Fuel sensor compatability

[Rich W]

I am looking to update my gps. I currently have a Navman tracker 550i. I will be choosing a combo chartplotter/fishfinder combo, nothing too expensive, probably a Garmin or Lowrance. On my current setup, I am using a fuel flow sensor(vane type? navman) connected to the navman chartplotter.
My question is, will this work with my new Chartplotter. I believe the navman stuff is NMEA 0183. NMEA 2000 is backword compatable, but am not sure if the wheel in the sensor is designed only for the Navman equipment. I am guessing that if I want to monitor my fuel flow, I will have to buy the sensor from the brand I choose. This may make a difference in the brand I choose.

Thanks in advance

Rich

[Dockhead]

NMEA2000 is not backward compatible in any way with NMEA0183, which is an entirely different system with entirely different architecture.

Most NMEA2000 compatible chart plotters have a separate NMEA0183 talker port and listener port, so if your fuel flow transducer outputs standard NMEA0183 sentences, then it might work.

Otherwise, you will need to buy a new fuel flow sensor. In that case you will want an NMEA2000 one, and it is usually not important what brand it is.

[Rich W]

Thanks for the reply Dockhead

I am assuming that this fuel sensor spins at a rate that induces current or voltage, and then the chartplotter senses the changes, and converts the raw readings to info we can use.....I am not a computer programmer....is this what you mean by words?

Thanks

Rich