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Both Kent platforms power ON grid-first and OFF battery-first — the exact reverse of each other. Learn the order once; it is the same logic on every Kent hybrid. Getting it wrong is where equipment damage and personal injury happen.
DANGER — stored energy. After the last switch opens, the inverter still holds residual voltage and needs 5 minutes to discharge. Wait the full 5 minutes before opening any cover. A dark display is not evidence of a discharged system.

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Before you start

Do all of this before touching any isolator.
  • Tell the customer that backup power will stop — printers, routers, medical devices, and security systems on the Backup port will lose supply.
  • Have your CAT III multimeter ready to verify dead after the wait.
  • For any PV work on Kent G3, have a DC-capable clamp ammeter ready to check string current before operating the DC switch.
  • Identify every isolator: grid AC breaker, backup AC breaker (if fitted), inverter DC switch, battery breaker, and battery switch or button.

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Power OFF — battery first

1

Stop the battery

Kent M1: Press the battery button OFF, and switch off any generator source connected to the GEN port.Kent G3: Open the battery breaker.
2

Open the AC side

Open the grid AC breaker OFF. If a backup breaker is fitted, open that too.
3

Open the PV DC side

Kent G3: Confirm string current is below 0.5 A using a DC-capable clamp ammeter. If current is higher, wait for irradiance to fall — do not force the switch. Once below 0.5 A, turn the DC switch OFF.Kent M1: Turn the inverter DC isolator OFF.
4

Wait 5 minutes, then verify dead

Wait the full labelled 5 minutes. Then use your CAT III multimeter to confirm no dangerous voltage remains on the DC bus and terminals before touching any conductor or opening any cover.
Pending Kent validation. [KNB-VAL-15] The exact verify-dead voltage threshold for Kent M1 is under confirmation. Until published here: wait the full 5 minutes and meter-verify no dangerous voltage on the DC bus and terminals before any contact — never rely on the wait time alone.

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Power ON — AC first

1

Close the grid AC breaker first

Grid AC on before any DC source. This is step one on both platforms without exception.
2

PV DC on

Turn the inverter PV DC switch ON.
3

Battery last

Kent M1: Battery breaker ON → battery switch ON → battery button ON. Follow this sub-sequence in order.Kent G3: Battery breaker ON. On a new install, complete the first-time HMI setup before this step.
4

Watch the boot sequence

A clean boot shows no sequence faults on the display. On Kent G3: if any alarm appears at startup, power OFF and wait 5 minutes before attempting one restart. Do not cycle power repeatedly.
Older site cards and some videos teach battery-first power-on. That order is wrong for Kent units. Both official Kent sequences are AC-first. If a site card disagrees with this page, the card is outdated — photograph it and report it to Kent so it can be replaced.

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Common mistakes

Opening the DC switch with live string current creates a sustained DC arc. At PV string voltages this is not a spark — it is a plasma that can damage the switch, burn cables, and injure you. Use the clamp ammeter. Wait for irradiance to drop if needed.
The capacitors on the DC bus do not know it is a quick look. The wait is not conservative padding — it is the discharge time stated in the Kent safety label. Skipping it to save three minutes puts you across a charged bus.
With the battery ON, the Backup port stays live regardless of the state of the grid breaker. Any load on the Backup port has live voltage, and the inverter is still energized from the battery. If you are working the AC wiring, isolate all sources.