Wear — the whole job
You put this on before you open a bag, and you take it off after every cover is back on and every source is confirmed isolated.- Insulating gloves for any work near live or storable-energy parts. Add mechanical gloves for handling units — Kent M1 and Kent G3 are in the 19–42 kg class.
- Safety shoes with rubber soles — mandatory for battery work. Rubber-soled footwear is specifically called out in the Kent battery safety requirements.
- Eye protection when crimping, drilling, cutting cable, or working near battery terminals.
- No watches, rings, or metal jewellery during battery work. Bare metal bridging 51.2 V at pack currents is an arc-flash event. This is not a style preference — it is a burn-injury risk.
Carry — the Kent field kit
Bring every item on this list to every site. Items marked with a reason are non-negotiable for specific safety-critical checks.| Tool | Why it is non-negotiable |
|---|---|
| CAT III multimeter | Polarity check on every string, battery run, and AC port; verify-dead after every isolation |
| DC-capable clamp ammeter | Kent G3 DC switch must only be operated below 0.5 A string current — an AC-only clamp reads garbage on DC |
| Insulated hand tools | Battery and DC work — standard tools are a shorting and arc risk |
| Torque driver or torque wrench | Terminal torques are platform-specific; set to the value on the platform installation page, never by feel |
| Phase-rotation meter | Three-phase Kent G3 grid connection verification |
| Earth tester | Pit resistance measured and photographed at every site |
| Camera or phone | The site photo checklist is part of commissioning — photos are warranty evidence |
| Labels and OEM-style sealing bungs | Port identification and unused cable-gland sealing |
Torque values differ by platform and by terminal. They are printed on each platform’s installation page with their manual citations. A Kent M1 torque value applied to a Kent G3 terminal — or the reverse — is a wiring defect, not a shortcut. Under-torqued DC terminals are a long-term fire risk.
Battery-specific discipline
Battery work has its own discipline on top of the standard PPE list.- No metallic tools resting on battery packs. A spanner or screwdriver laid across terminals is an arc-flash event waiting for a bump.
- Keep terminals covered until the moment of connection. Insulating caps or tape stay on until you are ready to torque the terminal, then come off one at a time.
- Lift using the pack’s handles and the correct number of people. Kent F1 packs are heavy. Back injuries and dropped packs are real risks — do not improvise a lift.
Common mistakes
One universal torque for every terminal
One universal torque for every terminal
Under-torqued DC terminals are a fire path — resistance heating at the joint builds over months and eventually ignites insulation. Always set your torque driver to the platform-specific value on the installation page, and re-torque if you ever re-open a terminal.
Using an AC-only clamp meter for the Kent G3 0.5 A DC check
Using an AC-only clamp meter for the Kent G3 0.5 A DC check
An AC clamp meter on a DC conductor shows an arbitrary number that has no relationship to the actual current. You need a DC-capable clamp ammeter for this check. If you do not have one, you cannot safely operate the Kent G3 DC switch.
Gloves off for the fiddly bits
Gloves off for the fiddly bits
The fiddly bits — connecting a thin CT wire, seating a PV connector, routing a BMS cable in a tight space — are precisely the moments when unexpected contact happens. Keep gloves on. If your gloves are too thick for fine work, get the right gloves.