Hour Meters

PCoch · Sep 3, 2016

One of the two meters for my Cummins 6BT-5.9M engines does not work. Is anyone familiar with where the meter gets its signal? And, is it possible to advance the non-working one to more closely reflect actual hours if I can get it working again?

Thanks

Paul

O C Diver · Sep 3, 2016

If it's the common in the tachometer type, it's powered by the ignition switch I believe. If you can fix it, you should be able to apply power to the tachometer to advance the hour meter. I've had 2 of those die in Cummins tachometers and think they are of poor quality. Have stand alone hour meters on my boats now. They're tied to the ignition switch and can be advanced by connecting to a battery for the winter.

Ted

koliver · Sep 3, 2016

Depends on your installation.
Some older installations are connected to the tachometer in such a way as to count revolutions, so the meter reading is a theoretical one, based on WOT hours, not on time.
Most are just powered by the ignition switch, so count time the switch is in the "on" position.
Use a multimeter on the existing hour meter to see where it gets power and connect a new one the same way.
If tying into the ignition circuit, you need to be in the habit of leaving it off, otherwise you record hours that the engine was not running at all. (that explains how my Port engine hours climbed past my Stb engine without either being in use)

fryedaze · Sep 3, 2016

Not sure what you have. Maybe this helps.
http://www.odometergears.com/howto/Hour_Meter_How_To_Repair.pdf

PCoch · Sep 3, 2016

koliver said:
Depends on your installation.
Some older installations are connected to the tachometer in such a way as to count revolutions, so the meter reading is a theoretical one, based on WOT hours, not on time.
Most are just powered by the ignition switch, so count time the switch is in the "on" position.
Use a multimeter on the existing hour meter to see where it gets power and connect a new one the same way.
If tying into the ignition circuit, you need to be in the habit of leaving it off, otherwise you record hours that the engine was not running at all. (that explains how my Port engine hours climbed past my Stb engine without either being in use)

Thanks - it's actually internal to the tach. The back of the unit has about 8 electrical connections on it - some for backlighting, powering the tach, etc.

PCoch · Sep 3, 2016

O C Diver said:
If it's the common in the tachometer type, it's powered by the ignition switch I believe. If you can fix it, you should be able to apply power to the tachometer to advance the hour meter. I've had 2 of those die in Cummins tachometers and think they are of poor quality. Have stand alone hour meters on my boats now. They're tied to the ignition switch and can be advanced by connecting to a battery for the winter.

View attachment 55988

View attachment 55989

Ted

Did you try to repair?

PCoch · Sep 3, 2016

fryedaze said:
Not sure what you have. Maybe this helps.
http://www.odometergears.com/howto/Hour_Meter_How_To_Repair.pdf

Thanks - will give it a try.

O C Diver · Sep 3, 2016

PCoch said:
Did you try to repair?

I had an electronics guy play with it, no success. he did the simple checks and said it would be cheaper to pic up a used tach if it was that important. I choose the $20 solution.

Ted

Ski in NC · Sep 4, 2016

The VDO tach with digital hourmeters SUCK. Mine is dying. Just get a stand alone meter and wire it up.

Mine reads hours when ign is on, but clock does not advance unless tach is picking up a signal. That is a nice feature. If it would friggin WORK.

I bought a new DATCON meter and set it up on a battery to advance hours. It died in the process.

My gen hour meter sometimes clocks two hours during an overnight run.

Stupid hour meters.

Rant over. I'm starting to sound like FF and generators. I'll shut up now.

O C Diver · Sep 4, 2016

Ski in NC said:
I bought a new DATCON meter and set it up on a battery to advance hours. It died in the process.

My gen hour meter sometimes clocks two hours during an overnight run.

Stupid hour meters.

Buy an ENM Hour Meter. Unit is sealed and just works. Have over 1,000 hours on the one in the charter boat. It sees some vibration and occasionally gets bounced around in the ocean.

Ted

fryedaze · Sep 4, 2016

Great Lake Skipper has a big selection of tachs and hour meters.
Search results for: 'tachometer' | Great Lakes Skipper

Hour Meters

PCoch

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O C Diver

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koliver

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PCoch

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PCoch

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PCoch

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Ski in NC

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fryedaze

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