Engine hour meter not working

[cat30]

When i bought my boat the engine hour meter wasn't working even tho it was getting power while the engine was running- bought a new meter and that one isn't working either- checked with multimeter and it is getting power. any ideas?
thanks

Don
1988
Island Packet 31

 

[jdhohmann]

I have the same issue, however I do know that it is because i have a broken TACh. This may be your issue

 

[thinwater]

I just track fuel purchases.

 

[kloudie1]

Try the new meter on a little jumper wire to hot. .. Jumper the ground as well.. If the meter runs, then you have a bad connection at power or ground in the meter circuit.
Note that a very bad connection may show 12 volts with no load.. Best to measure the volts from the + side of the meter to the ground side of the hourmeter. Check the meter itself to make sure the model is for 12V and not 24 or 36.

 

[centerline]

an hour meter wires up easily... the negative to ground and the positive to a switched hot wire..... simple.

BUT.... normally the hour meter will be wired thru a oil pressure switch on the engine. this way it will only run when the engine is running and has oil pressure. (so if you forget to shut the key off when the engine is not running, it doesnt log engine hours).

so, it may be you have a faulty oil pressure switch in the system. its simple to check when you find it. their will be a hot wire going to it when the key switch is on, but none coming out of the other terminal.... when you start the engine, it should let the voltage pass thru the oil pressure switch to the hour meter.... also check for a fuse between the key switch and the oil pressure switch.

if you have a common oil pressure switch that controls your entire engine circuit, as a lot of boats have, and it works fine, check for a fuse in the wire going directly to the hour meter from the oil press switch.

some hour meters run off the alternator, but this is not a common set up....

and dont forget to check the ground.
so many times people check the hot wires and find its all prefect and still the device does not work... the ground is often overlooked as a source of the problem, yet it is equally as important as the hot lead

 

[Stu Jackson]

..... simple.

BUT.... normally the hour meter will be wired thru a oil pressure switch on the engine. this way it will only run when the engine is running and has oil pressure. (so if you forget to shut the key off when the engine is not running, it doesnt log engine hours).

That's great logic, but "normally" is NOT the case. And the difference in time between that and when the engine key is on is so negligible as to be inconsequential in the long term. Sure, bleeding an engine with the key switch on and the engine not turning over can really add up over the years, like maybe one hour in 20 years. I know of few skippers who leave their key switch on without the engine running.

The use of "normally" is simply not the case on most, if not all, production boats. And even those engines where the fuel pump only runs after the glow plugs are energized, then stops until the oil pressure is made, have the hour meter wired to the key switch, since it's usually on the tach dial/gauge.

It all depends on how it's wired, not what is perhaps considered "normal."

 

[Benny17441]

Yes, hour meters are usually connected to the key switch. The design relies on that the annoying warning buzzer will not accidentally let you keep the switch ON for long. The oil pressure warning circuit is only closed and passing electricity when the engine is off or oil pressure is low. The rest of the time the circuit is open and carries no power. I think Kloudie covered most of the possibilities so go ahead and diagnose the problem.

 

[LloydB]

the red wire is negative