Fuel Flow: JPI 450 VS. EI FP-5

[C-185]

Thinking of putting a fuel flow meter in my 180 and was wondering which is better.

Thanks,
Mike

[Steve Pierce]

I have installed both in customers airplanes. Had two problems with JPI. Their customer service was horrible. I knew more than the technician. Very frustrating experience. EI is just the opposite. I had a dumb installation question when hooking up an engine monitor to the fuel flow. I sat in the airplane with wires all over while Mathew Sharp (EI) walked me through the entire installation. My Dad had a problem with one of his EI instruments out of warranty. He mailed it regular UPS. They fixed it and mailed it back next day, no charge. From a technical side EI makes their own fuel flow transducer while JPI uses a generic unit. The quality of construction is very evident in the EI transducer. I went thrugh two from JPI before it worked correctly.

[mvivion]

Mike,

I've used both. We put JPI instruments in a 185, 206 and two Huskys. Our customer support was always good. We did have one transducer that went out of calibration pretty early on. JPI replaced it at no cost. If you're dealing with JPI, Steve, ask for Ottis. He's the expert.

I have an EI fuel flow instrument in my airplane, and it works fine, though after about 200 or 300 hours the fuel flow transducer failed. That was NOT covered under warranty, and frankly I have no beef with that, cause it was three or four years old by then. I was told by EI that they had some problems with their older transducers. I'd agree that EI staff is helpful and knowledgeable, and I don't think you'll go wrong with either instrument.

Talk to Jon at Northland Aviation in FAI. They did the installations on some of these, and I don't think they had any big beefs, but give him a call.

For just the fuel flow and nothing else (ie: no graphic engine monitor) I'd probably go with EI if I were to do it again. That's what I have in my plane. The unit is simple, pretty easy to work with, and comes with good instructions.

If I were going with a full graphic engine monitor, INCLUDING a fuel flow monitor, I'd definitely go with JPI's EDM 700 series. Mostly because I like the display and functionality better than the similar EI instruments.

You won't regret installing a fuel flow instrument, whcihever you wind up with.

Staying warm out there??

MTV

[Mathew Sharp]

FP-5L all the way!
$498.00 right now through some dealers

EI offers a more feature rich system, 100% made in the USA and utilizes the most sophisticated flow sensor available.

Since 2003 EI has manufactured there own senders.

JPI uses Floscan 231's on cubs. These are the SAME as the one EI used prior to 2003.

Currently Garmin recommends them with there systems, Dynon orders them by the hundreds, as does Advanced Flight Systems. (Email me for a detailed product comparison focused on just the flow transducers.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nRTtcNprhI

FP-5L Info
http://www.buy-ei.com/Pages/FP-5/FP-5_Overview.html

FP-5L vs FS-450
http://www.buy-ei.com/Comparisons/Comp_FP-5L.html

Matt Sharp Ext 113
Electronics International Inc.
support@buy-ei.com

[SteveE]

I kinda like JPI better,,, programming was easy and I can read the red LED lights better than the black numbers on the EI. Have not had a problem with the sensor at all.

[moneyburner]

Everyone likes the one they bought, of course. Otherwise, they'd be admitting they made a bad choice.

I like my E.I. FP-5. It works great. I have a patch cable that gathers data from my Lowrance GPS, the unit refines it's calibration when you add fuel, makes coffee, shows me where the big fish are and tells good jokes.

Boy, am I a lot of help.

Seriously, it works well. E.I. has some good stuff for reasonable prices.

[Steve Pierce]

Yep, and with the rebate I got mine for less than $400.