Having followed the "Fuel Gauge" thread for the last couple of months, I
thought you might be interested in the latest offerings from Avelec. I have
just taken delivery of their latest FMD fuel monitor and can now compare it
with their first fuel monitor. In contrast to the rather cheap looking (my
opinion) gauge of Avelec's earlier offerings, the FMD uses a smart backlit LCD
bar display (as requested by some contributors to this thread). This also
houses the electrickery, dispensing with the need for the separate cast metal
box used before and saving weight. The probe is much the same, but now has a
neat BNC connector bonded to the top, replacing the earlier flying lead.
The most significant change is that the user can now calibrate his own
system.....this was previously a factory task. Calibration correlates known
quantities of (a specific type of) fuel to a specific indication on the LCD,
producing a damped, linear display of up to 48 bars.......just what you want!
Of importance to all Europa builders is weight. The display/processor and
mounting weighs just 200 gramms, my fuel probe weighs 143 gramms and the
connecting harness comes in at 57 gramms, thats exactly 400 gramms total. By
way of comparison, the plastic tubing supplied by the factory weighs 620
gramms, add to that the jubilee clips and unuseable fuel ,and I reckon the
whole system will be about half the weight of the standard setup. (How does
that compare with the "ASI" manometer with all that plastic tubing?).
Power consumption is 15mA or 45 mA with backlighting ....even a Rotax could
power that!
I had a custom probe made to fit my non standard tank, the cost was =A3255, and
delivery was 3 weeks. There are cheaper systems on the market, but as the
saying goes "if you pay peanuts...you get monkeys"
The only drawback that I can see is that common to all "Capacitance" probe
installations in that calibration is only valid for one particular type/grade
of fuel. The difference in RD between 100ll, Mogas or unleaded will give wildly
varying indications on the display.
An article was recently published in the January/February '98 edition of
"Microlight Flying" magazine (P11) covering Avelec's FMS fuel monitor system.
Avelec can be found at:
Unit 6 Manor Farm Courtyard, Rowsham, Bucks HP22 4QP, UK Tel. 44 (0)1296
682465.
Hope this of use.
Nigel (147)
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