Fuel flow meter

[jpbullet]

Who's using a fuel flow meter on their boat? Which meter are you using? Pro's and con's (what you like and don't like about your unit)? Who has the best price?

I have done a little research, but still am confused a little. Found several units. Lowrance makes one (LMF-200) that I don't think will work with my motor (98 Mercury 200 efi). Something about an NMEA 2000 bus that I don't have or is not compatible with my motor. Sounds like a very good unit though.

Navman 2100 - looks like a pretty inexpensive unit and somewhat simple to hook up. Doesn't give you MPG though (only GPH).

Livorsi makes one and Floscan makes one but I dont know much about their units.

Guys let me know your experience with any of these!

[STV_Keith]

Don't run one yet, but I've been watching for a deal on a twin 50gph flowscan for a while. That's what I'm going with.

[THEFERMANATOR]

You can run the LOWRANCE LMF-200 or 400 with your engine, you'll just have to use the LOWRANCE NMEA 2000 fuel flow sensor. Do you currently have a GPS? If not do you plan on installing one? The LOWRANCE LMF-200 will only give GPH unless you hook it up to a NMEA 2000 GPS or a NMEA 2000 GPS sensor($150 for the guage and sending unit, plus another $200 for the GPS sensor). The NAVMAN stuff is now being made by NORTHSTAR. NORTHSTAR's stuff can be integrated into the MERCURY SMARTCRAFT if you have it, or you can add on a flow sensor to it. The 2100 NORTHSTAR guage that gives strictly GPH can be bought for $100 from BOATERS WORLD. Or you can buy a NORTHSTAR EXPLORER series GPS or combo unit and hook the fuel flow sensor to it for real time GPH and MPG plus total fuel used per trip and estimated distance based on remaining fuel. GARMIN also offers a fuel flow sensor for there CAN NET compliant units.

There are alot of options out there as well with the FLOSCAN units and a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

[jpbullet]

Thanks! But in reading the manual to the Lowrance gauge it says that it requires the NMEA 2000 bus. Can you explain this? I like the looks of this gauge better, but I want to make sure that it will work with my setup before I make the purchase. As for the GPS I dont plan on buying that at this point. I still use a handheld unit so I can just do the math to make that MPG calculation.

[THEFERMANATOR]

The NMEA 2000 backbone will be VERY simple for just a fuel flow guage. You can buy the guage with all of the cables and terminators for about $125. The way the NMEA bus works is everything on it is powered off of the bus, each sensor gets it's power from the network instead of each sensor being individually powered. If you buy the LOWRANCE LMF-200 with the sensor, it will come with the guage, a tee with 2 bottom taps, a guage cable, a terminator and another terminator with a power connection. You just hook the power connection up to a toggle switch, the guage will go to the bottom of the tee as well as the flow sensor, and a terminator at each end. The one terminator with a power hook-up will go to your switch via a 3 amp fuse and your done with the install. Then you go in and power the network and set-up the guage for the flow sensor and what read-outs you want and tank size and your done. The NORTHSTAR/NAVMAN guage is even simpler(and cheaper) as it strictly does fuel flow, so a couple of connections and set it up for your tank size and go. FARIA offers one as well as FLOSCAN, but theres are alot more money.

[AlanButts]

Snake Oil

[jpbullet]

Thanks Fermenator for the great info! Do you use a flow meter? If so what kind and how do you like it?

As for your comment Alan, "snake oil" sounds like a ridiculous response without an explanation as to why you feel that way. I like information from both sides of the fence, but "snake oil" doesn't help me out much.

[kimswang]

I have also been looking at these gauges for obvious reasons... The problem I am running into is ridicoulously high prices and no performance. They are comming down in price but not enough for me to consider it yet. there should be one digital display with the ability to display GPH/MPG/Range/time/fuel left/and also be able to connect to your GPS so that you with easy can see how much fuel it will take you to go to another destination. Then some gauges with either GPH or MPG should hook up to this unit. A must for me is also the ability to read more than one engine, something the manufacturers does not take into account (at least not for more than two engines...). This is not rocket science to make and I might make it one day. All the input reqired is NMEA signal with speed, time, distance, and a total fuel flow...

[THEFERMANATOR]

I have also been looking at these gauges for obvious reasons... The problem I am running into is ridicoulously high prices and no performance. They are comming down in price but not enough for me to consider it yet. there should be one digital display with the ability to display GPH/MPG/Range/time/fuel left/and also be able to connect to your GPS so that you with easy can see how much fuel it will take you to go to another destination. Then some gauges with either GPH or MPG should hook up to this unit. A must for me is also the ability to read more than one engine, something the manufacturers does not take into account (at least not for more than two engines...). This is not rocket science to make and I might make it one day. All the input reqired is NMEA signal with speed, time, distance, and a total fuel flow...

You just described the LOWRANCE guage. If you hook it up with a fuel flow sensor for each engine(some people are hooking up 3, 2 for the proppulsion and 1 for there generators) and a LGC-3000 GPS module, the guage can provide all of that data. And can easily be interfaced with a NMEA-2000 head unit. Most of your newer outboards are going the NMEA2000 route right now, but the SMARTCRAFT is only compatible with NORTHSTAR right now.

I had a FLOSCAN on my last boat, and learned ALOT about where my sweet spot was. From listening to the engine, 3800 sounded good and provided a 32 MPH cruise. Turned out I got better milage at 4200 running 38, and up to 4600 my milage didn't really change. So I was able to cruise faster, and use less fuel. Also was able to see how prop changes can affect an engines fuel consumption and performance. I've spent the last 2 weeks researching all of the options that are available, and I'm going with the NORTHSTAR EXPLORER series GPS with a single fuel flow sensor for now. And I plan in the near future to be upgrading to a larger boat with an I/O and SMARTCRAFT.

I know alot of people don't believe a fuel flow meter can save them enough to justify the expense, but for what I saved when gas was $1.50 a gallon made a believer of me. At $4+ a gallon 1 or 2 tanks can pay for the flow meter.

[kimswang]

I just spendt $3500,- on a Garmin system that now shows uncompatible with the new Garmin fuel flow sensors. I guess for some it is OK, for me it sucks and I will just wait for a system that does what I want. I use a system for work that is 20+ years old and works like a champ... It will tell me ALL the info previously mentioned so I have no idea why they are trying to make rocket science out of this...

[Instigator]

I know alot of people don't believe a fuel flow meter can save them enough to justify the expense, but for what I saved when gas was $1.50 a gallon made a believer of me. At $4+ a gallon 1 or 2 tanks can pay for the flow meter.

I am going to install one in the 24' Sonic twin O/B I just got. Had one identical that I did a lot of testing and cruising but never found one I liked or could afford for that boat.
At $4. per am going to pay the $$ for this one to be sure.
I know on a performance O/B props are huge for cruising economy.

Thanks for the info too. Have also been shopping for a new GPS for this boat and you just inflenced my decision.

I'm hoping too that by seeing actual "live" flow numbers it might help keep me out of the throttles
Gary

[kimswang]

I am going to install one in the 24' Sonic twin O/B I just got. Had one identical that I did a lot of testing and cruising but never found one I liked or could afford for that boat.
At $4. per am going to pay the $$ for this one to be sure.
I know on a performance O/B props are huge for cruising economy.

Thanks for the info too. Have also been shopping for a new GPS for this boat and you just inflenced my decision.

I'm hoping too that by seeing actual "live" flow numbers it might help keep me out of the throttles
Gary

Check out the new Garmin system, pretty cool and will give you all you ask for...

[Instigator]

Check out the new Garmin system, pretty cool and will give you all you ask for...

Had a Garmin GPS in my old Sonic and loved it.

[THEFERMANATOR]

GARMIN, LOWRANCE, and NORTHSTAR/NAVMAN has the integrated fuel flow and GPS. You can also go with a FLOSCAN and get a NMEA 0183 capable GPS and go that route. There's alot of options out there now. The LOWRANCE requires that you install the NMEA 2000 bus in your boat that is powered seperately of your electronics(reccmended that you install a 3 amp fuse and toggle switch), GARMIN uses there CAN NET for there's and it includes the hook-up for your tank sender with it. The NORTHSTAR/NAVMAN uses a fuel flow sensor only, or can hook into the SMARTCRAFT capable engine and provide all of those inputs(and also it is said you can read diagnostics through them like the SMARTCRAFT system link guages allow). FLOSCAN uses a generic bus for the GPS data, but can still provide deatialed info. I'm going with the NORTHSTAR because my next boat will have SMARTCRAFT in it, but the LOWRANCE(and some of the upscale GARMINS) have the NMEA2000 that can interface with YAMAHA, SUZUKI, and EVINRUDE's newest offerings. Figure out what you want, and go from there.

And this guy has good prices, and offers alot of the fuel management technologies.

http://www.scubasteve.biz/store/marineelectronics.htm

[Wayne Cammidge]

Most of the latest engine manufactures digital gauges, do most of the functions that you have all described. Merc, evinrude, have a brand new Yamaha gauge with its senders for 2 engines, should work on just about anything