fuel flow meter questions
03-12-2008, 12:59 PM
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fuel flow meter questions
I am considering purchasing a fuel flow gauge for my boat. I have a single carbureted 502.
I am considering the Lowrance LMF-200 display packaged with a EP-60R fuel flow meter. The flow gauge is designed to measure 0.6-45 Gal/hr but can measure outside these values, according to Lowrance. Fuel flow restriction (backpressure) is 0.5 PSI at 20 Gal/hr; 1 PSI at 40 Gal/hr, again according to Lowrance.
The sender has to install vertically, after the fuel filter. I would most likely install it next to the carburetor by cutting steel fuel line there and splicing this in with rubber hoses, double clamping it. This would be after the pump and after the filter. The sender needs a 3/8" fuel hose to connect to.
From what I can tell, this is the least expensive option out there. It's $120 for the package if you shop around. It needs to connect to a "LowranceNET" or NMEA 2000 network for power, so if you don't have that you need a few extra pieces. It looks like it'll cost me $170 to get it operational (extra $50 for power cable and terminating resistor to make it work as a network). And I can also add other sensors and get readouts on the gauge, water temp, GPS speed, pitot speed, fuel level, etc. I plan on going with fuel flow, maybe fuel level also. I will likely replace my fuel gauge in the dash with this thing... the fuel gauge on my fountain sucks anyway, the question is whether I spend the extra $50 on the sensor to read fuel level from the float in the tank as well as fuel level inferred from fuel flow totaling.
My questions...
Will a 1 psi pressure loss cause me to go lean at all, on a stock carbureted 502?
Has anyone used this unit, can anyone provide feedback?
Can anyone provide input on where to position the sensor? I would expect a lot of people here to have experience with other types of systems and i bet the sensor installation issues are similar.
Is the fuel line going to my carburetor 3/8"? I will obviously check this myself when I get a chance, but if someone knows offhand, it might help.
http://primus.lowrance.com/support/r...=5000#Goto4554
http://primus.lowrance.com/support/r...ype=5001#Goto6
I am considering the Lowrance LMF-200 display packaged with a EP-60R fuel flow meter. The flow gauge is designed to measure 0.6-45 Gal/hr but can measure outside these values, according to Lowrance. Fuel flow restriction (backpressure) is 0.5 PSI at 20 Gal/hr; 1 PSI at 40 Gal/hr, again according to Lowrance.
The sender has to install vertically, after the fuel filter. I would most likely install it next to the carburetor by cutting steel fuel line there and splicing this in with rubber hoses, double clamping it. This would be after the pump and after the filter. The sender needs a 3/8" fuel hose to connect to.
From what I can tell, this is the least expensive option out there. It's $120 for the package if you shop around. It needs to connect to a "LowranceNET" or NMEA 2000 network for power, so if you don't have that you need a few extra pieces. It looks like it'll cost me $170 to get it operational (extra $50 for power cable and terminating resistor to make it work as a network). And I can also add other sensors and get readouts on the gauge, water temp, GPS speed, pitot speed, fuel level, etc. I plan on going with fuel flow, maybe fuel level also. I will likely replace my fuel gauge in the dash with this thing... the fuel gauge on my fountain sucks anyway, the question is whether I spend the extra $50 on the sensor to read fuel level from the float in the tank as well as fuel level inferred from fuel flow totaling.
My questions...
Will a 1 psi pressure loss cause me to go lean at all, on a stock carbureted 502?
Has anyone used this unit, can anyone provide feedback?
Can anyone provide input on where to position the sensor? I would expect a lot of people here to have experience with other types of systems and i bet the sensor installation issues are similar.
Is the fuel line going to my carburetor 3/8"? I will obviously check this myself when I get a chance, but if someone knows offhand, it might help.
http://primus.lowrance.com/support/r...=5000#Goto4554
http://primus.lowrance.com/support/r...ype=5001#Goto6
03-12-2008, 07:09 PM
#2
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I just installed the Northstart version. I've got 454 mags putting out 425 hp. I have not run it yet so all I can tell you is that my fuel lines were 3/8" inside. Your's should be also. I installed mine between the filter and the pump. I was thinking my instructions said it was better to pull thru the flow meter than push thru.
03-13-2008, 08:42 AM
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The manual for this sensor doesn't say anything about before or after the fuel pump, it just says it has to be positioned vertically. This link is to the manual for the EP-10, which is the same as the EP-60R except for the blue connector instead of the red connector:
http://www.lowrance.com/upload/Lowra...431_100205.pdf
Maybe it is better to install it before the pump because of the pressure drop?
http://www.lowrance.com/upload/Lowra...431_100205.pdf
Maybe it is better to install it before the pump because of the pressure drop?
