<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt">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!<br><div> </div>Nick Soleil<br>Project Manager<br>Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC<br>PO Box 657<br>Petaluma, CA 94953<br>Cell: 707-321-2937<br>Office: 707-789-9537<br>Fax: 707-769-9037<div><br></div><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Howie Michaelson <howie@suncatchervt.com><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> RE-wrenches
<re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Tue, December 14, 2010 9:37:28 AM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Trace TM500<br></font><br>
Hi Phil,<br><br>I can see how that might cause problems so I will try that fix. While I'm<br>not sure how higher resistance would cause the lack of resetting the<br>amphours back down to zero from the "positive" territory it can go into<br>during the charging cycles, I have certainly seen lots of funny behavior<br>with the TM500, specifically caused by the shunt board sitting on top of<br>the shunt.<br><br>[Rant warning]<br>Xantrex's explanation (as best I can remember it from several years back)<br>was that having part of the processor on the shunt board attached to the<br>shunt allowed for high frequency signals to confuse the C40 and shut it<br>off. It appeared that it was only an issue with 48 volt systems. Not<br>sure they ever fixed the problem, other than telling folks who knew to ask<br>that they should remove either the C40 or the TM500. It took me about 8<br>months and many visit to the remote site and dozens of calls to
Xantrex<br>for them to finally allow for the fact that there was a problem, and the<br>engineers that were aware of it hadn't even informed tech support about<br>the potential issue for several months. One reason why I don't touch<br>Xantrex any more...<br>[End Rant]<br><br>And thanks Alan, calling Ralph might be helpful - in fact he was who<br>helped me begin to figure out what was happening with the TM500 and C40<br>when Xantrex was not owning up to anything...<br><br>Howie<br>-- <br>Howie Michaelson<br>NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer\u2122<br><br>Sun Catcher, LLC<br>Renewable Energy Systems Sales and Service<br>VT Solar & Wind Incentive Program Partner<br><span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.SunCatcherVT.com">http://www.SunCatcherVT.com</a></span><br>(cell) 802-272-0004<br>(home) 802-439-6096<br><br><br>On Tue, December 14, 2010 11:30 am, Phil Undercuffler wrote:<br>> The biggest difference between the two meters is the TM500 uses
a RJ11<br>> plug<br>> and telephone style cable between a shunt board and the meter. Since<br>> amphour meters work by measuring voltage drop across the shunt my guess<br>> would be that the meter has lost connectivity to the shunt, probably<br>> through<br>> those pinche connectors. Higher resistance = lower voltage measured =<br>> decreased current flow recorded. Any oxidation or corrosion of the tiny<br>> little pins will create inaccurate readings.<br>><br>> Try wiggling the connectors and repeatedly plugging and unplugging them at<br>> both ends, and see if that clears up the issue. If that works, put a dab<br>> of<br>> silicone grease on the connectors to minimize chances of it happening<br>> again.<br>><br>><br>> Phil Undercuffler<br>><br>><br>><br>><br>><br>> On Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 10:53 PM, Howie Michaelson<br>> <<a
ymailto="mailto:howie@suncatchervt.com" href="mailto:howie@suncatchervt.com">howie@suncatchervt.com</a>>wrote:<br>><br>>> Hi All,<br>>><br>>> In the past 2 months, I've had 2 separate clients with 48 volt SW<br>>> systems<br>>> have their TM500 stop resetting amphours - even after there is no<br>>> current<br>>> flowing into the bank for hours. The meter never goes below "0" amp<br>>> hours<br>>> and always shows "Full" SOC. These are TM500s that have behaved<br>>> properly<br>>> (at least in that way) for years. Anyone else ever seen this? Another<br>>> time bomb? Any fix other than replacing with a Trimetric 2020. I've<br>>> seen<br>>> bizarre behavior from the TM500 before, in a 48 volt system setting up<br>>> some high frequencies which effectively shut down the C40 on the system,<br>>> but haven't seen this
anomaly before these 2 systems...<br>>><br>>> Thanks,<br>>> Howie<br>>> --<br>>> Howie Michaelson<br>>> NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer\u2122<br>>><br>>> Sun Catcher, LLC<br>>> Renewable Energy Systems Sales and Service<br>>> VT Solar & Wind Incentive Program Partner<br>>> <a href="http://www.SunCatcherVT.com" target="_blank">http://www.SunCatcherVT.com</a><br>>> (cell) 802-272-0004<br>>> (home) 802-439-6096<br>>><br>>><br>>><br>>><br>>><br>>> _______________________________________________<br>>> List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br>>><br>>> List Address: <a ymailto="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>>><br>>> Options & settings:<br><span>>> <a target="_blank"
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