Has anyone ever installed and egine hour meter? Where did you purchase it? Where did you mount it? How did you connect it? Do you think it has been useful since it's installation?
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Bob Howie
Hobbs Meter
Hour meters are normally called "Hobbs" meters because the company that makes them is called Hobbs. They are quite common in the aviation industry and nearly every airplane out there, from the very small to jumbos, has one in it. They are generally available for a few bucks from most aviation supply places; maybe even marine supply. Easily installed, the meters run off your ignition system. They can be hooked to your key, which isn't a real good idea in case you forget and leave your key on because they will run as long as they are getting juice. You can hook them to your distributor; as long as your distributor is getting juice, the meter runs. No juice, the meter quits. Hooking them up is quite simply. Generally only 2 wires; hot and neutral. Their chief purpose in aviation is to keep track of total engine time since aviation engines have mandated inspection and overhaul times. It's a good way for boaters to keep up with the total time their engines have run for generally the same reason. I just installed a new engine in my boat and coupled that with a Hobbs. Since I knew my engine was zero time, I now know that I have 50 hrs. on the motor. If your engine isn't new and if you don't know how many hours you have on it, you will have to approximate that and then add the Hobbs time to it. A place to look for a Hobbs Meter will be either the Boat/US or West Marine catalogs or Sporty's Pilot Shop, whose website is www.sporty's.com. Hope this helps.
Hour meters are normally called "Hobbs" meters because the company that makes them is called Hobbs. They are quite common in the aviation industry and nearly every airplane out there, from the very small to jumbos, has one in it. They are generally available for a few bucks from most aviation supply places; maybe even marine supply. Easily installed, the meters run off your ignition system. They can be hooked to your key, which isn't a real good idea in case you forget and leave your key on because they will run as long as they are getting juice. You can hook them to your distributor; as long as your distributor is getting juice, the meter runs. No juice, the meter quits. Hooking them up is quite simply. Generally only 2 wires; hot and neutral. Their chief purpose in aviation is to keep track of total engine time since aviation engines have mandated inspection and overhaul times. It's a good way for boaters to keep up with the total time their engines have run for generally the same reason. I just installed a new engine in my boat and coupled that with a Hobbs. Since I knew my engine was zero time, I now know that I have 50 hrs. on the motor. If your engine isn't new and if you don't know how many hours you have on it, you will have to approximate that and then add the Hobbs time to it. A place to look for a Hobbs Meter will be either the Boat/US or West Marine catalogs or Sporty's Pilot Shop, whose website is www.sporty's.com. Hope this helps.
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Paul Akers
Boat Stores
They are generally available in all the major boat stores for about $25. But if you are going to install it on a diesel, remember that there is no distributor on a diesel. Therefore, you may have to wire it to the ignition. Instructions are in the package.
They are generally available in all the major boat stores for about $25. But if you are going to install it on a diesel, remember that there is no distributor on a diesel. Therefore, you may have to wire it to the ignition. Instructions are in the package.
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David Undewood
Yes... and love it!
After 19 years of ownership, my boat now has one and I love it. Not sure how many hours on the engine, but when I installed the hour meter, I had just replaced the fuel tank that had a small leak and the fuel I pulled out was nasty. I also replaced all fuel lines and filters. So, I bet my motor had less than a thousand hours on it, being I only put 50 hours in the last year and used it more last year than before. I mostly use the diesel to get out of the slip, to anchor and to get back in the slip.. otherwise I'm sailing. But I mounted mine in a teak box that made to go over the engine compartment where the nav station is on my Hunter 33. I'll post a picture for you but it was easy to wire and works great.. Boaters World had it for $28 I think. good luck, David
After 19 years of ownership, my boat now has one and I love it. Not sure how many hours on the engine, but when I installed the hour meter, I had just replaced the fuel tank that had a small leak and the fuel I pulled out was nasty. I also replaced all fuel lines and filters. So, I bet my motor had less than a thousand hours on it, being I only put 50 hours in the last year and used it more last year than before. I mostly use the diesel to get out of the slip, to anchor and to get back in the slip.. otherwise I'm sailing. But I mounted mine in a teak box that made to go over the engine compartment where the nav station is on my Hunter 33. I'll post a picture for you but it was easy to wire and works great.. Boaters World had it for $28 I think. good luck, David
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Roy Mosteller
It Is Great To Have
Installed an hour meter on my 2GM20F and find it very useful in keeping track of engine maintenance. Bought it at West Marine, hooked it to ignition and did it all myself. If you want installation instructions I can send them.
Installed an hour meter on my 2GM20F and find it very useful in keeping track of engine maintenance. Bought it at West Marine, hooked it to ignition and did it all myself. If you want installation instructions I can send them.
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George Kornreich
Install it to respond to oik pressure!
Most if not aircraft installations of Hobbs meters involve an oil-pressure switch, and that should also be used in a marine installation. That way, if there's oil pressure the engine must be running, and if there is none, the meter will not clock time when it was powered due to a switch being left on, etc. This also eliminates the problem in a diesel where there's no distributer. The Hobbs meter records hours that the engine is operating, regardless of whether it is idling or going full bore. Tach hours, however, are based on an "average" rpm, so it records less hours if it is idling than if it is running at cruise speed. BTW, the engine hours reported by a tach meter are legal for aircraft requirements, and are often lower than the Hobbs time. The aircraft owner therefore prefers to use tach hours, but those that rent aircraft prefer the Hobbs time as they get to charge the same amount for warm-up and taxi as for cruising).
Most if not aircraft installations of Hobbs meters involve an oil-pressure switch, and that should also be used in a marine installation. That way, if there's oil pressure the engine must be running, and if there is none, the meter will not clock time when it was powered due to a switch being left on, etc. This also eliminates the problem in a diesel where there's no distributer. The Hobbs meter records hours that the engine is operating, regardless of whether it is idling or going full bore. Tach hours, however, are based on an "average" rpm, so it records less hours if it is idling than if it is running at cruise speed. BTW, the engine hours reported by a tach meter are legal for aircraft requirements, and are often lower than the Hobbs time. The aircraft owner therefore prefers to use tach hours, but those that rent aircraft prefer the Hobbs time as they get to charge the same amount for warm-up and taxi as for cruising).
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