Retrofitting a tachometer/engine-hours meter

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Babylon

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Is is possible (ie easy) to retrofit a tacho/hours meter? I've been told that the tachometer just needs to be connected to the W-terminal on the alternator (an old Paris Rhone) . Are there any 'aftermarket' units that are reliable but inexpensive?

Thanks

Babylon
 
Search ebay for "marine tachometer". Durite are a reputable brand, ~£50. None with hours counter AFAIK, but a separate one is possible. Others recommend the "Tiny Tach".
 
Babylon said:
Is is possible (ie easy) to retrofit a tacho/hours meter? I've been told that the tachometer just needs to be connected to the W-terminal on the alternator (an old Paris Rhone) . Are there any 'aftermarket' units that are reliable but inexpensive?

Thanks

Babylon
Click to expand...

That's what I fitted. The first on was a Fario from ASAP. I bought the instrument when buying two other identical ones to fit in a cruiser.
They worked ok on the cruiser.

Several years later I fitted the third one on the boat I was building for myself, It did not work.

When I enquired at ASAP about a replacement using the 'lifetime? guarantee' claimed by Fario. I was told that I would get a discount (about 15% if I remember correctly) from a new one.

This did not make me very happy - I have been an ASAP customer for well over twenty years.

I ended up by getting one without an hour counter from ebay for less than a replacement would have cost from ASAP. The seller was thornycroftengines. He has none listed just now.

You will find that the tacho's supplied for an alternator drive have some form of adjustment built in to allow matching it to the alternator design (number of poles) and pulley sizes.
 
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I fitted a tinytach with no difficulty. Clamps around the injector pipe and readings show on a compact waterproof display.
 
Jon

I got hold of a second hand combined VDO tacho/engine hours and fitted this to the W terminal of the Paris-Rhone on my Bukh 20 no probs and I'm an electrical numpty. Calibration/setting was by tick-over and max revs not under load ( c850 & 3150 respectively per guys @ Poole). Good enough for me. I used an older 5" tacho as this fitted the existing and non working Sumlog display , but most of the smaller tachos are alternator sensed via the W terminal. Have subsequently fitted a second hand uprated Prestolite and although they call it the AC terminal, it still works with the tach.
 
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