Info on MT-5 Tracer Meter. | Old Renogy Forum

jmdcn196
New Member

Posts: 1

Info on MT-5 Tracer Meter. Jul 1, 2016 14:42:10 GMT -8

Post by jmdcn196 on Jul 1, 2016 14:42:10 GMT -8

I purchased a Renogy system. I also installed the Charge Controller and MT-5 Tracer Meter. I did the install myself and every thing went up fairly easy. What I need from this group is what are good perimeters. The Meter shows:

-Solar Panel Voltage

-Battery Voltage & Current

-Load Voltage & Current

-Battery Capacity & Temp

-Battery state of charge

I would like to know how the batteries are being charged and discharged.
If the Solar Panels are working like they are supposed to be.

Please let me know if there is a resource that explains this. Thanks.

funster
Guest

Info on MT-5 Tracer Meter. Jul 2, 2016 3:51:39 GMT -8

Post by funster on Jul 2, 2016 3:51:39 GMT -8

I'd monitor battery voltage & current.

100 watt panel ought to produce 5+ amps in full sun when batt is charging below charge controller set point (14.4?)
then batt voltage should stay constant @ 14.4 as the current slowly tapers.
After some time the controller will change set points to float of 13.?

renogy has many different controllers with different set points and features/programmable.

load voltage/current is useless unless you have some lights or somethinged connected to the load terminals, unusual.

battery state of charge is almost useless IMO.

spiderbob
Solar Addict

Posts: 229

Info on MT-5 Tracer Meter. Jul 11, 2016 6:45:38 GMT -8

Post by spiderbob on Jul 11, 2016 6:45:38 GMT -8

I at first also used a Renogy MT-5, and it is great for the person just wanting to know the system is working, but if you want to "monitor" the batteries and system you need to look further and get a good "battery monitor". They are out there, not cheap, but then again, it's all up to you. Two type come to mind, the TriMetric by Bogart Engineering, and LinkPro by Xantrex. I might add you really have to be into using your system as designed to make it worth it, you need to be going off grid a lot, which is what I do.

I forget this one from jsb2000:

I have two of these units. The first is connected between the output of the controller and the battery bank. It shows the voltage (volts), current (amps) and power (watts) being produced by the solar panel and being fed to the batteries.

The second is connected between the batteries and the load (IE any devices I'm powering). It shows the voltage (volts), current (amps), and power (watts) being used from the batteries.

You might be wondering why I placed the first meter after the controller rather than between the panels and the controller. Here's why: I'm more interested in what the controller is feeding the batteries rather than what the panels are feeding the controller. If my batteries are full and I'm not drawing anything from there, I don't care if the panels are sourcing 100 Watts in full sunshine. I want to see the controller sending (practically) NOTHING to those batteries! Similarly, if my batteries require charging and I'm drawing current from them with my lights etc., I want to see what the controller is sending to those batteries in real time. Is it enough to charge the batteries and handle the load? Placing it on the output of the controller will tell me that.

The meters also tell me how MUCH capacity (in Amp/Hours) has passed through them in either direction. This lets me judge how much I've filled or drained the batteries over time. Much more informative than simply looking at the voltage level and trying to judge the charge state of my batteries.

As to the breakers...you have them in the right places. If you add these meters, you want to have the breakers isolate what you're trying to protect from overheating. So...breaker between the battery and everything else (including meters) and breaker between panel and everything else should do it.
Last Edit: Jun 22, 2016 at 5:13pm by jsb2000: Forgot to add breaker information

Last Edit: Jul 11, 2016 7:08:59 GMT -8 by spiderbob

Admin
Administrator

Transitioning to new forum. This forum will be locked September 3rd.

Posts: 387

Info on MT-5 Tracer Meter. Jul 19, 2016 10:26:12 GMT -8

Post by Admin on Jul 19, 2016 10:26:12 GMT -8

Hello,

The MT-5 meter will be able to show you what the panels are producing as far as voltage and what the controller is sending to the battery as far as volts and amps. Regarding the current going out of the battery directly the controller would not be able to keep track of that. Like spiderbob mentioned the trimeter from bogart will keep track of current coming in and the current going out of that battery to keep track of your energy consumption.
-A.L.