hour meter

any suggestions for a hour meter...i dont need it to be installed on the helm..under it would work for me..i see ones that require no wires that start when they sense engine vibration..i guess they stick right onto the motor..what wires do u hook them up to normally..i'm guessing the tach? it would me going on a 115hp four stroke outboard if that maters...thanks

Re: hour meter

Hour meters are a clock. Those installed on boats are powered by the electrical system. +12V from the ignition switch when the key is on, and ground is all thats required. Instead of indicating the time of day, they just count the hours the key is on. There is no convenient way to hook one up to run only when the engine is running.

Re: hour meter

huh....thanks for the reply...u could not have made it simpler...makes sense...i feel a dumb...i thought they only ran when the engine was running.

Re: hour meter

Silvertip said:

. There is no convenient way to hook one up to run only when the engine is running.

Click to expand...

Yeah there actually is. You jsut need to get the kind that work off induction.
there is one sold by sears that hooks up and it uses a inductive wire that wraps around one of the spark plug wires. it only counts time when the motor is actually running
Rob

Re: hour meter

Silvertip said:

There is no convenient way to hook one up to run only when the engine is running.

Click to expand...

You can do it...it requires another oil pressure sender that completes the ground to the meter.

Re: hour meter

bruceb58 said:

You can do it...it requires another oil pressure sender that completes the ground to the meter.

Click to expand...

Guess us two strokers are screwed? How bout a water pressure switch?

Re: hour meter

I think the operative word was "convenient" way of making it work with the engine running. Yes -- a water pressure switch would work on a two stroke and an oil pressure switch would work on a four stroke. But the more iimportant point here is that one doesn't usually leave the key on with the engine not running so why bother. Actually an oil pressure switch would do the job but you need one that triggers at about 2-4 PSI as water pressure at idle can drop below 5 PSI. The inductive types have an internal battery that I think you need to destroy the case to replace -- although the advertised battery life is five years.

Re: hour meter

I'm with you Silvertip. I wouldn't even consider moving the timer from the ignition switch, for exactly the reasons you just stated.

BUT, being an electrical engineer with a rather wierd imagination (somewhat typical of my genre, I believe), I'll always think about 'what if' and will likely share some of the BS that comes from said imagination in the forum, when I'm not thinking carefully about it, lol.

BTW, relative to your statement about the battery life in the inductive unit....

I'm becoming a little "bothered" by all the new hardware that is showing up with non-replaceable lithium batteries. I expect to keep and maintaion my equipment for life, assuming no catastrophic failures, and I'm insulted that some companies think it's okay to provide products that are GUARANTEED to fail in several years! (Talk about planned obsolesence and designing in job security, lol) I've seen this in more and more instances recently, including items that cost several hundreds of dollars. GIVE US REPLACEABLE BATTERIES YOU GREEDY SOB's! There, venting done. Thank you.

Re: hour meter

right on quad maniac!! fight the power!! down with the man!! i agree with u ..i ordered a hour meter that i'm pretty sure runs off the ignition switch..i dont have the key on unless the boat is running..its a analog gauge..there was a digital one with a battery that was good for five years..i hope to keep this boat for at least five years. it would bother me if i had to change it out in five years because of the unaccsesable battery..