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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Tracer plug in Meter
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groingo
Member
# Posted: 19 Feb 2015 16:30 - Edited by: groingo
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Well it arrived in five days when they promised second day and went down hill from there.

The Tracer power meter had some significant problems from the start, the backlit screen that could only be read if you either held it over your head or down at your feet, nothing but a yellow blank screen if looked at directly in front of you.

Battery charge levels were waaaay off, my battery was charged to 12.78 volts yet the meter said it was 46% charged while the amp input from panels was 7.5 amps yet the meter showed it was 0.7.

The instruction manual does have an explanation for the erronious power readings for the meter made just for their own charge controller under Operation Instructions: it explains what MPPT is and then goes on to say this amazing thing...."So the solar panel charging current may not equals to the sum of battery charging current and load current" in other words, because of MPPT this meter will not give correct readings...so what is the point of having one let alone selling one?

Not to mention the large black blobs behind the inaccessible screen cover which was dirt, then there was the mounting bracket....not even gonna go there....thankfully I am not Bruce Banner or Hulk would SMASH!
amazing.jpg
amazing.jpg


toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 19 Feb 2015 18:12
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Maybe UPS used it for a hackey sack and was kicking it around?

Does is read "made in China" anywhere on it?

groingo
Member
# Posted: 19 Feb 2015 18:43 - Edited by: groingo
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Checked the box.... no (plain brown box), manual... no and nowhere on the meter itself does it say where it is made, got some QC stickers and a sticker that says Tracer Mt5 RN but nowhere does it say where it is made, could it be a knock off of a Chinese knockoff?

Strange, the Tracer charge controller is working good but this is clearly NOT made by the same manufacturer, just indicates it is supposed to work on this particular charge controller.

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