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Wiring the PV array into the Kent M1: the electrical envelope the strings must sit in, the connector procedure, and the DC protection that goes with it.
DANGER — PV strings are live in daylight. Meter every string and verify polarity before any connector goes in. Wrong current, voltage or polarity can destroy the inverter and endanger people.

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The PV envelope

Pending Kent validation — do not use for string design. [KNB-VAL-09] The full-power MPPT band per Kent M1 model is under OEM confirmation. Until published here, design strings to sit comfortably inside the operating window at record cold and hot site temperatures, and log the Voc calculation in the design pack.

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Rules before the first connector

  • Polarity: string positive to PV+, negative to PV−; verify with a multimeter before plugging in.
  • PV conductors are never earthed — non-isolated topology. Module frames are earthed; PV+ / PV− are not.
  • One module type per string, one orientation per string — no mixed makes, tilts or azimuths in a string or MPPT.
  • Use only the PV connectors supplied in the accessory kit. Mixed-brand or off-spec connectors void warranty coverage for resulting damage.
  • Do not open the PV DC switch under load — shut the machine down first.

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Connector assembly

Kent M1 PV connector assembly — figure KNB-M1-CR-05

  1. Use outdoor PV cable, 4–6 mm², rated for the string Voc and short-circuit current.
  2. Strip 7–8 mm and crimp the PV terminal with the proper crimping tool.
  3. Assemble the connector, meter the string voltage (≤ 500 V) and confirm polarity.
  4. Plug into the inverter PV input until it clicks.
  5. Fit the supplied waterproof covers on unused PV inputs — an open PV socket breaks the IP66 rating.

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PV DC protection

  • PV DC breaker/isolator: ≥ 32 A / ≥ 500 V, DC-rated.
  • The inverter carries built-in Type II DC surge protection, PV insulation-resistance detection, PV reverse-polarity protection and DC-arc detection (AFCI); external DC SPD per the site’s surge exposure is still good Kent practice.

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Common mistakes

  • Designing Voc at 25 °C and forgetting winter-morning cold — the 500 V ceiling is absolute.
  • Paralleling two strings into one MPPT “because they fit” — one string per MPPT.
  • Hand-tightened or mixed-brand PV connectors — a documented fire cause.
  • Leaving the second PV input open to the weather on single-string sites.

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When to escalate