Instruction Manual

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These both read a “filtered” version of Battery1 volts, with a time constant which may be 0.5 minutes, 2
minutes or 8 minutes, or, (if this filtering action is not desired, it may be set to 0, in which case these
displays will be identical with AD1 or AD2.) Thus it is a very “sluggish” version of Battery1 and
Battery2 volts. The 8 minute time constant is the slowest, and most “sluggish”. The “.5 minute” time
constant means that if the input voltage suddenly changes from 20.0 to 30.0 volts, this filtered version
will take 0.5 minutes to get 63% of the way from 20 to 30, (i.e. to 26.3 volts) then another .5 minutes to
go 63% of the rest of the way, etc, etc until it finally approaches to 30.0 These “filtered” values are
used by the logged data programs that record “volts” and “amps”, so that the values it records will not
be sudden, anomalous values. It is also used for the battery “alarm” voltages, so that the alarms do
not react to a sudden and brief drop in voltage, caused, for example by a momentary motor starting
load. The choice of time constants may be entered using program mode P16. Only one choice of
filter time may be used at any one time-- in other words, the “filtered volts” and “filtered amps” will both
have the same filter time as specified in program mode P16
AD3 (Battery 2 filtered volts) is also affected by program mode P6 , (“battery 1 label”) as described
under Battery1 volts (AD1), Battery 2 volts (AD2).
AD7, AD8, AD9: Amps1 (AD7), Amps2(AD8), Amps3(AD9).
Program modes affecting data: P7, P8, P9, P11, P12, P13.
These are the three values of amps measured directly at the input device at Amps1, Amps2 and
Amps3 terminals. It shows charging (+) and discharging (-) amps, from 0.1 to 1000 Amps (with
500A/50mV shunt) or 0.01 to 200 Amps (with 100A/100mV shunt). In addition, for firmware version
2.0 or greater, it is also possible to set up the PentaMetric so that Amps2 display value will be equal
to the sum of the currents from the input shunt1+shunt2. This could be useful for very large battery
systems where the total current is so great that it is desirable to split the current between two shunts to
avoid overheating the shunts. In this case “Amps1” display will still read only the “Amps1” shunt.
Program mode P7, P8 and P9. “Amps” label: “#1 Amps”, “#2 Amps” and “#3 Amps” are the
default labels for these--but these are not helpful descriptions of the actual measurement in most
applications. The PentaMetric Program modes P7, P8, P9 allow a choice of other labels for these, if
desired. For example, “#1 Amps” can be labeled instead by any one of the following: “SOL Amps”
“WIND Amps”, HydroAmps”, “ LOAD Amps”, “Bat1 Amps”, “BATT Amps” or you may have it read
“#1 Amps”. Similar choices are available for #2 Amps and #3 Amps. (Note: eventually we also expect
that “Bat2 Amps” will also be available as a choice.) The same label that applies to “Amps1” will also
apply to “ Average amps1”, #1Amp-hours, Watts1 and Watt-hours1.
Program mode P11, P12 and P13, “shunt type” must be programmed correctly with proper shunt
type (resistance) that is used for measuring “amps” for each of the 3 “amp” displays. Otherwise the
“amps” could be off by a factor of 10. Each of the 3 amps displays allows for a choice of either a
100A/100mV shunt, or a 500A/50mV shunt. If the 100A shunt is chosen, the PentaMetric will read
amps from 0.01 up to a maximum of 200A. (However the shunt itself usually has a limitation of 100A
or less.) If the 500A shunt is chosen, the PentaMetric will display amps from 0.1 to a maximum of
1000A--but the shunt is generally limited to 400 amps (continuous), above which it will overheat. For
firmware version 2.0 or greater, if desired to allow Amps2 to measure the total current in shunts 1+
shunt 2, then program P12 (“Amps2 shunt type”) for “A1+A2”
AD10, AD11, AD12:Average (filtered) amps1 (AD10), Average (filtered) amps2
(AD11), Average (filtered) amps3 (AD12),
Program modes affecting data: P7, P8, P9, P11, P12, P13, P16.
These are “sluggish” or slowly varying versions of Amps1 ,Amps2, Amps3 (AD7-AD9). They are
filtered in exactly the same way as “Filtered volts”, AD3 and AD4. Refer to section on AD3 and AD4,
“Average (filtered) battery1 volts” for description of the filtering process. These filtered values are
used when values of “amps” are recorded in the data logging functions, so that short term anomalous
values are not logged. It is also useful for observing “amps” values that vary somewhat erratically,
such as wind charging current, to get a better idea of the average amps being delivered by a wind
generator that may have varying speed with the changing wind. As described in more detail in section
AD3 and AD4, Program mode P16 is used to select the time constant of filtering. Only one choice of