BB to the 12 volt DC power source before plugging any devices into the unit. The standard North American 115 volt AC and USB outlets allow simultaneous operation of multiple devices.
- Page 2 1. Ideal storage temperature range is 0-40°C (32-104°F). 2. Store and use the PI500BB in a cool, dry place with adequate ventilation for all-around air direct Hardwiring to Power source (optional connection method; hardware not included) circulation.
- Page 3 The second option is to take or send the product (prepaid) to a Black & Decker owned or authorized Service Center for repair or replacement at our option. Proof of purchase may be required.Black & Decker owned and authorized Service Centers are listed under “Tools-Electric” in the yellow pages of the phone directory. This warranty does not apply to accessories.