Inverter Cooling Fans

A question that we get quite often is what inverters have a thermal fan and which do not. The purpose of this article is to address the different fan types. There are three different fan types that are offered on inverters. They are Continuous, Load Controlled, and Thermal.

First, lets discuss the most common fan type; continuous. Continuous fans run all of the time regardless of temperature and load. This is the most cost effective option for manufacturers as this does not require the addition of thermal sensors and controllers. Here is a list of inverters i am aware of that include continuous fans:

Wagan

Wagan 1000

Wagan 1250

Wagan 1500

Wagan 2000

Wagan 3000

Wagan 5000

Wagan 8000

Xantrex

Duracell 1000

Duracell 1500

Samlex

VR400

VR800

VR1000

VR1500

VR2000

VR3000

Next we will discuss the load controller fans, these fans operate much like the continuous fans with one key difference; they only operate while a load is applied to the inverter. They will not run while sitting idle. The advantage to this type of fan option is that the no load draw is generally much lower when the inverter does not have a load applied. This is nice for applications where you are running a momentary load such as a sump pump.

Here is a list of inverters that i am aware of that have the load controlled fan:

Cobra

Cobra 400

Cobra 800

Cobra 1000

Cobra 1500

Cobra 2500

Voltec

VTC200

VTC400

VTC750

VTC1000

VTC1500

VTC2000

VTC3000

We will now discuss thermal fans. This is the best option in my opinion. The thermal fans will engage and disengage as needed. This will maximize fan life as well as provide a lower no load draw on the system. This fan option is usually found on all of the higher end inverters and inverter/chargers. You will find this type of fan on the following product lines:

Xantrex

PROsine Series

PROwatt Series

PROwatt SW Series

Freedom 458 Series

Freedom HF Series

XS Series

IP Series

Trace Series

XPower Plus Series

XPower Micro Series

Duracell 3000

Magnum

MM Series

MMS Series

ME Series

MS Series

MS-AE Series

RD Series

Samlex

PSE Series

PST Series

InverCharge

Cotek S Series

Cotek SK Series

Cotek ST Series

Meanwell TN Series

One last fan option i would like to discuss is the fan system found on the Xantrex RS & MS inverter/chargers. This product line has a unique fan set-up. It has a fan system similar to that of a desktop computer. There is an internal fan that will run continually to keep the processor cool, and a thermal exhaust fan that will engage only once the unit has been operating and heats up.

If you have any questions about thermal fans feel free to contact us.

Thanks for reading!