Engine Hour Meter

[davel]

My boat doesn't have one and I'd like to fit a simple device that doesn't involve a complicated installation.

It occurred to me that an electrical feed taken off the alternator could be used to power a timer, the idea being that if the engine's running, the alternator's driving so the timer's being powered. Seems to meet the criteria of simple and easy to install.

Anyone have any experience of such an arrangement or advice on it's practicality?

 

[steve_cronin]

Does it HAVE to be a DIY project?

If not how about a digital readout meter at £39.95?

Aquafax meter at this price from cruisermart at www.cruisermart.co.uk

Or (from the same source) one from VDO with a minute hand (can't think why?) at £64.75

Or a Vibration type (just bolt onto engine somewhere) at £69.99

Or at £29.99 - is it worth getting the soldering iron out? the Curtis with LCD display

Taking a supply from the alternator will probably require a tap to be taken from the rectifier (Terminal "M" on Lucas units) so if you consider this to be a "complication" I would go for the vibration (Grasslin) meter

Steve Cronin

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by steve_cronin on Mon Oct 1 13:40:23 2001 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

Hi,
You can feed the hour meter from the oil pressure sensor. It will give +12 V as long as you have correct oil pressure. When the oil pressure is below the alarm level your alarm will sound and/or the warning lamp for low oil pressure will lighten up. When that happen you will not record the hour on your engine, but on the other hand you will probably have more serious problems to deal with... Good luck from Sweden.

 

[Strathglass]

Why interfere with the alternator or the oil presure gauge? Is there a key to switch on your engine? then there must be a wire behind the switch which will be live when the engine is switched on. If the key also stops the engine then there will be a wire to the fuel valve on the injector pump which will be live when the engine is running. I fitted a tacho with a built in hours counter in the past to solve your problem.

 

[roger]

simplest idea I've heard is to use a mechanical clock from a car breakers. It must be cheap.

 

[Guest]

Re: Vibration type

I bought a vibration sensing counter and took it back. It was taken back just over 40 minits from leaving the retailer, or that was the time showen on the readout after timing the car movment. It rather occured to me if i it was reacting to the car what was it going to do to motion under sail or on the moring. I fited one wired to the key switch and its been OK.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Simplest Yet

Why make life complicated. Part of my routine when I have had mechanically powered [engine] vessels is to note in my log the "start up time" and the "stop time" for the engine running, along with the fuel consumed, lubrication oil used, and any other irregularities and recordings, [engine temp, oil pressure, oil temp, battery charge state etc]. I total the engine hours at regular intervals to keep an accumulated running total. Other recorded factors sometimes are useful and help to predict problems. These details do not take long to note and record and after all are part of the general seamanship and watchkeeping duties expected on a carefully run vessel and helps to establish good watchkeeping routines. Only requires a pencil a piece of paper and a modicum of intelligence, no electric circuits, wiring problems or faualty meters. Mind you, the lack of instrumentation on your control panel will not give you bragging points, but perhaps the seasmanship and the thoroughness of your log may impress the right people instead. But then who cares about seamanship when the problem can be solved by throwing money at it?

 

[davel]

Re: Simplest Yet

You're right, of course. Noting the details in the log is the cheapest and simplest alternative, however it does call for that pre-requisite, "a modicum of intelligence".

Now whilst I believe I posses this quality (although this has been questioned by some who suggest that intelligence and boat ownership don't fit in the same sentence) I can't always rely on others so a meter seems to be the best solution, provided it's cheap !

 

[jollyjacktar]

Point Grasped

I understand this and take your point, such is the price of progress. Oh for the good old days when men were men and knights were bold and ladies had never been invented .... but woops I have drifted off again. May be I am unrealistic in thinking that some basic things must not be overlooked, but I was presented with the answer to 4 x 3 as 120 the other day??!!!!!****** and anyway what was wrong with the old Imperial system of units, at least the decimal point only existed for the competently trained and was not lost amongst all the other rubbish. [Incidentally for the technochrats. 4 x 3 = 12 or perhaps 12.0 on your cell phone do everything gadget, and if you are only fluent in text message speak, I have translated further ..... "four multiplied by three equals twelve". ]
Happy boating.))))

 

[steve_cronin]

Ah but in the Boolean environment 4 X 3 is 3...

Just like 4 X drown = drown.

Never saw the point of Boolean Algebra!

Steve Cronin

 

[jollyjacktar]

LOL

Steve, you have made my day. The futility of this modern rubbish has a funny side after all, but as for it being any other use, ????###***** [tranlation = "nautical cusses"]

 

[snowleopard]

jumble

bought a couple on an electrical stall at a boat jumble for around a tenner each. an hour to work out the wiring diagram, 10 mins to fit, tapped into the engine ignition circuits. result, reliable hour readings. easy