Installing Hour Meter

[megsar]

Need Help ! 006

Installing hour meter, need recommendation on what switch hot wire to use under console. I thought about using the pinkish red wire at the fuel gage. Have standard CS gages with yamaha motor. (198 DLV)

Kenny

[Shakespeare]

I don't believe you want to pick up the fuel gauge wiring because the signal to the gauge goes through a resistor at the level sensor in the tank. I'd start looking at the ignition switch to see what wire goes hot when you flip the switch towards the "start" position.

Mike C.

[Redfish]

I instlled one on my last boat. Get yourself a test meter or light and find a wire that is hot when the key is on and dead when it is off. I would stay away from the fuel guage, as suggested. Most wiring harnesses have an extra wire or two that runs to the console and is unused but is "switched" with the ignition.

[FLboy3]

I have the suzuki 140 on my skiff so I don't know if the wiring is the same. If it is I can look at mine and tell you which wire to hook to. I had chatlees install one for me on my boat. I like it. 16 hours so far. Will know when the buzzers suppose to beep, and lights flash or what ever, if it does that is. Just like knowing where I'm at with the hours.

[CFISHN]

It's unreal how few hours we use the motors we pay so much for !
The Marina Dawn has just 350 or so in 8 years !
I would never invest the kind of money a new rig or outboard cost and not get a meter ! 015
Craig

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Try the wire that goes to the volt meter.It gets hot with the key turned on and dead when key is off.I was troubleshooting this afternoon cause i'm installing one too.

[ANTMAN]

I have the suzuki 140 on my skiff so I don't know if the wiring is the same. If it is I can look at mine and tell you which wire to hook to. I had chatlees install one for me on my boat. I like it. 16 hours so far. Will know when the buzzers suppose to beep, and lights flash or what ever, if it does that is. Just like knowing where I'm at with the hours.


I've got the 115 and it's got a built in hour meter......the 140 should have this feature as well. And the good thing is it only counts hours that the boat motor is RUNNING....not just the ignition on.

Tony

[FLboy3]

I can't think of a time I'v had the ignition on when the motors not running. No reason to that I know of. I think your supposed to be able to tell the hours by where the tack needle is pointing on the numbers on the gage. Just doesn't sound to accurate. The hour meter is cheap and sumwhat accurate as a back up even. I'v read threads on hear I think and the other CS site where the buzzer never went off and they are sure there over their 20 hour mark. But their not sure where their at. I think its worth the 45.00 for the piece of mind and a quick glance gives you what you need......Just my thoughts.....Darell

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

That is why i'm installing one too.Why would i have to play around with the stupid RPM gauge and not SEE what i want to see, a number/hour. 004 004
For 45 bucks and 1/2 hour drilling and installing is penuts.

[Harry]

On my 2007 with the 90 suzuki, All you had to do was turn the key to the "on" position (not start) & like others here have said, the tach will tell you how many hrs. are on the motor.

Also when I hit 20 hours the idiot light came on. It reflected it (the 20 hr mark)in the tach reading too.

I sold the boat before the idiot light came on for the 100 hr. mark but looking at the tach it was real close to being there.

Just wanted to point this out to megsar in case he wasn't aware that his boat had this and the idiot light reminder.

megsar, what year is your boat/motor?

009
I just made this post and was now able to see you have a yamaha. Don't know why I was thinkng Suzuki, I guess I was reading the latest posts and guys were talking about there tach readings.

Maybe Yamaha has this too, But I wouldn't know sorry .... clonk

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Yamaha does not have that .

[megsar]

Carolina Skiff and Yamaha with standard gages does not have those fancy bells and whistles, however I got the hour meter install today, I got my hot lead from the volt meter, like recommended thumbsup piece of cake. ;D

Thanks
Kenny

[Redfish]

Someone mentioned the problem of leaving the key on but the motor not running and the effect on the hour meter. This CAN be a problem because the meter keeps running as long as the key is on. I had my old boat serviced one time. Went to pick it up, and the battery was grave-yard dead. The dumb a$$ who worked on it left the key on when he put it back on the trailer after test running it. All I could do was estimate the "extra" hours that were on the meter due to it sitting on the trailer for several days after it was reloaded before the battery ran out of juice. When I sold it a couple of weeks ago, the guy who bought it was very interested in "how many hours were on the moter." Having the hour meter was a selling point--even though I had to explain that what was showing was about 75 to 100 (my best estimate) more hours than were actual.

[FLboy3]

I'v never left it on long but when I turn my key on a buzzer sounds off untill I crank the motor. I don't know how long it buzzez untill it gos off. Does anyone know.

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I'v never left it on long but when I turn my key on a buzzer sounds off untill I crank the motor. I don't know how long it buzzez untill it gos off. Does anyone know.


Just a few seconds, 5-10 maybe.Also depends of what the buzzer is"telling" you.

[ANTMAN]

For you guys that have Suzuki's you can have your hours checked by a rep with a laptop and the software......and I'll tell you it is gonna be an accurate account of how many hours are REALLY ON the motor. If your ZUK has this function.....DON'T buy an hour meter....you are setting yourself up for failure......my kids have left the key on TWICE until the batteries died.....If I had an hour meter MOUNTED....how would I explain that mishap to a buyer if I decided to sell the boat. Suzuki knew what they were doing when they did this.

I apoligize for taking the thread off track....but, I thought that was info you guys should know.....now....BTT.

Tony

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

For you guys that have Suzuki's you can have your hours checked by a rep with a laptop and the software......and I'll tell you it is gonna be an accurate account of how many hours are REALLY ON the motor. If your ZUK has this function.....DON'T buy an hour meter....you are setting yourself up for failure......my kids have left the key on TWICE until the batteries died.....If I had an hour meter MOUNTED....how would I explain that mishap to a buyer if I decided to sell the boat. Suzuki knew what they were doing when they did this.

I apoligize for taking the thread off track....but, I thought that was info you guys should know.....now....BTT.

Tony



When time comes to sell, you can explain the buyer what happend and also tell him to read the manual and read the tach for the true hours.I don't think is a big deal.

[Harry]

VERY interesting about the key being on and it still registers hours on the meter. I just learned something here today ... yay

Seems like a VERY flawed design to me.

So we know this to be fact ? Is it in the suzuki manual?

Thanks for the heads up guys.

[1967JRD]

VERY interesting about the key being on and it still registers hours on the meter. I just learned something here today ... yay

Seems like a VERY flawed design to me.

So we know this to be fact ? Is it in the suzuki manual?

Thanks for the heads up guys.


He said if had put an hour motor on it would have been a problem, he has a Suzuki with the internal telemetry like you have. The Suzuki telemetry shows only the actual time the engine is running, not key on.

No matter what, the hour meter thing isn't as big a deal as everyone is making anyway. I have yet to find a boat that ever had the actual hours on it. The last boat I had, a Chaparral 204SSI showed 29 hours on it when I bought it. I purchased it because it ONLY had 29 hours on it. Upon thoroughly reading thru all the documentation that came with the boat I noticed a factory replacement service ticket. Tach was replaced at 25 hours, the tach has the hourmeter in it. Nothing I could do about and the dealer didn't care that it had 50+ hours or 29 hours. There was no legal leg to stand on either. It's not like a car, the hours do not have to exactly correct. Tweak up an odometer in a car and that's federal, a boat and nobody seems to care.

[ANTMAN]

VERY interesting about the key being on and it still registers hours on the meter. I just learned something here today ... yay

Seems like a VERY flawed design to me.

So we know this to be fact ? Is it in the suzuki manual?

Thanks for the heads up guys.



Harry, if you have a "traditional" hour meter it's usually hooked to the ignition.....ignition on, times running......doesn't matter if the boats motor is running or not.

With Suzuki motors the tachometer is used to indicate hours..its linked to the onboard computer.....Only logs time the motor is running.....thus you get an accurate account of the hours on the motor.

Tony

[Harry]

VERY interesting about the key being on and it still registers hours on the meter. I just learned something here today ... yay

Seems like a VERY flawed design to me.

So we know this to be fact ? Is it in the suzuki manual?

Thanks for the heads up guys.



Harry, if you have a "traditional" hour meter it's usually hooked to the ignition.....ignition on, times running......doesn't matter if the boats motor is running or not.

With Suzuki motors the tachometer is used to indicate hours..its linked to the onboard computer.....Only logs time the motor is running.....thus you get an accurate account of the hours on the motor.

Tony

OK,
I gotcha. I don't have an hour meter and will use the tach reading, I thoughts that's what you guys were talking about.
Thanks for clearing that up Tony. thumbsup

[FLboy3]

I thinks it nice to be able to look at the meter and get a quick idea of the hours. Its just a way of double check in case one fails. If you leave the key on by mistake for a while you can just unplug the hour meter and when the tack says the same as the hour meter then plug it back in. Hopefully it doesn't happen to often. The extra hour meter just gives you something to check your tack to and vis-versa. Same idea as haveing 2 batterys just in case one fails. And it might be a good selling tool also. Probably easier to show them the hour meter than try and explain and convince them the tacks telling them the hours. Seem valuable for such a small price. But thats just me.....Darell

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I thinks it nice to be able to look at the meter and get a quick idea of the hours. Its just a way of double check in case one fails. If you leave the key on by mistake for a while you can just unplug the hour meter and when the tack says the same as the hour meter then plug it back in. Hopefully it doesn't happen to often. The extra hour meter just gives you something to check your tack to and vis-versa. Same idea as haveing 2 batterys just in case one fails. And it might be a good selling tool also. Probably easier to show them the hour meter than try and explain and convince them the tacks telling them the hours. Seem valuable for such a small price. But thats just me.....Darell


This is why i install one today,it's easier for me to see the hours than play around with the tach.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg199/giorgosc/BOAT%20STUFF/DSC_1064.jpg

[Dave]

I'v never left it on long but when I turn my key on a buzzer sounds off untill I crank the motor. I don't know how long it buzzez untill it gos off. Does anyone know.


This buzzer comes on for a few seconds. I believe the recommends to NOT fully engage the ignition until the buzzer goes off. Remember the old days when you had to squeeze the fuel line bulb to manuall pump fuel into the carbs, before starting the motor. With EFI, this function is accomplished electically when you turn the ignition key half way to the right, (while the buzzer is sounding) the electronic fuel pump turns on and sends fuel to the ignition. Stand near the motor and have someone engage the ignition half way (not enough to turn over the motor). You should be able to hear the pump pumping fuel.

Dave

[Dave]

And it might be a good selling tool also. Probably easier to show them the hour meter than try and explain and convince them the tacks telling them the hours. Seem valuable for such a small price. But thats just me.....Darell


I think I'm gonna wait 'till I get about 500 hours on the skiff before I install an hour meter ;D J/K

Dave

[ANTMAN]

And it might be a good selling tool also. Probably easier to show them the hour meter than try and explain and convince them the tacks telling them the hours. Seem valuable for such a small price. But thats just me.....Darell


I think I'm gonna wait 'till I get about 500 hours on the skiff before I install an hour meter ;D J/K

Dave


You can do that honestly ;D....just hook the meter up to a battery and let the hours run up until they match the correct hours on the motor and then install the meter already loaded with "500" hours thumbsup

Tony

[boogieblues50]

Hi
I had my fuel guage removed and put a hour meter in the fuel guage hole...Like who needs a fuel guage on most CS just look between your legs...lol BoogieBlues

[cheez]

Hi
I had my fuel guage removed and put a hour meter in the fuel guage hole...Like who needs a fuel guage on most CS just look between your legs...lol BoogieBlues


Good point Boogie.
I was reading my manual and unless I read it wrong the tach/hour meter thing only works after 50 hours. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[boogieblues50]

hey
here is mine in the fuel guage hole

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh43/boogieblues/e3fe_12guage.jpg
even matches the reast of the guages in my console
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh43/boogieblues/e62c_3boat10.jpg
BoogieBlues

[Dave]

I was reading my manual and unless I read it wrong the tach/hour meter thing only works after 50 hours. Someone correct me if I am wrong.


That's right cheez. The chart on page 44 of the Suzuki DF90/DF115/DF140 Owner's Manual shows how to read hours from the tach. The oil change reminder system flowchart (beginning at 20 hours) is also on page 44.

Though I haven't seen it yet, I have heard that the dealer's computer readout gives you a full picuture of the motor hours, including how many hours at idle and various RPM's. Maybe someone who's had their motor serviced at Bayracer Marine (where I heard this was the case) could verify this. I believe if I were to sell or buy a used motor, I'd have this service done - aside from having complete accuracy of the hours on the motor, the current condition of all motor systems are evaluated.

Dave

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Dave you can do this with all brands of motors.You can do it too, all you have to do is buy the software and a serial port cable for a lap top and you're done.

[al_e._gator]

If your engine is nmea 2000 compatible you should be able to get hours by installing an nmea network. So far my engine and FFinder are nmea 2000, now I just need the cables and terminator to complete the network.

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I have nmea2000 on my yammis too, but is not that easy to get the info out of them.I never tried on the zuki yet.