Lowrance HDS & EP60R fuel flow sensor calibration issues

[Tinshack]

Hi All, I have a HDS sounder & HDS chartplotter with both units networked on NMEA 2000 with a EP60R fuel flow sensor. I see on other posts, similar issues with fuel flow sensor calibration. When I put in actual fuel used the fuel rate l/hr goes like 3-4 times more than normal after doing the calibration process. Other posts mentioned that there may be a software issue with HDS Version 4. At the moment I have just re-configured the sensor & do not calibrate each trip, it is within 7% accurate. Previous Globalmap 5300 I could calibrate it within 0.2 of a litre, very accurate. Does anyone know if there is a fix yet or do I just wait for next software upgrade. Cheers.

[Moonlighter]

Hi Tinshack

I have reported this exact issue to Lowrance here in Australia and the USA. They subsequently acknowledged to me that they have found the fault in the HDS software that causes this and they will fix it, so from that we can only presume that it will be fixed in the next software release - whenever that will be.

Based on past experience, they seem to do software releases in late December so let's hope it comes out by then.

By the way, they did mention to me that if we set our "units of measure" to gallons in the HDS's, the recalibrate process works properly, it is only when units are set to metric in litres that it doesn't work. Based on that comment, I figure that someone who wrote the code copied and pasted the equation for gallons into the litres section - there are roughly 3.8 litres to the US gallon, which neatly explains the difference of 3 - 4 times we are getting! So, it should be a simple fix.

In the meantime, if you still have your GlobalMap 5300, you could temporarily attach it to your network and use it to do the calibration process. Or you could change units to gallons, and then convert the actual litres used at the servo to gallons, do the recal process and then change units back to litres...long way round, I know, but you could do it......

Cheers

ML

[Tinshack]

Hi ML,
Yes I was thinking of networking my old Globalmap to do the calibration, but I will try changing the units to gallons as mentioned, that is easier. Thanks for the reply.

Hi Tinshack

I have reported this exact issue to Lowrance here in Australia and the USA. They subsequently acknowledged to me that they have found the fault in the HDS software that causes this and they will fix it, so from that we can only presume that it will be fixed in the next software release - whenever that will be.

Based on past experience, they seem to do software releases in late December so let's hope it comes out by then.

By the way, they did mention to me that if we set our "units of measure" to gallons in the HDS's, the recalibrate process works properly, it is only when units are set to metric in litres that it doesn't work. Based on that comment, I figure that someone who wrote the code copied and pasted the equation for gallons into the litres section - there are roughly 3.8 litres to the US gallon, which neatly explains the difference of 3 - 4 times we are getting! So, it should be a simple fix.

In the meantime, if you still have your GlobalMap 5300, you could temporarily attach it to your network and use it to do the calibration process. Or you could change units to gallons, and then convert the actual litres used at the servo to gallons, do the recal process and then change units back to litres...long way round, I know, but you could do it......

Cheers

ML