WARNING - Battery Fuse Holder Melting Issue - WARNING

Started by finalman, October 10, 2021, 05:33:28 PM

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finalman

Official reply from MidNite Solar support:

"We made a Wind KID model with a wind curve tracking program, but the KID could not handle the in-rush of current.  A regular KID does not have the wind curve program, but it would behave the same in terms of being damaged by the current.  The only charge controller we offer to work with wind is the Classic line."

So I guess I'll direct solder the Load contacts only.

finalman

#16
So been a while since I replaced all of the fuse links with thick wire. Now thinking about reassembly and I contacted midnite solar about getting a replacement thermal pad but they mistakenly sent me a keypad instead. All for no cost to me but it costed them $72USD postage.

I'm not going to ask them to resend as it would just be a waste of money on their part. When I could probably get one for cheaper. I still have the old one so I'll be able to cut the replacement to the same shape.

Can someone please let me know the thickness and mw/k rated thermal pad I should purchase.

Also anyone know the N.m torque setting for the 3 mosfet clamp screws?

finalman

I now only just noticed two things on this faulty KID before I try to put it back together.

1. The 63v 1800uF capacitor positive lead\leg was split in two. Would the molten solder on the fuse terminals have caused this?

2. The two large CD29H 160v 1000uF capacitors look bulged on the top. Is this normal?

mike90045

Capacitor leads are usually solid copper wire, and i don't see how it could split in two.   Or do you mean it  broke in the middle/end somewhere ?

Capacitors usually have a couple of score marks on the end, so they split slowly when failing. ( instead of like a firecracker ) When they start to bulge, I call that a signal for end of life.  I'd replace them with like kind, or are you still under warranty ?
http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar

Classic 200| 2Kw PV, 160Voc | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph )| Listeroid 6/1, st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | midnight ePanel & 4 SPDs | 48V, 800A NiFe battery bank | MS-TS-MPPT60 w/3Kw PV

finalman

#19
Quote from: mike90045 on April 10, 2022, 07:22:41 PM
Capacitor leads are usually solid copper wire, and i don't see how it could split in two.   Or do you mean it  broke in the middle/end somewhere ?

It was split about half way down the length of the lead\leg. I didn't cut it so I don't know why it was like that.

With all of the things I've noticed after the original fuse issue I'll probably bin this KID for safety reasons.

boB


Capacitors are sometimes the first to go in MPPT charge controllers over time.

I wouldn't throw it away just yet.  Maybe we can send you some capacitors or if it is under warranty, MidNite should certainly be able to replace those capacitors with new ones.

How long has this Kid been running ?  Years ?  Months ?  Weeks ?

The caps could not wear out very quickly but over years of use, especially in hot environments and near full current charging, those things can make them wear out sooner rather than later.

boB
K7IQ 🌛  He/She/Me

finalman

#21
So I just decided to use this KID as a portable battery charger so I  finished the repair on this KID by extending the remaining capacitor lead on the one with the split leg using copper wire.

As for the two two large CD29H 160v 1000uF capacitors that I said were possible bulging at the top, if I push on the top of them it feels like they are under pressure inside and they spring back. Is this normal or should It not feel like there is an air pressure buildup?

Quote from: mike90045 on April 10, 2022, 07:22:41 PM
Capacitor leads are usually solid copper wire, and i don't see how it could split in two.   Or do you mean it  broke in the middle/end somewhere ?

I actually think the lead/leg popped like a fuse from memory. The break was just as the the lead/leg went from horizontal to vertical. Say about 4mm coming from the cap was still there.

Quote from: boB on April 10, 2022, 10:11:33 PM
How long has this Kid been running ?  Years ?  Months ?  Weeks ?

Would have been 3-4 years but I'd be pretty sure the loose and then melted fuse connection caused my capacitor issues.