International Trucks will now offer the Xantrex Freedom XC 1800-watt inverter/charger as a factory option.
"More than 75% of sleeper units are now being spec'd with inverters or inverter/chargers and that number continues to grow," says Mitul Chandrani, vice president of marketing for Mission Critical Electronics, the parent company of Xantrex. "It's an AC-world in trucks these days — powering microwaves, laptops, medical devices and power tools. We're thrilled that International customers have a choice with Xantrex. They can now spec our top-of-the-line Freedom XC inverter/charger or, for those not needing battery charging capability and less power (1,200 watts), our Freedom X 1200."
The Freedom XC provides 1,800 watts of power and 4,000 watts of surge power in two-second durations. It is UL458-certified.
"That's industry-leading and allows high-draw devices to be used without fear of shutting down the inverter," Chandrani says.
The Freedom XC comes with an 80-amp built-in three-stage battery charger, allowing for rapid battery charging when plugged into shore power. Xantrex says it uses a 30-amp relay, which can detect the change in power source and transfer the load.
Drivers monitor the status of the truck's electrical system using the Freedom XC display panel, mounted in the sleeper. It shows the AC and battery current, plus has a status bar that displays the percent of inverter output.
Chandrani says the Freedom XC was designed to work with and recharge lithium-ion batteries, though it also works with traditional batteries.
"Li-ion batteries offer more power in a compact size and can be discharged to lower levels than traditional gel or lead acid batteries," Chandrani says. "It's a great combination, especially if you want to use an engine-off HVAC solution."
