ADDING FUEL FLOW INDICATION

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Hi All. I am looking at adding fuel flow indication to my 2001 Carver 356 with 7.4 Volvo gas engines. I have a Raymarine C120 and would like to wire the transducers right to this unit. Has anyone out there done anything like this before, or would I be best to go with a stand alone gauge? (not my favorite option) Let me know what you think.
Trevor
 
This is from a description of your unit. Says you can but doesn't say how.

C-Series Engine and Instrument Data Integration

With support for SeaTalk, SeaTalk NG (next generation), NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000 and J1939, Raymarine C-Series in the center point for all of your vessel's navigation, instrument, and engine data.

Control your Raymarine SeaTalk compatible autopilot right from your C-Series display.
Repeat information from your connected instruments, autopilot, GPS, weather instruments and more.
Customizable data displays support multiple combinations of graphical, digital and analog information.
Monitor critical engine functions like RPM, oil pressure, fuel level and flow rate, coolant temperature, trim tabs and engine tilt, generator electrical data and more using NMEA2000 or J1939.
 
It assumes that your engines are outputting NMEA 2000, which (at least with Volvo gassers) wasn't until around 2007 -- diesels had the NMEA 2000 interface earlier. You would need to find a unit that plugs into your engine sensors and outputs NMEA 2000. Maretron may have a unit similar to the EMS100 that might work for you, though the EMS100 is for diesels -- may want to check with Maretron.
 
You can go with a standalone NMEA2000 fuel flow sensor, such as those made by Lowrance or Garmin as long as your volvo engine does not have a return line to tank (my previous boat with a 1999 volvo engine did not).

Unfortunately, my Crusader engines do have a return line, and I have yet to find an acceptable NMEA2000 fuel flow sensor for those.

With a fuel flow sensor, your RayMarine display will display fuel flow - but not the other engine parameters. One caveat though, if you go with say the Lowrance gauges, you'll likely need to buy a Lowrance LMF-200 display to initially program the instances into the fuel flow sensors, as they won't likely be recognized by the RayMarine display out of the box.

This at least happened when I instlled Lowrance tank level monitors on my boat. I have a NMEA2000 network, with RayMarine C-80, Lowrance LMF-200, Lowrance sensors for fuel tanks and trim tabs, and a Garmin GMI-10 NMEA 0183/2000 repeater. My C-80 (nor the Garmin GMI-10) would not recognize the tank monitors until I programmed them as Tank 1 and Tank 2 with a Lowrance LMF-200. Then the RayMarine display recognized both sensors. As it turned out, I simply added the Lowrance LMF-200 to the helm gauges as it is rather inexpensive.
 
Excellent information. After more research, I believe you are right in all regards. I will have to wait to see what I have onboard for a "backbone" and add on from there. Thanks.
 
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