Xantrex PROWatt 600 Inverter, Model# 806-1206

• Xantrex - Heart Interface 8061206, XTX8061206

I've had this inverter for about two weeks and I really like it; and I'm doubly impressed for the price point. I've lived off grid for 15 years and needed a sine wave inverter to run some equipment that wouldn't run off my workhorse Trace modified sine wave. I haven't metered the output but it's running my touchy electronics continously without any problems, it's very quiet (I actually have it mounted on the wall in my bedroom) and it doesn't draw much power when it isn't being used. I like it so much that I'm considering replacing my primary inverter with the next larger Prowatt from this one. The built in voltmeter is a great extra as is the usb port for charging electronics. The battery connections on the back are large and easy access; the over current shutdown automatically resets itself when the batteries drop to an acceptable level (I accidently had it turned on while equalizing).

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I purchased this inverter to replace a Sinergex Pure Sine 600 unit that failed after 5 years on my boat which is used to provide power to the entertainment system and TV.

Compared to other similar pure sine wave inverters the ProWatt SW600 is a great buy. Easily half the price of a replacement Sinergex and other similar units.

For my application, it had to be installed in concealed location. The SW600 was slightly larger than the Sinergex unit it was replacing but not by much and it fit nicely in the same space that the Sinergex unit was in.

The unit works great, provides clean power to the entertainment system and TV. It hums a bit when running but not enough to be annoying in a quiet cabin. If you are mounting this unit to a wood panel you may want to use rubber isolation to minimize the amplification of the hum through the wood panel.

My only complaint isn't so much with this unit as with the most recent 'safety' requirements that in order to comply with UL458 prevent this inverter (and virtually all other similar units) on the market today from turning on when DC power is applied. You MUST press a momentary button on the front of this unit to power it up. As a result of the safety requirements of UL458, it is now expected that any inverter will be mounted where it is easily accessible. Trouble is on my boat and in many other RV and other marine applications, the inverters are usually installed out of sight in a compartment.

Unlike most other inverters on the market in this category, at least Xantrex offers a remote panel/switch for this unit which was a big plus since I had to install it in a concealed location. However, it also meant running the remote cable and finding yet more space in a sensible and convenient location to mount the remote panel. The remote panel just has an indicator light and momentary power switch. For its size, at 2" x 2.5", it would be nice if the remote panel would at least include a display to show the power and voltage readings just like the main unit does.

My gripes about the remote panel issues aside, overall I would highly recommend this unit for any application in which you want clean AC power. It really is a great value.

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Update as of 7/29/12

There is unfortunelty more text in peoples comments, then in this review. Sorry about that.

However, I have TESTED this inverter for practical load applications.

I have tested it on my pellet stove, for 5 hours to run the computerized controlled Harmon stove.

I have just done a video on youtube where I used it to cook a full chicken in the crockpot for almost 5 hours.

(the crockpot doesn't need a fancy true sinewave inverter, but this checked to see it could manage a load efficiently)

Go to youtube, and type "themarkfellows2" to see me cook a chicken with it. The video is a little over long, but I also put a tutorial, with formulas in it. Hopefully, you find this useful to you, and your purchase!

Original review below.

I bought this elsewhere. This is by far the lowest cost True Sinewave inverter I have ever seen. I don't have an Oscilloscope at home to verify the wave form but trust the manufacturers listed specs, which specify True Sinewave.

True Sinewave(close the real thing that comes out of the wall) not "Pure Sinewave", which is just a modified square wave without noise spikes.

I bought this to run my Harman Pellet stove off of battery backup in the event of a power outage without fuel for my portable gas generator. I bought a True Sinewave inverter because I don't want to risk damaging my 3300 dollar stove by using a "Modified Sinewave" inverter, or more accurately a Modified Square wave inverter, which is the cheap standard in electrical power inverters.

Modified Sinewave is the types of inverters in UPS and most inverters sold today. Read the warning that says it could damage variable speed motors and such.

True Sinewave inverters like this one don't have those issues.

I tested this inverter out tonight and it ran my stove perfectly in full auto mode with full auto motor control and full startup sequence with the ignitor. The cooling fan came on for about 10 seconds when my stove was pulling about 350 watts nominal. This unit has 1200 watts of surge power which works for electric motors as startup current( volts times current equals watts) can be quite high.

The Stove draws uses 440 watts of power on auto startup and 255 nominal. As far as startup power for the motors I have no idea.

I can't speak of reliability as I just got it but it has a two year warranty.

Mark :)

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The inverter is used by me for powering LIONEL toy trains from a car battery.LIONEL trains are designed to work on 115V 60HZ. In the Netherlands the mains are 220V 50Hz.This inverter provides for a true sinus 115V 60HZ (cycles). The 115V 60 Hz ,true sinus, is mandatery for the trains to work well. The inverter performs very well and provides adequate power. A converter that converts 220V 50Hz to 115V 60Hz is far more expensive.

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Inverters ! Modified Sine Wave, Pure Sine Wave, True Sine Wave, what the heck is going on. When attempting to power a TV from an inverter I learned that not all inverters are equal. The first one I tried said it was a Pure Sine Wave however it had so much RFI it blocked the antenna signal. This Xantrex "True" Sine Wave unit eliminated all my problems; it works great without RFI. I can recommend it. It has many nice features like the ground fault plug, the digital voltage and amperage meter, and the strong rear connections for the 12-volt inputs. Xantrex's engineering department understands what a person wants in an inverter.