J.P. Instruments FS-450 Manual

Pilot’s Guide
Fuel Scan
FS-450
Copyright 2002 J.P. Instruments, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
J.P.INSTRUMENTS Inc.
Information: P. O. Box 7033
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
Factory: 3185-B Airway Ave.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
[phone] Fax [phone]
www.jpinstruments.com
Rev G
2/19/2013

Table of Contents
Section 1 - Introduction 1
Product Features 1
Fuel Management 1
Section 2 - Displays and Controls 2
Section 3 - Modes and Alarms 4
Modes 4
Alarms 4
Section 4 - Operation 5
Diagnostic Testing on Startup and During Flight 5
Parameter Indexing 7
Section 5 - Personalizing 8
Pilot Programming 8
Section 6 - Setting the K factor 11
FS-450 Set Up 13
Fuel Measurement Units, Fuel Capacity, Alarm Limits 15
Section 7 - Data Formats, Diagnostics 17
Navigation Data Input Formats 17
Setting GPS-C Communications Output Format 18
Section 8 - Rear Panel Connector Pin Assignments 19
Section 9 - Technical Support 20
Limited Warranty 20
Index 21

Section 1 - Introduction
Product Features
Fuel quantity measured in gallons,
liters, or pounds
Low fuel quantity alarm
Low fuel time alarm
GPS interface—bi-directional
serial interface
Automatic K-factor calculation
Solid-state pulse generating rotor
fuel flow transducer
Instantaneous fuel flow rate
Total amount of fuel consumed
Total fuel remaining
Time to empty at the current fuel
flow rate
Fuel Management
Without a means of measuring fuel flow, you must rely on the
aircraft fuel gauges or total time of flight. Aircraft fuel gauges are
notoriously inaccurate (they are only required by the FAA to read
accurately when displaying empty). And measuring time of flight is
only an approximation, and assumes a constant fuel flow rate for
each phase of flight.
The FS-450 Fuel Scan uses a small turbine transducer that
measures the fuel flowing into the engine. Higher fuel flow causes
the transducer turbine to rotate faster which generates a faster pulse
rate. Because the transducer turbine generates thousands of pulses
per gallon of fuel, it can measure with high resolution the amount
of fuel that the engine has consumed. Prior to engine start you
inform the FS-450 Fuel Scan of the known quantity of fuel aboard,
and it will keep track of all fuel used.
For fuel calculations to be accurate, it is imperative that you inform
the FS-450 of the correct amount of fuel aboard the aircraft. Do not
rely on fuel flow instruments to determine fuel levels in tanks. Refer
to original fuel flow instrumentation for primary information.

Page 2 FS-450 Fuel Scan
Section 2 - Displays and Controls
The FS-450 helps you manage your fuel. There are three
components of the user interface:
Digital display for numeric readouts and messages: top display
is fuel flow per hour and the lower display for all other
parameters.
Indicator lights to show what information is being displayed on
the digital display
Two front panel operating buttons: STEP and AUTO

For Your Safe Flight Page 3
Two operating buttons control all functions of the FS-450.
The term tap will be used to denote pressing a button momentarily.
The term hold will be used to denote pressing and holding a button
for five seconds or longer.
STEP Button
Located on the lower left side near the instrument face.
Tapping the STEP button will stop Automatic Indexing
and change to the Manual indexing mode. Then each
tap of the STEP button will display the next parameter
in the sequence.
Holding the STEP button will display the previous
parameters in the sequence (rapidly backwards).
In the programming procedures, described on page 8,
tapping the STEP button will advance to the next item
in the list.
When an alarm is displayed, tapping the STEP button
will temporarily delete that alarm from appearing for
the next ten minutes.
When an alarm is displayed, holding the STEP button
until the word appears will delete that alarm
from appearing for the remainder of the flight.
AUTO button
Located on the lower right side near the instrument face.
The AUTO button will begin the Automatic Indexing
Mode.
In the pilot programming procedure, holding or tapping
the AUTO button is used to increment or decrement
parameter values and toggle between yes and no
answers to questions.

Page 4 FS-450 Fuel Scan
STEP and AUTO buttons
Holding both the STEP and AUTO buttons
simultaneously for five seconds changes to the pilot
programming procedure.
Section 3 - Modes and Alarms
Modes
There are two standard operating modes of the FS-450: Automatic
Indexing, and Manual Indexing. Most of the time you will
operate the FS-450 in the Automatic indexing mode. When you
first turn on the power the FS-450 starts in the Manual indexing
mode, but will enter the Automatic indexing mode after a minute.
Tapping the AUTO button will begin the Automatic Indexing
Mode. The indicator lights show you what is being displayed in the
lower digital display.
Alarms
The FS-450 has programmable alarms. When the remaining
amount of fuel falls below the alarm limit the lower display will
show the amount of fuel REMaining and the REM indicator light
will flash.
When the remaining time falls below the alarm limit the lower
display will show the MINutes of fuel remaining and the H.M.
indicator light will flash.
When an alarm is displayed, tapping the STEP button will
temporarily disable the alarm indication for the next ten minutes.
When an alarm is displayed, holding the STEP button until the
word appears will disable that alarm indication for the
remainder of the flight.

For Your Safe Flight Page 5
Section 4 - Operation
Diagnostic Testing on Startup and During Flight
When your FS-450 is first turned on, all digits light up in each
display for a short time, permitting you to check for non-functional
segments. Then the FS-450 tests internal components, and integrity
of the system.
Start Up Fuel
After initial self-test, you will be asked to inform the FS-450 of
start up fuel. The FS-450 will display (or
or ) for one second, and then flash until any
button is pressed.
During flight you may also inform the FS-450 of startup fuel using
the pilot program mode, beginning on page 8, if you forgot to do so
at start up.
Refer to the column in the chart below corresponding to your fuel
tank configuration. Tap the AUTO button to select one of the four
following fueling choices on the left column of the chart.
AUTO to
chooseMain tanks
only, no tabs Main tanks with tabs Main & Auxiliary tanks
Did not add any fuel since last shutdown.
*Topped the
main tanks. Filled only to the tabs. Topped the main tanks. Input the
amount of fuel that is currently in the
auxiliary tanks when
is displayed
*(not
applicable) Topped the main tanks. Topped both the main and auxiliary tanks.
Did not top, but added additional fuel to the aircraft, or
removed fuel from the aircraft.

Page 6 FS-450 Fuel Scan
* These values are examples and will be customized for your
aircraft.
Then tap the STEP button to complete the entry and advance to
the Manual indexing mode.
Adding Fuel and Auxiliary Tanks
main tank
auxiliary tank
main tank with tab
tab
Auxiliary capacity
Main capacity
If your aircraft has tank fill tabs and no auxiliary tanks, you can use
the auxiliary tank feature to select either filling to the tank tabs or
topping the tank. See “Main Tank Capacity” and “Auxiliary
Tanks” beginning on page 16 to program the FS-450 for this
feature. The FS-450 does not differentiate fuel flow between the
main and auxiliary tanks; it considers only total fuel in the aircraft.
If you added less than full fuel, then tap AUTO to select
. Then tap STEP. The next display will ask you
how much you added: (or selected units). Hold the
AUTO button to count up, tap the AUTO button to count down.
The count up will stop at full tanks, since you cannot add more fuel
than would top the tanks. Tap STEP to complete the entry and
advance to the Manual indexing mode.
If you removed fuel from the aircraft or wish to correct the total
quantity of fuel on board, you can “add” a negative amount of fuel.

For Your Safe Flight Page 7
Accumulate Total—Trip Total
You may either display total fuel used
since the last time you informed the FS-450 that the aircraft
was refueled, or
for an extended trip with multiple fuel stops.
This selection affects only the USD parameter. How to select
whether to accumulate for a extended trip or reset at each refueling
is described in “Pilot Programming” beginning on page 8.
Resetting “USED”
Every time you inform the FS-450 that the aircraft is refueled, the
amount of fuel used is set to zero, unless the instrument is
programmed to accumulate for an extended trip. The display of
fuel used pertains only to the fuel used since the last time you
informed the FS-450 that the aircraft was refueled.
In the manual mode with USD displayed, holding the AUTO
button for three seconds will reset the amount used to 0.
Parameter Indexing
The FS-450 steps through the engine parameters in a specific
sequence. Listed below is the indexing sequence, parameter
description and example of the digital display. The display will
pause at each parameter for a few seconds in the Automatic
indexing mode. In the Manual indexing mode, tap the STEP
button to advance to next parameter. Holding the STEP button
will display the previous parameters in the sequence (rapidly
backwards).

Page 8 FS-450 Fuel Scan
Parameter Indexing Sequence
Fuel flow rate is always shown on the top display.
Fuel Flow Rate Single I3.5 GPH (or LPH, or PPH)
Fuel Flow Rate Twin 14.4 13.7 GPH (or LPH, or PPH)
The lower display shows the following parameters in this
sequence.
Parameter
Description Example Comments
USD—Total Fuel Used 38.2 Since last refueling or trip total.
REM—Fuel Remaining 37.2 In gallons, liters or pounds
H.M.—Time to Empty 02.45 Hours . Minutes Remaining at
current fuel burn
REQ—Fuel required to next
GPS WPT or Destination 25.8 Present with GPS interface
Valid signal and way point
RES—Fuel Reserve at next
GPS WPT or Destination 1
1.3 Present with GPS interface
Valid signal and way point
MPG (both REQ & RES
lights)—Nautical Miles per
Gal
13.0 Present with GPS interface and
valid signal or MPL, MPP
Note that liter and pound parameters are displayed as whole
numbers without the decimal point.
Section 5 - Personalizing
Pilot Programming
Setting Tank SIZE for the first time. Hold the STEP button in and
power up to see and set size.
You can program the Automatic Indexing rate (1 to 9 second wait
periods or 0 for no Automatic Indexing), the K-factor, and whether
to accumulate fuel used or reset at each refueling.
To start the Pilot Programming Procedure, simultaneously hold the
STEP and AUTO buttons for five seconds. You will see the words
for two seconds and then the sequence