If you want to keep your original instruments, why not put an EDM 350 in there and save some $$?

[quote ]Want to keep my original instruments, open budget.

CRG 30P or JPI 830, which one you like better and why?

Can I keep my present fuel indicators working using any of those? Still have original sensors[/quote]



I installed the JPI 830, as, it's a bit larger than the 30P, and there is a lot of information, a lot of numbers, going on in a very small space. Since it's a "glance at it" part of your scan, I didn't want to be searching those small numbers for data. This all depends on your close vision too.

I installed the CGR-30P in one of my previous airplanes. I had pretty much every option EI offered (turbo-normalized engine), and I absolutely loved it. Would purchase again in a heartbeat.

I wear glasses for reading, and to correct for astigmatism, and I had zero issues reading the 30P's crystal clear display. The things you need to routinely look at are on the primary screen, and if any of the "secondary" things go out of limits, you get a flashing red light on the panel (assuming you install per the STC, or the EI installation recommendations for Experimental), which tells you "Hey, dummy -- look at the engine monitor." Mine was installed right next to the six-pack, where it was within my normal scan.

The JPI screens are nice as well, but I found the "all up" prices were always surprisingly higher than expected. I got in on one of EI's rebates, and wound up paying less for the CGR-30P than any of the comparable JPI alternatives.

And these days, I'd be inclined to buy EI just because they are BCP supporters!

And these days, I'd be inclined to buy EI just because they are BCP supporters![/quote]





Agree on the BCP support, and, they are made 20 miles from me.
It depends on a guy's vision/glasses. I wear distance glasses, & have to pull my glasses down to see the small numbers. I bought a pair of those "stick on" bifocals for my "stay in the plane" prescription sunglasses, and they work great for seeing the engine monitor. And yes, the programmed in upper or lower limits that start blinking in red if limits are reached do get a guys attention right away ! That's a great feature of both brands.

Which ever unit you decide on, take a few extra minutes and inspect the factory wiring harness the manufacture supplies, if they supply one, closely for proper construction, crimping of pins, exposed wiring, pin alignment in the plug and so on. This is easy/easier to do on the bench before you get it installed in the airplane. There are some fantastic units out there but sometimes some QC gets overlooked on some simple easy to rectify stuff that can create aggravation down the road. Trust me, I just went thru this! The name and brand of who made mine isn’t important, what is important is check it, YOU are the final QC inspector. Although most everything we get is excellent stuff that is good to go, rare issues can happen with any manufactures products.

Kurt

JP256 wrote:"Hey, dummy -- look at the engine monitor." !

I've petitioned management to have this added to the manual!

For me it came down to the EI MVP-50 and the JPI-930. I felt that the screen layout and declutter of info was far more advanced and well thought out on the EI unit. If that wasn't enough, their reputation for customer service is great, and they're part of our group.

darata wrote:

JP256 wrote:"Hey, dummy -- look at the engine monitor." !

I've petitioned management to have this added to the manual!

Maybe it's just me, but my airplane uses the first two words in that sentence a lot!

Mine does too, but it usually comes from my lovely wife sitting in the right seat!

In all kindness and jest we use to refer to that kind of "aural" warning as a "Bitching Betty"

I really like the EI products. I’ve installed a few CGR-30P systems now. Even put in their sending units. Talking to Blake and the Dave’s is always a pleasure. There’s no end to their customer support. The software reconfigurations seem expensive to me, but I’m okay with it given the customer service.

Another vote for EI

Thanks to all for their inputs.

Ended up buying a JPI 900. Not instaled yet.
Liked the round EI look much much better but avionics shops here have almost just instaled JPI units, are very familiar with such instalations and the 900 would be legal as primary by itself for the future if needed.
I like large displays so plan to keep my original gages except fuel Qty due to tech problems.

On The Fly wrote:For me it came down to the EI MVP-50 and the JPI-930. I felt that the screen layout and declutter of info was far more advanced and well thought out on the EI unit. If that wasn't enough, their reputation for customer service is great, and they're part of our group.

I'm going to second this in a big way. My 182 has the EI MVP 50. I really got spoiled using that, because I have been flying a 210 which has the JPI EDM 930. The EDM is much harder to use, and requires all kinds of memorization of various button pushes, crams all of the menus into the very bottom left of the screen, and doesn't have nearly the functionality like flight timers or waypoint fuel that you find in the EI.

The EI is designed really nicely so that it has a menu system that takes up most of the screen when you're trying to do something in the menu system. They do this by moving all of the graphs onto the right hand side of the screen while you're in the menus. In contrast the JPI only has one screen and uses the very bottom left of the screen for all the menus which means you really have a hard time figuring out what they're saying.

The EI has a knob that you can turn and push to move around the menus that makes it extremely user-friendly and powerful compared to the JPI. For instance there are fuel timers which I find I use a lot, and also there are things like flight timers and up timers that you just don't have in the JPI. I never used the checklists or weight and balance in the EI but they are there.

I've also found the JPI tech support is not that helpful, and tech support from EI has been absolutely stellar.

So I recommend before you buy a JPI, that you at least try to call their tech support, try the tech support from EI, and play around with an EI first. After using both for an extended period it feels like they're in a different league, and I wouldn't recommend spending on the EDM 930 unless it was several thousand dollars cheaper than the EI.

Are the probes and sensors interchangeable between the different brands, ie JPI probes on EI monitor?

We eleced CIES fuel senders for the JPI 900. Frequency is selected.

Fuel gages vary too much on their indication with even light turbulence.
Don´t they have some sort of good electronic damper to give a more steady indication?

Do you also see this on your Analizers?

Any suggestions to decrease such fluctuations?

What accuracy of fuel tank Qty are you getting in smooth air and on the ground?

For whatever it's worth, the CGR30 is also a primary replacement instrument. The installs are mostly the same, so any competent shop should be able to do either. I have done multiple installs of both brands, no sweat. The only thing I don't like about the EI is their silly little collar type connectors they use instead of crimps. For some reason they insist on using wire that isn't the normal milspec, and so they've always had issues with their earlier crimp on connectors and the current screw on ones. JPI has been using the same system very sucessfully for years.

[email protected] wrote:Thanks to all for their inputs.

Ended up buying a JPI 900. Not instaled yet.
Liked the round EI look much much better but avionics shops here have almost just instaled JPI units, are very familiar with such instalations and the 900 would be legal as primary by itself for the future if needed.
I like large displays so plan to keep my original gages except fuel Qty due to tech problems.

In my 180 I have a CGR-30P and an Aerospace Logic Fuel Level Gauge.

I'm really happy with my CGR-30P and I do like the customer service at EI too which is really good.

I hope EI makes some new products too.

I think the price for the EI equipment is very reasonable, in my experience the installation/shop cost is much higher than most people realize, you can save configuration time if you do it yourself and reference your POH and Type certificate data.

nickelb wrote:I hope EI makes some new products too.

Stay tuned...