hour meter installation

[wewhit]

How might I install an hour meter. The meter requires the presence of 12VDC. The motor is a 25HP Mercury, tiller, electric start. I have some ideas, but the simple approach is to find a wire in the motor that has the voltage on it only while the motor is running. Would one of the voltage regulator leads satisfy. Does anyone know which lead. Thanks for any clues.<br /><br />Bill

 

[12Footer]

Re: hour meter installation

Does your boat have a buss bar or fuse block? You may find and "ACC" terminal there, and most boats from the factory have "ACC" blanks, so you can install marine electronics after market.<br />It would also make for a neater install.<br />Not to mention, safer thru a fuse.

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: hour meter installation

There is an aftermarket tach/hourmeter available for small tiller motors. It is battery powered about the size of a matchbox and double/stick tape or screws to the engine cover. For pulse to activate the hourmeter and tach it uses a small wire wrapped around a plug wire.

 

[Paddling]

Re: hour meter installation

Yepblaze, do you know the manufacturer of the tach/hourmeter you suggested? I have often wanted to temporarily monitor other small engines as well as my own 9.9 merc. Sounds like your tach might be just the ticket.

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: hour meter installation

It might have been a Honda part. Call Buck's outboard 916-428-3917 (sacramento)between 10-3 PST tommorrow or during the week and explain that you want to know what tach/hourmeter or hourmeter he is selling for the little outboards that picks up the signal from a wire wrapped around the plug wire and is self powered.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: hour meter installation

If you are electronically inclined, (hobbyist) for about five dollars you can build a small rectifier regulator which would power the meter only when engine running. Just ask and I'll post a schematic.

 

[wewhit]

Re: hour meter installation

Thank you, petryshyn, for the kind offer, and thanks to all who have responded. I would like to see the schematic, as I am an electronocs-literate boater.<br /><br />I have to visit my dealer soon and was going to talk to one of the techs, but the rectifyer idea sounds good.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: hour meter installation

 

[Navigator]

Re: hour meter installation

The part yepblaze is talking about can also be found at http://www.northerntool.com. <br /><br />All you do is wrap the wire around the a plug wire tape in in place. It will read rpms and keeps running hrs. <br /><br />Cost is about 35 bucks.<br /><br />Part Number: 160592 is for 4 cycle engines. <br />Part Number: 160596 is for 2 Cycle engines.<br /><br />Do a search under the item number and you'll find it. <br /><br />Nav

 

[Paddling]

Re: hour meter installation

Thanks Navigator, for anyone else interested the link is http://www.northerntool.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=524744&prmenbr=6970 <br />Maybe the product ahs been improved since only one is advertised for all 2 & 4 cycle engines.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: hour meter installation

 

[norman158]

Re: hour meter installation

that is the same thing as a tiny tach i have used one of those for years easy to hook up and last forever wrap the red around #1 plug wire ground the black one 2 sided tape it on the cowl you are done

 

[suzukidave]

Re: hour meter installation

Wewhit,<br />I can fully vouch for the Tiny Tach (norman158 recommnended it after I couldn't get an after market tach to work on my boat -- it works great both as an hour meter and a tach -- now I can properly prop my boat!). For a proper boat installation you need to order it from the manufacturer (Design Technologies, 630-920-1300) because you will want a custom length coaxle cable (the standard is only 6 feet). I got one from them for a two cylinder motor with a 15' cable for $43 including shipping. <br /><br />There are several positive reviews with photos for this device on the web (it's used on light aircraft, jet skis, motorcycles, skiddoos etc...) <br /><br />By the way Norman, I think you have to wrap the red around each plug lead that has a separate coil. <br /><br />good luck

 

[norman158]

Re: hour meter installation

hi Dave glad to hear you got and like these i just wraped # 1 wire but my unit is a older one