Used or new engine monitor?

[johnbkeck]

Hello,

My 201 partner and I are considering an engine monitor with fuel flow like an EDM 700 or an Insight monitor.

Any ideas on used vs. new or if it is always better to buy new? Maybe you know of the newest coming out at a competitive price. I guess I need to check my Aviation Consumer subscription also.

Thanks for all opinions!

John

N201AJ

[NotarPilot]

I have an Insight G3 and I'm very happy with it. My only complaint being that my mechanic was unable to make the RPM function work which means the engine percentage doesn't work all the time. But sometimes it does, go figure. I wrote a review about it on Aircraft Spruce under the product if you'd like to read further about what I think about this product. I was originally looking at the EDM 830 but decided to go with the G3 as I already had the older GEM product and this was a simpler drop in replacement and I only paid $1850 at AOPA last year. Much cheaper and easier for me than the EDM 830.

One of the key features of the G3 that I really like is the indication of degrees from peak EGT that it displays, that way you can easily find out how many degrees away from lean of peak or rich of peak you are. No need to watch the gauge and see when you hit peak EGT then watch and see now many degrees away you are from that number.

[TWinter]

I did the JPI 830..best money spent for me so far. I see there is now a 900 available that can be used as primary (wish I knew that when I did the 830). Heading to Osh on Monday. I'll be curious to see what it takes to upgrade to the 900 vs. 830. If the budget is there for you the 830 is money well spent IMHO.

[johnbkeck]

Thank you!

I read your review on Aircraft Spruce. Has anyone been able to get the RPM function to work? What a great price you got. It looks like they are $3029.00 now.

John

[FAST FLIGHT OPTIONS LLC]

I recently went we a JPI EDM 900 (see picture). Hands down one of the best investments I made.

[scottfromiowa]

Thank you!

I read your review on Aircraft Spruce. Has anyone been able to get the RPM function to work? What a great price you got. It looks like they are $3029.00 now.

John

EI primary including tach. G3 is functional and mirrors the EI digital tach.

[rainman]

I have the JPI 830, works great....if I had it to do over and had the space, I'd go with the JPI 930 (primary for RPM/MAP).

[DaV8or]

I say it's absolutely best to go used when buying an engine monitor. Having said that...

 

I just happen to have a used JPI 700 with fuel flow that I could be persuaded to part with!   Seriously, I need to sell it, I'm just too lazy to take pictures and advertize it.

 

I went with the EI MVP-50. It's very similar to the JPI 900. I liked it better when I played with the two AOPA Summit. No regrets so far

[NotarPilot]

In the interest of full disclosure I paid less because I was trading up to the G3 model from the Gemm 602 that I had. And those vendors really offer some really great deals at the shows.

[M20F]

I have EI MVP-50 as well and really like it, so much better than all the stock gauges which you can toss out.

[KSMooniac]

There are lots of great choices in the market now, and you can't really go wrong with any of them IMO.  I currently have an EDM-700 with fuel flow, but am looking at the EDM-900 as a primary replacement so I can remove all of the old instruments.  You should decide first if you want to keep the original instruments, or wipe the slate clean and go fully modern.  The -700 with FF is a fantastic device with high bang-for-the-buck factor, and there are deals to be had on used ones currently.  You could always buy the box used, and buy new probes from JPI.

[orionflt]

I just installed the MVP-50 with alot of the bells and whisles, I do not have much time on it yet but i love it already. one of the things i liked was the fuel sensor upgrade to the magnetic sensors, more reliable and cost the same or less then replacing the existing senders.

 

Brian

[kmyfm20s]

For those of you that have replaced all your gauges with the JPI 900 did you see any wieght saving? I have an EDM 700 and the Hoskins FT101 that I have been wanting to replace with one of the JPI's and a wieght saving would help push me from the 830 to the 900.

[DaV8or]

I just installed the MVP-50 with alot of the bells and whisles, I do not have much time on it yet but i love it already. one of the things i liked was the fuel sensor upgrade to the magnetic sensors, more reliable and cost the same or less then replacing the existing senders.

 

Brian

 

Man I wish I had done this!!   Under the advise of my avionics shop, I had my old resistive senders rebuilt. They recommended this to save me money. It worked awesome... for about a year and a half. Now my gauges lie. They now report more fuel than there really is. The calculated fuel remaining is still good though and so is my home made, calibrated stick.

 

I have not contacted the avionics shop yet about it, but I will. I'm trying not to spend money on the plane right now. The annual was bad enough!

[larryb]

The sensors, especially egt, can go bad after time. I personally want best reliability and would buy new. A single failure will cost you more in labor than you can save buying used.

[ZachP]

Do you guys think there is a benefit to putting one on a M20C ? I have heard you can't really lean a carbureted  engine. 

[carusoam]

Fuel flow and engine monitors are helpful devices...

In carbureted Cs...

Leaning...yes.

LOP...unlikely.

My C used to like collecting lead BBs in the lower plugs.

Welcome aboard...

Best regards,

-a-

Did I say this twice...?

[KSMooniac]

Every airplane with an engine should have a monitor.  It is far more useful than just flying LOP, and can aid with troubleshooting or save your bacon in flight.

[NotarPilot]

^^^ What Scott said.