Hour meter

[cddetelich]

Do engine hour meters advance at a steady rate regardless of RPM? It seems to me the meter should advance quicker as RPM increases thus giving a more accurate measure of motor use. However, my friend has a meter that runs at a continous rate as long as the engine is running, and he insists they all operate this way, just giving a total number of hours an engine has has been run.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Hour meter

They only tell the time that power is applied to them. Most are just hooked to the ignition switch. Some only run when ignition is on and oil pressure is high so that they only atually run while the engine is running.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Hour meter

However, my friend has a meter that runs at a continous rate as long as the engine is running, and he insists they all operate this way, just giving a total number of hours an engine has has been run.

Yep, he's right. Time stays the same no matter how fast you go or how high your engine revs...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Hour meter

An hour meter is a clock that simply records elapsed time. Does your watch run faster just because you jog instead of walking? An hour is an hour regardless whats going on during that time. If you want an event recorder, buy a new Evinrude E-tec. It's built into the ECM.

 

[Wreck Rider]

Re: Hour meter

My boat has a "tiny tach" which operates at constant time, as others seem to think is normal, and I agree.

There is a different thing (I've only heard about this, not seen one) that is basically an odometer linked to engine speed. It will do what you are asking about, basically count each time the engine turns over, and display a total. I heard about one of these installed on a type of commercial equipment, either a tractor-trailer or school bus or something like that.

If you keep looking perhaps you'll find this other thing. Most people seem quite happy with a straight hour-meter though.

 

[swist]

Re: Hour meter

Hour meters on outboard boats are 99.9% of the type that simply clock off hours as long as the purple (ignition) wire in the control box is hot. Turning the key to "on" without running the engine will cause the hour meter to clock. For most people this is not an issue, but some boats are wired such that use of certain accessories might require the ignition switch to be on with or without the motor running, hence your actual hours could be thrown off, but this situation is unusual.

Another comment is that hourmeters are a LOT less tamper-resistant than car odometers. I wouldn't believe them on any used boat unless I knew all the previous owners to be trustworthy.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Hour meter

Any boat that requires the ignition key to be on to operate accessories needs to be rewired.

 

[klicknative]

Re: Hour meter

The rev counter type hourmeters are common on farm tractors, ect with mechanical tachometers. They are usually marked "hours at xxxx RPM" or something simular.