MidNite Solar Kid Manual

The KID Solar Charge Controller Instructions
Chassis Ground connection
The screw, nut, and terminal for grounding the chassis are included on all models.
The chassis ground (equipment ground) is required in an NEC compliant system. The
chassis of The KID is isolated from all internal KID circuitry. Wall mount versions have a
short wire pre-installed in this location. It can be found in the wiring area of the wall mount.
Wiring the rest of the system:
Under the “Wiring diagrams” section of this manual there are seven different system configurations.
1 2, 24, and 48VDC systems are shown. The KID also works well with 36 Volt systems. These
diagrams are based on common solar panels rated between 230 and 250 watts each, and a VOC of
about 37 volts. (60 cell modules). These diagrams cover 95% of all combinations that will be used
with The KID. Other solar panels are available and can certainly be used with The KID. Study the
wiring diagrams to find the one that best suits your needs. You will see from 2 to 6 solar panels
depending on system design and battery voltage. In a 1 2V system you will be limited to just two of
these solar panels. The reason is that The KID has an absolute maximum output of 30 amps. Power
is amps X voltage, so 30 amps output times 1 4 volts (charge voltage) = 420 watts. A 500 watt PV
array would be a good match for a 1 2V system. You can always start with a smaller PV array and
add to it at a later date. Keep in mind that PV voltage and current need to be matched closely in
most cases. See the power graph at the end of this section. Battery voltage for The KID can be 1 2,
24,36, or 48 volts, so that means when you jump to a 24V battery bank, The KID can process twice
the power than if it were connected to a 1 2V battery. In the case of a 48V battery, The KID can
process 4 times the power of a 1 2V battery. Twelve volt batteries are used in marine, RV and very
small Renewable Energy systems. When possible, it is better to go with a higher voltage battery
bank, but that is usually not possible in a mobile application.
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