Benefits of Using FloScan Marine Fuel Computers


Recreational boat owners who install a FloScan Fuel Computer report that it quickly becomes the most important instrument aboard and the one they depend upon more than any other. A fuel computer tells them so much about their boat's operation that they wouldn't otherwise know. Best of all, it keeps them totally informed about their fuel situation from minute to minute. It's little wonder that FloScan owners feel almost to a person that fuel computers should be standard equipment on every boat.

A FloScan Fuel Computer Performs Many Critically Important Functions

Super-Accurate Tank Gauge. How many times have you hesitated to try new fishing grounds or to stay out longer because you couldn't trust your fuel tank gauges? Everyone agrees that marine fuel tank gauges are often next to useless - especially in rough seas when you may need them the most. To compensate for their inaccuracy many skippers carry extra fuel to be on the safe side. This costs money, and it adds extra weight (50 gallons of fuel weighs over 300 pounds!) which in turn reduces fuel efficiency and often adversely affects the way the boat handles.

Many first time FloScan buyers are looking primarily for an accurate tank gauge. They are not disappointed. With a FloScan Fuel Computer it is not uncommon to return to the fuel dock and find that the amount needed to fill the tanks is within a gallon or two of what the fuel totalizer says the boat has used. Dock attendants are often amazed when the skipper already knows the exact amount it will take to fill the tanks.

Now that you know for sure exactly how much fuel you have you can plan your next move without fearing that you may run out. This often allows you to take that extra fishing run, or to make it home from the islands without refueling at that expensive refueling dock. You'll enjoy boating more because the fear factor has disappeared.

If you split fuel costs with your fishing buddies a fuel computer can also save you time at the end of the day. You won't have to line up at the fuel dock to full up just to find out how much fuel you've used. You can read it directly off the totalizer!

Big fuel saver. A FloScan Fuel Computer will save you 10-20% of your fuel bill. It's one of the few products for your boat that pays for itself, and quickly too. If you're a serious boater or fisherman, a FloScan Fuel Computer will likely pay out in less than a year.

A FloScan Fuel Computer helps you save fuel in several different ways. First, it lets you choose the optimum speed for maximum fuel efficiency. Knowing your fuel flow rate and boat speed you can calculate your miles-per-gallon (MPG) and select the speed which results in the lowest fuel consumption for present conditions. This alone will usually cut your fuel bill by 10-15%. (The latest addition to our product line, the Series 9000, automatically calculates MPG by interfacing with your GPS or Loran to obtain boat speed.)

Speed is very important but many other factors affect fuel usage. Boat trim, propeller, engine condition, and hull condition all are important. With a fuel computer you can see the effect of a change in trim tab angle or a shift in the load. The same applies to the art of selecting the best propeller type, size and pitch; fuel computers make it possible to measure the effect of prop changes on engine/drive train efficiency. It's not difficult to pick up at least another 5% in fuel savings with these adjustments.

The importance of engine condition on maintaining top fuel efficiency in marine engines is sometimes overlooked; this is especially true for gasoline engines. Marine engines operate under continuous high loads for a much higher proportion of the time than engines in cars. At these high loads, engine equipment deficiencies can chew up a lot of extra fuel until they are discovered and remedied. Something as simple as a faulty spark plug can increase fuel consumption by 20% and yet be very difficult to spot; a fuel computer picks up such an increase immediately, calling for an engine check to determine the cause.

Monitors engine and drive train condition. Anything that degrades engine or drive train/prop or overall boat performance also shows up immediately in fuel flow rates. FloScan Fuel Computers help spot problems before they become emergencies that could either leave you dead in the water or cost a lot of money.

Something as common as a nicked prop will increase fuel consumption by as much as 20%. If you notice a sudden increase in fuel flow rate, especially on one engine in a twin engine boat, one of the first things to inspect is the prop on the offending engine. Or, as discussed above, a fouled spark plug could be the problem. Whatever the problem turns out to be, a FloScan Fuel Computer is a valuable tool to first identify and then solve it.

A FloScan Fuel Computer can even save your life. Engine fuel leaks that could have been disastrous have been discovered by alert skippers who noticed that the flow rate suddenly increased without any reason and then discovered gas pouring into the bilge! Without a fuel computer, they would not have known of this life threatening situation.

On diesel engines, a fuel computer which measures both the forward and return flows can spot a clogged return fuel line which, if left uncorrected, could lead to expensive engine repairs. Without a fuel computer, you wouldn't know until the damage was already done.

Bottom fouling is another thing that increases fuel usage. It can creep up on you, especially in tropical waters. With a fuel computer you can tell when it's time to clean the hull.

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