Tachometer Trouble

[Vic Suben]

I recently purchased a 1987 Catalina 34. When the boat was surveyed, the tachometer was not working. I subsequently had a very reputable boatyard replace & calibrate the tachometer.On voyage to deliver the boat to her new home port, the tachometer worked very well for the first part of the trip. About two hours short of our destination, the tachometer became very erratic and then went to zero where it spent the rest of the trip. Now the tach works for a little while every so often & then it goes to zero.The electrical connections at the tach and the alternator are tight.Has anyone encountered this sort of problem before? If so what caused the problem? How was it fixed?Thanks for any suggestions.Desperate in New YorkVic SubenSurprise - Hull No. 453

 

[WAYNE]

electrician

AS AN ELECTRICIAN I RECOMEND THAT YOU USE A MULTI METER TO CHECK CONTINUITY ON BOTH WIRES TO THE BACK OF YOUR TACH. IT IS QUIT POSSIBLE THAT THE WIRES ARE BROKE INSIDE THE WIRE SHEATH AND MAKING CONTACT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE GIVING ERATIC READINGS.

 

[John Olson]

same problem here

I have the same problem when motering the tack is hooked throwgh the altanater and when your batterys are full the altanater stops puting out juice and the tack gos to zereo. Ihave abig altanater and 4 Gell batterys and it dosent take long to bring the batterys up tofull If you leave some thing on when motering the tack will work. when its hot I use the bilge blower to cool the inside but a raido or light will work to If the batterys are not to big check and see if when the alt cuts out the tack dose the same. If you have no meater just listen to the moter and you can here when the alt cuts off and on.It took me ayear to figure this out JohnOlson