Electronic fuel usage meter?

[alt]

Has anyone retro-fitted one of these to a boat? I don't really *need* one but it would make a nice little toy, plus it'd be handy to know how much fuel i'm using/saving at different speeds. I have a Volvo KAD32 and can easily get to the fuel line. My fuel gauge is pretty accurate and drops at a steady pace. The 'reserve' is pretty accurate at 40 litres

 

[nicks]

Unless I'm mistaken I'm not sure you can use these with a diesel engine as half the fuel taken from the tank is returned to the tank.

 

[rickp]

For diesel, you need to get gauges which have 2 senders per engine, one in the feed and one in the return.

Rick

 

[jfm]

If you have EDC or EVC control on the engine (I think you do on that engine but others here will know better) the fuel flow measurers are already installed and the data is already sloshing around on the Canbus.. You just need to fit the volvo gauge to display the data. And it's an easy plug and play device. It costs about £800 though, plus an extra £300 if you want the black box that allows it to pick up the boat's SOG off your GPS and give you a mpg readout.

You only need one of these gizmos, even if you have 2 engines.

Here is is on my dash (top left instrument)

 

[Sneds]

Nice set of gizmos you've got there, would keep me amused for hours, and thats just the instruction books. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have the Navman fuel computer fitted to my VP petrol engine. Damn thing needs to be re-calibrated every five minutes!
Soon to have a different boat fitted with VP AD31P's. Anyone know if these will be fitted with the nessacary to attach the display to?

 

[Peanuts]

The answer to your question is no, there is not any system that you can just connect a display to read fuel used on your engine/s and that also goes for the person who asked about the KAD 32 - sorry.

 

[alt]

Thanks for the replies.

Makes sense that you need 2 senders for the diesel as there's a return.

Even if the KAD32 had the gizmo thing already, £800 for the electronic box... no thanks, that'll pay my diesel for the season /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Garryt]

I've got the Navman fuel flow sensors....expensive, but work well!

 

[Sneds]

Is that diesel or petrol?

 

[Garryt]

Twin diesels!

 

[Garryt]

Mind you.....in my last boat (Sealine 310 Statesman) I had twin petrols!

 

[JerryHawkins]

Surely the Navman 3200 does exactly what is being asked for here!

Yes, it's not cheap at £499, but it will do as required. JG Technology stock them (they're usually just about the best on price too). see:

http://www.jgtech.com/fuel.htm

Cheers,

Jerry

 

[enterprise]

Thanks guys,
You have reminded me to advertise a Navman 2100 fuel computer (petrol) which is surplus to my requirements.

See the 4 sale section. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[paulwat]

I have been looking at the Navman Fuel meter (trying to work out budget for electronics on potential purchase) and as other posters have menioned with the Navman you need to keep track of the ammount of fuel you put in order to make best use of it.

Lowrance have a couple of superb units that will display data from any NMEA 2000 source (if you have EVC engines then these will work out of the box I am told), handily they also make a range of NMEA 2000 electronic probes (EP's) to enable you to take fuel flow measurements, fuel level, water temp etc etc and display these on the screen if you don't have EVC.

Also if you have a NMEA0183 output going spare from your gps it will tell you mpg automaticaly based on SOG data from GPS

Take a look on Lowrance website under LowranceNET products, the displays are called LMF200 and 400.

Having had a quick google a basic twin engine petrol setup with tank level monitoring seems to be about £200 even cheaper if you can be bothered to buy online in the US

Paul