Bogart/Trimetric

icarus
icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
in Solar Product Reviews & Opinions #1
I have been using a Bogart Trimetric battery meter for ~4 years now and it is a great tool. In addition to providing the best real time battery info, it has been flawless.

Of late I noticed an erratic reading on the amps scale. A note Bogart returned a very nice, very helpful not from Ralph Hiesey who is a principle at Bogart. He made a number of suggestions over a number of e-mails, and indeed offered for me to return the unit for any repair if it needed it, even though it is long our of warrantee. It turned out to be a loose wire between the shunt and the meter, so all for naught as it turns our.

My point in this however is to point out the very helpful, timely and without complaint. I would highly recommend their products and their service.

Tony
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Comments

  • moorsb
    moorsb Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #2
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    I find the TM2020 difficult to configure. The keyboard has only 2 keys and this limits the setup process. I noticed that if you try to configure the unit while it is running with a load it seems to respond very slowly to the keyboard input. It is too busy doing calculations on the load it what I think is going on. The device should also have protection built in. A fuse, diode protection for reverse polarity and surge suppression built in would be nice to have.
    The function that this unit provides is very important for those running off of a battery system. It just needs to be easier to implement. I also found out that it will mount in a dual gang pvc electric box too, you just have to turn it sideways to fit.
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  • sloarlite
    sloarlite Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    I've had a Trimetric for <> 6 years or so. I belong to an RV forum and there are 100's of us that use the trimetric. Never heard anyone complain about adding a fuse. on the 12vdc line....Some have found the programming a little difficult but after a few times, programming became easy. After you have set your parameters that is usually the end of programming until a system upgrade. Let me tell you that programming the Trimetric is a hell of a lot easier than setting up a "POP-3 Account in Windows Outlook express...hee hee

    Surge suppression is avail but does cost.

    I don't know if there are any easier to program AH monitors avail....

    Totally pleased with mine.

    Jim
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  • tallgirl
    tallgirl Solar Expert Posts: 413 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    The PentaMetric is the sweetness ;)
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  • moorsb
    moorsb Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #5
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    I like the functionality of the unit, it is the process to make it work that I think could be improved.
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  • sloarlite
    sloarlite Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    Here's a link to the Manual for the 2020....Page 13 is the page you should be working from....

    http://www.bogartengineering.com/sites/default/files/docs/TM-2020Instruc-October2005.pdf

    You said you could not find the AH capacity of the trimetric and thought it was a max of 99....Look on page 13 ....Display column...Look down to AH from full.....Look right and you will see.....ah 10-2500ah

    As for programming I can't see it being anymore simple than what this says..I omitted step 1.

    (2) First push SELECT—then (quickly) push RESET so they are both momentarily pushed together—then release both . (If
    you don't do it quickly enough you'll get the "A-HR" display instead. In that case, you will have to start with step 1
    again.) Flashing volts/amps/Battery % lamp(s) confirms you are in a program mode. The numerical display will now
    show the "programmable data" shown in table.


    (3) To change data slowly, push "RESET button repeatedly. To change data faster, hold RESET down for several seconds.
    (4)When desired data is shown, push SELECT to exit program mode. Now you have set that data into the TriMetric.
    (5) Now, decide on the next item you wish to program, and repeat starting at step 1.

    Now you could have a button for everything or a rotating dial and buttons....Then your panel could be as big as the operator panel of a IBM 360/65 mainframe or a 707....

    I know, I know,,,,,,,,Those damn rainbird sprinkler controllers are impossible to program too....:D

    Jim
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  • moorsb
    moorsb Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #7
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    I printed that out and was following the instruction on setup that was thowing me off, pluse I could not get the unit to enter into the mode where all three leds flash. It was the charged current setpoint that was messing me up. It only goes to 99 not 100 like it says it then rolls over to off. I think I set it for 60 and the bank capacity is 1125 a/h I just do not like the way it is written. It seems to give you more info than the task at hand when you read it.
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    Yea, but you only have to program it once every X years!

    Tony
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  • Shadowcatcher
    Shadowcatcher Solar Expert Posts: 228 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    Always a good idea to give credit where credit is due thanks for giving your experience.
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  • moorsb
    moorsb Solar Expert Posts: 38 ✭
    #10
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    It does seem to work well once it is configured correctly. A feature I wish it had would be a relay output for when you reach a given setpoint, Perhaps 2 Relays.
    Based on reaching a certain drain level you start dropping loads.
    Is anyone using latching relays for load control?
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  • tallgirl
    tallgirl Solar Expert Posts: 413 ✭✭
    #11
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric
    moorsb wrote: »
    It does seem to work well once it is configured correctly. A feature I wish it had would be a relay output for when you reach a given setpoint, Perhaps 2 Relays.
    Based on reaching a certain drain level you start dropping loads.
    Is anyone using latching relays for load control?

    Look at the Morningstar Relay Driver -- very handy gadget. I suspect NAWS even sells them ;)
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  • KJINTF
    KJINTF Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭
    #12
    Re: Bogart/Trimetric

    I would venture to guess that most every Motor Home produced in the past 10 years is using some sort of a latching relay. Mine has the Intellitec stuff which draws no current with exception of the "ON" status led. They are nice mechanical latching relays.

    The Morningstar RD-1 does a great job, too bad the TriMetric 2025 did not have a relay option. However the RD-1 does NOT use relays it uses FETs to ground to activate a channel. The active channel needs to have some small pull up "load" for it to properly function (Not a well documented feature, Sonalert / LED alone do not work, needed resistors). It also will also phantom power if a channel being used as a voltage sence input becomes higher than the power input.

    Ken
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