Navman/Northstar fuel flow units

[Rod_Bender]

I'm after a device that will measure fuel flow in my rig. Can anyone provide good or bad information on the above or similar like devices.

I'm after a stand alone unit/kit. I do use a lowrance 5200C plotter but would rather buy a separate unit then buy several parts to allow it to communicate.

Can anyone suggest what they use from experience? Like everybody, i want something decent, but don't want to pay millions.

The motor is a 09 DF 225 Suzi

Thanks

[Mindi]

I'm after a device that will measure fuel flow in my rig. Can anyone provide good or bad information on the above or similar like devices.

I'm after a stand alone unit/kit. I do use a lowrance 5200C plotter but would rather buy a separate unit then buy several parts to allow it to communicate.

Can anyone suggest what they use from experience? Like everybody, i want something decent, but don't want to pay millions.

The motor is a 09 DF 225 Suzi

Thanks


well I have the Navman/Northstar one...am just calibtrating it after returning a faulty one....but as far as I knwo they only work with Navman head unitys and software..?

I am confident mine will be good when I get it calibrated.

[DALEPRICE]

hey rod bender,
just installed a stand alone unit and seems to be ok. i havent had the boat out
yet to test the unit. i heard they are not in production any more so have a ring around if your keen and see whats around. sea raider 2 has had one for a few years and its been good as gold by memory and very accurate,

cheers dale

[tenzing]

Rod bender
I have had the navman stand alone unit for over two years and it works fine,
Took me a while to get the calibration right. Would have been quite ok straight out of the box if i hadnt fidlled with it.
Accurate within a few litres per 100 but you cant be exact anyway with air pockets etc.
I agree about the stand alone business, it is just there all the time and leaves the other electronics to do their own thing too.
mine is f 2100 navman which I think is same as northstar f210
3100/310 had a better display and could do economy figures if linked to gps. Mine is red backlight and a little hard to read at night but perfect in daylight.
Brendan

[FNQCairns]

Does that engine have a fuel return line..like typical efi engines? If so then you might have a little trouble with fuel meters that cannot communicate with the engines sensor/s.

I have owned the northstar...easy to use and a good unit although after some trouble with the sensor that I suspect was user incompetence more than anything I swapped it out for the lowrance equivalent.

This one is a right pain to navigate and will operate as stand alone but it will also communicate with your Lowrance plotter (I suspect) then you will be able to see in real time all changes to your km per L economy...this is a big deal and will save you LOTs of $fuel with just a glance.

[wrxhoon]

Why not check with Suzuki , you should be able to buy gauges that will monitor everything.
I have a Mercury with smartcarft gauges , these tell me everything , fuel used ( instant and overal) water temp , presure,boat speed, Distance travelled , travel range , RPM, trim angle,and much more , just like modern car computers.
I fill my boat tank to the top ( 326 lts ) and I don't even look at the fuel gauge ( not accurate when on the move) I just check the fuel used and I know how much fuel I have left . When I fill up it take axacly what the fuel used says give or take a couple of ltrs.

[Rod_Bender]

Thanks for feedback. For the price...there's not too much else on the market that competes with it. $240 shipped from the US in 4 days to my door isn't a bad price considering they want $150 bucks here more. I think i'll give it a try.

[tenzing]

Thanks for feedback. For the price...there's not too much else on the market that competes with it. $240 shipped from the US in 4 days to my door isn't a bad price considering they want $150 bucks here more. I think i'll give it a try.
Hey RB which unit is that price for?

[Rod_Bender]

The f210 mate

[CCDrifter]

I'm after a device that will measure fuel flow in my rig. Can anyone provide good or bad information on the above or similar like devices.

I'm after a stand alone unit/kit. I do use a lowrance 5200C plotter but would rather buy a separate unit then buy several parts to allow it to communicate.

Can anyone suggest what they use from experience? Like everybody, i want something decent, but don't want to pay millions.

The motor is a 09 DF 225 Suzi

Thanks

HI Mate.
In my old boat I had the standalone Navman unit. Once calibrated (which takes a few full tanks) worked fine.
This time round though (mainly because 2 motors to deal with this time) I went down the Lowrance road and put 2 x fuel flow on the network. Gives more detail at a glance on my plotter as you are driving. You can adjust your driving quicker to conserve fuel on those long trips.

[Moonlighter]

Hi RB

I know that you said you want to avoid getting "several parts to make it work", but thought I would let you know an alternative.

I've just set up an NMEA 2000 network between my Suzuki DF115 and 2 Lowrance HDS5's that I have on my boat.

It's actually pretty easy to do, and the parts cost are not that much more expensive and you get a whole lot extra info from the Suzuki engine management system as well.

I think the parts cost were:


Suzuki interface cable and some adapter cables (ex Brownspoint Suzuki in USA about A$120 delivered
Lowrance NMEA starter kits x 2 from BIA$ at $65 ea
1 x plug $25.When the network is established you get really accurate fuel data plus instant fuel economy readings in mpg or km/litre, fuel used/remaining etc etc.

Might be worth considering.

Cheers

ML

[NTMID8]

Can you buy any fuel flow meters anymore? if so where from? looking for one to suit a 93 evinrude 60hp 2strk

[krazyfisher]

northstar and lowrance sell them and dealer should be able to get them.
I have had both and would not have a bluewater boat without one.

[scorpionNQ]

Hey Rod_Bender, I have a brand new Navman fuel flow unit still in it's box that I was going to hook up to my 2stroke suzy, however as I have bought an Optmax with smart craft gauges I will never need it. $100 if your interested.
Cheers
Lee

[Spaniard_King]

Lee, I will take it RB dosn 't... mine is playing up :(

[Rod_Bender]

scorpionNQ, check your PM, i tried you yesterday.

[scorpionNQ]

Sorry guy's, have just dug it out and it is only a FS35 fuel sensor to hook up to a Navman head unit.
My appoligies,
Lee

[MackerelMan]

I have a F210 and have unfortunately had nothing but grief. Luckily getting warranty has not been a problem but I do not have much confidence in my set up which for a fuel management system is a problem.

[Rod_Bender]

scorpionNQ (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/member.php?u=25829) vbmenu_register("postmenu_1172512", true); I'll try and locate a 2nd hand Navman Head unit hopefully that will talk with your sensor. I only want the Head unit purely for the fuel flow reading.

If anyone has a working Navman Head Unit that they want a few bob for, let me know

Thanks in advance

RB

[suzygs1000]

Hi,

I have had a Northstar f210 fitted for about a year now. Worked beautifully for about 9 months, but now is so erratic that it is basically useless. It is not air in the sensor unit. Piece of crap if you ask me.


Dave.

[Smithy]

The third Navman/Northstar fuel sensor on my boat and about the 5th I have been associated with crapped itself the first time I did a fuel filter change after about 100 hours of spot-on performance. I replumbed everything to make sure it was vertical and on the outlet side of the filter after all the threads on here but what the hell are you then suppossed to do when you do a filter change and all the fuel drains backwards? It is now the 5th dead Navman fuel sensor I have been associated with. Say no more.

[Spaniard_King]

Rob,

I might have one in your league (also went down hill after a filter change)... What symptoms were you gettting.. Was it just erratic performance??

[tenzing]

After a previous one went belly up when set up as required I decided to put this one before the filter and to make matters worse its about 45 degrees. I change the fuel filter every 6 months or so and it has survived about 5 or 6 so far and is going fine to date.
now that I have shot my mouth off it will probably die tomorrow night
Cheers
Brendan

Only other relevant thing is that I have an inline stop cock after the sensor and before the filter ( one each side as I have 2 separate fuel tanks) and I close them off before changing the filter so thef uel doent tend to flow back down the line