I need help wiring a hour metter on my 1991 Welcraft 186 4.3 L Mercruiser alpha 1?

[starwriter]

I just bought this boat.I found the hour metter mounted under the engine hood with no wires going to or from it.I would discribe this hour metter as a older style type.Numbers roll like a older car mileage on dash.The back of this hour metter has 2 bolts with nuts for wiring it up.Like a voltage metter guage.I hope I'm discribing this hour metter correct for you all.In other words,it looks to be your standard older style hour metter a two wire hookup.
I never installed or wired a hour metter before.
Is one wire hot/positive & other is ground/negitive?
Where would you wire this hour metter up at?And how?(As one wire goes where?The other wire goes where?)?????
Thanks!
Best Dan.

[Don S]

Hook the + terminal of the hour meter to the purple wire on any of the helm gauges. -terminal of the hour meter to the black wire on the same gauge.

[starwriter]

In reply to:Hook the + terminal of the hour meter to the purple wire on any of the helm gauges. -terminal of the hour meter to the black wire on the same gauge. ?????
Helm gauge?Same gauge?I don't understand?And Purple wire?Where does this purple wire that your stating lead too?
I basically,just need to know where the two wires go?As,example:Is one wire ground?The other wire hot/positive 12 volt?
Or is this hour gauge ran by oems to be wired to coil?
I'm just asking where does the wires go to from the hour metter?Purple wire?How do you know I have a purple wire?Even if so,where does that purple wire your talking about leed to?I'm not trying to be a smart butt here.Jusy saying.I don't want to smoke my system as well.
Best,

[achris]

We know you have Purple wires and black wires because our crystal balls tell us you have a late model Mercruiser and they use BIA colour coding, and purple is ignition hot and black is ground. Hour meters should be installed at the dash/helm area, so you can see it without having to dive into the engine bay every time. The reason Don said the wires on the back of one of the instruments is because that's where you'll find a purple wire and a black wire that you need....

Chris...

[starwriter]

Thanks for refrazing that for me.I will look into it.That gives me a idea anyway.
best,