Help programming the Trimetric battery monitor

K

kmacafee

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Oct 15, 2014
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303
Location
St. Paul, MN
Greetings

I successfully installed the monitor in my Eagle, but am having some trouble understanding how to program it.

Specifically, its program item P3: battery system capacity. I have 2 deep cycle batteries installed by FWC and I am pretty sure they are wired in parallel. Both batteries are the same and have a label that states "79 AH @ 20 hours" on each. According to the directions, if batteries are wired in parallel, you " add the amp hours of each battery". So, I entered 160 for the value (rounded up).

The monitor reads 13.7 for each battery but despite having been plugged into shore power for 2 days, is not yet completely charged. The more I read the instructions, the more confused I get.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays to all.
 
I don't quite understand when you say they aren't fully charged. Are you seeing the higher voltage from the charger?

Your resting voltage should be about 12.7 fully charged on a 12 volt system. Try taking the batteries off the charger and checking in 12 to 24 hours and see what voltage you have. Sounds like the system is working as designed.

Dsrtrat
 
Hey Dsrtrat

When I select the full option, all I get is 3 lines. I would assume that it should read 100%.

Thanks
 
https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/the-rv-battery-charging-puzzle-2/

A lot of what you are asking can be read here. You need to read most of the page and pick out what pertains to your question.

Programing to 160 amp hour is fine. Make "sure" you have all the grounds to the shunt. Includes negative from the truck charger wire, Iota charger. All negatives must go through the shunt then to ground or batteries.

It could take you days depending on wiring, voltage and amps to get you to 100 percent. Read through Handy Bob and see where your complete system compares. Test your Iota and see if voltage is held long enough at a higher level longer or drops down to float.
 
Congrats on installing the trmetric. You've won half of the battle just putting it in.
The instructions are a little confusing and will make more sense as you reread them. I think I read through it 4-5 times before I understood it.
The 100% state of charge is set by parameters you tell the monitor. Mine is set to reach 100% when the charge reaches above 14.2 Volts and less than 1 amp.
The very first time you set it you tell the monitor that the batteries are at 100% and then it counts up or down the amp hours from that set point.
If you find that original set point was not 100% of charge - no problem you just reset it once you reach that point.

So I set it at 100% the first time when I thought it was fully charged. Now it flashes 100% of charge once it reaches by set parameters I mentioned above.

If your IOTA is only charging to 13.7, I'm assuming you don't have the smart charger addition to it.
You are probably close to 90% or more at that point but the extra 10% is very hard without getting a higher voltage like 14.2-14.4.

Hope that helps.
If you can't charge it higher than 13.7 volts, I'd use a car battery charger to reach the full charge and then set the trimetric to 100%.
 
DrJ

As you suggest, I may just use a battery charger to get the last bit.

Dumb question, with two batteries, do you just charge them separately?

Cheers
 
If you have the IOTA system FWC usually installs, I'd highly recommended adding the smart charger.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0030G7ZHM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1420530580&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

It's fairly cheap and super easy to install.
Then you have 4 stage charging all the time without a separate charger.

I think there have been previous posts on this which is where I first learned about it.

To answer your second question:

With 2 batteries you can charge them together or separate.
To charge them together you need to have them connected depending upon their voltage.
If you had 2 12 volt batteries, the batteries would be connected from positive to positive and negative to negative.
You could then connect the charger to either battery and it would charge them both. If you want to be technical about it - it probably works best if you charge from positive on battery to negative on the second battery.

If you had 2 6 volt batteries they would be wired positive to negative from both batteries. Charging them you would need to pick positive on one battery and negative on the second battery to charge them as a 12 volt unit.

Hope that helps.
 
OK, a little confused on this issue. I have the IOTA DLS Series 12V Power Converter/Battery Charger (without IQ4) and a SunSaver 15 MPPT Controller with two AGM batteries. Would having the External IQ4 be beneficial to have?
 
Programming the Trimetric
Note: If you have it installed by an electronics shop they probably DIDN'T program it

After installation I checked the P-1 and P-3 settings as I assumed the installer had "programmed" the "L-1" settings ...(He hadn't).

P-1 "Set point voltage" - set at 14.3. Install instructions advised 14.0 for AGM battery = I reset it to 14.0

P-3 "Battery System Capacity". Default setting "220". Exide Website not clear what amp-hour rating for my 75 amp battery. (don't understand - ask)

-------------------- Phone Bogart Engineering ------------

Tech advised setting P-1 to 14.2 or .3 and P-3 to "70" = I did......70 because we have a 75 amp battery.

Then reminded me that "re-booting" the meter sets the % Full to 100% until the first time the battery reaches full than meter will display the correct value.
 
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