Fuel Gauge Setting ?

[Blue Meanie]

Everybody seem to have an opinion, but nobody answered the topic starter!

Let me try again.
The “Distance per tank” means distance to complete empty the tank? (400km in my case)
The “Remaining fuel warning” means the distance left before complete empty? (100km would be safe)

It would be nice if the device displayed petrol stations along the route after reaching the warning level.

[jfheath]

Everybody seem to have an opinion, but nobody answered the topic starter!

Let me try again.
The “Distance per tank” means distance to complete empty the tank? (400km in my case)
The “Remaining fuel warning” means the distance left before complete empty? (100km would be safe)

It would be nice if the device displayed petrol stations along the route after reaching the warning level.

People responded to the question - indicating that they don't actually use the feature.

So the answer is to put in some values and see what happens.

I would imagine that since all it is is a means of counting milage since the last refill - that 'remaining fuel warning' is when you want the satnav to alert you that you have reached that mileage. No point duplicating what the bike is already telling you with its warning light, so maybe this could be used for an earlier alert. Say after 150 miles - when half of the fuel is gone. That would be useful at the start of a ride and putting in a half way figure works whether it is mileage traveled or mileage left !

When I first tried this out on the Zumo 550, do i remember that it reset itself when it detected that I had stopped for an appropriate length of time at a petrol station ? Or maybe I just thought that it should have done.

[FrankB]

I agree with people that dont use the Zumo's Fuel Gauge. Dont need that, when the bike and I know better. But there's something else I need to know that the Zumo CAN help with. And that is: "Where are the fuel stations up ahead in the route, and how far are they?"
I can do approx. 250 kms on a tank, and when I reach 200 kms I start searching. Depending on the bike's fuel gauge it might be sooner or later. Having only a limited range I need to know. The bike is to heavy to push.

I search by using the 'Up Ahead Display' that can be accessed from the 3 little dots bottom-right on the screen. The Up Ahead Display I have setup to show at least "Gas Stations", "Restaurants".
While driving a route, it will show the name and distance to the next Fuel Station. When you click on the Fuel station, it gives you a list of alternatives. By clicking on it you can navigate to it.

My experience is that it works quite well. Things to be aware of.
1) It's always tricky to control the Zumo while riding. For safety better stop. (But I admit that I dont do that always)
2) It could be that the map data is not accurate. Start searching soon enough.
3) The distance shown is 'As the crow flies'. Imagine you would have to cross a river, and there's no bridge for the next 25 km.

Setting it up:

You can set up the Up Ahead Display in Settings/Map & Vehicle/Map Layers. Click on the little right arrow. There you select the things you want to see.
Note: You dont have to check: 'Up Ahead Places'. If you do it will show icons of the things you selected on the map while you're driving. You may find that it clutters the map.

After the fuel stop:

- Click on the cross bottom-right to dismiss the Up Ahead Display.
- If I had to cancel my active route and start a new one to the fuel station. I restart my original route with 'Closest Entry Point'. A lot has been said on that matter, that I will not repeat. Bottom line if that doesn't work drive 'on sight' to the route, that I also display as a track. And restart it there.

[rbentnail]

I agree with people that dont use the Zumo's Fuel Gauge. Dont need that, when the bike and I know better. But there's something else I need to know that the Zumo CAN help with. And that is: "Where are the fuel stations up ahead in the route, and how far are they?"
I can do approx. 250 kms on a tank, and when I reach 200 kms I start searching. Depending on the bike's fuel gauge it might be sooner or later. Having only a limited range I need to know. The bike is to heavy to push.

I search by using the 'Up Ahead Display' that can be accessed from the 3 little dots bottom-right on the screen. The Up Ahead Display I have setup to show at least "Gas Stations", "Restaurants".
While driving a route, it will show the name and distance to the next Fuel Station. When you click on the Fuel station, it gives you a list of alternatives. By clicking on it you can navigate to it.

My experience is that it works quite well. Things to be aware of.
1) It's always tricky to control the Zumo while riding. For safety better stop. (But I admit that I dont do that always)
2) It could be that the map data is not accurate. Start searching soon enough.
3) The distance shown is 'As the crow flies'. Imagine you would have to cross a river, and there's no bridge for the next 25 km.

Setting it up:

You can set up the Up Ahead Display in Settings/Map & Vehicle/Map Layers. Click on the little right arrow. There you select the things you want to see.
Note: You dont have to check: 'Up Ahead Places'. If you do it will show icons of the things you selected on the map while you're driving. You may find that it clutters the map.

After the fuel stop:

- Click on the cross bottom-right to dismiss the Up Ahead Display.
- If I had to cancel my active route and start a new one to the fuel station. I restart my original route with 'Closest Entry Point'. A lot has been said on that matter, that I will not repeat. Bottom line if that doesn't work drive 'on sight' to the route, that I also display as a track. And restart it there.

I find Up Ahead Display is a giant PITA and clusters the map beyond recognition. Fair to say I hate it. I use Where To/Categories/Gas Stations. I select a station and 1 of 2 things:

- if not actively routing, I pick go and it takes me;

- if I am routing, a menu pops up. I pick Add As Next Stop. The XT creates a VIA point, places it as my next point to visit before any other VIA or SHAPING points, routes me to it, and seamlessly continues my Active Route from there with no recalculation or other changes to the original route.

[FrankB]

@rbentnail

It looks like you missed this part of my post:

Note: You dont have to check: 'Up Ahead Places'. If you do it will show icons of the things you selected on the map while you're driving.

This is the screen where you setup the Map Layers/Up ahead display.

Uad_setup.png (300.19 KiB) Viewed 117 times

It has 2 functions.
The CheckMark on the left. DONT check that if you dont like icons on the map.
And the right arrow where you can specify WHAT to see. Confusing maybe, but it sets up both the icons displayed on the map, and the Up Ahead Display that I mean.On the right.

Uad_what.png (66.2 KiB) Viewed 117 times

With the Checkmark:

Map_clutter.png (676.67 KiB) Viewed 117 times

Without the Checkmark:

Map_unclutter.png (511.54 KiB) Viewed 117 times

And this is the Up Ahead Display that I mean. You can turn that off and on at will, as I decribed. It doesn't clutter up the map, it only takes up space at the right side.

Uad_Side.png (429.93 KiB) Viewed 117 times

[Peobody]

I started a reply yesterday that I cancelled because I could not find a graceful way to articulate exactly what @FrankB did so well. I pay attention to my fuel gauge and use the Up Ahead function Frank talks about when my fuel level reaches a point of concern. In urban areas I will let the fuel level get pretty low knowing fuel is readily available. Rural areas require different consideration. Fuel usage calculation can not take such factors into consideration. You must still use your brain so I don't see the sense in messing with the Fuel Settings app in the XT, unless your bike does not have a fuel gauge.

[jfheath]

@FrankB's post is an excellent facility - especially if you plan ahead and want to start looking well in advance. You don't want to be riding into a fuel free zone. But his post reminded me about a feature that I often forget about. It isn't better, but it provides something that may be more useful for the "Oh, deary me, I forgot to check my fuel gauge when I set off and now it is flashing at me" moments.

No ? Only me then.

Here goes:

With an active route. (And you really must stop at the side of the road to do this).

Do not stop the active route, but go back to the home screen and tap Where To ?
Tap the "Hidden in Plain Sight" search button - outlined in red in the image below. 'Silsden' is my current location, and that is where it is going to search at the moment. I want to change that.

Fuel 01.png (29.95 KiB) Viewed 103 times

Note the banner now says - Search Near a Route.

Select My Active Route - or whatever other listed option takes your fancy.

Fuel 02.png (22.52 KiB) Viewed 103 times

Note that the top left search box (outlined in green) shows where you are searching - near "My Route", rather than where you are now.

Select Categories

Fuel 03.png (28.89 KiB) Viewed 103 times

Choose Petrol Stations (or whatever it says in your language - Fuel ? Gas ?

Fuel 04.png (25.88 KiB) Viewed 103 times

And this list appears. I've turned it Portrait mode -it shows the next 4, rather than the next 3 fuel dumps. That isn't an issue because the list can be scrolled by hand. The 'target' fuel dumps are listed closest first, up ahead on the route. I don't know how far off the route they can be in order to be listed. But this is extremely useful if you have it visible all of the time - because you know what is behind you - you passed it. The list updates in real time as you drive along.

Fuel 05.png (56.28 KiB) Viewed 103 times

If at the 2nd step you selected to search near My Current Location, instead of near to the Active Route - you get to see petrol stations anywhere in the vicinity, in any direction, and listed in order of proximity. It gives the (8 point) compass direction and distance.

I found this very useful last month in Scotland. I had about 33 miles left, but there was a petrol station 10 miles off route. I went for that one.

Fuel 06.png (33.95 KiB) Viewed 103 times

The XT2 also displays the current price - assuming that you have your phone running the tread app and it is connected to the XT2 by BT.


If you select one of the petrol stations by tapping on it in the list, then you get the options below. I am not sure what happens if you chose - "add to the active route" - you will need to experiment.

Start New Route.
Add as Next Stop.
Add as Last Stop.
Add to active route.

That search facility that is on the first screen is something that many do not know about, and I often forget about it. It is there, but you just don't realise that it is a button. (Well, I don't !)

[FrankB]

Conclusion: Use the Zumo to search for fuel. It has lots of options

[Peobody]

I am not sure what happens if you chose - "add to the active route" - you will need to experiment.

When you select the "Add to the active route" option and then click Go you will be presented with a "Reorder locations" screen with that selected POI listed as the next one. Within that screen is the capability to drag each point to a different position in the list.

In the image below, the Shell fuel station was added to this simulated route as the next point. It does not consider whether there are any route points prior to that selected "Ups ahead" point so an appropriate reorder is required in that case. Once you hit Save, a calculation occurs. This calculation took enough time in both of my tests to make me think that it was calculating the entire remainder of the route. I tested in simulation mode and didn't see any route deviation but I believe the placement of route points in those routes would result in the same route being produced by a recalc.

To reinforce my suspicion that the entire remainder of the route is calculated is the fact that I do not add an Up Ahead point to a current route. I'm pretty certain that this is because I learned the lesson that adding a point can have the same recalc affect as skipping a point.

70402[1].png (89.77 KiB) Viewed 90 times

[Blue Meanie]

I use both the “Up Ahead Places” and “Where To” to find nearby petrol stations. Though, somehow I expected a more smart behaviour from this XT2 device in the AI era. Reducing driver interactions by adding more smart assistance would keep us from operating the device on the go. (don’t we all ignore the safety rules now and then?)

Maybe the XT3 will be a smart one. Until then, Garmin might as well change the petrol icon into a “one-tap button” to show me the petrol stations on current route.