Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

[boatboy14]

Hello I am thinking of getting a tach but I am not sure if it will be easy to install and if its a good idea. Thanks!

 

[eavega]

Re: Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

Hello I am thinking of getting a tach but I am not sure if it will be easy to install and if its a good idea. Thanks!

Absolutely its a good idea! A tach is one of the best ways you have to verify that your engine is running at the proper speed. Lugging a motor over time can cause it to die prematurely, and running it at too high a speed can cause it to die in spectacular fashion. As to installation, I can't vouch for the difficulty, but I installed a tinytach on a 20 HP motor I had, and the installation was as simple as wrapping a wire around the top spark plug cable.

Rgds

 

[5150abf]

Re: Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

Yup, the Tiny Tach is the easiesy way to go.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

If you are going for a induction tach, you may well go for a hour/tach meter combo, will register engine worked hours and rpm at all throttle range, if you could place at a visible space at front engine so to look, the better. Other nice brand :

Hardline meters ; http://www.hardlineproducts.com/ShowItem.cfm?itemid=268&catid=188

Happy Boating

 

[boatboy14]

Re: Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

Thanks for the responses. I am also looking at a tach from overtons.com and i like it better because there is no battery that it needs. anyone out there with an idea on how these are installed? i dont want to invest on something that i am sure will not work in a couple of years. Thanks!

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

Tiny Tach and Hardline meters both have small long lasting internal batteries, bought a TT 8 years ago and still reading well, you can install by wrapping 4 wire turns on any plug wire to read, TT has grounding wire, H not. Tachs meters that are not internal battery supported are for 12 V dash installation, check with Overton's before ordering...

Happy Boating

 

[boatboy14]

Re: Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

So I do have a 12 volt battery that will be used for starting the engine. It does have an alternator, but I previously purchased their speedo and it said that the 12 volt power supply was not nessesary for the device to work. Is this going to be the same with the tach? In other words does the tach NEED the power supply to "work" as in give me a reading. Thanks!

 

[eavega]

Re: Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

Yes, a modern tach only measures pulses from the ignition system. It still needs power to either move the needle or work the display.

-Rgds

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Tachometer for a 25 hp Mercury Outboard - Good Idea?

Definitely works with engine pulse and + 12 volts + ground. Will need 2 meters a tach and a hourmeter or place a dash gauge that has both functions. Both meters are very useful for your engine.

Happy Boating