Affordable fuel usage meter

[Simi 60]

Same on for $50 here. Since it uses batteries I don't like it.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/201...7115e11&transAbTest=ae803_4&priceBeautifyAB=0

Aud vs USD explains discrepancy.

 

[Simi 60]

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Simi, perhaps you could contact the Australian Floscan guy to check whether you would be able to use it. I won't be home for at least a month, and then I would need to try and find it in my shed....

Thanks for the offer Brian, I'll give him a try.

 

[CaptTom]

Keep in mind that the accuracy of these flowmeters falls badly when at low flow rates. Meters often have accuracy of 2-5% of rated flow rate, but get down to 10% of max flow rate and now accuracy is much worse. Combine with that you are subtracting two numbers, close together in value, yet each inaccurate to some degree, and total error compounds badly.

Hmmm. That would tend to throw a monkey wrench into any ideas of a reasonably priced solution.

Much as I'd love a new gadget, maybe I'll just stick with sticking the tanks regularly and doing the math.

 

[ben2go]

If you're handy, you can wire those meters to us 12v DC to run them instead of using batteries. Probably get away with soldering the wiring to the battery terminals. The possibly use a DC to DC voltage step down converter.


Here's one you and a grand/child could build as an experiment together for dinner money.
DC-DC Step Down Converter

 

[ben2go]

I want to add. If the meters work well, wouldn't it be worth it to keep them and hard wire them after the batteries die?

 

[Delfin]

If doing looong passages which is our intention, there is a lot of value in finding the optimal sweet spot and shaving several litres/ hour off of fuel burn.
Could add thousands of miles to range and save thousands of dollars.

This comment by delfin in another post made me want to get the real numbers

Big difference

Agreed and I do love simplicity myself.
Reality is before we head off on these looong passages we would keep it in for a season where we are now doing short hops and gathering data with clean bum and dirty bum through various rpm and conditions.

Once we have those numbers it'll come out and revert back to what we had.

Simi, one thing I have noticed is that the fuel burn graph for prop load for my CAT is spot on to what I measured with my FloScan. Does your engine offer the same graph?

 

[Simi 60]

Simi, one thing I have noticed is that the fuel burn graph for prop load for my CAT is spot on to what I measured with my FloScan. Does your engine offer the same graph?

I have this.
I to "feel" it is pretty close but ............maybe its not
Like I said earlier, I have a mate with same engine, fatter longer boat with floscan who reckons he gets better than shown here.

 

[Delfin]

I have this.
I to "feel" it is pretty close but ............maybe its not
Like I said earlier, I have a mate with same engine, fatter longer boat with floscan who reckons he gets better than shown here.

Floscans have to be calibrated to be accurate. I suppose it's possible your mate's unit is underestimating fuel consumption by a bit. As I recall, mine was off by around 10% when initially installed. To calibrate, you burn a known quantity of fuel and a set speed, then fiddle with some dip switches to adjust.

 

[markpierce]

Floscans have to be calibrated to be accurate. I suppose it's possible your mate's unit is underestimating fuel consumption by a bit. As I recall, mine was off by around 10% when initially installed. To calibrate, you burn a known quantity of fuel and a set speed, then fiddle with some dip switches to adjust.

Haven't recalibrated my Floscans. Actual consumption is about 30% less than displayed. Find simple math is easier than fussing with recalibration.

 

[boomerang]

Haven't recalibrated my Floscans. Actual consumption is about 30% less than displayed. Find simple math is easier than fussing with recalibration.

What?? If you already know your floscan instrument is off by 30% (that seems like an awful lot...I've never installed one that was so far off ,even straight out of the box) why don't you correct it? Change the DIP switches to offset the error and in less than 10 seconds you'll have a useful tool at your helm instead if a decoration!

 

[North Baltic sea]

Hi,


I came to the idea of ​​whether it is possible that something breaks / hangs in the meter's sensor and prevents the fuel flow from your Cummins and poses a risk to you. For example, impeller in sensor ...


NBs

 

[Boatcrazy]

Following.

 

[Codger2]

Floscans have to be calibrated to be accurate. .......... To calibrate, you burn a known quantity of fuel and a set speed, then fiddle with some dip switches to adjust.

Over the years I've had 3 different FloScans and had trouble with calibrating all of them to match what I was taking at the pump. I finally bit the bullet and went to a Maretron Fuel Management system. Installed by professionals. It was expensive but I can now trust what I see on the Raymarine eS128.

(The engines are not running in the photo below which explains the zeros.)