Hour meter ...how do i hook it up ?

[DanMC]

Hi to all, can somebody help me with this... ,i would like to install a Faria Hourmeter to keep track of the hours the motor is in use . I'm fairly confy when comes to electrics but before i monkey around with our brand new motor...can somebody help ?...by the looks of it the hourmeter only needs + and - for power...but i only want it to record time when the ignition is on and motor running . BTW our BF25 had electric start...
Thank you...
P.S. I seem to complicate things more than simplify...you see once this issue is solved i'll be asking nice if somebody can help me install a Tachometer...( Teleflex told me that any tacks from their line will work...but they did not tell me how ).

Again ,Thank you
Dan

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Hour meter ...how do i hook it up ?

Normally you would conect it to the ign accessory wire. On a lot of boats(Merc, Johnnyride) they are purple. Ground is usually black. This is the same power that usually runs tachs, gas guages etc.

 

[444]

Re: Hour meter ...how do i hook it up ?

The hour meter will record all time the key is in the run position. Since you spend very very little time with the key in the run position and the engine off, it's fine doing it this way. For your tach, it should have a power, ground and a signal wire as well as wiring for lights. Where the tach wire goes depends on your motor. For my 80's mercury outboards, the tach wire goes to the rectifier on the ob.

 

[DanMC]

Re: Hour meter ...how do i hook it up ?

Hi and thank you to all that have replied . I looked at Tinytach.com and they seem to have a simpler solution but me beeing me i have to complicate things up a bit.Tinytach units are sealed units that lasts about 5 years or so,the internal battery is permanently sealed so after 5 years or so you just throw away the unit and buy a new one...or open it up anyway and replace the battery lithium ion. But since i like to spice things up i would like to use "proper" tachometer not disposable type.
The trouble is...where do i find a harness or the necessary wire to hook up a "proper" tach ?...
Thank you,
Dan

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Hour meter ...how do i hook it up ?

You find the accessory harness at one of two places: The place you buy the tach or the parts dept at a dealer that handles the engine you have. Actually, you don't even need the accessory harness. Wire is wire whether it comes in the form a pre-made plug&Play setup, or something you crimp some terminals on and go boating. A tach has four connections. 1) +12 volts. (so does any other gauge on the boat). 2) Ground (so does any other gauge on the boat. 3) Internal light (so does any other gauge on the boat. 4) Sense (this is the ONLY wire that is engine specific). You need to know what color that wire is in the engine harness. Tap into it. If You have no other gauges, then +12 volts is obtained at the "A" terminal on the ignition switch. Ground is ground wherever you find it but always available at the NEG terminal of the battery. If your boat has navigation lights, then there is a good point to tap into for the gauge light. As for hour meters, the only way you can GUARANTEE that it will only run when the engine is RUNNING, is to use oil pressure (four stroke engines) as a signal to trigger the meter. That sender must be a "switch-type" sender, not a resistance style sender that operates and oil pressure gauge. But why complicate the obvious. Why would you have the key ON with the engine not running?

 

[DanMC]

Re: Hour meter ...how do i hook it up ?

Thank you all for the great input...i think this comming weekend i will give this a try...i apreaciate all the help...again Thank you all !
Dan