Outback FX Inverters

The Outback Power Systems FX Series of inverter-chargers are among the best in the industry. They are designed to withstand harsh conditions. Being a sealed unit made of die cast aluminum there is no way insects or rodents can find their way inside. Their AC pure sinewave output is very pure with little distortion even at high load. Multiple inverters can be 'stacked' to provide more power. They have a built in automatic AC transfer switch rated for 60 amps. When your generator is on the inverter switches the loads to the generator and charges the batteries with a 3 stage charger, bulk, absorption and float. There is also an equalization mode and you can turn the charger off.

In my experience with OutBack inverters I have only seen 2 fail. Each failure was covered under warranty, but neither failure could be confirmed as an OutBack defect. On one I had to replace the AC circuit board, it was an extremely easy fix that could be performed in the field in under an hour including disconnecting and reconnecting the inverter to the system. Their modular internals (only a few main components) and light weight make them incredibly easy to work on in the field.

Even though the main case is gasketed and weatherproof, the area where the AC connections go is not completely weatherproof. Also the terminal block for the AC connections and auxiliary contact connections seem to be somewhat fragile. I have never seen one break or fail and in normal use it probably never would, but it seems weaker than the rest of the unit. Also the generator start contacts are just that, a contact. You still need relays to actually start the generator. The Xantrex SW has all relays built into the unit so you can start a generator directly from the Xantrex unit.

Overall these are currently my favorite Inverter\Charger on the market today. They are light weight, sine wave, highly reliable and they look good. I would not hesitate to buy one even though i have a few gripes or complaints about a few small things. If you want to adjust any settings or charging set points you will need to buy or borrow an OutBack Mate for approx $300

My Overall Rating 9\10

There are 3 models of inverters in the FX series for the USA. There are also models for 230 VAC 50Hz

FX2012T 2000 watts 12 VDC input 80 amp charger

FX2524T 2500 watts 24 VDC input 55 amp charger

FX3048T 3000 watts 48 VDC input 35 amp charger

Buy an OutBack System now at the Alternative Energy Store!