Installing Tachometer

[longshanks]

Hey folks

I'm considering installing a tach for my Merc 50 four stroke. It is a tiller motor, with no controls presently. I'd like to install something small and simple, but I have a couple of questions regarding this process.

I am assuming that I will have to buy the Mercury factory wiring harness for connecting any tach on this motor. If I do that, can I connect pretty much any tach up to the wiring harness? The Quiksilver model available locally is a fairly large and expensive. I can buy a smaller, less expensive model elsewhere. Any input on whether it will work for this application?

thanks!

longshanks

 

[ricksrster]

Re: Installing Tachometer

You can buy tachs at many places including iboats. Teleflex and Faria are popular models. You may also buy the harness to plug into your wiring at your control. The tachs come with easy to follow installation instructions.

 

[longshanks]

Re: Installing Tachometer

OK, so I installed the wiring harness, and I have hooked up a tach that was loaned to me. It is reading 1000 RPM too low. I am considering buying a new tach to use, but I thought I should ask first:

My motor is an '06 Merc 50, with 'smartcraft' electronic system. I am running it via tiller, ie - no controls. Is it going to be possible for me to get accurate tach readings by a traditional wiring harness, or do I need to use 'smartcraft guage and wiring'? I know that there is a way of hooking up a smartcraft tach, using a multi-pin connector, but I believe this is only available to those who are running this motor via controls.

longshanks

 

[ricksrster]

Re: Installing Tachometer

Make sure the little switch on the back of the tach is set at 12 Pole or 6 Pulse

 

[Boatnik70]

Re: Installing Tachometer

If you just want something small and inexpensive, ENM makes a nice little inductive electronic tach & hour meter. Accurate and super easy to install--just wrap wire 3-4 times around any plug wire and out to the tach, mounted wherever you want. It's the one listed for $25 on their site: http://www.enmco.com/

 

[longshanks]

Re: Installing Tachometer

thanks Boatnik, that is exactly what I'm looking for!

longshanks