Instruction Manual

11
1.C: Summary of the 29 specific “real time” measurements made by the
PentaMetric.
These are summarized here. They are described in much more detail in section 6B.
1.C.1 Battery volts, amps, amp hours, watts, watt hours for up to 2 battery
systems
Measures instantaneous battery volts, amps, watts, in and out of batteries, amp hours from full
charge, watt-hours, for up to 2 battery banks sharing a common negative. Volts are measured to
0.1 volts, from 10.0 to 99.9 volts. Amps are measured from .1 to 1000 Amps with the 500A/50mV
shunt, or 0.01 to 300 Amps with 100A/100mV shunt. (Lower current ranges can be measured with
special shunts.)
1.C.2 State of charge for up to 2 battery banks
This shows the user how much energy is left in the battery banks. The display is shown as a
percentage. It is derived by measuring the number of the “amp hours” removed from a full battery
based on a value of “capacity” which you program into the PentaMetric. It is also possible to view
the same information as “amp hours removed from a full battery”.
1.C.3 Cumulative (negative) amp hours for up to 2 battery banks.
This measures only the discharging amp hours, without counting the charging amp hours, which
shows the total, long term accumulated discharge amp hours from each battery bank. This gives a
“bottom line” measure of how much total use the batteries have seen in their lifetime, similar to an
odometer in a car. This number is retained even if power from the meter is temporarily
disconnected.
1.C.4: Charging or load current (amps) and amp hours
It measures the input current (amps) and amp hours for up to three charging sources (such as
solar or wind) or loads (such as an inverter). The PentaMetric has 3 “amps” channels to measure
this type of data. Thus if 1 battery system is being monitored, up to two charging sources/loads
may be also measured. If 2 battery systems are being monitored then one source/load may be
measured.
1.C.5: Charging or load watts and watt hours
It shows the instantaneous input watts and watt hours, for up to two charging sources (such as
solar or wind) or loads (such as an inverter).The PentaMetric has 2 channels to measure this type
of data. (Watts=volts times amps) One channel uses “amps 1” and “volts1” measurements. The
other uses “amps 2” and “volts2”. Thus if 1 battery system is being monitored for watts, one
charging source/load may be also measured.
1.C.6 Days since battery was fully charged or equalized
It shows how many “days since battery was fully charged” and “how many days since battery
was equalized” for up to 2 battery banks. This helps insure that a battery system does not go too
long between full charges, which would impair its life.
1.C.7 Filtered volts and Filtered amps
The two “Volts” channels and three “amps” can also be viewed with a filter time constant of .5, 2,
or 8 minutes. This provides a “smoothed”, slowly changing view of all (2) volts and (3) amps