Failed hour meter on Bavaria 41,2004

Feb 17, 2021
13
Bavaria 41 Olympia
Anyone have their hour meter fail? diagnostic path for this? Can engine hours, RPMs and temp be run to chart plotter for display? Requires special sensors? Parts source?
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I'll take a stab at some of this.
Anyone have their hour meter fail?
This can happen is several ways. Depends a lot on how your system is designed. What year is your Bavaria 41? Is the meter a separate meter or internal to your Tachometer?

diagnostic path for this?
Would need the particulars of your boat to even take a stab at this.

Can engine hours, RPMs and temp be run to chart plotter for display?
The simple answer here is Yes. Doing it will require some hardware and a way to connect to your specific brand of Chart Plotter. Your Chart plotter may or may not be able to display this information depending on its capabilities.

Requires special sensors? Parts source?
I believe Yacht Devices may be able to help you in this area. Marine electronic products from Yacht Devices
 
Feb 17, 2021
13
Bavaria 41 Olympia
Appreciate response! Hour meter is dark but RPMs show on analog meter fine. Located in cockpit in Bavaria's starting cockpit module that includes heaters for cylinders, alarm, and starting button. Standard from Bavaria. Maybe only choice is to replace whole unit. I cannot see any wiring diagram for this unit. Since i can't hear the high temp alarm or low oil pressure alarm I figured I might get engine based sensors that will come from Volvo. Any thoughts on dead hour meter on a Bavaria 41, 2004 with D 55 Volvo. rear cockpit.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Have you looked closely at the gauge? Its there a name or model number on the back.
Bravaria builds the yachts. They buy the gauge from someone. That is where you need to look. just like if you had a ford truck. They buy the gauge from someone like "Delco". If you have a problem you look up Delco not Ford.

Assuming here. But sounds like the digital lcd is dark. Not getting power or has just failed. These can be replaced or maybe not. If you know the size of the gauge, you can find a manufacture that produces a replacement. VDO or Sierra are just two makers. Remove and replace is the trick. You need to know and understand the wiring on the back side so you can make the proper connections.

If this is not something that feels right for you to do, then you would be money ahead to get a marine electrician who can examine and replace if necessary.
 
Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
This is a known failure with Yanmar hour meters. The lcd can be replaced. Mine has failed but it's low on the repair list. I've seen repair kits for sale. Maybe the same for your Volvo, maybe not.
 
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Aug 28, 2006
564
Bavaria 35E seattle
I bought this replacement LCD unit for my Volvo MD2030 gauge panel. However, I haven't done the replacement yet. I did buy a cheapie battery powered vibration unit that's used on tractors etc. I placed it directly on the engine. It's worked fine for the past 90 hours just so I don't lose track of hours while the panel one crapped out. Here's the VDO replacement source (only $16):

 
Nov 19, 2017
17
Bavaria Bavaria 40 North Hero, VT
I have a Bavaria 40, 2002. The engine hours LCD went dark in 2019 while on an extended cruise. The LCD reappeared briefly after about 9 months, long enough to get the reading of the hours. I'm thinking that the analog meter, which has both rpm's and engine hours, will need to be replaced. The question from my end is how I might be able to get the hours on a new unit to match the hours on the existing unit, so there is real info on the total m# of actual engine hours. Don't have an answer yet, because its lower on my priority list than other things.
 
Nov 19, 2017
17
Bavaria Bavaria 40 North Hero, VT
If your engine hour LCD goes blank and you need to replace it for a Volvo Penta diesel engine, you can find the part via the following link: AK Speedo The replacement part with shipping to the USA was very affordable. You will need to remove your tachometer in order to replace the lcd part. A good video watch to see the replacement process is at the following link:

I've taken my tachometer apart and am waiting for the part to arrive tomorrow, then will put it in the tachometer. Once reinstalled and batteries are reconnected (following boat winter hibernation), I'll post whether the fix was successful or not.
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
If your engine hour LCD goes blank and you need to replace it for a Volvo Penta diesel engine, you can find the part via the following link: AK Speedo The replacement part with shipping to the USA was very affordable. You will need to remove your tachometer in order to replace the lcd part. A good video watch to see the replacement process is at the following link:

I've taken my tachometer apart and am waiting for the part to arrive tomorrow, then will put it in the tachometer. Once reinstalled and batteries are reconnected (following boat winter hibernation), I'll post whether the fix was successful or not.
Did this exact process using this video for my 2009 Hunter 36 3YM30, and for a friend's Hunter 41 DS with a bigger Yanmar. Both worked very well and continue to work years later. Fingers crossed you can do the same for your Volvo. BTW, even if the hours meter is blank it is still keeping track of hours, and will show the correct number of hours when replaced. I found that only when the tach is misbehaving (e.g. reading zero when the motor is on) that the hours meter doesn't advance. Good luck. There's some other threads on SBO where me and other folks have posted what they've done.
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
The question from my end is how I might be able to get the hours on a new unit to match the hours on the existing unit, so there is real info on the total m# of actual engine hours. Don't have an answer yet
The hours on a new unit are tamper proof so the only way to do it is connect to a 12V DC supply (maybe your car in the garage), calculate how many hours it is required to run, and pray you remember to pull the wires as soon as you have the required hours added. If it runs over by too much, run your boat to match the hours. Lastly, install.
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
The hours on a new unit are tamper proof so the only way to do it is connect to a 12V DC supply (maybe your car in the garage), calculate how many hours it is required to run, and pray you remember to pull the wires as soon as you have the required hours added. If it runs over by too much, run your boat to match the hours. Lastly, install.
Interesting - that would be a PITA. To be clear I was referring just to replacing the LCD, not the whole unit. If just replacing the LCD the hours are correctly displayed without any issue.
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
True. But it's such a PITA when a new VDO tach is so cheap at $100.00 plus change
Lol, I'd argue its more of a PITA to get the new VDO tach to display your correct engine hours than it is to install the new LCD. also like 4x more expensive for the VDO tach. The LCD install takes maybe 15 minutes if you've done it once; maybe 30 if you're doing it for the first time. The VDO tach run would take hundreds or thousands of hours before its ready to put into your boat! 1,000 hours on a tach would take over 41 days, running continuously, to program to your correct engine hours. But I suppose its a nice new tach!
 
Nov 19, 2017
17
Bavaria Bavaria 40 North Hero, VT
I finally got the new lcd display installed in the tach, re-installed on the boat, and the engine turned on. The engine hours appeared in the new display and are correct. The part was only about $32 US without shipping, which was maybe $5. So, this is an inexpensive fix that does not require buying a new tachometer unit. The existing tach was reasonably easy to remove so I could work on it at home.
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
I finally got the new lcd display installed in the tach, re-installed on the boat, and the engine turned on. The engine hours appeared in the new display and are correct. The part was only about $32 US without shipping, which was maybe $5. So, this is an inexpensive fix that does not require buying a new tachometer unit. The existing tach was reasonably easy to remove so I could work on it at home.
This is exactly the reaction I see from every person I've recommended this approach who has taken it. Well done - and if you have to do it again, its no sweat, and very inexpensive.
 
Nov 19, 2017
17
Bavaria Bavaria 40 North Hero, VT
When I first reassembled the tach with the new engine hour lcd display, I messed up the tach needle placement, so had to take the tach out to fix that. I've probably taken that whole unit apart now at least 4 or 5 times, and it is now only a 15 minute job. Practice makes perfect!