Ribcraft 585 fuel guage / sender problem?

Happymug · 02 August 2015, 23:50

Hi, newbie so please excuse lack of knowledge.

Very pleased to have just acquired a 2005 Ribcraft 585, but I have a few niggles to iron out. The fuel gauge was replaced by the previous owner only a few months ago (needle type supplied by Ribcraft), but seems to read approx. half full regardless of how much fuel is in the tank (it drops to empty when power turned off). Given the gauge is new I am guessing either a wiring or sender problem. The sender (picture below) is in a relatively good place for access (in the binnacle), but it is not obvious to me if / how this can be taken apart. Any suggestions on how I could investigate resolve would be appreciated.

jambo · 03 August 2015, 02:37

I had the same problem with my 1997 RC 5.85. Replaced the sender. Still wasn't 100% accurate but way better than it was. I now get accurate readings from my new smart gauge with the same sender.

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Xk59D · 03 August 2015, 03:20

I can't help with your problem I'm afraid but just to confirm, my own ribcraft fuel gauge and or tank doesn't read fuel well. I had to put a fuel flow on the engine to have any real idea of how much fuel i had left.

If I brim mine it will instantly go to half full as soon as you get moving. When you stop again the guage goes back to the real reading.

I don't know why exactly this happens but I guess it is a drawback with large flat under deck tanks???

Cheers

Maximus · 03 August 2015, 09:26

If anyone with any old type Fuel Guage/sender says its at all accurate on a RIB ....they're deluding themselves.
If you want accurate fuel levels I'm afraid you'll have to go electronic, eg fuel flow meter,ect end of.

beamishken · 03 August 2015, 10:37

Or get a stick & dip it if you have access sometimes low tech works best

jambo · 03 August 2015, 10:49

That's the trouble with RC tank you can't access from the top to many curves and tank is about 2/3 ft down from filler.

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Happymug · 03 August 2015, 10:51

Thanks for the comments - I like the idea of stick and dip, but don't think my filler pipe is straight enough to make that possible (tricky on the go too). Long term, a fuel flow measuring device sounds like the way forward.

I guess the first thing for me to do is investigate if the sender is working. Could anyone tell me a) how does it come apart - looking at the picture above, does the top unscrew? b) is testing it as simple as manually moving something up and down once extracted?

Thanks for any guidance.

lakelandterrier · 03 August 2015, 13:03

As others have said "traditional" fuel gauge is pretty inaccurate.

I calculate my fuel use by keeping a log of distance / trips and how much fuel it takes to top the tank back up to 90l (allowing for any interim replen by cans). I've found this to be pretty accurate and consistent, running at on average 0.85l / NM. I'd guess a 585 would be similar, or may be a tad thirstier.

When my fuel guage drops to 1/2 fuel i know I've about 35-40l left. I don't like to run with less than 1/3 of a tank in any case.

Xk59D · 03 August 2015, 13:37

Fyi, my 6.8 with zuke 200 will sit at 0.9lpm at about the 3200-3400rpm mark.

I'm currently investigating the accuracy of the above but it isn't far off.

Cheers

Searider · 03 August 2015, 14:35

The manky looking aluminium bit should unscrew from the stainless stub. Take it out and there will probably be a float that slides up and down a shaft.

Searider · 03 August 2015, 14:37

WEMA UK - Product Description

Bucksribster · 03 August 2015, 18:09

I am interested in this thread. I also have a 2005 RC585, new to me this season. It also has a completely useless fuel gauge, mainly reading between half and empty, even when topped off full. The gauge itself looks like original fit. From memory the sender under the consul looks like Happymug's photo.

Where can you get a spare sender from? Will WEMA sell you one direct?

Also if I read the RC specification correctly, it is fitted with a 40 gallon / 180 litre tank? Is this true? If so, it is humungous! Unless I am going across the Atlantic, I am not sure that ultra accurate knowledge of the fuel level is that important if you just keep the tank topped off every now and again.

Presumably for fuel flow meters we are talking big money?

Xk59D · 03 August 2015, 18:18

i don't know about your tank, ribcraft can probably tell you from the serial number what was fitted as the boats are custom built.

my own boat is a 220l tank so i guess 180 is in line with my own to get similar ish range.

fuel senders-you have a few options, unfortunately getting accurate fuel info out a suzuki is tricky, not insurmountable though by any means as i've fixed my own if you do some searching on here.

what plotter do you have exactly on the boat?

failing that, SMIS is probably the way forward or the bluetooth phone one you can make which info is kicking about on- malebuffy

cheers

Pikey Dave · 03 August 2015, 18:40

Forget trying to get any sensible level readings off a Ribcraft standard fuel gauge unless it's on a trailer on flat ground. As soon as the boat is on the water the fuel sender is at the high end of the tank, when you start to move, the fuel in the tank moves towards the stern & the readings become even more meaningless. The way to go is via nmea2000 if you have it, or calculation & paper fuel management if you don't. Don't waste your money by buying new tank senders etc. Saying that, I'm still trying to get my DF140 to give accurate readings over nmea2000, but that's another story.

.....sh1t happens.......

Maximus · 03 August 2015, 18:40

Never had a problem with my Suzi digital Fuel/Flow gauges...spot on to the litre

You can also with the right sender/interface...display it on the later Garmin plotters,which may be a good option for some.

Maximus · 03 August 2015, 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Forget trying to get any sensible level readings off a Ribcraft standard fuel gauge unless it's on a trailer on flat ground. As soon as the boat is on the water the fuel sender is at the high end of the tank, when you start to move, the fuel in the tank moves towards the stern & the readings become even more meaningless. The way to go is via nmea2000 if you have it, or calculation & paper fuel management if you don't. Don't waste your money by buying new tank senders etc. Saying that, I'm still trying to get my DF140 to give accurate readings over nmea2000, but that's another story.

.....sh1t happens.......

I reckon I said that already

Only it's not just Ribcraft...believe me!

A1an · 03 August 2015, 18:48

I recently fitted the Suzuki fuel gauge I bought from yourself Matt, its night and day to the Quicksilver one I had, the needle on the suzuki gauge doesn't jump about when in the rough, its more like a cars' fuel gauge, very stable.

When I installed it I altered the float in the tank so when the gauge reads full the tank is actually full but when it reads empty I've got 15 litres of a buffer.

I've never run the tank low so I don't know how much of that 15 litres is actually useable.

Xk59D · 03 August 2015, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

Never had a problem with my Suzi digital Fuel/Flow gauges...spot on to the litre

You can also with the right sender/interface...display it on the later Garmin plotters,which may be a good option for some.

when i first put all mine in it was reading over 20 gallons per hour at idle with v2.8 firmware on the SDIS connected to my garmin 551 and 751 plotters.

as the above engine is a 2005 that was a changeover year so a bit of playing will likely be required with the firmware versions...which you can ONLY update with either an SMIS or lowrance unit. i had to send my cable back to suzuki for an update and it is working fine now.

v2.3 firmware is still the most reliable for fuel readings but it didn't work with all the engines, they have expanded the ranges with later versions and the fuel readings went to pot as a result.

anyways, he may get lucky and it works out the bat...i'm just not that lucky.

cheers

Bucksribster · 03 August 2015, 20:06

Thanks for the advice guys. The plotter is a Garmin 188C combined plotter / depth, which I think is original fit from 2005. It works the DSC OK, but as a plotter it is not great. I supplement it with a Nexus 7 running Navionics (see separate thread on this).

I have held off replacing the plotter as firstly it is a lot of dosh, and secondly I am not sure if I would have to replace the transducer which looks pretty built in!

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is involved in linking the Suzi to a plotter? Also I have no idea of the firmware version, but I do have the serial number etc.

Xk59D · 03 August 2015, 20:57

that garmin will not work unfortunately, you will need another plotter if you wish the info on the actual plotter itself.

probably the cheapest way to get fuel flow is the bluetooth addon for the phone i linked earlier, bit more DIY but mucho cheapness and you can put it on your nexus 7. it won't link with your plotting software though if that bothers you. i.e you would need to swap apps to see fuel or plotter...not a biggy perhaps so long as the fuel app stays live in the background, that i don't know if it will.

it is important you check the shape of your SDIS plug, i would think it is round based on the age of your engine. if it is you need a reverse K8 adapter cable too.

so your options are-

buy this- Suzuki Outboard - 990C0-88164-KIT - 4 in. Multi-Function Gauge Kit

AND

Suzuki Outboard - 990C0-88141 - SIMS Reverse K8 Adapter

or you can buy any NMEA2000 compliant plotter (lowrance works best with suzuki, but not mega important you go that route) and just buy this and plug it into your outboard-

Suzuki Outboard - 990C0-88149 - SMIS Engine Interface Cable

AND

Suzuki Outboard - 990C0-88141 - SIMS Reverse K8 Adapter

AND you will also need an NMEA starter kit- Garmin Nmea 2000 Starter KIT Marine Navigation Equipment Boat Marine RV | eBay
.

or if you buy a garmin NME2000 plotter you can buy their own fuel flow system- NMEA 2000 Accessories: Garmin GFS10 Fuel Sensor NMEA 2000 (010-00671-00). if you go this route though you ONLY see fuel numbers, don't see RPM, trim, diags etc.

you can ofcourse plug the SMIS into the garmin if you wish but if you want to update firmware at any point you need to send it back to suzuki or ask your dealer if you can borrow an SMIS gauge.

the cable i have mentioned (http://www.brownspoint.com/store/pc/...e-38p67182.htm) MUST have the right firmware on it or you will get incorrect fuel readings, by far and large V2.9 is the most reliable with V2.3 just behind it, but it needs manual setting up so a bit of a pain. if you order it from your dealer tell them to make sure it comes with V2.9. even though mine asked for 2.9 it arrived with 2.8 which i knew wouldn't work...but i tried it for ghits and shiggles.....20 gallons per hour at idle as i said....ever so slightly out

cheers