WINDY NATION WN-100W-KIT, WN-300W-KIT, WN-400W-KIT, WN-600W-KIT-12, WN-200W-KIT User Manual
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Complete Off-Grid Solar Kit Manual
Page 1 of 21
WindyNation
08/09/2012
Revision 1.0
WindyNation
Complete Off-Grid Solar Kits (100 to 600 Watts)
SKU: WN-100W-KIT, WN-200W-KIT, WN-300W-KIT, WN-400W-KIT, WN-600W-KIT-12, WN-600W-KIT-24
User’s Manual
Complete Off-Grid Solar Kit Manual
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WindyNation
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Revision 1.0
Table of Contents
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
1.1 Limited Warranty ................................................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Restrictions ......................................................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Warranty Claims & Return Procedures .............................................................................................. 3
1.4 Disclaimer ........................................................................................................................................... 4
1.5 Limitation of Liability ........................................................................................................................... 4
2 Product Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 5
2.1 Features .............................................................................................................................................. 5
2.2 Safety Precautions .............................................................................................................................. 5
3 Installation ................................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 Parts List ............................................................................................................................................. 5
3.2 General Installation Guidelines ........................................................................................................... 6
3.2.1 Mounting the Solar Panels .............................................................................................................. 6
3.2.2 Wiring the Solar Panels for 12 or 24 volt battery Charging ............................................................ 7
3.2.3 Attaching the MC4 Connectors to the Solar Panel Extension Cable .............................................. 7
3.2.4 Connecting the Solar Charge Controller to the Battery Bank ......................................................... 9
3.2.5 Connecting the Solar Panel(s) to the Solar Charge Controller ....................................................... 9
3.2.6 Adding Fuses to the Complete Off-Grid Solar Panel Kit............................................................... 10
4 Troubleshooting and Support .................................................................................................................... 11
4.1 Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................................................................. 12
4.2 Support ............................................................................................................................................. 13
Appendix A........................................................................................................................................................ 14
A.1 12 volt battery bank solar panel wiring diagram for one 100 Watt Windy Nation Solar Panel .............. 14
A.2 12 volt battery bank solar panel wiring diagram for two 100 Watt Windy Nation Solar Panels ............. 15
A.3 24 volt battery bank solar panel wiring diagram for two 100 Watt Windy Nation Solar Panels ............. 16
A.4 12 volt battery bank solar panel wiring diagram for three 100 Watt Windy Nation Solar Panels .......... 17
A.5 12 volt battery bank solar panel wiring diagram for four 100 Watt Windy Nation Solar Panels ............ 18
A.6 24 volt battery bank solar panel wiring diagram for four 100 Watt Windy Nation Solar Panels ............ 19
A.7 12 volt battery bank solar panel wiring diagram for six 100 Watt Windy Nation Solar Panels .............. 20
A.8 24 volt battery bank solar panel wiring diagram for six 100 Watt Windy Nation Solar Panels .............. 21
Complete Off-Grid Solar Kit Manual
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1 INTRODUCTION
Windy Nation Inc. (“Windy Nation”) is not assembling the Complete Solar Panel Off-Grid Kit, or any other
product offered by Windy Nation. Windy Nation, and its directors, officers, and employees disclaim, and by
purchasing a Windy Nation product you accept all liability and responsibility for damage to property, injury, or
death arising out of or related to the use or misuse of any product offered by Windy Nation.
1.1 LIMITED WARRANTY
Windy Nation warrants that Solar Panel Off-Grid Kit (the “Product”), will be free from manufacturing defects
in materials and workmanship under normal authorized use consistent with product instructions for a period
of one (1) year from the date the original purchaser (“Customer”) receives the Product (the “Warranty
Period”). This warranty extends only to the original purchaser. The Customer’s sole and exclusive remedy
and the entire liability of Windy Nation, its suppliers and affiliates for breach of the warranty is, at Windy
Nation’s option, either (i) to replace the Product (or defective component part(s)) with a new or reconditioned
Product (or component part(s)); (ii) to repair the reported problem; or (iii) to refund the purchase price of the
Product. Repaired or replaced products are warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period only.
No employee, agent, dealer or other person is authorized to give any warranties on behalf of Windy Nation
not expressly set forth in this limited warranty.
1.2 RESTRICTIONS
No warranty will apply if the Product (i) has been altered or modified except by Windy Nation; (ii) has not
been installed, operated, repaired, or maintained in accordance with instructions supplied by Windy Nation;
(iii) has been subjected to abnormal physical, thermal or electrical stress, misuse, negligence, or accident. If
Windy Nation determines that the problem with the Product is not due to a manufacturing defect in Windy
Nation’s workmanship or materials, or otherwise does not qualify for warranty repair, then the Customer will
be responsible for the costs of all necessary repairs and expenses incurred by Windy Nation.
1.3 WARRANTY CLAIMS & RETURN PROCEDURES
To be eligible for service under this warranty, the Customer must submit a service request within the
Warranty Period by contacting Windy Nation in writing or via telephone and obtaining a Returned Materials
Authorization (“RMA”) number. This RMA must be obtained before returning any product under this warranty.
Notification must include a description of the alleged defect, the manner in which the Product was used, the
serial number, and the original purchase date in addition to the name, address, and telephone number of the
Customer. Within five (5) business days of the date of notification, Windy Nation will provide the Customer
with an RMA number and the location to which the Customer must return the defective Product. Any Product
returned for warranty service shall be shipped at the expense and risk of the Customer. The Customer must
return the entire Product kit (or, if authorized by Windy Nation, the defective component parts), within fifteen
(15) days after issuance of the RMA number. Windy Nation will be under no obligation to accept any returned
Product that does not have a valid RMA number. Customer’s failure to return the Product within fifteen (15)
days of its receipt of an RMA number may result in cancellation of the RMA. All parts that Windy Nation
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replaces shall become Windy Nation’s property on the date Windy Nation ships the repaired Product or part
back to the Customer. Windy Nation will use all reasonable efforts within thirty (30) days of receipt of the
defective Product to repair or replace such Product. If a warranty claim is invalid for any reason, the
Customer will be charged at Windy Nation’s then-current rates for services performed and will be charged for
all necessary repairs and expense incurred by Windy Nation. If Windy Nation determines that a warranty
claim is valid, it will ship the repaired or replaced Product to Customer at Windy Nation’s cost.
1.4 DISCLAIMER
EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS LIMITED WARRANTY SET FORTH IN THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH,
WINDY NATION DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED AND STATUTORY INCLUDING,
WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO ANY PRODUCTS PROVIDED BY WINDY NATION. NO
ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY WINDY NATION, ITS DEALERS,
DISTRIBUTORS, AGENTS OR EMPLOYEES SHALL IN ANY WAY INCREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS
WARRANTY. WINDY NATION DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE QUALITY OR PERFORMANCE OF THE
PRODUCTS WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ANY
PARTICULAR RESULTS FROM USE OR MODIFICATION OF THE PRODUCTS. Some jurisdictions do not
allow the limitation or exclusion of implied warranties or how long an implied warranty may last, so the above
limitations may not apply to you. In any such jurisdiction, the warranty shall be limited to the minimum
warranty and period required by law.
WINDY NATION EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR BODILY INJURIES OR DEATH THAT MAY
OCCUR, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, BY USE OF THE PRODUCT BY ANY PERSON.
1.5 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WINDY NATION OR ITS AFFILIATES OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE
OR RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSS OF USE, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS, LOST PROFITS, LOST
DATA, OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND
REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING
NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF WINDY NATION OR ITS AFFILIATE OR
SUPPLIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so these
limitations may not apply to you. Neither Windy Nation nor its affiliates or suppliers will be held liable or
responsible for any damage or loss to any items or products connected to, powered by or otherwise attached
to the Product. The total cumulative liability to Customer, from all causes of action and all theories of liability,
will be limited to and will not exceed the purchase price of the Product paid by Customer. This warranty gives
the Customer specific legal rights and the Customer may also have other legal rights that vary from state to
state.
Complete Off-Grid Solar Kit Manual
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2 PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Building a complete off-grid solar system has never been easier. WindyNation’s Solar Panel Off-Grid Kits
provide up to 3000 Watt Hours of power per day and can be installed quickly and professionally using the
included materials. The Solar Panel Off-Grid Kits are designed for anything from temporary back-up power to
continuous power for an off-grid cabin or small house.
2.1 FEATURES
Auxiliary power for RV’s and boats. Popular with commercial RV and marine retrofitters
Great for camping or remote cabins. Power devices in remote back country locations
Easy way to provide power for sheds, light poles and gates without the need for trenching and laying
cables
Two or more panels can provide back-up power for critical appliances like a refrigerator during a
power outage.
2.2 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
CAUTION: Working with and installing electrical equipment is dangerous. Potential hazards include, but are
not limited to, electrocution and electrical fires. Always consult a licensed electrician when installing any
electrical equipment.
3 INSTALLATION
3.1 PARTS LIST
(Note: Quantity of each item varies depending on the kit size ordered)
1. 100 Watt Solar Panel
2. Solar Panel Charge Controller
3. MC4 Connectors and MC4 Branch Connectors
4. Solar Panel Cable
5. Solar Panel Mounting Z-Brackets
Figure 1: Complete Off-Grid Solar Kit Parts List
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3.2 GENERAL INSTALLATION GUIDELINES
3.2.1 Mounting the Solar Panels
For Northern Hemisphere installations, the solar panels should be mounted at angle facing true south (true
north for Southern Hemisphere installations). The mounting angle should be equal to the latitude location of
where you are installing the solar panels. For example, the latitude of Miami, Florida, USA is 25 degrees.
Therefore, solar panels installed in this area should ideally be facing true south at a tilt angle of 25 degrees.
Due to design constraints in many installations, you will not be able to mount the solar panel facing true
south at the ideal tilt angle. In these cases, try to come as close as possible to the ideal mounting
configuration as this will maximize the power output from the solar panels.
Figure 2: Installing solar panels in the Northern Hemisphere. Ideally, the solar panel faces true south
at a tilt angle equal to the geographical latitude of where the solar panel is installed.
The solar panels should be mounted to a flat surface that is strong enough to handle the weight bearing load
of the solar panels. Use the included Z-Brackets and fasteners (four Z-Brackets per solar panel) to attach the
solar panel to the flat mounting surface. To do this, first use the included fasteners to attach the Z-Brackets
to the four oval shaped holes on the backside of the solar panel. Next, secure the solar panel to the
mounting surface by bolting the four Z-brackets to the mounting surface. Note that the bolt to secure the ZBracket to the mounting surface is not included in this kit. This is because the bolt type (lag bolt, carriage
bolt, etc) and bolt length will depend on the mounting surface type (metal, wood, and fiberglass) and
thickness. See Figure 3 below.
Figure 3: Use the Z-Brackets to mount the solar panel to a flat surface.
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Complete Off-Grid Solar Kit
Number of Solar Panels Included
Battery Bank Compatibility
WN-100W-KIT
one
12 volts
WN-200W-KIT
two
12 or 24 volts
WN-300W-KIT
three
12 volts
WN-400W-KIT
four
12 or 24 volts
WN-600W-KIT-12
six
12 or 24 volts
WN-600W-KIT-24
six
24 volts
Revision 1.0
3.2.2 Wiring the Solar Panels for 12 or 24 volt battery Charging
All of WindyNation’s Complete Off-Grid Solar Kits can be configured for 12 volt battery bank charging.
WindyNation’s Complete Off-Grid Solar Kits that contain an even number of solar panels can be configured
for 12 or 24 volt battery bank charging. See Table I below.
Table I: Battery bank voltage compatibility for Windy Nation’s Complete Off-Grid Solar Kits.
Wiring diagram instructions on how to wire the solar panels in each kit for 12 or 24 volt battery charging are
shown in Appendix A on Pages 14 -21
3.2.3 Attaching the MC4 Connectors to the Solar Panel Extension Cable
After you have determined how the solar panels will be wired together (12 or 24 volt) and you have consulted
the appropriate wiring diagram in Appendix A, you will need to attach the MC4 Connectors to the solar panel
extension cable. The MC4 connectors provide a reliable and water resistant way for conveniently making
electrical connections between solar panels and the extension cable. Figure 4 and Figure 5 below outline
how to attach the MC4 Connectors to solar panel cable.
Figure 4: Male and Female MC4 Connectors
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