Charging & Temperatures

In what temperature range can I safely charge my unit?

• You can charge your unit between 0 °C and 45 °C. If the temperature drops below 0°C or exceeds 45 °C during charging it stops the charging process. If the temperature was only slightly above or below the limit and comes back to the allowed range, it automatically continues the charging process. If the temperature drops below 0°C goes above 45°C significantly it will stop charging completely and will not automatically continue charging even if the temperatures go back to the allowed range. In this case set the unit to transport mode, disconnect the charging cable and restart the charging process again.

Can I use my unit in very hot or cold environments?

• You can use your unit in ambient temperatures between -20 °C and 60 °C.

What happens at too high or too low temperatures with my Instagrid ONE unit? 

• Instagrid ONE shows a yellow blinking light and stays off when its inner temperature is below -20 °C or above 60 °C the moment you try to turn it on. If the unit heats up and exceeds 60°C significantly during use it turns off and shows a yellow blinking light. Turn the unit off and reduce the load or move the unit to a suitable temperature environment to reset the alarm. The same applies if the temperature drops to below -20 °C during use, even though this is very unlikely as the unit generates enough heat to permanently stay above -20 °C during continues use.

How long does it take a unit to warm up at room temperature to start the charging process when it was stored outside at - 20 °C?

• It takes roughly 1 hour until the unit warmed up enough at room temperature to start the charging process

What are the requirements for the power source I want to use to charge my Instagrid ONE unit?

• Instagrid ONE needs a stable AC voltage source that delivers between 120 V and 240 V AC and minimum 4 A of current. This results in a power demand of 500 W at 120 V and 950 W at 230 V.
• If your power source fulfills these requirements, you can use it to charge your Instagrid ONE.
• Besides the normal mains power there are other power sources like your car / truck or solar power that you might want to use to charge your unit
• For charging from a car, check the performance numbers of the receptacle you want to use. Normal cars often do not deliver the above-mentioned performance and therefore cannot charge your Instagrid ONE. The standard 12V cigarette lighter receptacle is an example of a source with not enough power. Even if your car has a standard type F receptacle, most of the car models do not deliver the performance that is needed. Some cars might have an inverter installed that delivers the required performance but does not provide a pure sine wave. This modified sine wave is also not sufficient for charging of your Instagrid ONE unit.
• If you want to charge from a solar power source, a special setup is required. Therefore, you need to know the difference between a voltage source and a current source:
  • A voltage source is characterized in that its voltage remains fairly stable regardless of whether a load draws or feeds back electrical current. In the first approximation, the AC mains is such a voltage source.
  • A solar panel in combination with an inverter acts as an AC current source. This means that it can inject current into an already present AC voltage source. The current being injected directly depends on the radiation intensity (clouds, shadows, sun angle, etc...).
• Instagrid ONE is designed to be charged from an AC voltage source through its AC mains input. There are two ways to interface this with a solar inverter:
  • Option 1: Use a plug-in type inverter to connect your solar system in the same branch circuit to which your Instagrid ONE is connected for charging in a 'normal' AC distribution gird.
    • In this case the AC mains 'buffers' the fluctuating solar power. Any power of the solar setup is 'sufficient' in this case.
    • WARNING: Make sure to follow national regulations that apply for the usage of such inverters (consult a trained electrician in case of uncertainty).
    • WARNING: Make sure not to overload the distribution (consult a trained electrician in case of uncertainty).
  • Option 2: Use a solar inverter directly providing an AC voltage source output. These devices contain batteries to buffer the solar fluctuation and therefore ensure a constant output of power which needs to match the above-mentioned performance
    • WARNING: Make sure not to overload the inverter.
    • WARNING: never connect a plug-in type solar inverter to the output of Instagrid ONE