R29 2017 fuel gauge sensor

[Mastercraft]

My Volvo electronic display always reads 98% fuel. Is this a bad sensor in tank? Which fitting on top of tank is the sensor?

If the Volvo display doesn't read correctly, does this make the Garmin wrong too? The Garmin changes so that gage may function right. Garmin is set at 145 gal capacity, and Garmin gauge level seems to go down. I think the Garmin will be based on flow and not a tank level sensor. The Garmin flow may be actual or theoretical so it will decrease when fuel is used.

I have only had the boat six months and this has been an issue since day 1.

Rough water doesn't knock fuel sensor loose.

 

[Mastercraft]

I found the fuel gauge sensor. It is #001306K. It has five bolt pattern flange. It is under the step in the bottom bunk. I took out the step and the floor panel right inside the main cabin walkway, do I have to remove any more structure. It kind of looks like a vertical carpet panel might be needed to be removed. I am pretty sure that the sensor is the problem. Any thoughts?

 

[BB marine]

I would agree the float may be stuck. Or if your boat is like many Rangers and Cutwaters the Volvo EVC display was not set up for proper fuel level readings. The Garmin and Volvo display work differently. The Volvo EVC uses the fuel tank sensor to give you accurate fuel tank levels. The Garmin relies on the captain to enter the fuel on board then the Garmin uses a program to calculate fuel burn per hour and distance traveled to calculate fuel tank level or gallons of fuel in the tank. Both are accurate but Bothe need to be set up properly to give you a real number. When I first purchased my C26 I found the fuel tank sensor and Volvo EVC to be inaccurate. It would not change until the tank was less than 1/2 full then it was about 20 gallons off (80 gallon tank) Not worth relying on. The Garmin was much closer but after a season of use I found it to be about 15% off. I could live with that. What bothered me was I have a Volvo fuel level read out that is not worth having. What I found out was Fluid Motion does not properly calibrate the fuel tank sensors. A Fluid Motion factory rep told me we don't calibrate them they are not accurate use the Garmin. I spoke with a Volvo service technician about the poor quality fuel level readings from the EVC. His response was "if properly calibrated the read out is perfect with a level vessel". He also stated that "Volvo requires the calibration be done by the manufacture and then checked as part of the Pre Delivery Inspection". He did tell me that some of the Pre Delivery Inspections that he has done on the products that they sold did require calibrations.

I posted a thread about this a few years back. viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10780&start=0&hilit=calibrations

 

[Ralf H]

Hi Mastercraft,

The fuel sensor may need to be recalibrated. You can set the top level through the Volvo gauge, but if a full recal is needed, you can do that by removing the sensor and calibrating it through its travel. (I believe there are instructions in your Volvo manual for this)

Brian, not sure who told you that we do not calibrate the sensors, but that is not our policy. We calibrate them during the build process.

Sensors can become unreliable over time for myriad reasons and may require occasional recalibration. Unfortunately I can't quantify those as well as Volvo could. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Ralf

 

[BB marine]

Brian, not sure who told you that we do not calibrate the sensors, but that is not our policy. We calibrate them during the build process.

Ralf I apologize for miss quoting the customer service Rep. He stated they do a full tank calibration and it is not accurate you are better off to use the Garmin. I interrupted that as the calibration is not done as per the Volvo recommendation based on what the Volvo service technician stated and what the Volvo owners manual states. Fluid Motion does the approximate calibration. So yes Fluid Motion does calibrate the gauge. My statement was not correct.

From Volvo's Manual:
There are two alternative methods for calibrating the level sensor in the fuel tank. Full Fuel Tank Calibration is an approximate method, while Fuel Multipoint Calibration provides more precise results. Multipoint calibration is a prerequisite if the trip computer is to show fully accurate information.

In other words the Multipoint calibration is accurate. The Full tank is approximate. When I drained the tank I found that the full tank calibration with my tank just below 1/2 tank was off by 12 gallons about 15% off. When performing the Volvo recommended Multi point calibration at half tank average is 2 gallons +/- just over 2% off. I did this calibration in January 2018. In June of 2021 it still read accurately. I did purchase a new KUS SSS9 sender for a back up in case the reliability of the tank sender failed. It is still in the package 9" 001305K I never needed it.