Which wire?

[bigboy]

Hey,

I want to hook up my hour gauge right. It is now hooked up to the ignition. So when i put my contact on the hour starts running.

Problem is that this is not good because when you leave your contact on "on" it stays counting even when the engine is off.

Who knows which wire I have to take from the engine of a OMC V4 140hp?

Thx

[Tom D.]

I don't know OMC wiring but I would use a test light to find a wire that is only hot when the key is in the on postion.

Tom

[bigboy]

Thx for your reply.

Now the gauge only works when the key is on position. But I want that it only works when the engine runs;)

[Tom D.]

Why would you have the key on other than have the motor running?

Tom

[bigboy]

Good question Tom. I know it looks stupid but there are times it is on "on".

Everything of my electonics passes the contact. When I need it my contact has to be on "on". So that's the reason why.

I dont know how they hook up that gauge in general?

[Tom D.]

In that case I would run a seperate power wire direct to the battery with a fuse to a toggle switch on the dash for your other eletronics. Use your key to control your gauges. I think an hour meter only needs a "+" and "-" to work.

Tom

[bigboy]

Indeed,

I'm wondering if you buy a new boat with an hour meter how it works.

When contact is on "on" OR when the engine runs?

Do you have an idea of that?

Thx for your reply's;)

[John Richied]

I’m not sure how they do it but you can hook up an hour gauge so it runs only when the engine is actually running.
<O:p</O:pIt involves running a wire that wraps around one of the sparkplug wires… that’s where it sense the engine is actually running.

[150aintenuff]

I’m not sure how they do it but you can hook up an hour gauge so it runs only when the engine is actually running.
<O:p</O:pIt involves running a wire that wraps around one of the sparkplug wires… that’s where it sense the engine is actually running.

there is that way but it requires a signal converter mounted inside the cowl or hooked through an ECM to produce 12V when running... if your engine is an ol carb mota your best to rewire your accessories to a master power switch and remove the load from your ignition switch anyway as the switch is only rated at 30 amps and if you have alot of high draw accessories it may overload the contacts in the ignition switch its not meant to carry high draw accessories just to activate the relays, masterpower, and starter solinoids.. and create a ground to power off the ingiition system. that is why 99% of the boats are wired with an accessory switch pannel that is constant hot.

[bigboy]

I'm going to install a panel for the lights and the bilg pump which will be cst hot.

Only the gauges will now take power of the ignition.

Now I only have to find out which wire I need for the hour gauge:confused:

[150aintenuff]

purple...... unless you get the signal converter to go off the spark plugs or switch box and then it gets a bit more complecated and colors miight not mean jack squat at that point other than ign hot (purple) and ground(black or solid yellow if new ABYC std...)

[bigboy]

Oke that's simple. Than I just have to leave it the way it is done now.

That other thing is to complicated. I thought I could just add a wire from the engine to the gauge without any problems but i'm wrong.

Thx for your help!

[flabum1017]

Or you could buy a new tachometer with a built in hour meter, then it would only clok time only when the engine is running.

[150aintenuff]

Or you could buy a new tachometer with a built in hour meter, then it would only clok time only when the engine is running.

this is probably your best option because it has the converter built in..

[gw1250]

Could you just run a wire from the alternator to your hour meter, since it should only charge when the motor is running?? Just a thought.

[bigboy]

Could you just run a wire from the alternator to your hour meter, since it should only charge when the motor is running?? Just a thought.

Very clever:D

What do the others think about this?

[bigboy]

Or you could buy a new tachometer with a built in hour meter, then it would only clok time only when the engine is running.

My tach is one year old. I have Faria gauges and I dont think they come with a built in hour meter.

Good alternative anyway:p

[Tom D.]

Could you just run a wire from the alternator to your hour meter, since it should only charge when the motor is running?? Just a thought.


Very clever:D

What do the others think about this?

Won't work if its a single wire alternator cause wire goes to battery and meter would be on all the time.


My tach is one year old. I have Faria gauges and I dont think they come with a built in hour meter.

Good alternative anyway:p

I have a Faria tech with a builtin hour meter. Where the hour meter part gets it signal from I don't know.(tach signal or just power) That is a good question for Faria.

Tom

[bigboy]

Won't work if its a single wire alternator cause wire goes to battery and meter would be on all the time.



I have a Faria tech with a builtin hour meter. Where the hour meter part gets it signal from I don't know.(tach signal or just power) That is a good question for Faria.

Tom

See page one:)

[flabum1017]

The wires comming off the stator feeding the rectifer/regulator are AC current. I doubt the hour meter will work on one of those wires. The red wire attached to the output of the rectifier/regulator is 12v DC, but is hot at all times unless there is an isolator further down the line that it is hooked to.

[gw1250]

[quote=Tom D.;1302334]Won't work if its a single wire alternator cause wire goes to battery and meter would be on all the time.


The wire going to the battery would not keep it on all the time, however in hind sight this method will not work. There is only one wire going to the battery and no ground in order to complete the circuit, this is also the reason why the battery won't flow back in that direction. There is simply no where for the "potential" or volts to go to complete the circuit with the battery.