KID wiring

ws9876
ws9876 Solar Expert Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
when you look at the front of the KID controller you see those red onboard fuses...one for the PV and one for battery. Another is for
clipper/wind. They have those flat fuses already installed.
Does this mean you dont have to put an inline fuse or breaker additional for the PV wire and the battery wire..??The instructions in the booklet show additional breakers but that might just be a representation of needed protection..
what do you think??

Comments

  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: KID wiring

    Hi ws ..,

    You MUST use an external breaker (ideal) or fuse on the PV (or other Renewable Energy) power source and on the output of the KID to the battery. Somewhere in the manual, this is mentioned. The fuses are there only to protect the KID in extreme events. Your breakers (or fuses) are really there to protect your cables. Your breakers should be sized for the Ampacity of the that you are using.

    ALSO, follow the wiring diagram to a T. The PV negative must not connect to the battery negative anywhere but INSIDE the KID.

    Congratulations on the new KID. Have Fun, Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: KID wiring
    ws9876 wrote: »
    Does this mean you dont have to put an inline fuse or breaker additional for the PV wire and the battery wire..??The instructions in the booklet show additional breakers but that might just be a representation of needed protection..
    what do you think??

    Vic is correct. Anything, and everything connected to a battery must have OCP (overcurrent protection). The fuses or circuit breakers should be near the battery. The battery should be in a box. The cables from the battery to the OCP must be in conduit.

    The reason for this is: a short circuit of a battery is VERY dangerous. Everything must be super-protected from the battery to the OCP. Once you get past the OCP, it's not so dangerous to short out the battery.

    Some folks put a fuse directly on the positive terminal of the battery, but I'm not sure that meets code in a permanent (house) system.

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
  • ws9876
    ws9876 Solar Expert Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
    Re: KID wiring

    I need to put a ground rod out by the panels,outside, and the ground here is harder than cement. If I drive a rebar say 3 ft down,lucky, will that be ok if not ideal. ???better than nothing .. I will connect a wire to it and a copper screw bar and connect ALL grounds to that..sound ok???
    btw it is not ok to use your grid AC ground wires to ground ,no?? I mean just tie into the bare copper wire at an outlet??
    The solar system is totally separate from the grid system.
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: KID wiring
    ws9876 wrote: »
    If I drive a rebar say 3 ft down,lucky, will that be ok if not ideal. ???better than nothing .. I will connect a wire to it and a copper screw bar and connect ALL grounds to that..sound ok???

    Well, I guess it's better than nothing, but it's not OK. If you want a grounded system, you need a ground. Rebar is not an acceptable ground electrode unless it's encased in concrete. There are a number of grounding systems for situations where you can't drive a ground rod. Do a search... you will find all sorts of plates and electrode systems.

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: KID wiring

    No, not better than nothing at all. More like the same as nothing at all. That's one of the grounding paradoxes; the worse the soil is for penetration the deeper you need to go to get to the kind of soil that will make a good ground! It is very frustrating.

    Do not tie a bare copper wire to an outlet! The DC grounding requires 6 AWG minimum just as the main AC wiring does. If you tie a piece of 6 AWG to an outlet it becomes 14 AWG from there to the AC ground. However if you have got an existing AC ground rod use it; single point grounding is the idea.

    Note that some people have been promoting false information about connecting to ground rods, saying the connection needs to be subsurface. This is not true. If you look at thousands of ground installations you will not find this has been done. There is no reason why it should be. But apparently some people have gotten confused about the NEC requirements for tying multiple ground rods together to form a single point ground. That does require the connections be subsurface. These people are sometimes inspectors, which makes life difficult. Sometimes they are just idiots handing out false information on the Internet while making claims about writing the code themselves.
  • ws9876
    ws9876 Solar Expert Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
    Re: KID wiring

    btw is the Baby Box from Midnite Solar the cheapest 4 DinRail Breaker box around or is there something a bit less money??it is abour 35$..
    one with a couple of buss bars would be nice..