Pub. 988-0154-372 EP-65R Fluid Level Electronic Sensor Installation, Configuration and Calibration Instructions This document shows how to install an EP-65R Fluid Level sensor and how to connect it to a NMEA 2000® network. It also provides instructions on how to configure and calibrate your fluid level sensor with Lowrance digital gauges (LMF-200 & LMF-400) and display units. NMEA 2000 is the communication bus standard developed by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) for use in boats.
The EP-65R consists of a smart module with a red cable connector on one end and two bare wires on the other. The cable length from the connector to the smart module is 18 inches (46 cm). The cable length from the smart module to the bare wires is 10 feet (3 meters). The smart module converts fluid level information received from the sending unit (fluid level float) to the NMEA 2000 data format.
LowranceNET Node Kit for a NMEA 2000 network. Includes a 2-foot extension cable, T connector and two 120-ohm terminators. Sending unit mounting plate configurations vary. When connecting the EP-65R, you will need whatever tools and supplies that will work with your sending unit's specific design. Recommended tools include: wire pliers. You will need a drill and a 7/8" (22 mm) drill bit.
Attach appropriate connectors to wire leads. Attach the positive red lead to the sending unit's positive connector, usually located in the center of the mounting plate. Connect the negative black lead to the sending unit's negative connector. To ensure you know which connection is which, refer to the mounting instructions that came with the sending unit. Positive connector Negative connector Connect wire leads to fluid level sending unit. This is a typical sending unit mounting bracket.
for example, you pick up a phone in the living room you will be able to hear the conversation someone is having on a phone in the bedroom. In similar fashion, a NMEA 2000 network allows multiple display units to receive data from a GPS antenna or multiple sonar units to receive messages sent by a fluid level sensor. A NMEA 2000 network gives you the flexibility to view information like engine diagnostics and fuel level data on digital gauges or display units located anywhere on your boat.
Terminator at the end of the backbone (bus) Double T connector Cap for unused connector Backbone cable (to rest of bus) Cable from sensor or display unit NMEA 2000 network node located at the end of a NMEA 2000 backbone. NOTE: If you have a double T Connector on your network that is not attached to a device, you must cap the unused connector with a NMEA 2000 cap. This will protect the pin connectors from corrosion.
Use T-connector or double T connector to add device to bus (maintaining linear architecture) Backbone cable to rest of bus Existing network node Attach terminator at end of bus Devices connect to double T connector In this example, a new device is added to the NMEA 2000 bus by installing a T connector between a T connector and a terminator at the end of the backbone (network bus).
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LMF-200: EP-65R Configuration & Calibration This section covers how to use EP-65R Fluid Level with the LMF-200 Multi-function gauge. NOTE: You will notice the LMF-200 does not have an Exit key. Menus will time out after a preset amount of time (3, 5, 10 or 15 seconds). The default setting is 5 seconds. Refer to your LMF-200 instruction manual for more information on the Timeout feature.
MENU, which will open the Tank Size window. (If you chose a single- tank configuration, you will be taken directly to the Tank Size window covered in Step 4.) 4. Use the UP and DOWN keys to input the number of gallons the tank will hold and press MENU. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each tank. After all tanks have been set up, you will be taken to the main display.
A configured fluid level will have the following menu options: Unconfigure, Reconfigure, Level Warning, Calibrate, Reset Cal and Reset. The menu for an unconfigured fluid level will show the following configuration options: Fuel, Water, Waste Water (Gray Water), Black Water, Oil and Live Well. Caution: If you configure your fluid level for fuel, you will NOT be able to get a fuel range reading. Fuel Range will NOT be calculated with a fluid level sensor.
4. Select a tank and press MENU, which will launch the Tank Size window. 5. Input the size of the tank (gallons) and press MENU. You will be directed to the Bus Devices list. NOTE: If your fluid level is not updated on the Bus Devices list, refresh the list by letting it time out, and then access it again. To configure a fluid level for Fresh Water, Waste Water (Gray Water), Live Well or Black Water: 1. Press MENU, select SYSTEM SETUP and press MENU. Highlight B. DEVICES and press MENU. 2.
NOTE: If your fluid level is not updated on the Bus Devices list, refresh the list by letting it time out, and then access it again. Reconfiguring a Fluid Level Reconfiguring a fluid level allows you to easily switch the configuration name of a fluid level.
3. Highlight RECONFIG (Reconfigure) from the Configuration Options menu and press MENU. 4. Select OIL from the list of fluid types and press MENU. The Select Tank menu will appear. (If your unit is set to a single-tank configuration, taken directly to the Tank Size window (Step 5). NOTE: If, for example, all fluid levels are configured and the desired configuration name is configured to another fluid level; you will have to unconfigure that fluid level.
EP-65R Fluid Level Calibration The factory calibration settings for the EP-65R Fluid Level should be adequate for the majority of applications, so calibration will not be necessary in most cases. The default calibration for the EP-65R Fluid Level is just as accurate as standard fluid level gauges. If, however, the tank has an irregular shape or greater accuracy is needed, calibration is recommended. The EP-65R Fluid Level has three calibration options: 2 point, 3 point and 5 point.
process, but we recommend starting calibration with an empty tank. In a 3-point calibration, you will set three points, one each for empty, half and full levels. NOTE: Adequate calibration my be achieved without calibrating all three points and you can calibrate the points (Empty Level, Half Level and Full Level) in any order you wish. In the following instructions, we begin calibration with an empty tank. To execute 3-Point calibration: 1. Press MENU, select SYSTEM SETUP and press MENU. 2. Highlight B.
NOTE: Adequate calibration may be achieved without calibrating all five points and you can calibrate the points (Empty Level, 1 Quarter Level, Half Level, 3 Quarter Level and Full Level) in any order you wish. We begin calibration with an empty tank. To execute 5-Point calibration: 1. Press MENU, select SYSTEM SETUP and press MENU. 2. Highlight B. DEVICES and press MENU, to open the Bus Devices list. 3.
To Reset Calibration: 1. Press MENU, use the UP and DOWN keys to select SYSTEM SETUP and press MENU. 2. Highlight B. DEVICES and press MENU. Select the desired fluid level and press MENU. 3. Select RST CAL from the fluid level menu and press MENU. The following message will appear: Hit Menu to Rst the Cal. 4. Press MENU to set calibration back to factory default settings. To recalibrate the fluid level, revisit the segment covering fluid level calibration.
Adding a page: 1. Press MENU, use the UP and DOWN keys to select PAGES and press MENU, which will open the Pages menu with the following options: Add Page, Rem Page, Autoscroll and Set Pop-up. 2. Select ADD PAGE and press MENU. 3. To display fluid level information, select Gauge and press MENU. You will be taken back to the main display, where the page you selected will be shown.
NOTE: If you choose All Engines, the alarm will be shown for each alarm engine alarm. If a single engine is selected, the gauge will only show warnings from the selected engine. (To turn off all engine warnings, highlight OFF and press MENU. If you turn off engine alarms, no alarms will be shown for any of the engines.) 3. Highlight the desired option and press MENU. You will be taken back to the main display.
Reset The Reset command will reset the EP-65R fluid level values to default settings. NOTE: After using the Reset command has been executed, you will have to re-enter your engine-tank configuration. The Reset command will not affect the configuration or calibration of other devices on the network. To use reset command: 1. Press MENU, select SYSTEM SETUP and press MENU. 2. Highlight BUS DEVICES, select the desired fluid level and press MENU. The Configuration Options menu will appear. 3.
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LMF-400: EP-65R Fluid Level Configuration & Calibration This section covers how to use EP-65R Fluid Level with the LMF-400 Multi-function gauge. LMF-400 Multi-function Digital gauge. Boat Setup If this is the first time you have turned on your LMF-400, you will have to complete Boat Setup before you will be able to configure or calibrate your fluid level. If you have already completed Boat Setup, skip ahead to the segment covering EP-65R Fluid Level Configuration. To execute Boat Setup: 1.
5. After all tanks on your vessel have been set up, press EXIT repeatedly to return to the main display. Boat Setup Reset If you want to access the Setup screen (Boat Setup) after an enginetank configuration has been chosen you will have to reset the configuration to default settings. To reset engine-tank configuration: 1. Press MENU, highlight SYSTEM SETUP and press ENTER. 2. Choose ENG/TANK CFG and press ENTER twice. The following message will appear: Press ENTER to reset Eng/Tnk Cfg. 3. Press MENU.
Bus Devices highlighted in the System Setup menu (left). Searching Bus Devices window (center) with Bus Devices list (right). A configured fluid level will have the following menu options: Unconfigure, Reconfigure, Level Warning, Calibrate, Reset Calibration and Reset Values. The menu of an unconfigured fluid level will show configuration options: Fuel, Fresh Water, Waste Water (Gray Water), Live Well, Oil and Black Water.
6. Select a tank option and press ENTER. You will be taken back to the Bus Devices list. Press EXIT repeatedly to return to the main display. NOTE: If your fluid level is not updated on the Bus Devices list, refresh the list by closing it, and then access it again. To configure a fluid level for Oil: 1. Press MENU, use the UP and DOWN keys to select SYSTEM SETUP and press ENTER. 2. Highlight BUS DEVICES and press ENTER to bring up the Bus Devices list. 3. Select UNFCG F LEV and press ENTER.
4. Choose Fresh Water, Waste Water (Gray Water), Live Well or Black Water and press ENTER. The Tank Number window will appear. 5. Use the UP and DOWN keys to input the number you want to assign the tank and press ENTER. The Setting Tank Size window will appear. 6. Use the UP and DOWN keys to input the size of the tank and press ENTER. You will be taken back to the Bus Devices list, where the tank will be displayed as FrshWtr Tnk (1, 2 or 3), WsteWtr Tnk (1, 2 or 3).
To reconfigure a fluid level for Fuel: 1. Press MENU, use the UP and DOWN keys to select SYSTEM SETUP and press ENTER. 2. Highlight BUS DEVICES and press ENTER to bring up the Bus Devices list. 3. Select the fluid level you want to reconfigure and press ENTER. The Fluid Level menu will appear with the following options: Fuel, Fresh Water, Waste Water (Gray Water), Live Well, Oil and Black Water. 4. Select FUEL and press ENTER, which will open the Select Tank menu with up to three options.
To reconfigure a fluid level for Fresh Water, Waste Water (Gray Water), Live Well or Black Water: 1. Press MENU, use the UP and DOWN keys to select SYSTEM SETUP and press ENTER. 2. Highlight BUS DEVICES and press ENTER. The Bus Devices list will appear. 3. Select the Fluid Level you want to reconfigure and press ENTER. 4. The Fluid Level menu will appear with the following options: Level Warning, Unconfigure, Reconfigure, Calibrate, Reset Cal and Reset Values. 5. Choose RECONFIGURE and press ENTER.
NOTE: Adequate calibration may be achieved without calibrating both points and you can calibrate the points (Empty Level and Full Level) in any order you wish. In the following instructions, we begin calibration with an empty tank. To execute 2-Point calibration: 1. Press MENU, use the UP and DOWN keys to select SYSTEM SETUP and press ENTER. 2. Highlight BUS DEVICES and press ENTER. Choose the fluid level you want to calibrate and press ENTER. 3. Select CALIBRATE and press ENTER.
3. Select CALIBRATE and press ENTER. The Number of Points menu will appear with three options: 2, 3 and 5. Select 3, for three-point calibration, and press ENTER. 4. Highlight EMPTY LEVEL and press ENTER. The following message will appear: Set Tank to Empty Level Press Enter. 5. Make sure your fuel tank is empty and then press ENTER. You will be taken back to the Levels menu. 6. Add half a tank of fuel. (If you had a 100 gallon tank, you would add 50 gallons.) 7. Select HALF LEVEL and press ENTER.
3. The Levels menu will appear with five options: Empty Level, 1 Qtr Level, Half Level, 3 Qtr Level and Full level. Select EMPTY LEVEL and press ENTER. The following message will appear: Set Tank to Empty Level Press Enter. 4. Press ENTER. You will be taken back to the Levels menu. Add 1quarter tank of fuel. (If, for example, you have a 100-gallon tank, add 25 gallons of fuel.) 5. Highlight 1 QTR LEVEL and press ENTER. The following message will appear: Set Tank to 1 Qtr Level Press Enter. 6. Press ENTER.
NOTE: If you have calibrated your fluid level sensor and are having problems with its performance, be sure to check the sending unit. You can do this by using an ohm meter to test the resistance of the unit. Connect the sending unit hot wire (usually pink) and the ship or sending unit ground wire (usually black) to the ohm meter. With the tank full, the resistance should be around 33-1/2 ohms. When the tank is the empty, the resistance should be around 240 ohms.
NOTE: If you have more than one fluid level, you can add the Single Analog page to the page screen rotation more than once, and then customize each page with a different fluid level. To customize Single Analog page: 1. Make sure the Single Analog page has been added to the page screen rotation. 2. Use the ENTER and EXIT keys to scroll the Single Analog page onto the main display. 3. Press MENU, use the UP and DOWN keys to select CUSTOMIZE and press ENTER. The data menu will appear. 4.
To customize Quad Analog page: 1. Make sure the Quad Analog page has been added to the page screen rotation. 2. Use the ENTER and EXIT keys to scroll the Quad Analog page onto the main display. 3. Press MENU, select CUSTOMIZE and press ENTER. The Position menu will appear with four options: Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left and Bottom Right. 4. Select the desired position and press ENTER. The data menu will appear. 5. Highlight FLUID LEVEL and press ENTER.
Level Warning The Level Warning feature allows you to set a Low level or High level alarm for each tank. A pop-up window will appear and an alarm will sound if the amount of fluid rises above (High Level) or falls below (Low level) the selected percentage of tank capacity. To set a level warning: 1. Press MENU, highlight SYSTEM SETUP and press ENTER. 2. Select BUS DEVICES and press ENTER. Highlight the desired fluid level and press ENTER. The fluid level menu will appear.
Display Unit: EP-65R Fluid Level Configuration & Calibration This section covers how to configure and calibrate an EP-65R Fluid Level with a display unit. The LMS-525cDF is one of many Lowrance display units that may be used to configure and calibrate an EP-65R Fluid Level sensor. NMEA 2000 Menu/Networking Menu Your unit may have a NMEA 2000 menu or a Networking menu, depending on the software version installed in your unit. Both menus allow you to perform the same NMEA 2000-related functions.
Bus Setup highlighted on the NMEA 2000 menu (left). Bus Setup selected on Networking menu (right). Engine & Tank Configuration The Engine-Tank configuration menu is located below the NMEA 2000 Devices list, but will only be accessible if engine- or fuel-related devices are on the network. When choosing an engine-tank configuration you will use the Tank Select menu, Tank Size dialog box and Set Configuration button. 1 Engine/1Tank highlighted on Engine and Tank Configuration menu (left).
4. Choose the configuration that matches the number of engines and tanks on your vessel and press ENTER. 5. Highlight TANK SELECT and press ENTER, which will open the Tank Select menu. 6. Select a configuration name for the fluid level sensor you want to set up and press ENTER. Highlight the Tank Size dialog box and press ENTER. 7. Input the capacity (gallons) of the tank you chose from the Tank Select menu and press ENTER. 8. Repeat Steps 5-7 for each remaining tank. 9.
2. Highlight BUS SETUP and press ENTER, which will open the Bus Configuration menu. A list of network devices will be at the top of the page. 3. Select a fluid level you want to rename and press ENTER. The Device Configuration menu will appear with the Device Name dialog box highlighted. 4. Press ENTER. Use the arrow keys to input the desired name for the fluid level and press ENTER. Press EXIT repeatedly to return to the main display. To reset device name to default setting: 1.
4. Highlight TANK INSTANCE (LOCATION) and press ENTER, which will open the Tank Instance menu with the following options: Tank 1, Tank 2, Tank 3 and Unknown (Default). 5. Select the desired Tank Instance (Location) and press ENTER. The following confirmation message will appear: Are you sure you wish to change this device's configuration? 6. Highlight YES and press ENTER. Press EXIT repeatedly to return to the main display.
2. Highlight BUS SETUP and press ENTER, which will open the Bus Configuration menu. A list of network devices will be at the top of the page. 3. Select the desired fluid level and press ENTER. The Fluid Level Device Configuration menu will appear. 4. Highlight TANK SIZE and press ENTER. Use the arrow keys to input the capacity of the tank and press ENTER. The following message will appear: Are you sure you wish to change this device's configuration? 5. Select YES and press ENTER.
Reconfiguring an EP-65R Fluid Level: If all fluid levels are configured for fuel and you want to swap the Tank Instance (Location) of two of the fluid levels, you first will have to unconfigure one of the fluid levels to make its Tank Instance (Location) available to the other fluid level. In the example below, we will swap the Tank Instance (Location) of the Port and Starboard fluid levels. To reconfigure a fluid level: 1. Press MENU twice, select NMEA 2000 or NETWORKING and press ENTER.
2-Point Calibration A 2-point calibration is best suited for rectangular or square-shaped tanks, where the capacity of the top half of the tank matches the capacity in the lower half of the tank. In a two-point calibration, you will set two points, one each for empty and full levels. You can begin calibration at either of the two points, but we recommend starting with an empty tank. You will fill the tank to complete calibration.
NOTE: Adequate calibration may be achieved without calibrating all three points and you can calibrate the points (Empty Level, Half Level and Full Level) in any order you wish. In the following instructions, we begin calibration with an empty tank. To execute a 3-Point Calibration: 1. Press MENU twice, select NMEA 2000 or NETWORKING and press ENTER. 2. Highlight BUS SETUP and press ENTER, which will open the Bus Configuration menu. A list of network devices will be at the top of the page. 3.
11. Highlight CALIBRATE and press ENTER. The following message will appear: Full Level Calibration Completed. Press ENTER, then press EXIT repeatedly to return to the main display. 5-Point Calibration 5-point calibration is best suited tanks that vary greatly in shape from top to bottom. You can begin calibration at any point in the 5-point calibration process. We recommend starting calibration with an empty tank.
4. Highlight CALIBRATE and press ENTER to open the Device Calibration menu. 5. Highlight NUM PTS, press ENTER and select 5. Press ENTER. 6. Make sure your tank is empty, then highlight FLUID LEVEL and press ENTER. Select EMPTY LEVEL and press ENTER. 7. Select CALIBRATE and press ENTER. The following message will appear: Empty Level Calibration Completed. Press ENTER. 8. Add 1 quarter tank of fuel, highlight FLUID LEVEL and press ENTER. Select 1 QTR LEVEL and press ENTER. 9. Select CALIBRATE and press ENTER.
3. Select the desired fluid level and press ENTER. The Device Configuration menu will appear. 4. Highlight ADVANCED OPTIONS and press ENTER. 5. Select RESET CALIBRATION and press ENTER. The following message will appear: Are you sure you wish to change this device's configuration? 6. Highlight YES and press ENTER. Press EXIT repeatedly to get back to the main display. Displaying Fluid Level Information The Overlay Data function will be used to show fluid level data on your unit's main display.
To turn on/off NMEA 2000 Alarm: 1. Press MENU twice, select NMEA 2000 or NETWORKING and press ENTER. 2. Highlight NMEA 2000 ALARMS and press ENTER. 3. Highlight FLUID LEVEL DEVICE and press ENTER. Select the device you want to set an alarm for and press ENTER. 4. Highlight the ENABLED box next to the desired alarm (Full Alarm or Empty Alarm) and press ENTER to turn on the alarm. When the alarm is turned on an "X" will be placed in the Enabled box. 5.
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