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Author Topic:   Fuel Flow Meters

whalernj posted 10-12-2008 01:44 PM ET (US)
I am intrested in installing a fuel flow meter on my 1996 Johnson 90-HP two-cycle outboard on my Boston Whaler SAKONNET. Looking for some advice on a brand and how they work. Thanks.
seabob4 posted 10-12-2008 02:42 PM ET (US)
Well, obviously, Floscan comes to mind.
jmorgan40 posted 10-12-2008 07:26 PM ET (US)
I just installed the Lowrance EP-60R on my 1987 Outrage wit a 1988 Yamaha 200 HP engine in September. Has been working great and almost have it calibrated within a few tenths. See the link below for details I posted or use the search feature.
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/002019.html
jimh posted 10-12-2008 10:44 PM ET (US)
With your motor you will use an external fuel flow sensor to measure fuel flow. If you wish only to measure fuel flow you can use an inexpensive (less than $200) instrument which will place a sensor in the fuel line. If you wish to measure instantaneous miles-per-gallon you need a more sophisticated device which can accept a speed input. Typically the speed input is provided by a GPS receiver or in some cases by a paddlewheel sensor. There are many choices of fuel flow instrumentation now. Many are oriented toward inclusion on a NMEA-2000 instrumentation network.
I have been using a NAVMAN 3100 FUEL instrument. This device is now available from NORTHSTAR. This is probably the best investment in an electronic accessory that I have ever made. You can read my comments about it from a prior discussion:
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000697.html
But this is just one of many prior discussion on fuel flow meters. Use the SEARCH to locate more. There is a great deal of prior discussion about fuel flow meters in SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL's archives.
contender posted 10-13-2008 10:01 AM ET (US)
I understand the flow scan/meter just do not know why, How much gas are you saving running at say 2000rpm's vs. 2400rpm's? Your tank holds 20 gallons of gas, when its out of gas its out of gas, If you are planning trips base on the use of a flow scan/meter I would just carry the extra fuel then having to look at a gauge every two minutes, To me this is almost the same thinking as, Oh were are only going to go 10 miles by boat and 10 miles back so I get 2 miles to the gallon at 3000rpm's now lets see....mmm thats 10 gallons so lets only put 11 gallons to be safe cause we have a flow scan....just don't get it. The Flow scan/meter also does not tell you the condition of the current nor the water, and wind, so if your best rpm is 2300 to go 15 mph but the wind and current is pushing you back 5 you are going to have to speed up to make the difference. Thus throwing your balance of fuel/ rpm's/ mileage off. And its just another gauge to break/take care of...hey but what do I know, to each its own
whalernj posted 10-13-2008 11:39 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the replies, everyone. I guess Contender is not a big fan of the flow meter!
Steve
jimh posted 10-14-2008 09:30 PM ET (US)
The notion that some people do not measure their fuel flow does not prevent you from measuring your fuel flow. If you are interested in measuring your fuel flow, get a fuel flow meter. It will give you a lot of other information besides fuel flow, as the meters tend to include related functions like accumulated gallons, accumulated operating time, and accumulated miles traveled. From that data you can also calculate average fuel economy, average speed, and average fuel flow rate. The fact that someone else does not care to measure and track those six sets of data in no way precludes you from doing so.

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Author	Topic: Fuel Flow Meters
whalernj	posted 10-12-2008 01:44 PM ET (US) I am intrested in installing a fuel flow meter on my 1996 Johnson 90-HP two-cycle outboard on my Boston Whaler SAKONNET. Looking for some advice on a brand and how they work. Thanks.
seabob4	posted 10-12-2008 02:42 PM ET (US) Well, obviously, Floscan comes to mind.
jmorgan40	posted 10-12-2008 07:26 PM ET (US) I just installed the Lowrance EP-60R on my 1987 Outrage wit a 1988 Yamaha 200 HP engine in September. Has been working great and almost have it calibrated within a few tenths. See the link below for details I posted or use the search feature. http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/002019.html
jimh	posted 10-12-2008 10:44 PM ET (US) With your motor you will use an external fuel flow sensor to measure fuel flow. If you wish only to measure fuel flow you can use an inexpensive (less than $200) instrument which will place a sensor in the fuel line. If you wish to measure instantaneous miles-per-gallon you need a more sophisticated device which can accept a speed input. Typically the speed input is provided by a GPS receiver or in some cases by a paddlewheel sensor. There are many choices of fuel flow instrumentation now. Many are oriented toward inclusion on a NMEA-2000 instrumentation network. I have been using a NAVMAN 3100 FUEL instrument. This device is now available from NORTHSTAR. This is probably the best investment in an electronic accessory that I have ever made. You can read my comments about it from a prior discussion: http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000697.html But this is just one of many prior discussion on fuel flow meters. Use the SEARCH to locate more. There is a great deal of prior discussion about fuel flow meters in SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL's archives.
contender	posted 10-13-2008 10:01 AM ET (US) I understand the flow scan/meter just do not know why, How much gas are you saving running at say 2000rpm's vs. 2400rpm's? Your tank holds 20 gallons of gas, when its out of gas its out of gas, If you are planning trips base on the use of a flow scan/meter I would just carry the extra fuel then having to look at a gauge every two minutes, To me this is almost the same thinking as, Oh were are only going to go 10 miles by boat and 10 miles back so I get 2 miles to the gallon at 3000rpm's now lets see....mmm thats 10 gallons so lets only put 11 gallons to be safe cause we have a flow scan....just don't get it. The Flow scan/meter also does not tell you the condition of the current nor the water, and wind, so if your best rpm is 2300 to go 15 mph but the wind and current is pushing you back 5 you are going to have to speed up to make the difference. Thus throwing your balance of fuel/ rpm's/ mileage off. And its just another gauge to break/take care of...hey but what do I know, to each its own
whalernj	posted 10-13-2008 11:39 AM ET (US) Thanks for the replies, everyone. I guess Contender is not a big fan of the flow meter! Steve
jimh	posted 10-14-2008 09:30 PM ET (US) The notion that some people do not measure their fuel flow does not prevent you from measuring your fuel flow. If you are interested in measuring your fuel flow, get a fuel flow meter. It will give you a lot of other information besides fuel flow, as the meters tend to include related functions like accumulated gallons, accumulated operating time, and accumulated miles traveled. From that data you can also calculate average fuel economy, average speed, and average fuel flow rate. The fact that someone else does not care to measure and track those six sets of data in no way precludes you from doing so.