Trimetric Owner Warning

[ScottBrownstein]

I already posted this but I guess it went out into the ether!

If you have a Trimetric and you stay connected to shore power almost all the time, don't bother reading further. If you have a solar charger that works every day you can skip this too. However, if you spend long periods without a charger connected you need to read this.

Now, first and foremost, I love my Trimetric and wouldn't have an RV without one. It is the only way to keep track of your battery usage and tell you when to charge that really works (there are other brands as well.) However, if you don't charge for long periods it can be misleading. A Trimetric alone is like using a checkbook and never balancing it. Sure you keep track of how much you put in and how much you take out, but never check the ABSOLUTE amount.

That is what a Trimetric does and it does it very well. However, it really doesn't know what the absolute charge level is. It calculates what you put in and what you take out and give you the net charge. However, it doesn't know about self discharge,required overcharge or other issues like that. Modern converters really don't hit the bank with enough voltage to really get you to a solid 100% since they are worried about overcharging and electrolyte loss.

Bottom line is keep an eye on your resting voltage from the Trimetric. Right now my unit says that I am at 90% but the voltage is 12.3 (after a long rest) and...the hydrometer confirms that I am closer to 50% than I care to be.

For people who operate in this mode, the only solution is an SC-2030 charge controller and 150 or 300 watts of solar. It will hit the batteries hard and keep them at 100%. That is where I am going.

[TURBS]

This one Trimetric and Converter http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...d.php?t=101868


2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "0"
2015 nights camped "34"

[opie]

Good info, especially for newbies like me.

Thanks.

[Rbertalotto]

Agreed! Trimetric and Bogart solar controller and 280watts of solar is the balls!

[nodrawers]

ITS A HARD COMBINATION TO BEAT. Since I allready had the TM & SC 2030 & 200w portable I added 200w to the roof. When I plug in the portables I have 400w. Park in shade & still have 200w. Caint beleive how good it works. Now more battery.

[opie]

Would you mind posting a link to the 200w portable you have?

[Bluepill]

Advice from a long-time trimetric dealer:

One you program it for something around 87 to 94 percent efficiency of your battery, and that allows for recharging more amp hours than are withdrawn (heat etc.) in order to accurately call it 100% full charge again. The other is that if additional amp hours are put in the battery causing it to be measured as over 100% full, as soon as the next discharge begins the meter resets from whatever overcharge back to 100%, since no battery is really at a positive number like 105% charge.

[nodrawers]

Originally Posted by opie

Would you mind posting a link to the 200w portable you have?

200W Solar Powered Folding Portable Solar Panel for Caravan Trailer Camping RV | eBay $336.

That being said I wouldn't buy it again. It will sort of work but the stand is really lousy & weak. I am only using the portable panels (reinforced the stand) to feed a trimetric TM2030R & SC2030. It works so well now I added 2 100w from mountainwindtrad... ( 3588 ) $219. They just parallel with the portable when I plug them in (400Watt). Also allows me 200W when parked in the shade I love so much.

[opie]

Originally Posted by nodrawers

200W Solar Powered Folding Portable Solar Panel for Caravan Trailer Camping RV | eBay $336.

That being said I wouldn't buy it again. It will sort of work but the stand is really lousy & weak. I am only using the portable panels (reinforced the stand) to feed a trimetric TM2030R & SC2030. It works so well now I added 2 100w from mountainwindtrad... ( 3588 ) $219. They just parallel with the portable when I plug them in (400Watt). Also allows me 200W when parked in the shade I love so much.

Thank you.

Sent from a field

[jkot]

Originally Posted by Rbertalotto

Agreed! Trimetric and Bogart solar controller and 280watts of solar is the balls!

Hi,

I don't have solar (yet). Maybe a year or so. But solar panels work better when the are cool (ironic because you need the sunlight which is what gets them hot -)).

So what if you put Styrofoam underneath the panel. This will keep the reflected heat from the roof off the panel. Now the question is (1) will this help at all (2) should the foam be left white or black.

Are you in the position to try this experiment. My belief is that black is the better choice.

Cheers

[jkot]

Hi,

I don't have solar (yet). Maybe a year or so. But solar panels work better when the are cool (ironic because you need the sunlight which is what gets them hot -)).

So what if you put Styrofoam underneath the panel. This will keep the reflected heat from the roof off the panel. Now the question is (1) will this help at all (2) should the foam be left white or black.

Are you in the position to try this experiment. My belief is that black is the better choice.

Cheers



p.s.
Is this a waste of time, IDK. I don't think so. If you look at the specification of your panel you'll see how quickly the efficiency drops off as the temperature of the panel goes up. At high temperatures: 80F-90F it falls off like a rock.


So if you can keep it below the 80F and down in the 70s, this might be a cheap fix.

[Rbertalotto]

I was told to leave a space under the panels for ventilation. My roof is white so I dont get as much heat build up as if it was black.

On my house, all the solar panels are at least two inches off the roof. Again , I was told this was to keep them cool.

BTW, an added by product of solar on my house, where the entire south roof is covered, is we haven't used AC in the three years the panels have been installed!

[boondocking]

The heat generated is from the sun shining on the top of the panel, not from reflected heat off the roof. If you put foam under the panel it will insulate the panel, thus no air in contact with the underside of the panel to help dissipate the heat.