Engine hours counter

[graham]

Does the hours counter on the tachometer on my beta control panel count all hours running equally or does it depend on what speed you are running at?

 

[earlybird]

It's not speed dependant, tickover or max. revs. all the same.

 

[Catalina36]

It's an hours counter and counts the hours the ignition is turned on regardless of whether the engine is running or at what speed. It's just an electric clock on a switch.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Depending on the age, the hour meter display fades and is very difficult to see, so I added an electro mechanical one in the engine bay with a note to add on to the last known faded display - cheap on ebay, wired so it operates when the engine is running. Mine faded after 960 hrs. - you could just make out the faded display at certain light and angle.

 

[dutyhog]

We did

Depending on the age, the hour meter display fades and is very difficult to see, so I added an electro mechanical one in the engine bay with a note to add on to the last known faded display - cheap on ebay, wired so it operates when the engine is running. Mine faded after 960 hrs. - you could just make out the faded display at certain light and angle.

we did the same, using the one from the previous engine. The Beta ones are expensive to replace and seem to fade.

 

[Rappey]

Im past caring how many hrs my engine has run.. change the oil every year, what more does it need?

 

[Catalina36]

Im past caring how many hrs my engine has run.. change the oil every year, what more does it need?

Indeed. Who counts the far greater engine hours on their car?

 

[Rappey]

Thinking about this subject a little more an hr meter can have a benefit it you want to work out fuel distance time .
Like so many outboards, they get to an age where there is zero history.

 

[LadyInBed]

Im past caring how many hrs my engine has run.. change the oil every year, what more does it need?

I have a digital hour meter. I use it to note how many hours I have run on engine on a passage, It also has a second resettable counter which I zero when I fill up with fuel to keep note of how many hours I got from a fill to tell me my Ltrs/Hr.

 

[jbweston]

I have the 'fading digits' problem on the panel of my Yanmar.

Years ago it was possible to get a purely mechanical hours meter - that is, it clamped on the engine and was powered by vibration like those self-winding clockwork watches. No electricity required. So a piece of cake to fit with no trailing wires. Does anyone know if they are still available?

 

[earlybird]

Years ago it was possible to get a purely mechanical hours meter - that is, it clamped on the engine and was powered by vibration like those self-winding clockwork watches. No electricity required. So a piece of cake to fit with no trailing wires. Does anyone know if they are still available?

Tiny Tach. Their website seems up and running, so presumably still available.

 

[coopec]

It's an hours counter and counts the hours the ignition is turned on regardless of whether the engine is running or at what speed. It's just an electric clock on a switch.

My yacht is under under construction.

My setup is that you start the engine by turning the key which triggers the relay which switches on the starter motor to start the diesel. To stop the diesel I have a button that triggers a car door solenoid switch which turns the fuel valve off at the injectors. The motor then stops.

How would I wire up the engine hour counter? Maybe I should use the starter key to turn the power on/off to the hour counter? (I'll have to check to see if that is possible)

 

[Catalina36]

My yacht is under under construction.

My setup is that you start the engine by turning the key which triggers the relay which switches on the starter motor to start the diesel. To stop the diesel I have a button that triggers a car door solenoid switch which turns the fuel valve off at the injectors. The motor then stops.

How would I wire up the engine hour counter?

Your key should have two positions, "on" which triggers various circuits like oil pressure warning, fuel gauge etc, and a spring loaded further turn which operates the starter motor then springs back. Wire an hour meter into the first circuit.

 

[nigel1]

Richard Dunn who was UK distributor for Tiny Tach has had to stop trading. He did give me this contact in the USA if you need to make an enquiry
connielou@tinytach.com

 

[coopec]

Your key should have two positions, "on" which triggers various circuits like oil pressure warning, fuel gauge etc, and a spring loaded further turn which operates the starter motor then springs back. Wire an hour meter into the first circuit.

Thanks for that.

Thinking about it I am sure the key has two positions so I'll work out how to wire it up as per your suggestion.

After I turn the motor off I'll have to remember to turn the starter key off but I suppose I can have a prominent red light to indicate all the warning lights, fuel gauge as well as the engine room blower are still "ON"

 

[Catalina36]

Thanks for that.

Thinking about it I am sure the key has two positions so I'll work out how to wire it up as per your suggestion.

After I turn the motor off I'll have to remember to turn the starter key off but I suppose I can have a prominent red light to indicate all the warning lights, fuel gauge as well as the engine room blower are still "ON"

Turn it off and better still take the key out, just as you do for your car.

 

[LadyInBed]

This is the one I have
LASCAR EMC 1500

Panel Mount Timer, Elapsed, Single Hole Mounting, 5 VDC, 27 VDC, 0 s, 99999 h, 21 mm, 44 mm
from Farnell.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Indeed. Who counts the far greater engine hours on their car?

Miles driven is a reasonable proxy for cars.

 

[Leighb]

No hours counters on my engines. I always record the engine start and stop times in the log and keep a running total for each engine. Usually the same but have had to run on only one at times. More useful for working out fuel consumption, as far as oil changes are concerned the oil and filters are changed annually which is generally around the 100 hours mark.

 

[penberth3]

Miles driven is a reasonable proxy for cars.

ISTR seeing 25 miles = 1 hour in an engine handbook.