Hi.
I have installed the kid fresh from factory with three panels and 24 volt battery config.
It worked great for 14 days and then it just out of the blue died, one day the display just went blank and it does not help with reset. :-[ :'(
I have grounded the unit just like in the instructions and set the unit up as described.
Any guess what is wrong before RMA?
Ordered it from US to here in Denmark, so it is gonna cost Midnite Solar quite a lot as they have to pay for the shipping as well then.
Thanks in advance for any idea of how to get the unit alive?
I can also tell that if the battery is connected, then the load is blinking on and of, by blinking i do not mean that the unit blink, but that a whole lot of led lightning i have just starts blinking if more than a few is connected.
So something is wrong :'(
Hi zekeria,
If you have a multimeter, or some other way to measure it, What is your battery voltage?
Thanks, Vic
Hi :)
It is 25.81 volt measured with a very good multimeter!
As a side note to this question i can also tell:
I have tried to disconnect the unit for one houer without any change, still blank/dead screen no matter what and no led is lighting up and all fuses are checked as well.
I have an external 50 amp charger build into my inverter that i have tried charging the bank with to see if a higher voltage would make it start but to no luck :-\
Else the voltage when the problem was registered was just below 25 volt.
Thanks for trying to help me :)
Did you check the voltage at the terminals on the Kid ? If there is power there maybe pull the fuse and see if there is power making it up that far. I guess that would tell you if the connection is broken somewhere between the power terminals and the fuse.
I can't think of anything else - unless you can visually inspect the circuit board for any odd things like broken traces or burned up components.
Larry
OK, Thanks zekeria,
Thanks for the info. Even if the batteries are quite cold, this battery voltage should be quite sufficient to run the KID. So, when the LEDs are blinking, etc, the battery voltage is still about 25 V, and does not dip to a very low voltage ??
The Charger that you mentioned is inside an Inverter, or is it connected to the KID, at times?
Know that it can sometimes be a bit difficult to go inside the KID to measure the battery input voltage on the KID's terminal strip, but if you could do this this is the absolute best place to measure the voltage that the KID is seeing .... Would you please measure the battery voltage at the KID side of the battery breaker? It is possible that on one of the fuses built into the KID, that you could measure the actual battery voltage that the KID is seeing.
You might also try disconnecting all of the Loads on the Load terminals, or switch OFF the circuit breaker that feeds your loads on the KID Load terminals, just to make sure that these items are not overloading the KID.
Am running low on ideas. Thanks, Vic
Yes i did #Classiccrazy
I have visually inspected the components also. nothing looks burned etc.
I have also disconnected the pv array and i can see that the internal capacitor drops VERY slowly.
So if i disconnect while the voltage is f.eks. 110 volts, it very slowly drops at a rate around 0.2 volts every second, i had expected it to discharge throgh the charging circuit imediatly but there is a blank screen allways, so there really is not that much to expect?
Thanks for helping out! :)
At a very basic level: are you certain The Kid has voltage On It's Terminals? The battery voltage at the batteries is no proof the voltage is getting to The Kid. That would be the first logical step to bug out a device that is not showing life.
Just a thought.
Tom
Quote from: zekeria on November 13, 2015, 01:43:14 PM
Yes i did #Classiccrazy
So if i disconnect while the voltage is f.eks. 110 volts, it very slowly drops at a rate around 0.2 volts every second, i had expected it to discharge throgh the charging circuit imediatly but there is a blank screen allways, so there really is not that much to expect?
So, what are the specs on the three PVs that you are using -- Voc, Vmp, etc. What is the highest input voltage that you have measured/seen on the input breaker to the KID?
Thanks, Vic
Quote from: Vic on November 13, 2015, 02:52:40 PM
Quote from: zekeria on November 13, 2015, 01:43:14 PM
Yes i did #Classiccrazy
So if i disconnect while the voltage is f.eks. 110 volts, it very slowly drops at a rate around 0.2 volts every second, i had expected it to discharge throgh the charging circuit imediatly but there is a blank screen allways, so there really is not that much to expect?
So, what are the specs on the three PVs that you are using -- Voc, Vmp, etc. What is the highest input voltage that you have measured/seen on the input breaker to the KID?
Thanks, Vic
It is three 200 watt panels and the array has an absolute combined output of maximum 145 volts.
Everything was ordered to fit this charger.
Quote from: TomW on November 13, 2015, 01:54:36 PM
At a very basic level: are you certain The Kid has voltage On It's Terminals? The battery voltage at the batteries is no proof the voltage is getting to The Kid. That would be the first logical step to bug out a device that is not showing life.
Just a thought.
Tom
I have measured it directly at the terminals on the back of the charger where the cables are attached!
All fuses have been checked.
We have also now tried to power down the unit for 6 hours before again giving it power to see if a longer power down period would help, but it did still not power up.
It is just plain dead.
But how can it have happened?
Have anyone had troubles like this, like a faulty unit or so?
I got this unit because i expected something sturdy with good longevity
I know a lot of people are very glad for MS products.
Funny that it ran just like it was supposed to after the setup for 14 days.
Quote from: zekeria on November 15, 2015, 07:23:27 AM
Quote from: Vic on November 13, 2015, 02:52:40 PM
Quote from: zekeria on November 13, 2015, 01:43:14 PM
Yes i did #Classiccrazy
So if i disconnect while the voltage is f.eks. 110 volts, it very slowly drops at a rate around 0.2 volts every second, i had expected it to discharge throgh the charging circuit imediatly but there is a blank screen allways, so there really is not that much to expect?
So, what are the specs on the three PVs that you are using -- Voc, Vmp, etc. What is the highest input voltage that you have measured/seen on the input breaker to the KID?
Thanks, Vic
It is three 200 watt panels and the array has an absolute combined output of maximum 145 volts.
Everything was ordered to fit this charger.
So what model panels? 145 volts if that is the open circuit that at the current 45 ish degrees F there now they would be over 150
You could test the KID by removing it completely and just connecting a 12v battery to it, then see if the display comes on. Nothing else connected to it, no loads, no solar panels, nothing except the 12v battery.
dgd
Zekeria
Thanks for the purchase.
How much voltage was applied to the input during cold weather conditions?
Quote from: Halfcrazy on November 15, 2015, 09:42:27 AM
Quote from: zekeria on November 15, 2015, 07:23:27 AM
Quote from: Vic on November 13, 2015, 02:52:40 PM
Quote from: zekeria on November 13, 2015, 01:43:14 PM
Yes i did #Classiccrazy
So if i disconnect while the voltage is f.eks. 110 volts, it very slowly drops at a rate around 0.2 volts every second, i had expected it to discharge throgh the charging circuit imediatly but there is a blank screen allways, so there really is not that much to expect?
So, what are the specs on the three PVs that you are using -- Voc, Vmp, etc. What is the highest input voltage that you have measured/seen on the input breaker to the KID?
Thanks, Vic
It is three 200 watt panels and the array has an absolute combined output of maximum 145 volts.
Everything was ordered to fit this charger.
So what model panels? 145 volts if that is the open circuit that at the current 45 ish degrees F there now they would be over 150
It is the theoretical maximum open circuit value for the system at its highest, i do not know much more than that, but it is designed together.
the degrees mentioned is offcourse celcius.
Still the kid can go a bit over without any troubles.
It must be something. else.
Quote from: dgd on November 15, 2015, 05:25:13 PM
You could test the KID by removing it completely and just connecting a 12v battery to it, then see if the display comes on. Nothing else connected to it, no loads, no solar panels, nothing except the 12v battery.
dgd
Hi! :-)
I have done that with both 12 and 24 volt!
I have started an rma request through the Ebay seller.
Guess it will be cheaper to send a new one right away as MS have to pay for shipping.
But have no troubles returning the unit when the return shipping cost has been recived.
Thanks for all your help, i really appreciate it.
Now i just hope for getting the new functional unit as fast as possible and not waiting weeks without end.
Quote from: b4solar on November 16, 2015, 11:05:45 AM
Zekeria
Thanks for the purchase.
How much voltage was applied to the input during cold weather conditions?
The highest value ever seen in the display have been around 141 volts with the former Tracer charger from Ep Solar.
Hi.
My return request through the seller at Ebay has been denied.
How do i make formal RMA request through Midnite Solar themselves??
I have linked to this thread in mails to Ebay buyer panel.
But still the refund was denied and without reason?
I just want a functional unit and will gladly send this unit back if the shipping is paid for in accordance with international trade law for consumers.
:'(
You would need to email support@midnitesolar.com and give them a link to this thread and ask for an RMA
Hi,
So what are the specs and model numbers of the solar panels?
Could the pv input voltage have risen too high as its winter with low temperatures?
dgd
That is my guess also DGD
... THAT was my guess, also, dgd, Ryan, but this data has not been forthcoming.
OH well ... Vic
Well we can check Max VOC when it makes its way back to the RMA dept
Quote from: dgd on November 20, 2015, 11:53:32 PM
Hi,
So what are the specs and model numbers of the solar panels?
Could the pv input voltage have risen too high as its winter with low temperatures?
dgd
HI, here are the complete copy of what it says on the back of each panel so that we can try to determine if it is VOC before RMA
The panels are from a firm called "Sun We"'
Model number SF125X125-M(L)
Pmax 195 W
Imp 5.29A
Vmp 36.9V
Isc 5.64A
Voc 45.4V
NOCT 45+-2c
Power tolerance range +-3%
Test Condition 1000W/m2, AM1.5, 25c
Cell type Mono-Si
3 connected in series as said.
So theoretical maximum voltage is 136 Voc at 25 degrees.
The temperature has not been below 10c
Thanks for the support email, i will contact them as soon as we figure something out here.
From my humble experience it does not look like Voc.
The fault happen when the user came back from three days away and he saw imediatly that the "load" was blinking the light that he had attached on and of at a very high rate when several lights was turned on, where it before worked like a charm, he then looked at the charger and the display was all dead and then i was called to assist in figuring out what had went wrong.
Thanks in advance for the help and time :D
Quote from: Halfcrazy on November 20, 2015, 12:36:33 PM
You would need to email support@midnitesolar.com and give them a link to this thread and ask for an RMA
Thanks a lot.
I will write them when some has looked at the panels and tried to give their guess.
Quote from: Vic on November 21, 2015, 03:34:55 PM
... THAT was my guess, also, dgd, Ryan, but this data has not been forthcoming.
OH well ... Vic
It is now :D
So what do you think?
Just found this info for you,
http://www.pannellisolari.bologna.it/files/sunowe_mono_72.pdf
there are temperature coefficients that you need to use with the Kid Sizing tool
http://www.midnitesolar.com/sizingTool_kid/index.php
Looks like you are good to -5*C
Quote from: Westbranch on November 26, 2015, 12:24:39 PM
Just found this info for you,
http://www.pannellisolari.bologna.it/files/sunowe_mono_72.pdf
there are temperature coefficients that you need to use with the Kid Sizing tool
http://www.midnitesolar.com/sizingTool_kid/index.php
Looks like you are good to -5*C
That was what i figured, so it can not be Voc then.
It must be something else.
Thank you so much for your help and time, if that is also what the rest can confirm, then i will RMA the unit.
45.4VOC times 3 is 136.2 volts. It would not take much cold to go over the safe voltage but that may not be the issue. Best solution is likely to get it back for a look see