One Trimetric - Two Banks?
Is it possible to wire things in such a way to monitor two banks with one meter, not necessarily at the same time? Thanks!
Forum Discussion
It might be possible. You would need separate shunts. But the problem is they act like a gas gauge, where it meters the electricity that has left the gauge, and when connected to another battery bank, it will start at reading "Full" and then count down the amp hours leaving the battery bank. As it recharges, it will start to go from say -50 Ah to around 0 AH after adding about 60 - 65 AH (it does not give full credit for each amp hour added, just the amp hours removed. Then added amp hours are at the discount rate to take into account in-efficiencies in the battery chemicals). If you keep charging you might see a +35 AH reading by the end of the day, indicating that the battery bank is now full, and a additional 35 AH was added after the removed amperage was replaced. This will happen for two reasons, such as being connected recently, or if the battery voltage is so high that water is boiling out of the battery today.
Anyway it is not like your car gas gauge, where you can hook it up mid-day and read how much is in there. It needs to be connected to the battery all day long to monitor the amps as they leave.
I have a "E-Meter" - a 1997 version of the Tri Metric. It works great.
I think they might sell a version that can be connected to two batteries at once, but not sure on that!
HomePower.com might be able to answer these types of questions. They have a few E-Meters or Tri Metrics hooked up at HP Headquarters, way out in the back woods, monitoring their solar systems, and main battery bank. They are off grid, and really know what they are talking about.
I would refer you to another site, but he retired a year ago, and would not be able to help.
Good luck,
Fred.
Anyway it is not like your car gas gauge, where you can hook it up mid-day and read how much is in there. It needs to be connected to the battery all day long to monitor the amps as they leave.
I have a "E-Meter" - a 1997 version of the Tri Metric. It works great.
I think they might sell a version that can be connected to two batteries at once, but not sure on that!
HomePower.com might be able to answer these types of questions. They have a few E-Meters or Tri Metrics hooked up at HP Headquarters, way out in the back woods, monitoring their solar systems, and main battery bank. They are off grid, and really know what they are talking about.
I would refer you to another site, but he retired a year ago, and would not be able to help.
Good luck,
Fred.
