[RE-wrenches] Trace TM500

[Nick Soleil]

Ralph is great treasure and Bogart Engineering is one of a kind.  That is the 
only company in the world where the owner/engineer answers the phone everytime, 
ready to help you solve your needs.  Thanks Ralph!

 Nick Soleil
Project Manager
Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC
PO Box 657
Petaluma, CA 94953
Cell:   707-321-2937
Office: 707-789-9537
Fax:    707-769-9037




________________________________
From: Howie Michaelson <howie at suncatchervt.com>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Tue, December 14, 2010 9:37:28 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Trace TM500

Hi Phil,

I can see how that might cause problems so I will try that fix.  While I'm
not sure how higher resistance would cause the lack of resetting the
amphours back down to zero from the "positive" territory it can go into
during the charging cycles, I have certainly seen lots of funny behavior
with the TM500, specifically caused by the shunt board sitting on top of
the shunt.

[Rant warning]
Xantrex's explanation (as best I can remember it from several years back)
was that having part of the processor on the shunt board attached to the
shunt allowed for high frequency signals to confuse the C40 and shut it
off.  It appeared that it was only an issue with 48 volt systems.  Not
sure they ever fixed the problem, other than telling folks who knew to ask
that they should remove either the C40 or the TM500.  It took me about 8
months and many visit to the remote site and dozens of calls to Xantrex
for them to finally allow for the fact that there was a problem, and the
engineers that were aware of it hadn't even informed tech support about
the potential issue for several months.  One reason why I don't touch
Xantrex any more...
[End Rant]

And thanks Alan, calling Ralph might be helpful - in fact he was who
helped me begin to figure out what was happening with the TM500 and C40
when Xantrex was not owning up to anything...

Howie
-- 
Howie Michaelson
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™

Sun Catcher, LLC
Renewable Energy Systems Sales and Service
VT Solar & Wind Incentive Program Partner
http://www.SunCatcherVT.com
(cell) 802-272-0004
(home) 802-439-6096


On Tue, December 14, 2010 11:30 am, Phil Undercuffler wrote:
> The biggest difference between the two meters is the TM500 uses a RJ11
> plug
> and telephone style cable between a shunt board and the meter.  Since
> amphour meters work by measuring voltage drop across the shunt my guess
> would be that the meter has lost connectivity to the shunt, probably
> through
> those pinche connectors.  Higher resistance = lower voltage measured =
> decreased current flow recorded.  Any oxidation or corrosion of the tiny
> little pins will create inaccurate readings.
>
> Try wiggling the connectors and repeatedly plugging and unplugging them at
> both ends, and see if that clears up the issue.  If that works, put a dab
> of
> silicone grease on the connectors to minimize chances of it happening
> again.
>
>
> Phil Undercuffler
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 10:53 PM, Howie Michaelson
> <howie at suncatchervt.com>wrote:
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> In the past 2 months, I've had 2 separate clients with 48 volt SW
>> systems
>> have their TM500 stop resetting amphours - even after there is no
>> current
>> flowing into the bank for hours.  The meter never goes below "0" amp
>> hours
>> and always shows "Full" SOC.  These are TM500s that have behaved
>> properly
>> (at least in that way) for years.  Anyone else ever seen this?  Another
>> time bomb?  Any fix other than replacing with a Trimetric 2020.  I've
>> seen
>> bizarre behavior from the TM500 before, in a 48 volt system setting up
>> some high frequencies which effectively shut down the C40 on the system,
>> but haven't seen this anomaly before these 2 systems...
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Howie
>> --
>> Howie Michaelson
>> NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
>>
>> Sun Catcher, LLC
>> Renewable Energy Systems Sales and Service
>> VT Solar & Wind Incentive Program Partner
>> http://www.SunCatcherVT.com
>> (cell) 802-272-0004
>> (home) 802-439-6096
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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