Hour meter for small engines

[spoilsofwar]

I bought a go kart buggy for my daughter's upcoming birthday, and have just finished assembling it in secret in my garage... While she was out of the house today, my wife and I took it for a little test spin

I'd like to add an hour meter to it. I see two main options; the self powered ones that involve wrapping a wire around the spark plug wire, for example:
www.ebay.com/itm/291515356246?_trksid=p2060353.m2763.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

And the traditional style which is wired to the ignition key. Since the key will never be on when it's not running (there are no accessories to power except the headlights), I'm not worried about the meter running up hours while the key is on while listening to the stereo, for example, like you might in a boat.

Which style would you use? Also, when you have to replace the internal lithium battery in the first style, does it remember the hour count? The cost of both is basically the same, cheap.

 

[82rude]

I believe the one that wraps around the sparkplug also can do rpm,s.What kind of motor does it have.My buddy put a Yamaha 350cc 2 stroke in one years ago ,boy that was wicked.Very pretty go cart model there .

 

[garbageguy]

I put a simple one on my new (long block) 350 V-8. I started a thread on it, maybe this will get you there if interested

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...ir-i-o-and-inboards/10000239-which-hour-meter

It is working just fine for run-time hours

 

[spoilsofwar]

It's a Chinese something or other; 6.5hp, 168cc, single cylinder, air cooled.

I'm not real interested in having a tachometer feature, just if the spark plug wire-wrap ones are reasonable accurate in their hour counts and whether they retain the hours when the battery is replaced. If so, they seem the easiest way to go.

 

[garbageguy]

I think mine says the battery never has to be replaced - not sure how that can be. It probably completely dies before the battery goes dead

 

[spoilsofwar]

I think mine says the battery never has to be replaced - not sure how that can be. It probably completely dies before the battery goes dead

I've seen some with replaceable batteries and some that don't say either way. One said it had a 35,000 hour life on the included battery, which would certainly outlast the life of this engine.

www.ebay.com/itm/New-Digital-Tach-H...ash=item4d1e76cfdd:g:~awAAOxyi-ZTadfo&vxp=mtr