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  1. #1

    Fuel monitoring systems

    I'm giving serious thought to installing a fuel monitoring system. I had Floscans on my old Chris (gas 327's) and loved it. Present configuration is twin 6v92ta engines at 435hp. Burn is somewhere around 35 - 40 gph, but with me going offshore more, I really want a good totalizer. Is Floscan still pretty much the best and simplest system around? What are the alternatives? Any horror stories?
    Thanks.
    Bob
    Everyone should believe in something - I believe I will go fishing - Henry David Thoreau

  2. #2

    Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    I was only able to find flowscans as an independant fuel monitoring system. They work well but I had problems with the installation. Some how I had a mis match of forward and return sensors. What made it so frustrating was that I was convinced it had something to do with the instalation. So I changed and re configured lots of things in the fuel system trying to solve it.

    Flowscan did stand behind they're product and eventually sent a set of replacement forward sensors and that solved the problem. They said the original combination has always worked on DD 1271s so I guess it's still a mystery why they didn't work on mine. But they always returned calls sent lots of replacement parts to try and they were not pinching pennies they truly wanted the problem solved.

    Brian

  3. #3

    Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    Inatalled floscans on a previous boat and based on that I am NOT a floscan fan and would never "waste" the money on them again. That being said, it seems that most folks love 'em so I leave it at that...
    Mike P
    San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Kent Island MD; San Antonio TX
    1980 53MY "Brigadoon"

  4. #4

    Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    What I really want is an accurate (read "digital") fuel consumption monitoring system. I don't really care about optimal rpm for fuel efficiency. I'm pretty much going to run at 150 off the pins no matter what. I just want to know how much fuel I've used when I'm 80 miles offshore. Accurately.
    Everyone should believe in something - I believe I will go fishing - Henry David Thoreau

  5. #5

    Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    Digital is not more accurate...it just APPEARS to be more accurate because it usually has numbers displayed. Anything in the real world is analog...then some device CONVERTS it to a digital readout. Basically, the oem fuel gauges can do what you want.

    I calbrated my oem gauges to 1/32 tank accuracy (half way between increments) when refilling last year. This means that I can tell you how much fuel is in each tank regardless of where the needle points. The MAXIMUM error on an entire fuel tank is within 10 gallons.

    You have to notate the fuel amount put in while filling between each increment and 1/2 increment on the gauge in order to do this because since the tank sides are not perpendicular, the amount of fuel between increments is not constant as the tank level changes.

    It doesn't really take as long as it sounds, just someone at the gauge and someone at the pump to announce each increment/half and the amount of fuel from that increment to the next. You have to write down the fuel put in from each 1/2 increment to the next. Takes longer than normal refueling but you only have to do it once and it's free except for the price of fuel you were putting in anyway. Once you've written it down you can put it in a handy little table for quick/easy use.

    YES, you have to go below to check the gauges and it is not as easy as looking at a readout but from a practical aspect, it takes maybe a minute or two to check the gauges, it's essentially as accurate for practical purposes and again, it's FREE.
    Last edited by MikeP; 03-02-2009 at 09:52 PM.
    Mike P
    San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Kent Island MD; San Antonio TX
    1980 53MY "Brigadoon"

  6. #6

    Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    We have a Northstar fuel monitoring syatem as part of our bottom machine and chart plotter. It was fairly easy to install and works great. Read outs for nmpg, gph, fuel aboard, fuel used etc. Neat and cheap.
    Maynard
    UNITY '86 36C

  7. #7

    Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    Mike,
    You have the 700gal capacity, right? If so, can you post that chart. Even though I have a Hart Tank Tender that I've calibrated, I'd love to have a backup chart for my OEM gauges.
    Sky Cheney
    1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
    ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI

  8. #8

    Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    Sky yes I COULD...

    BUT the table is in my laptop which is on the boat along with a hard copy. Usually I carry the LT with me everywhere but I left it aboard when I winterized and didn't bring it back home with me. So it, and the fuel table is 3000 miles away.

    But I'll post it in MAY!
    Mike P
    San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Kent Island MD; San Antonio TX
    1980 53MY "Brigadoon"

  9. Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    Mike posted:
    "you have to go below to check the gauges"

    While I generally agree with Mike's comments, the above shortcoming can be overcome by replacing mechanial gauges (needle reading under glass on top of each fuel tank) with an electrical sender....then just install the remote electric fuel guage wherever you'd like. I got mine from Sam's....was it "Rochester" brand??(don't quote me on the name)....great for my under the engine room floor center tank.

    Maybe someone can update me with my original objection to floscans: When I checked into them some years ago my uderstanding was that after installation they had to be manually calibrated...adjusted to reflect manual dipstick measurements of actual fuel use....Is this still the situation? If so it just never made much sense to me for the way I use my boat to install "slick digital readouts" based on the old traditional dipstick approach.

    A related issue: my YF has under cockpit floor visual gauges....(no reason to install electrical ones there) I have noted they are non linear in certain range...I have it noted in my maintenance book but forget exactly what range....I think about 1/4 to 1/2 or so....In that range my actual fuel use is less than indicated on the gauges....I confirmed it when filling with fuel and testing at 25 gallon increments...Anyone ever found a way to overcome that???
    One float sender is original from my purchase, the other I replaced after purchase....both gauges/senders do it....it's no big deal UNLESS you are measuring in that range to determine fuel usage...that's how I discovered something was "off".
    Last edited by REBrueckner; 03-05-2009 at 08:13 AM.
    Rob Brueckner
    former 1972 48ft YF, 'Lazy Days'
    Boating isn't a matter of life and death: it's more important than that.

  10. #10

    Re: Fuel monitoring systems

    OK, perhaps "digital" was a poor choice of words. I want to measure actual fuel consumed, not height/depth of fuel in the tank. I need to know the number of gallons that I have burned.

    Floscans seem to be overkill for this purpose, from a cost perspective.
    Everyone should believe in something - I believe I will go fishing - Henry David Thoreau

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