Anyone have experience with Noland Engineering RS11-gctid376994

[Guest]

I'm anxious to get some fuel flow meters on my boat, and am narrowing in on the Lowrance LMF-400s. http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Mar...auges/LMF-400/ They seem pretty cool. I've also got a problem with both of my tachs 'hunting' and I don't trust either of them. I'm finding that I'm driving more by engine note than just the tach.

To get RPM info out of the engines into the Lowrance gauges I need to have NMEA 2000 engine data. This Noland RS11 http://nolandeng.com/rs11.php looks like it will do the trick. I'm just curious if anyone else has already been down this road? Any tips/tricks. Install looks pretty straight forward. The part I'm worried the most about is pulling the dash apart and getting to the gauges.

[Guest]

I'd go with FloScan units- take care of the fuel metering and tach at the same time.

Never used the Noland gear. Do you already have the NMEA backbone, engine interface hardware, etc?

[Guest]

Hi Pete,

I'm really sold on the look of the Lowrance compared to the FlowScans that I've seen.

The Nolan device is the piece that converts the engine data into NMEA 2000. You have 2 tach + 4 analog (volts, trim, etc.) on each RS11. Therefore, as an example, you could get rpm, trim, and oil pressure for both engines, but no voltage since all the analog inputs are used up. Installation is simple, requiring you to tap onto the 'S' terminals of your existing gauges. There is a configuration/calibration process to go through for each gauge, but a PC-based Setup Utility simplifies that.

I currently only have NMEA 0183 available out of my chartplotter/radar combo. I'm debating updating that ($$$) or simply getting a 0183 to 2000 convertor. The convertors are very cheap so that's probably the route I'll go. While I have the dash apart I may as well do it. Getting GPS data out of the chartplotter should allow me to get speed so I can show the full MPG calculation, as well as use the displays as speedos if I wish.

[Guest]

I have three RS11's, and also the Lowrance setup - two EP60Rs, an EP65R, an LMF-400, LMF-200, and a couple Navico MFDs.

The Lowrance/Simrad gear including the fuel flow monitoring works perfectly and I could not ask for more at the price point. No reason for me to buy the more expensive, less flexible FlowScan gear for the extra .5% of accuracy, or to have a gauge dedicated to just fuel when I can display it on the MFDs and NMEA gauges.

The RS11 I have not been able to get working. Their support sent me multiple replacement units, tried software upgrades, had me running around buying resistors and capacitors to add on, etc. Towards the end, I attached connectors to the units I was so sick of re-wiring them each time. I have not heard anyone say yet that they work great but I believe they must, it seems like they would if they had the simple things figured out.

They blame my electrical system, but the stock gauges work fine, everything checks out with the DMM, and it happens on either/both engines - the units do not show a steady value, but the tach will go up and down 600rpm, oil pressure and temperature will cycle up and down, etc. They're unusable for me.

I would try the RS11 if I were you, but be prepared to use their return policy if it doesn't work out.

[Guest]

aa2300 wrote:
Hi Pete,

I'm really sold on the look of the Lowrance compared to the FlowScans that I've seen.

The Nolan device is the piece that converts the engine data into NMEA 2000. You have 2 tach + 4 analog (volts, trim, etc.) on each RS11. Therefore, as an example, you could get rpm, trim, and oil pressure for both engines, but no voltage since all the analog inputs are used up. Installation is simple, requiring you to tap onto the 'S' terminals of your existing gauges. There is a configuration/calibration process to go through for each gauge, but a PC-based Setup Utility simplifies that.

I currently only have NMEA 0183 available out of my chartplotter/radar combo. I'm debating updating that ($$$) or simply getting a 0183 to 2000 convertor. The convertors are very cheap so that's probably the route I'll go. While I have the dash apart I may as well do it. Getting GPS data out of the chartplotter should allow me to get speed so I can show the full MPG calculation, as well as use the displays as speedos if I wish.

Sounds like a plan. I would personally upgrade the MFD, but I know it gets expensive if you have a radar as well.

I made a pigtail connector - ring terminals on individual gauge's sender terminals, going to a connector. (AMP) Then the RS11 has a small pigtail with a matching connector. This way you can easily plug it in and take it off as necessary.

Also, buy a USB extension cable if necessary so you can easily access the calibration utility from your laptop at a convenient spot.

[Guest]

Sound like you've got the electronics bug like I do

Ok...I'll bite. Why do you have three RS11's? None of them work?

[Guest]

aa2300 wrote:
Sound like you've got the electronics bug like I do

Ok...I'll bite. Why do you have three RS11's? None of them work?

Nope, all do the same thing. I only need 2... was going to do the two engines, and then the two battery banks/alternators (house and starting), and leave two open for future distractions. I really want oil pressure and temperature on the bus which is the main thing though.

[egbauman]

aa2300 wrote:


To get RPM info out of the engines into the Lowrance gauges I need to have NMEA 2000 engine data. This Noland RS11 http://nolandeng.com/rs11.php looks like it will do the trick. I'm just curious if anyone else has already been down this road? Any tips/tricks. Install looks pretty straight forward. The part I'm worried the most about is pulling the dash apart and getting to the gauges.

I took delivery of an RS11 last week and tried to install in my Bayliner 4087 (twin Cummins 330 diesels). I connected to my existing NMEA 2000 backbone and immediately got the option on my Garmin chartplotter to display engine data. Of course, none of the data meant anything as I had not calibrated the RS11 yet.

Just found out that my engine flywheel has 159 teeth so will use that to calibrate the tach. I plan to connect water temp and oil pressure to the 4 analog inputs. That's next weekend's project.

More as it develops.

[brian95006]

Just curious if anyone has had a more recent experience with the Noland RS11 on their Bayliner. I am looking to convert my gauges, most importantly my tach's, fuel gauge and convert my analog flow scans data into NMAE2000 to view on my Garmin multi display

[Guest]

I have the RS11 which I just installed. The tachs work fine after setting the correct pulse. I cant get the other sending units (oil, temp) working though. Its looking for a voltage yet afaik analog gauges use ohms, not voltage for data. I have an inquiry into noland about this. Lets see if they answer? In the mean time, I have the gauges tucked away as I redid my dash with twin mfd;s assuming the RS11 would work. I will let yuou all know if I hear anything from them. So far, not too happy with the results but at least I have tachs. lol!

[Guest]

Just wanted to send an update. I was at the boat today and decided to try something with the RS11. As I said there was no data except for the tack. I decided to update the firmware to the unit from the SW disk. After I did that, all of a sudden, all the data was available and all my MFD guages were working perfectly. Very accurate! Works great now so I wanted to let everyone know, UPDATE THE FIRMWARE!