Fuel gauge - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

hookset · #1 10-18-2013, 03:52 PM

Ok so let me start by saying I'm the paranoid type with running out of fuel, half tank means better fill up!!! The fuel gauge on my 1996 is inaccurate like most! I have a 100 gal tank and when it says half it takes anywhere from 37 gal to 65 gal. I have heard they make a laser fuel gauge for boats to more accurately tell how much fuel you have left. I haven't been able to find any online and am wondering if anyone has heard of them or can give me an idea of a gauge that is a little more accurate! Looking to go sharking more next year and knowing how much fuel I have could be one less think I think about while out there! Thanks in advance

Gerry Zagorski · #2 10-18-2013, 05:10 PM

Never heard of the laser guage... If you really want something to accurately measure fuel consumption I would suggest a flow scan. It gets installed on the fuel line leading to your engine, measures the fuel and calculates your actual consumption.

In addition to knowing how much fuel you've used it will tell you have much fuel you have left and you get some other nice to know information that you wont be able to get from something that tells you how much fuel is left in your tank. Things like gallons burned per hour which will help you determine the best RPM for your boats fuel consumption and will give you range until empty.

http://www.floscan.com/html/blue/index.php

If you have a newer GPS some companies like Garmin also sell an add on module which connects to your fuel line and does that same thing and interfaces to your GPS.

Only thing you need to be aware of and every boat is different is your useable fuel... In other words how many gallons you may have left in your tank that can't be used because of how the fuel pick up is plumbed.

hookset · #3 10-18-2013, 05:14 PM

Good stuff Gerry, I'm gonna look into this more as I want to update my ff/ GPS system

dfish28 · #4 10-19-2013, 12:08 AM

Randy,I got the floscan for a 200 hp and happened to over order the flow module, yada yada , if it's in your specs, you would just need the gauge, I got the analog, looking back, I wish I manned up and got the digital...way easier to dial in, but it still lets you know a lot, even pressure loss and air in the fuel line, to name a few, highly recommend this over a new fuel gauge. I would check/clean the connections on your sending unit, sounds like an issue I had this spring. The black lead was hanging by a thread and in time the needle started really jumping. Finally checked sending unit and... Whoa: rewire....
Floscan tells me to the gallon what's used and enables you to get down to the miles you get almost exact.

Gimme a Hollar

Gerry Zagorski · #5 10-19-2013, 09:34 AM

Couple important things about flow scans.

They usually do take a few fill ups to get dialed in

As I mentioned before you need to know your useable fuel. In other words, your tank is 100 gallons but not all of it is useable. Once you get down to the bottom of the tank, you could have several gallons left that your fuel pick might not be able to reach.

Digital interfaced to a gps is the way to go. The user interface on the gps gives you all the information you will need at a glance. One thing you need to remember here is to make sure and turn your gps on every trip. If not, your range to empty could be off.

Capt. Debbie · #6 10-22-2013, 11:36 AM

I had a Floscan on my twin 200hp Grady. True it needed some thumb switch calibration. Once done it was down to a gallon on 253 gallon tank.

The tank is NOT a perfect square so the signal does not tell you gallons of gas left. Only the relative height on the gas tank. Most tanks to accomodate the V in the bilge look like a house on it roof in shape. The paired saddle tanks are not flat on the bottom to conform to hull shape. The only thing that is level is the top of these tanks.

If you're going on a lot of long stuff Flo scan in the way to know gallons burned. DEFINITELY! O/B's trim in the way to max out mileage. MOst O/B run best ( acording to Mfgr curves) around 3500-4000 rpms.. And trim with engines not trim tabs. T-Tabs level by drag. The O/B's & stern drive level by prop thrust. With a GPS you can play with trim and see speeds go up or down without giving it more fuel.

Remember your throttle controls the fuel- NOT the rpms. More RPMS and MPH after trimming at the same throttle position is free miles ( kind of- you still pay for gas).

And of course its not a 50% out and a 50% in. You need reserve for bad seas or delays. And as Gerry pointed out, some gas will never leave the tank. It depends on the tank's pickup tube location.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Couple important things about flow scans.

They usually do take a few fill ups to get dialed in

As I mentioned before you need to know your useable fuel. In other words, your tank is 100 gallons but not all of it is useable. Once you get down to the bottom of the tank, you could have several gallons left that your fuel pick might not be able to reach.

Digital interfaced to a gps is the way to go. The user interface on the gps gives you all the information you will need at a glance. One thing you need to remember here is to make sure and turn your gps on every trip. If not, your range to empty could be off.

MrAC1980 · #7 10-25-2013, 02:49 PM

Funny you guys are talking about this as I've been wanting to do something similar on my boat. Is there any other gauge options that just tells you total number of gallons burned? Don't necessarily need mpg or gph info.

Something as easy as the below. Bottom of the page.
http://www.futurlec.com/Flow_Sensor.shtml#GASFLOWMETER

dfish28 · #8 10-26-2013, 09:42 PM

Yes the floscan has a totalizer built into it, anolog is cheaper than digital gauge but I'd recommend digital, I got anolog: don't skimp out

hookset · #9 10-28-2013, 08:23 AM

Been reading up on the floscan and will prob invest in one this year! Thanks for all advice guys

Capt. Debbie · #10 10-28-2013, 01:49 PM

IT's great. Even analog gives you exact gallong sburned. I had two tanks in my boat. 150 & 73 gallons. I was down around 200 gallons burned & it was DEAD ON. Less than a gallon of error.

As pointed out, you have to dial in fine tuning. Mine had little thumbswitches for dialling in. And I instaled a toggle switch for the analog dial to give me instant GPH being burned. The accumulator runs at all times no matter where guage switch is set. Once dialed in- PURE GOLD!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookset

Been reading up on the floscan and will prob invest in one this year! Thanks for all advice guys