Maretron Monitoring Popularity

[Skybolt]

I recently talked to Maretron about the TMP100 and adding EGT to my QSB/Smartcraft/Garmin equipped Meridian.
They said, as I believe has been mentioned above, that EGT isn’t supported very well by the TMP100/Garmin combo, but that it is on the list of upgrades to be made. Not sure when that will be.

Maybe the EGT can be read properly by my Vesselview 502 over N2K?

I plan on talking to them again at FLIBS to see if they’ve made any progress on the upgrade. .

That would be great is they fixed that some how, but there isn't an engine PGN that supports that so it would still need to be displayed on it's own as an independent parameter. Right now EGT is only supported in the 130316 PGN as an extended temperature.

 

[bobeast]

Just did my first fill up after installing a TLM-100 on each tank. They were accurate to within 1 Gallon on two 100 gallon tanks. They use standard PGNs, so a Maretron display isn't required, but if you don't have one, you have to use Maretron's N2KAnalyzer PC software to configure them. I've also installed one on my Fresh Water tank, and it is similarly accurate.

acronym key:
TLM-100 - Maretron ultrasonic Tank Level Monitor
NMEA - National Marine Electronics Association
N2K - An acronym to shorten the NMEA 2000 acronym
PGN - Parameter Group Number
PC - Pretend Computer running Microcrap operating system.

 

[Skybolt]

Just did my first fill up after installing a TLM-100 on each tank. They were accurate to within 1 Gallon on two 100 gallon tanks. They use standard PGNs, so a Maretron display isn't required, but if you don't have one, you have to use Maretron's N2KAnalyzer PC software to configure them. I've also installed one on my Fresh Water tank, and it is similarly accurate. ...

You will find that they are accurate to the gallon after operating the boat as well. Meaning you can instantly calculate fuel economy once stopped. But for me while running the boat they are useless due to fuel slosh and boat inclination even with focus tubes. I like to use the DSM410 for fuel display because of the way you can customize a fuel screen. Port remaining, starboard remaining and total remaining, great for boats that don't have fuel flow capability and the like.

Garmin doesn't display the fuel correctly and only display percentage in the data bars. I am not sure about Raymarine.

 

[dtfeld]

Maretron has the better capabilities as far as Fuel capacity display capabilities, but Raymarine is surprisingly OK at this.

I use the Maretron display 99% of the time. The top is the total fuel in both tanks and is displayed on both DSM410's. The lower half is specific to that side.

 

[bobeast]

You will find that they are accurate to the gallon after operating the boat as well. Meaning you can instantly calculate fuel economy once stopped. But for me while running the boat they are useless due to fuel slosh and boat inclination even with focus tubes. I like to use the DSM410 for fuel display because of the way you can customize a fuel screen. Port remaining, starboard remaining and total remaining, great for boats that don't have fuel flow capability and the like.

Garmin doesn't display the fuel correctly and only display percentage in the data bars. I am not sure about Raymarine.

In my case, having 100 gallon tanks, percentage is fine because it also equals gallons. I also tend to tool around at hull speed, so sloshing is not so much of a problem. I'm surprised the focus tubes don't solve the problem however. I seem to recall a setting in the configuration for averaging, which might help mitigate the sloshing issue.

The sensors I replaced were of the swing-arm type, so even there I could see the fuel level bounce around with wave action.

 

[Skybolt]

In my case, having 100 gallon tanks, percentage is fine because it also equals gallons. I also tend to tool around at hull speed, so sloshing is not so much of a problem. I'm surprised the focus tubes don't solve the problem however. I seem to recall a setting in the configuration for averaging, which might help mitigate the sloshing issue.

The sensors I replaced were of the swing-arm type, so even there I could see the fuel level bounce around with wave action.

Yeah the focus tubes do help with sloshing and also the averaging thing but, the inclination of the boat makes the fuel level highly in accurate for me and my tanks are 241g each so percentage is way too much thinking. I like to operate in gallons since I burn 40/hr. the math is kind of easy.

 

[bobeast]

Yeah the focus tubes do help with sloshing and also the averaging thing but, the inclination of the boat makes the fuel level highly in accurate for me and my tanks are 241g each so percentage is way too much thinking. I like to operate in gallons since I burn 40/hr. the math is kind of easy.

Ouch! at ~$6 / gallon, that right there is some ugly math.

 

[Skybolt]

Ouch! at ~$6 / gallon, that right there is some ugly math.

Yeah, I try not to look at that side of things too much. But you know what they say - You have pay if you want to play ...

 

[dtfeld]

Yeah, I try not to look at that side of things too much. But you know what they say - You have pay if you want to play ...

Forget the fuel bill...How bout that Bar tab!!!!!

 

[Riptide III]

Riptide you need to understand something when it comes to displaying your oil pressure and engine coolant temp and transmission engine parameters. For engines these parameters are published in an N2K PGN, 127488 engine RPM and boost pres., 127489 parameters like temp and oil pressure and 127493 for the transmission parameters. If the engine data is not transmitted in these data packets they will not display correctly on any display. If you want to display engine parameters you must use something like an Actisense EMU-1.

EGT is the only exception to the rule, it is not in any of the engine parameter PGN(s) and must be displayed on it's own on a display that supports it, like the Maretron DSM410. Most MFD's like Garmin and Raymarine don't really support it correctly.

With what your are asking about program curves, the only thing that needs a curve is the engine parameters if you use something that needs them programmed. The EMU-1 is plug and ply if you use the right engine senders and you only have to select the right sender and away you go.

YachtDevices does not have anything that can be used in and engine other then there EGT sender and I do not think it needs to be programmed. EGT is a rough temperature as there isn't many inexpensive probes that can be used to calibrate that.

Maretron does not have anything that can be used for engine parameters, they decided to get out of that market. They only have some converters that get one technology to another, like J1939 to NMEA 2000.

Thank you,. That is a very good explanation

 

[Skybolt]

Forget the fuel bill...How bout that Bar tab!!!!!

Right, so now it's doubled!

 

[ttmott]

This is about as “simple” as it gets. The only issue with the Maretron pressure transducers is they are 1/4” NPT only. You may need an additional fitting to mate it up to the fittings on the engine/transmission. Pretty sure the pressure port on the transmissions is 1/8” NPT. The transmission transducer might need a snubber.

The other option is to call Maretron and see if you can get the specs for the transducers and buy a third party already in the pipe size you require.

Maretron FPM100 uses 4-20ma two-wire current loop transducers for pressure. Industry standard. Sizing the PT range should be as close as possible as the actual pressure - for example the gear lube pressure is 0 - 260 PSIG get a PT range as close as possible to that range but not less than. Commercially available would be probably be 0-300 PSIG.
As far as devices besides Maretron interpreting and displaying the FPM100 data, read Appendix A of this doc. -
https://maretron.com/support/manuals/FPM100UM_1.3.pdf

 

[ttmott]

Re tank levels - From what I understand the sonic level measurement is based upon a 15 second averaging which accounts for sloshing quite well. The issue becomes if the fuel level at the sensor changes due to pitching or heeling for long periods of time then the averaging calibrates and begins to average to that level. The focus tubes which are nothing more than an aluminum tube in the tank below the transducer do an excellent job in two areas - first they dampen sloshing and foaming (diesel) and they remove interference do to tank walls, siphon tubes etc. The only tank I wouldn't install a focus tube is the sanitary waste tank.
Tank levels using pressure (FPM100) are another way to monitor but they bring issues also. These would be most applicable in tanks that are greater than 40 inches deep (the limit of the sonic xdcr's). The issue here is the transmitters are extremely sensitive - they are measuring in a couple of inches of water column. 20 inches of water column pressure is around 0.7 PSIG for example. So, any vertical hull movement creates a pressure spike that needs to be dampened. Liquid level changes do to pitch and heeling also need to be dampened.
There is no unicorn - but my personal best results have been with the sonic devices.