Flo-scan

[ednolan]

I am considering installing a pair of Flo-Scans on my 36 Hatteras w/3208T Caterpillar engines. Is anybody out there using the Flo-Scans, with GPS interface, and how do you like them? It seems to me that with the price of fuel that it wouldn't take long to pay for them if you could identify the RPM that gives the best MPG.

[eze2bme]

I have FloScans on my Detriot 6-71N's ... once you get them calibrated they are great for finding that "sweet spot" on fuel economy. DDs are notorious for returning a lot of fuel to the tanks and it takes a few fill-ups to get them calibrated ... not sure about the Cats.

My FloScans are not tied into any other electronics.

[Mike36c]

I really like mine, I cruise the Bahamas and passing up an expensive fuel stop for a somewhat expensive stop because I knew exactly how much fuel I had was worth it to me. The cumulative readings are accurate to within a gallon on fillups and the digital tachs are nice too. Well worth it IMHO.

[MikeP]

I'm probably the only person on this site who doesn't see any use in floscans.

I installed/interfaced them with the GPS them on my previous boat (gasser) and swore I'd never do it again.

I found that the primary use of them was to make you worry about every little variation. They are very sensitive to tiny air bubbles which can dramatically vary the readings from moment to moment. These bubbles are small enough to have NO effect on the carburetor/engine/performance but they will cause a lot of variation in the readings. If the readings vary due to this, then the readings are essentially useless. Yeah, I know - just eliminate the bubbles. Not so easy because the impellors of the floscans themselves were the culprit! When I called the floscan folks about this, the response was, "Yes, that happens sometime, we're working on it." I believe they have since modified the units but I'm not sure.

After I had them for about a month I kept asking myself, "Why the heck did I spend money on this? Even if the air bubble thing is not a problem I had to ask myself what purpose they serve on a routine operation.

They will find the best RPM for fuel? Maybe...and after you did it once you're done doing it. You can figure it out yourself with regular gauges or just put the boat at hull speed.

Floscans are supposed to be valuable to "alert" you if something is going wrong. Maybe, but with the gauges fluctuating all the time, that doesn't work at all! Plus I never had a floscan tell me anything that you can't hear/see yourself without a floscan.

OK, after you spent 2k to figure out your best speed, then what do you do with them? Figure out your fuel use/range? You can do that by calibrating your regular old gauges once. From then on you can tell pretty accurately what your fuel burn is at any speed/RPM, YES, you have to figure it out as opposed to looking at the instant readout gauge but the figuring takes about a minute - 10 seconds if you use a calculator!

A fellow 53 owner at the marina can burn through any amount of fuel and tell you within a couple of gallons how much fuel it will take to fill the boat - or to fill it to any level on the gauge. He doesn't use floscans - just uses his oem Hatt fuel gauges. His explanation was what convinced me to calibrate them as well and it works beautifully and doesn't cost a dime.

Based on my experience with them, I just don't see any real value in Floscans on a boat.

[DeeRow]

If you always boat in the same conditions, at the same cruising speed, I agree with Mike. However, conditions on the ocean can be highly variable. My neighbor crossed from Lake Worth inlet to Port Lucaya "on a schedule". They had a 4 day weekend and they were leaving Friday morning regardless. They encountered larger seas than they expected. Half way there, they diverted to West End because their Floscans indicated that they used more fuel than they planned and the would not make it to Port Lucaya.

I would have delayed my departure, actually, I have delayed my departure in these conditions.

Floscans are on my wish list!

Mark

[Boatsb]

I also can't justify the cost for the limited benefit. I know at 2250 rpm I burn about 23 Gal per hour so I figure it as 25. 8 hours running I believe I have 100 gal left (300 total for the non math majors) I always find I had a slight safety factor like when we ran 7 hours I took on 168 gallons ( not 175 ) but it is that simple.

I run at 2 speeds according to fuel usage.

Cruise at 25 gal/hour

Troll at 10 Gal/ hour

I chart and log on paper.

I always am within 20 gallons of my estimates (always less never over) for fuel use.

[yachtsmanbill]

I hafta agree with you Mike... I fill my boat daily and dont see 900 gallons worth of range being a problem. If something is that radically wrong, it should present itself in other fashions, I.E. excess smoke, missing etc.
Those floscans remind me of the old Grand Prix Ponchos with the giant vacuum gauge on the dash. All that really did was provide operator intimidation. They were always right next to that GIANT gas gauge as well ! ws

[krush]

There are other brands of fuel measuring devices out there.

You could prolly find some cheap test equipment on ebay to get you a flow rate. Use a calculator with GPS speed and you're set.

Airplanes have fuel totalizers/flow meters....find one of them cheap.

[yachtsmanbill]

Lets see... old math; 900 gallons full, run 10 hours at 12 mph and put on 150 gallons. CONSISTANTLY I may add. Cripes, I need a BLUE one after that brain wrenching math. Maybe I should risk life and limb on some electronic doo-dad. LOL.
Just like the GPS is nice, but you tend to get lacsadazical ! Ive never lost a connection between my compass and charts. ws

[Boss Lady]

I have flowscans on my Fountain with Triple 250 Mercuries, I really like them because they keep track of how much fuel burned. The fuel burn varies wildly because of sea state, cruising speed and how many people and how much gear we put on the boat. The fuel gauges are a joke unless you are at a dead stop in calm water.

I bought a set for my Hatteras to get the same capabilities. This is technology that makes sense, especially since if they crap out, it won't affect operation of the boat.

I agree that you can keep track of fuel using the mechanical gauges. The flowscans give you instantaneous readings and can help you get max economy. You get a lot of useful, accurate information that will reveal things about your boat and how it is proped.

We did put men on the moon using a slide rule, but no one is still using them.

I'll keep the flowscans, thank you.