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BF150A Options for Fuel Monitoring

C

cneames

New member
Hello,

I have twin 2008 Honda 150 outboard motors, serial numbers BAPJ-1300198 and
BANJ-1302119. They are just prior to being NMEA 2000 compatible.
I also have a Furuno MFD12 multifunction display that will accept NMEA 2000
input.
Is there a way to feed a signal to my Furuno system to monitor fuel usage rather than having to purchase the expensive digital Honda guage?

Thank you for your response.
Caleb Neames
 
Hi Caleb,

I have a 2006 vintage BA 150, so I am interested in the response to your question. If my memory serves me right, this has been discussed in the past, and at that time, the consensus was that there was no way to get the data out in the correct format.
Maybe something has changed, if so, I too would be interested in way to do it.

Bill Herzfeld

www.eclecticwonders.com uncommon art
 
The short answer is "NO" according to the Tech's at Honda HQS in Atlanta. I had the same issue and wanted to hook up the engine monitoring functions from my 2007 Honda 225 to my Garmin network via NMEA 2K.
Frankly, I don't believe them. We know the digital data is being output to those funky Honda digital gauges. If one knew, or could figure out, the translation protocols used in those gauges, it would seem to be a simple matter of writing a program to translate them to the NMEA 2000 public domain protocols on a simple EPROM and throw them into the network. You wouldn't have to touch the ECM or anything else - just interrupt the signals to the gauges.

Bet someone could make a pile of money if they figured out how to do that. The system could probably be made to work with most any Honda outboard. Of course, the question is why Honda won't do that in the first place.
 
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That's an excellent price. I paid dealer install price, which was over $1500 for both gauges. I'm not pleased with them at all. They are difficult to read, especially in bright light or very low light situations. I will say that the fuel consumption function is very accurate - within +/- 2 gallons at every 80 to 100 gallon fill-up. Also, the voltage reading is not accurate because it comes through the ECM. I found that the real alternator output is about 0.8 volts higher than the digital gauge readout. This is based on using a very accurate voltmeter and a standard old analog voltmeter I mounted direct to the battery. The digital speedometer is usually inaccurate, so your MPG is also not accurate. But the GPH is very accurate.
 
It looks like my only option is to go digital or aftermarket.
Would I need a gauge for each motor or does the digital speedo handle fuel flow for both engines?
Appreciate the previous replies.
 
You know what's funny though...... The only REAL data will be the GPH. You won't get MPG correctly. Honda in their infinite wisdom uses a pitot (tube/air thingy) to figure your physical distance. So. it isn't very accurate.

You better off getting a crappy lowrance fuel sender and hooking to a LMF200 gauge and doing it that way....IMG_1341.jpg
 
The Honda internal pitot tube is always getting clogged. Best to mount an external pitot type pickup on your transom and connect it to the tube that runs out of the internal Honda one, and plug the old tube. If the external one gets screwed up (which they eventually always do) it's a $15.00, five minute R&R. At least that will give you a better estimate of MPG. But be aware that the pitot tube pick up is notoriously inaccurate at low speeds.

I fish a lot in saltwater and do mostly trolling - principally the Chesapeake and the gulf stream off Hatteras - and have three speed indicators - the GPS, the pitot tube based readout on the Honda digital gauge, and a water wheel mounted on my Garmin transducer. I only pay attention to the GPS speed (actual speed) and the water wheel output (speed relative to water flow.) At trolling speed the pitot-based speed does not match either.
 
Reply from Garmin:

Thank you for contacting Garmin International.

I have attached the installation manual for the GFS10 (sorry - I couldn't include it in my post, c neames). The NMEA 2000 sentences are on page 5. Some of the sentences you included on your email show up, but not all. Please compare the two lists to ensure the GFS10 is what is needed.
Please note that the GFS10 was not made to work with third-party companies and so you may run into technical issues. We would not be able to provide troubleshooting when the GFS10 is interfaced with a third-party system since we do not know how the GFS10 would interact with other companies products.
Please let me know if you have more questions.
With Best Regards,
Adam S
Product Support Spe******t
2nd Shift - Marine Team
Garmin International
913-397-8200
800-800-1020
913-440-8280 (fax) Att: Adam S, Associate #6989
www.garmin.com
Additional solutions may be found at http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us/support/searchsupport
 
NMEA 2000 PGN Information

NMEA2000 PGN Information for Garmin


Transmit ​
 Receive


059392 ​
 ISO Acknowledgement


059392 ​
 ISO Acknowledgement


060928 ​
 ISO Address Claim


059904 ​
 ISO Request


126464 ​
 Transmit/Receive PGN List Group Function


060928 ​
 ISO Address Claim


126208 ​
 NMEA-Command/Request/Acknowledge Group Function


126208 ​
 NMEA-Command/Request/Acknowledge Group Function


126996 ​
 Product Information


127489 ​
 Engine Parameters-Dynamic


~ ​

127505 ​
 Fluid Level (when calibrated on a Garmin chartplotter or
The GFS 10 is NMEA 2000 certified.
instrument)


127497 ​
 Trip Parameters, Engine



NavNet 3D accepts the following N2K messages:

059392/904, 060928, 061184,
065280, 126208/720/992/996,
127245/250/251/257/488/489,
128259/267,
129025/026/029/033/038/039/040/044/538/540/792/793/794/798/808,
130306/310/311/577/817/818/819/820
 
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