If you are already familiar with the TM-2020 operation:

List of differences of the TM-2025 (compared to TM-2020)

For more specific operational details see below: ‘”Getting up to speed on the new TM-2025

Advantages:

• Includes as standard a measure of lightning protection and overvoltage protection that was only available when using the TM-48VA 48Vadapter before.
• Can measure voltage of a second battery (or other source).
• It comes in two versions which are operationally identical but differ in physical size and label color.
  • TM-2025-A: Physically identical in size and color with the TM-2020: Fits in a “double gang” electrical box and is not furnished with an enclosure.
  • TM-2025-RV: Narrower front panel than TM-2020, and more muted colors: beige with black printing.
• Now works with 48V battery systems standard as well as 12 and 24Vsystems.
• Displays “watts” as well as “amps”. You can choose “Watts” or “Amps” as the most prominent display showing energy entering or leaving the battery . The other measurement is shown as a “secondary” display.
• Programming of system data should be less confusing. The programmed data can be observed more easily, with less danger of unintentionally changing data.
• Three levels of easily selectable operation are available: “Level 1” is the simplest, suitable for most users. “Level 2” adds some data logging features. “Level 3” adds both more choice and also more complexity.
• New data logging (Levels 2 or 3) shows recent charge cycle, and daily system data— intended to aid the technically minded with information to check that the meter is correctly connected and furnish rudimentary system data.
• Has a simple “serial output” of all real time data: which the technically savvy could find useful for computer connection or possibly allowing control of an external device based on the TriMetric data.

Disadvantages:

Retail cost is about $12 more. But total cost is often less, because the TM-2025-RV includes an enclosure. And if used with 48V systems it does not require an additional adapter.

Getting up to speed on the new TM-2025: Operational Differences:

If you are familiar with TM-2020 operation the section below will help you quickly get used to the slightly changed operation.

The manuals referred to below are the TM-2025 User’s and Installer’s manuals:

TriMetric Manuals

• The TM-2025 comes in two versions which are identical except for physical size and label color.
  • “TM-2025-A” is physically almost the same as the older TM-2020: It mounts in a double gang electrical box, and is not furnished with an enclosure. The label colors are silver text on dark blue with orange border, identical to the TM-2020.
  • “TM-2025 RV” version is a little less wide than the TM-2020, comes with its own cream colored enclosure designed to be surface mounted to a wall, so does not need an additional mounting enclosure. The label colors are more subdued than theTM-2020: beige and black. Size: 4.25 x 3x 1.25 inches. 11 x 8 x 3.2 cm.
• The front panel appearance and operation by a user is very similar to the TM-2020. Also refer to page 3 of “User’s manual” for a visual aid. Here are some differences:
• To view the “EXTRA DATA”, just as in the TM-2020 you hold down the SELECT button for a few seconds, then release when the “Ah” appears (which shows amp hours from full). However, with the TM-2025 if you continue holding down the SELECT button the display will continue to cycle to PROGRAM VIEW mode, then HISTORY modes (indicated by P then H in the left digit of the display) then back to “REGULAR DISPLAY” , “EXTRA DATA”, which will repeatedly cycle for as long as you hold down the button. When you get to the section you want, release “Select”.
• This makes it much easier to view the “Program” mode data. Now to view all the data, once getting to the programmed data (with ”P” in the left display position) instead of doing multiple “push select, then reset” for each one, you can just repeatedly push the SELECT button to quickly view all seven programmed values (or more, when operating at operating level L3, as described below) This was changed from the TM-2020 because many people had trouble with viewing the Program modes. Refer to “Table 2” data on page 6 of the “User’s Instructions” to identify the programmed data. “Programming” below has further differences in the programming operation.
• Access “HISTORY” mode in a manner similar to above, but instead while holding SELECT down wait for the H to appear—then release. This is only visible if Level 2 or 3 is selected. (See “3 levels of operating complexity”, below). Note that three items on the TM-2020 have been removed from the “EXTRA DATA” display: Low and High battery volts, Cumulative amp hours) , and have been moved to the new “HISTORY” mode which has more detail than before and has this data in a more useful form. This was moved because many users of the TM-2020 did not use or understand these functions. See User’s instructions, section 4, and also notes below on “HISTORY DATA”.
• The TM-2025 now can display WATTS in and out of the battery. The main display defaults to “AMPS”, as before. However WATTS can be substituted for the AMPS display if desired. (Program mode P4 gives you this option). But for either choice made in the main display, the other one is shown as a SECONDARY DISPLAY. In the secondary display the Amps is identified by an “A” and the Watts is identified with “Pr” (for “Power”) . When viewing Watts remember that the flashing decimal point means “multiply the reading by 1000”.
• Three Levels of operating complexity To make the TM-2025 simpler for many users, yet allow flexibility for those that require it, you can select three different levels of complexity: L1, L2 and L3, selected by program P7. L1 is the default (lowest) level, and we believe that 75% of users will use it at this level. L2 and L3 are for those people who want more flexible operation, and don’t mind reading the instructions.
• L1:: Has 7 program modes: (1)“charged voltage” and (2)“charged amp” setpoints, (3) battery capacity, (4)whether “amps” or “watts” is on the main display , (5)days before charged reminder, (6)days before “equalize” reminder and (7)choice of operating level. At this level the shunt type must be the 500A/50mV shunt. The efficiency factor is fixed at 94% and the “automatic” reset is always “ON”.
• L2: Adds the ability to view the “HISTORY” data (described below). History data is always recorded, though not displayed at level L1.
• L3: In addition to L2, allows at least 9 more program parameters to change shunt type, efficiency factor, turn off automatic reset, add “time required before reached charged” parameter, and allows voltage calibration of the TM-2025. It also allows the viewing of “filtered” amps and voltage data. (See section 6.2, paragraph 5 in User’s manual)
• HISTORY DATA: The new TM-2025 has some rudimentary “history” data. This enables you to detect that the loads and sources are wired properly so that current through them is travelling through the shunt. This is important for the “battery % full” readings and “amp hour from full” readings on the TriMetric to read correctly. You can also check that the “charged” voltage settings in the battery chargers and charge controllers appear to be correct for good battery life, and that batteries are being adequately charged, and that batteries are not being overly discharged. This is described in section 6.3 of the User’s manual. Also additional information will be available on the web site for analyzing this data.
• Programming: The TM-2025 is easier to program. (Many people had difficulties figuring out how to program the TM-2020) The section above explained that to get to the PROGRAM VIEW mode you hold the SELECT button down for several seconds and release when the “P” appears in the left display digit. Next, pushing SELECT advances so you can easily view each programmed data from P1 through the highest one as shown on table 2 and 3 on page 6-7 of the User’s manual—and also above under ”L1”. Now only if you need to CHANGE the value do you push SELECT and RESET both together, and then use RESET to change values, just as before. See section 5 of the User’s manual.

Some other differences and improvements:

• Works with 48V systems without the 48V adapter required with the TM-2020.
• Has lightning protection almost as good as what is included in the TM-2020 when the lightning protection (TM-48VA) is used. However the lightning warranty is not included in the TM-2025.
• Has provision for measuring the battery voltage (only) of a second battery, for example a motor starting battery, or possibly solar panel input voltage (under 100 volts).
• For technical users it has a serial data (ASCII) output for all real time data. More information is available on the web site about this.
• Has two instruction manuals (a User’s manual and Installer’s manual) which has been written to be easier to read by non technical people, yet have the more technical information available for those that want it.
• For judging that the battery is full, the TM-2525 uses a very slightly different method that uses values of volts and amps that are fairly heavily filtered. For details see section 6.2 of the User’s manual.