Kidd was working great, now only get blank screen no activity

[bmg]

Have two (2) panels in series attached to my Kidd

   Suniva OPT 330-72-4-100-BAA 330W Mono SLV/WHT Solar Panel  (48v panels )

four (4) Gel Batteries attached

   MK 8G31-DEKA 12V 97.6Ah Gel Battery (12v batteries )

two (2) 10w 12v DC LED lamps behind a 48v->12v voltage reducer


System was working great, we started as 12v system, and gradually moved to 48v system no problems.  Last evening wanted to move the LED lights around so I turned off the load at the breaker ( normally had I used the kid load function ).  Moved my lamps and then switched the breaker back on and everything went out.  At first I thought I might have had a bad connection somewhere.  In morning I disconnected everything except the batteries and verified 48v was going into the kidd.  rewired the battery and tried it with 12v,  still no activity from the kid display.

Checking the forum threads I think this may be high voltage related.  there was a full moon last night if that may have had some impact.  Not sure exactly what I did wrong.  In looking at the unit closely in the morning I did notice that our temperature wire was put back in the wrong location, rather than put into the slave rj11 socket it was in the master, not sure that had any impact so removed it.  We wanted to see if we could get the serial interface working so removed it that day but put it back incorrectly.

Am very new to this solar stuff, and slowly stepping up.  Unfortunately, seems once we got into a comfort zone may have done something stupid.  Any guidance on how to get our kid operational again most appreciated.

ByRoN

[ClassicCrazy]

Did you check the fuses on the Kid ?

Larry

[bmg]

Confirmed.  Pulled all three fuses and checked them.  All three check out good.

ByRoN

[BobWhite]

Have two (2) panels in series attached to my Kidd

   Suniva OPT 330-72-4-100-BAA 330W Mono SLV/WHT Solar Panel  (48v panels )

four (4) Gel Batteries attached

   MK 8G31-DEKA 12V 97.6Ah Gel Battery (12v batteries )

two (2) 10w 12v DC LED lamps behind a 48v->12v voltage reducer


System was working great, we started as 12v system, and gradually moved to 48v system no problems.  Last evening wanted to move the LED lights around so I turned off the load at the breaker ( normally had I used the kid load function ).  Moved my lamps and then switched the breaker back on and everything went out.  At first I thought I might have had a bad connection somewhere.  In morning I disconnected everything except the batteries and verified 48v was going into the kidd.  rewired the battery and tried it with 12v,  still no activity from the kid display.

Checking the forum threads I think this may be high voltage related.  there was a full moon last night if that may have had some impact.  Not sure exactly what I did wrong.  In looking at the unit closely in the morning I did notice that our temperature wire was put back in the wrong location, rather than put into the slave rj11 socket it was in the master, not sure that had any impact so removed it.  We wanted to see if we could get the serial interface working so removed it that day but put it back incorrectly.

Am very new to this solar stuff, and slowly stepping up.  Unfortunately, seems once we got into a comfort zone may have done something stupid.  Any guidance on how to get our kid operational again most appreciated.

ByRoN

I don't know what you are running for lights but the lights I run are good up to 60 volts so I don't need to reduce the voltage  , advertised as creed but a lot  say that! Ive run them up to 48 volts without a problem so I'm ok with them as they do the job. As far as the Kid goes do you have a breaker or fuse at the combiner box ? I would look at them but I think you did check voltage at the Kid but not clear as to what the results were. 48 volts? Is that what was coming in from the panels or the batteries? What was the actual voltage from the panels as I think you are saying the Kid may have been over volted, and if so by how much  ?
Walt

[Vic]

Hi bmg,

From your initial Post,  it is not clear about the setup of the KID in your system ...

So,  you have three breakers on the KID  --  one on the PV input,  one on the KID output,  connected to the battery,  and the third on the Load output?

It is best,  if a person switches the PV input breaker OFF,  first,   and then  the KID output breaker (the one that connects the KID to the battery)  when powering down any Charge Controller (CC).

You might want to go through that process,  above, of powering down the KID,  wait for about one minute,  and then power the KID up,  in the reverse order  --  battery breaker first,  and then the PV in breaker.   This might reset things.

If you do not have a breaker on the KID output,  you really need to get one there.   And if you do not have the PV in breaker,  you need to be very careful when disconnecting wires  --  first to not shock yourself,  and then not to short any part of the input of the KID,  or the PV cables,  etc.   AND,  you really should have an input breaker,  as well.

Perhaps am reading too much into what you said,  but it was not too clear (to me),  just how your system is setup,  and what was your procedure for powering up and down the KID.

Thanks for any clarification,     Vic

[bmg]

Thanks for the responses.  Very happy that there is an active experienced on-line community. 

With the LED lights we thought the same thing, that although they are listed at 12v DC they would likely work at higher voltages.  We tend to take thing step by step, and that was one of the things we wanted to try out.  Original plan was to put four (4) of the 12v light in series which would be equivalent to 48v load, but only had two lights and two were  still in the mail.  But we thought given nature of LEDs that they might be okay as is at higher voltages.

With regard to breakers, I should have been more clear in my original post, we followed the diagram in the Kid user manual that was appropriate to what we wanted to setup.  I have attached a picture of what we have setup.  We do have the four breaker switches.  And normally we would turn them off PV panels first then, Battery to the kidd.  Only this week did we start adding loads to start getting a gauge on what we could run with our little system.  Early in the week we would use the kid to manage power to the load, turning them off and on via the display screen.  That night the unit went black, I did something I do not normally do.  I wanted to move the LED lights so as a precaution used the load breaker to turn off the power.  Power went out okay, Kid was still running, but when I turned the load breaker back on, everything went black.  I tried to reset by turning everything off, but Kid would not come back.  At first I thought I might have pulled a wire out somewhere, so checked everything the next morning.

Will make the steps outlined for system power off and power on standard process.

Anyhow appreciate any help or suggestions.  For us these triage exercises help us learn and understand.

ByRoN ( bmg )

[Vic]

Hi Byron,

Thanks for the added data.

Quickly,  your "two (2) 10w 12v DC LED lamps behind a 48v->12v voltage reducer",  appears to be one addition to the system,  perhaps.

Assume that this might be powered off the Load terminals on the KID (?).

Had wondered about a large inrush current perhaps damaging the Load transistors,  but not a long duration current that would blow the KID fuse,  or your breaker ...   Dunno,  and do not know how any of this would cause the KID to not operate ...

Back to work ...  Thanks    Vic

[WizBandit]

Where are the buss bars that used to be in that MNPV6 Combiner box?
I don't think 12 volt LED lights like being connected in series, they have current regulators in the LED control circuit.

FYI - The KID LOAD circuit has a COMMON BATTERY PLUS, it switches the NEG n the LOAD TERMINAL.

You may have to pay for repairs.

I just saw you had a "voltage reducer" on the LOAD of the KID?  Would this be a 48V to 12V switching power supply type dc-2-dc device by chance?  If so a real no-no as this has the same capacitors on it's input as an Inverter, and these are what make the KID load transistors go pop.

[BobWhite]

Where are the buss bars that used to be in that MNPV6 Combiner box?
I don't think 12 volt LED lights like being connected in series, they have current regulators in the LED control circuit.

FYI - The KID LOAD circuit has a COMMON BATTERY PLUS, it switches the NEG n the LOAD TERMINAL.

You may have to pay for repairs.

I just saw you had a "voltage reducer" on the LOAD of the KID?  Would this be a 48V to 12V switching power supply type dc-2-dc device by chance?  If so a real no-no as this has the same capacitors on it's input as an Inverter, and these are what make the KID load transistors go pop.

Now that is jumping around and maybe criticism, Im not thinking the system is right, actually to the contrary. Im not positive as I can't see the wires as they connect to the Kid or the panels but I see a green wire--normally used as ground in dc application. it looks to be with a red wire pos, then white to black ground but to what in the Kid?? Confused a bit, but will study a bit more! I would think the reducer is the biggest concern in this set up but only because I dont know what it is that is being used or how it is hooked up i guess. I clear diagram and photos I think would be a great benefit.

Walt

[BobWhite]

The reducer is on the load of the Kid    


I just saw you had a "voltage reducer" on the LOAD of the KID?  Would this be a 48V to 12V switching power supply type dc-2-dc device by chance?  If so a real no-no as this has the same capacitors on it's input as an Inverter, and these are what make the KID load transistors go pop.
[/quote]

I don't feel thers enough information yet!!

[Halfcrazy]

So what I think I see is a GFP breaker on the left, I see a red wire leaving the terminal with the green ground wire. I also see 7 wires into the KID so I assume this red wire is paralleled on the breaker and is used to ground the kid?

[BobWhite]

So what I think I see is a GFP breaker on the left, I see a red wire leaving the terminal with the green ground wire. I also see 7 wires into the KID so I assume this red wire is paralleled on the breaker and is used to ground the kid?

That would make sense

[bmg]

Thanks for all the feedback.

We are new to this, so understanding what we did wrong is pretty important.  If we did something stupid we learn, get it  fixed and hopefully don't do it again.

Am pretty sure the DC converter we used was the cause of the problem, WizBandit is correct we did dc-2-dc (48V to 12V), we knew not to use an inverter, but did not know this would also be a problem.  Now we know !

While we wait for the repair, and/or new device to arrive, will clean up the wiring, put the buss bars back in (use them), get correct colors to avoid green usage confusion.

Many thanks for the feedback and help.

Intent was to get one small system up and running then clone it so we each could have a system in our backyards, so picking up a new kidd while the one is getting fixed not a big hardship.

Again many thanks for comments and feedback, it is definitely helpful.

Best,

ByRoN



 

[BobWhite]

ByRoN, thank you for your feedback ! I think i can see what your trying to do and understand that it is the ruff draft, I've done many with what i had and cleaned it up as i felt it did what i needed it to do and made it permeant.

Walt

[ClassicCrazy]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Again many thanks for comments and feedback, it is definitely helpful.

Best,

ByRoN

If you start adding on an inverter consider using the Midnite MiniDC  box - I use it for my systems - makes wiring a lot easier and compact and has a place for shunt and other breakers.  There are different sized inverter breakers depending on which size you need.  http://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=75&productCatName=Mini%20%20DC%20Disconnect&productCat_ID=8&sortOrder=4&act=p

http://www.solar-electric.com/installation-parts-and-equipment/midnite/elenanddcdi/midcdipoce.html

Larry