Best way to monitor gallons burned on ProXS

[Meleagris1]

I'm buying a new boat and will be jumping back into a Mercury ProXS 4S. What gauge is the easiest to use primarily for reseting each day and monitoring total fuel consumed? Id like to install a gauge if possible just to keep my phone free but open to vessel view mobile if that's the best way to go. I like the looks of the 403 gauge too.

[06 SB]

I use a Mercmonitor.

[SilverFox579]

I use a Mercmonitor.

I do too but there are other Smartcraft options that provide fuel consumption data. 06 SB put together a nice Smartcraft options topic that can be found at the top of the 3L 2-stroke forum - SMARTCRAFT Options

[Meleagris1]

I do too but there are other Smartcraft options that provide fuel consumption data. 06 SB put together a nice Smartcraft options topic that can be found at the top of the 3L 2-stroke forum - SMARTCRAFT Options

That was a great read thank you. I had no idea this wasn't a NEMA 2000 system. The square system monitor is what I see most guys running but it looks like the Merc monitor gauge is the way to go.

[mactlman]

vessel view mobile app works great and easy to install-- also merc smart gauges, I have both and seem to parallel each other on calculations both close

[EuropeanAM]

That was a great read thank you. I had no idea this wasn't a NEMA 2000 system. The square system monitor is what I see most guys running but it looks like the Merc monitor gauge is the way to go.

System Monitor is (quite honestly) very antiquated and pretty much in line with watching the super-bowl on a black and white TV.

What type of graphs are you running?

One caution: Fuel LEVEL should also be monitored on these engines- don't rely SOLELY on "Fuel Used". While that data is direct from the PCM MAP tables, these engines also have ARO (Advanced Range Optimization) as well as fuel trims monitored by PCM via O2 sensor. Some of the fuel trim data may not factor fully in the "fuel used" figures as it's a "Post-MAP" figure.

[Capt James]

I go by the fuel used on the vessel view and it's very accurate on my 300R. YMMV

[Meleagris1]

I'm OK with simply if it works. Building a new boat now and not 100% on graphs yet but likely HB and Garmin. I am hoping the "fuel used" is accurate - I heard many tell me that their gauges are right on, and even those who aren't still say they are close.

When you guys refer to Vessel View are you using mobile link?

[06 SB]

When you guys refer to Vessel View are you using mobile link?

It bugs the crap out of me that so many, including dealers refer to Vessel View Mobile as just plain "Vessel View." In all likelyhood, they are refering to Vessel View Mobile.

My Mercmonitor is regularly within 0.2 gallons from what the pump says. Very occasionally it is 0.5.

[Jigman78]

I use a merc monitor on my 23 250 4s. It works great. Before I swapped motors I had the same merc monitor on a 18 225 xs motor. To me the merc monitor does everything I need it to tell me.

[SilverFox579]

My Mercmonitor is regularly within 0.2 gallons from what the pump says. Very occasionally it is 0.5.

My experience is the same, always within 1/2gal but that includes my 8hp kicker that also pulls from the same tank.

[EuropeanAM]

Primarily applying to the current-production V6, V8, V10 and V12 models: The ones that run their engines pretty hard most of the time will have extremely close numbers/data on the Fuel Used. Engines run in the mid-range (cruising a lot) are more likely to see a wider margin of error in the data reported.

[homebody]

My experience is the same, always within 1/2gal but that includes my 8hp kicker that also pulls from the same tank.

Please explain how that works. i thought that the Mercimonitor gas used reading came off of the smart craft cable to the engine and calculates the gas used based on these parameters from that engine.
How does the Mercimontot account for what the kicker is pulling from the tank?
thanks

[G48]

[EuropeanAM]

Please explain how that works. i thought that the Mercimonitor gas used reading came off of the smart craft cable to the engine and calculates the gas used based on these parameters from that engine.
How does the Mercimontot account for what the kicker is pulling from the tank?
thanks

It doesn't. That kicker would run for many hours on one gallon of fuel.

[MichaelJ3]

I'm OK with simply if it works. Building a new boat now and not 100% on graphs yet but likely HB and Garmin. I am hoping the "fuel used" is accurate - I heard many tell me that their gauges are right on, and even those who aren't still say they are close.

When you guys refer to Vessel View are you using mobile link?

The absolute simplest to use would be a Vessel View, the SC-1000 System Tach and Speedo, or the MercMonitor.
The up side of any of these are that they don't double as your Graph, and at least the latter two, don't require some MFD to boot up first...
The up side of the VesselView o (or Vessel View Link to a graph) is that you get a nice, modern, large and info filled display...at the expense of dash real estate.

If I were building today, assuming I had adequate dash space, I think I'd Opt for a Lowrance HDS 7 and a vessel View Link for my primary gauges, and network them w/ my two Lowrance HDS's (12 and 9)....But, I currently have SC-1000 System Tach and Speedo along w/ 2 SC-100 gauges for Engine Coolant Temp and Oil Pressure...
If yoiu go Garmin, there is a similar gateway to the Vessel View Link (can't recall what it is called right now).

If you want to not rely on your graphs, get a Vessel View 700 or 900 series...essentially a SimRad display and a Vessel View Link, I think.

Any of the above, when coupled w/ GPS Speed input will get you a host of fuel management calculations in addition to fuel used, including: fuel to waypoint, miles/gallon, range, gallons per hr, fuel used since reset, fuel remaining (if you have a fuel harness connected to your fuel tank sender), and others.

Net: You are smart to want a SmartCraft gauge system....I'll never own a boat without them (if it has a Merc).

[SilverFox579]

How does the Mercimontot account for what the kicker is pulling from the tank?

It does not account for kicker, I do by noting how many hours I run it. Doing a "manual" accounting for kicker consumption (I use 1/2 gal per hour) and adding to Mercmonitor reported fuel used I am within 1/2 gal when refueling.

[Meleagris1]

The absolute simplest to use would be a Vessel View, the SC-1000 System Tach and Speedo, or the MercMonitor.
The up side of any of these are that they don't double as your Graph, and at least the latter two, don't require some MFD to boot up first...
The up side of the VesselView o (or Vessel View Link to a graph) is that you get a nice, modern, large and info filled display...at the expense of dash real estate.

If I were building today, assuming I had adequate dash space, I think I'd Opt for a Lowrance HDS 7 and a vessel View Link for my primary gauges, and network them w/ my two Lowrance HDS's (12 and 9)....But, I currently have SC-1000 System Tach and Speedo along w/ 2 SC-100 gauges for Engine Coolant Temp and Oil Pressure...
If yoiu go Garmin, there is a similar gateway to the Vessel View Link (can't recall what it is called right now).

If you want to not rely on your graphs, get a Vessel View 700 or 900 series...essentially a SimRad display and a Vessel View Link, I think.

Any of the above, when coupled w/ GPS Speed input will get you a host of fuel management calculations in addition to fuel used, including: fuel to waypoint, miles/gallon, range, gallons per hr, fuel used since reset, fuel remaining (if you have a fuel harness connected to your fuel tank sender), and others.

Net: You are smart to want a SmartCraft gauge system....I'll never own a boat without them (if it has a Merc).

I was actually looking at the vessel view 403 - I like the look and being separate from my graphs but I can't tell if you can set it to fuel used? I'm guessing yes? I know the Merc Monitor gauge you can.

This video at 51 seconds I think shows fuel burned dead center bottom as "CNTR" but its hard to read:

[MichaelJ3]

I think all Vessel View's provide a view lf all data available on the SmartCraft network..but Don is a great person to answer that.

I agree, I kind of like the idea of a separate unit that doesn't tie up the graphs.

Not sure if you can get to it, but this page has a link to the owners manual: https://www.mercurymarine.com/en/us/...view/software/

Looks like there is a trip screen you can reset to measure fuel used on the trip...

[EuropeanAM]

That would be your choice on the 403, but I can tell you that if you already have touch displays (especially Simrad or Lowrance), you can save a nice chunk by going the VesselView LINK route.