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EIS 4000 or VM1000C

bjb3013

Well Known Member
I am at a point where I will be purchasing an engine monitor. What are the pros or cons of each. The 1000C is $1900 and the EIS is about $1700 for an equal. I really like the color display on the 1000C but the EIS looks easier to mount and takes less room. I do not know how the multiple pages on the EIS will be as compared to the others color display. Which one is easier to use to run LOP ?
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks,
BJB
 
Eis 4000

MrNomad said:
Just curious cause I'm close to having to make the same decision. Did you consider the Dynon unit? If not, why not?
I can't give you a definitive answer but have a EIS4000 and love it. You point to the two salient facts:

- Cost

- Color Display (w/ digital/analog) Vs. Paging thru digital data only*​

*(The EIS does have a Horz segmented bar graph for EGT/GHT representation. Function wise the EIS4000 is as good as it gets with the warning limit functions and master caution light. My opinion is I don't want to stare at the gauges. The EIS monitors it. You may find using it for RPM/MAP in digital presentation is not to your liking. Also other engine monitors offer a percent power estimate. I do not find either the digital only display of MAP/RPM and % power a must have.)

Price wise I don't know, but see the VM1000C (a JPI company) is about $2,000 and seems to come with (most) all the probes, including Fuel Flow. That sounds like a bargain. Be careful when pricing that you get all the same sensors, apples to apples. The GRT EIS4000 also comes with (most) all the probes. However w/ the EIS4000, as I recall, the Fuel Flow, MAP, Amps and Fuel pressure are options. Other monitors do not include probe price, which adds a big chunk to the price.


You have to decide what you want. I think you have to look at the EFIS if you choose one. Obviously all the big players now offer both EFIS and Engine / System monitoring integration. GRT, MBA, Dynon and Advanced Flt Sys. Vision Microsystems (VM1000C) I don't think as EFIS at this time, but if you don't plan of a EFIS this is of little concern.

Obviously the color display is nice but than it comes down to nickles and dimes with the two choices you propose. I have to admit the VM1000C seems like a bargain. They where always expensive, well over $3000. I guess they got serious about competing and to our benifit. I am a big GRT fan but VM has a value deal.

VM is now a JPI company. JPI kind of stepped on it's schwarzenegger a few years ago when they took on matronics, a big time RV supporter, host to many discussion lists (RV and Aeroelectric to name a few) and manufacture of some aircraft instruments for experimental aircraft. Long story short JPI where real unfair in may peoples opinions and threatened to sue Matronics for very weak reasons regarding a trade name that was only slightly similar. Than they wanted to sue matronics because he politely explained the situation on line to the group. Many will never buy a JPI product because of this.

IF you get an EFIS, the main advantage of having the same brand of engine monitor, is consolidation of info on one display. The Fokker 100 jet was like that. They had a all in one display that had everything in one. Pilots call it the Fokker stare, since a scan was not needed anymore.


For the record if I went with just an independant Color monitor I would consider the AF-2500 (Advance Flight Systems) before the VM1000C. http://www.advanced-control-systems.com/Products/AF-2500/AF-2500.html AFS also has a EFIS as well.

Also as mentioned Dynon now has an all in one EFIS/Monitor set up (FlightDEK-D180 $3,200).

Amazing advances by many companies in just the last 2 years. I would say buy at the last minute incase there are lower price or technological evolutions.

If you are only going steam gauge flt inst and want a cost effective engine monitor you can't beat the EIS4000. Also in the future if you upgrade to a GRT EFIS you have compatibility with their EFIS.

I have a Dynon EFIS-10, which I got before they added the engine monitor, but I like having the separate systems, FLT (dynon) and ENG (GRT EIS4000), not all in one box. Bottom line it is about money. However looking at the new Dynon that seems to be a bargain at $3,200, but does not include the probes / transducers.
 
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Can't help with the EIS 4000. I have not flown with the VM1000C but I have installed one in my panel. I like the look of the display especially the unusual shape of the cut-out and the bright colourful display. It comes with all the probes/tranducers/wire and connectors. You would need to buy a D sub pin crimp tool. I got mine from B&C Specialty Products. I asked VM about LOP and ROP settings. They replied for ROP it detects and displays the first EGT to peak. For LOP it detects and displays the last EGT to peak. I am not sure if it will display the degrees from peak for all the cylinders at the same time when in LOP mode. From my understanding, ROP or LOP mode has to be set through the menu options and would really need to be done on the ground if you wanted to change from one to the other. Making the panel cut-out was not too difficult. I used the paper template in the manual. Strangely the template is undersize and has to be scanned and enlarged (I think it was by 166%) to the correct size. In the manual it says you can get a template from VM. I used the canopy cutting disc from Vans in a 4? electric angle grinder to make the cuts and also as an angle grinder for the corners. I would suggest doing a practice one first.

Fin 9A
Australia
 
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Vision Micro System

:rolleyes: I?m thinking about the bargain Vision is. Monitor and all of probes by US$ 1,995.00 is so good price. Did you already put your Vision to work? It will be good to hae some opinions. Thanks in advance. JC - Aracaju - Brasil
 
I have an EIS (and like it), but the VM1000C is a steal. If I was building now, that's what I'd install.
 
GRT-4000 and Dynon D10-A in my panel.

You can see my GRT EIS-4000 in action on the page below:

http://www.n2prise.org/rv9a219.htm#Osh2006

Scroll down to the fourth picture on the page and you will see why this thing is so neat. It has only two rows of text and graphics. The bar graph shows both EGT and CHT. The bars are the EGT relative to each other. The "holes" in the bar graph are the CHTs shown relative to each other. The hottest CHT number is in TEXT in the middle of the top row, with the hottest EGT shown at the right side of the top row.

The second line of numeric numbers show RPM, manifold pressure, and fuel flow in gallons per hour. This page is the default "home page" and I use it for startup, runups, and most all the time. There are pages for leaning, numeric readouts for CHT's and EGTs, etc. There is a page next to the home page in sequence that has oil temp, oil pressure, RPM, and other things that are of interest. I bought the Dynon and GRT EIS-4000 because I did not want all my eggs in one basket. If an integrated glass panel goes out, you loose everything and you really are flying by the seat of your pants.

Plus of course, the way I went saved money....$$$$$.

Jerry K. Thorne
East Ridge, TN
RV-9A N2PZ Hobbs: 202.5 hours
www.n2prise.org
 
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