[CA] [CA11] fuel trip

[Matt272]

LightHouse 3.9

Are the parameters displayed in the Fuel/trip window calculated based off the combined fuel rate (gal/hr) from the mercury smart craft system (vessel view 403) and SOG? Unfortunately, the tank calibration was not completed initially in the smart craft system so the fuel gauge is not very reliable. If i can assume the flow rate to the MFD is accurate, can i assume the est fuel remaining is accurate (in the MFD)?

The fuel dashboard in the mfd mimics the est fuel remaining from the smart craft system. "Is the distance till empty" calculation based on smart craft fuel gauge or what the mfd estimates of what is remaining.

Your help would be greatly appreciated

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Matt,

As long as the Fuel Manager has been properly configured and the MFD is operating whenever the engine(s) are operating, the Fuel Manager will sum every squirt of fuel used by the engines based upon the fuel rate data received. I use this feature on my own Mercury Marine power boat and most times I can tell the attendant to the tenth of a gallon how much fuel will be required to top off the tank. Fuel range will update constantly based upon the fuel rate and speed over ground determined.

[Matt272]

So is fuel range based off of the fuel manager's estimated fuel remaining or what the tank sender is sending to smart craft (which is what is displayed on the vessel view)? Because the problem i've having is that fuel manager est fuel remaining and what vessel view show are over 25% off.

Fuel manager is strictly a calculation where as the vessel view gauge is a physical measurement?

Thanks.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Matt,

The Estimated Fuel Remaining data item is not calculated based upon fueled sender data. It is calculated based upon fuel consumption data provide by a fuel flow monitor or engine system. Tank level sensors are notoriously inaccurate in identifying the quantity of fuel left in a boat's tank. As long as the marine electronics are switched on whenever the engines are operated, you should find the fuel manager to provide a very accurate estimate of the remaining amount of fuel. To to test, press the tanks full, configure to Fuel manager to indicate that you topped off the tanks, drive the boat for an hour or so, and then top them up again. You should find that the amount of fuel required to top off the tanks after the second fill should be equal to the difference of total tank capacity which you specified within the fuel manager and the Estimated Fuel Remaining.