Anyone used a Xantrex LinkPro Battery Monitor?

[PwrWgnWalt]

As we continue renovating the Beach-Craft, am thinking about a battery monitor...

The Trimetric 2025RV is at the top of my list, but am seriously looking at the Xantrex LinkPro.
Near as I can tell, they essentially do the same things - except the Link Pro shows Battery Charge (Time) Remaining, while the Trimetric shows Days Since Charged.
Otherwise, both show:
   Battery State of Charge
   Voltage (for up to 2 batteries or 2 banks)
   Current (charge/discharge Amps)  [Trimetric can also show this in Watts]
   AmpHours used

What interests me is the programmable Alarm Relay on the Link Pro... can set it for a particular setting (say, 50% State of Charge, or 12.2 Volts) and have it 'do something' when it hits that measure (the "something" is definable by what you hook that lead up to; it can start a genny, sound an alarm, power an LED warning light, etc.)

If anyone has used a Xantrex LinkPro, especially using the programmable alarm feature and/or the temperature probe, would be interested in hearing your experiences.

- Walt

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Battery Charge (Time) Remaining

They use an average use value to determine this.  Will only be accurate if there is constant (non-changing) current drain on the battery which rarely happens.  I would not use that as a primary factor to determine which one is better.

The external alarm action is only benificial if you have something connected (i.e generator) that will react if the alram goes off.  The alarms (hi/low) themselves would be good though.

Temperature monitoring allows the charging/discharging algorythm to be adjusted to compensate for the effects temperature has on the chemical conversion.  More accurate values.  Error's over time are additive so this helps to reduce the accumaltive errors.

The LinkPro provides for a lot more setup flexability than the Trimetric.  Make real sure you understand what all those settings represent.  Many people do not understand how all those "settings" interact with each other.

LinkPro comes with a 500 amp shunt but can be configured for just about any type of shunt you desire.  Trimetric only comes with either a 100 or 500 amp shunt.  You can only use those 2 shunts.  Shunt size depends on your application.  If you have a "AUX Start Switch and relay" then you want a 500 amp shunt because the engine starter can pull up to 400 amps.  Accuracy is dependent on shunt size (larger shunt is less accurate) however we are talking 0.1 vs 0.01 AH resolution.  It is during periods of very small current charge (float mode) or discharge (only a reading light is on) times that this creates error estimations.

Dave