I did a search on this site and really didn't find anything that would help me out so I will ask the board for help. I have a new SpeeCo 35 ton splitter that I purchased a month ago that I just changed the oil on with about 12 hours of running time. (Manual says 20 hours first change.) I estimate this because all of the hours were kept in my head. With the manual calling for service either on hours or time I want to be able to track this better then having me rely on my poor memory. Anyway I have fresh synthetic 10w30w oil in it now and would like to install a hour meter so I can better track my service intervals. Here is my problem. After going through Google and Ebay I am more confused now then when I started. With shipping they range from $15.00 to upwards of $100.00. Looking for nothing fancy just one of the wire to plug meter that would only keep hours. I see some of them have more then one function should I be looking at these? Does anyone have one on their splitter and if so how does it work? Cost? Problems? Best place to buy? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hour Meter Honda Engine
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TMFARM 2009
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can't really help, but nice avatar...
can't really help, but nice avatar...
What can I say I am a Hawkeye fan!
TMFARM 2009
Addicted to ArboristSite
TMFARM 2009
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ok i did some searching and found a retailer that sells four different types all from 24.99 to 34.99 each. plus shipping and tax of course... but sorry i cant link it or name it due to them not being a sponsor here..the initials are nte.
OH_Varmntr
Burner of stored sunlight
I run dirtbike hour meters on my log splitter and my saws.
I used to work for KTM Motorcycles, so I have a doz or so hour meters. They're made right here in the USA and super easy to install. About $40 from a KTM dealer.
I used to work for KTM Motorcycles, so I have a doz or so hour meters. They're made right here in the USA and super easy to install. About $40 from a KTM dealer.
Bobcatter
ArboristSite Lurker
How do you actually hook up the hour meter to the Honda engine? I tried wiring one into the "on - off" switch wiring plus the ground, but no go. I never made it farther than that.
projectsho89
ArboristSite Operative
A basic SenDec surface mount, inductive pickup hourmeter is less than $30 on ebay. I bought a couple of them a few years back and use them on some of my small engines.
oneoldbanjo
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I can't access eBay from work - but I have bought several of the small hour meters and they work just fine. They are waterproof, have a long lasting internal battery, are simple to install, and they work just fine. The only thing I ever found wrong was one of them had a little bit of extra epoxy on the back that made it not sit flat at the mounting surface - I just filed off the excess before using 2 sided foam tape for mounting. You just wrap a small wire around the spark plug wire a couple of times and secure it with a zip tie - then pull the wire through a slot in the back of the meter - then mount the meter to a flat surface using 2 sided foam tape or screws. You can also mount it to a cable by running small zip ties through the holes and wrapping them around the cable.
There are several suppliers on eBay that sell these and they come in many colors. Bids start out low sometimes and have reasonable shipping - and some are Buy it Now. If you are not in a hurry and love to watch eBay you can sometimes get a bargain - but most of the time the low bids jump up near the end of the auction and you can't get them much cheaper than the buy it now price. If you contact the seller you might be able to get a better price and shipping cost if you are buying several.
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There are several suppliers on eBay that sell these and they come in many colors. Bids start out low sometimes and have reasonable shipping - and some are Buy it Now. If you are not in a hurry and love to watch eBay you can sometimes get a bargain - but most of the time the low bids jump up near the end of the auction and you can't get them much cheaper than the buy it now price. If you contact the seller you might be able to get a better price and shipping cost if you are buying several.
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oneoldbanjo
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If you bought an hour meter that is not self powered and is not inductive - then your engine will need to have a generator and/or battery to power the hour meter. If the ON/Off switch on the equipment you have is only a switch to complete the ground in the ignition circuit and there is no generator or alternator on the engine - then it will not power an hour meter.
Bobcatter
ArboristSite Lurker
Yeah, that is what I figured oneoldbanjo, but I was hoping I had missed something obvious...... that I should have cut the "green" wire instead of the "yellow" wire..... or some such thing, lol. I was not aware of the self powered ones, I will have to look around. Thanks for the info.
oneoldbanjo
Addicted to ArboristSite
This reply to this thread is a little late....but maybe it will help someone. I just found a source of hour meters that are self powered, and you can get the hour meters with the Total Time and Tach, Total Time and Temperature. These are not the cheap hour meters you can get for $ 15 bucks...but they appear to be good quality.
TTO Digital Gauges at Trail Tech Home
TTO Digital Gauges at Trail Tech Home
fordracer
ArboristSite Member
I agree with you oneoldbanjo,I picked up an hour meter for my wood splitter at Northern Tools,it was like 35 dollars and the wire wraps around the spark plug wire and a zip tie holds it on the wire,also has 2 mounting screws to mount it somewhere,it shows rpm when running and tracks hours when machine is off,very nice guage,i will try to get some pics to post this weekend.
Lancelwh
ArboristSite Lurker
What about hooking the cheaper style meter up on a diesel splitter that doesnt have a spark plug?
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you very much for the link. I just came from ordering the hour meter only one, with shipping it came in to just under $50.00. Have not split a thing since I changed out the original oil to the 5W30W synthetic so I will have a good starting point when it comes. Again thanks to all for taking time to post so I could weigh my options and go with what I thought would give me the best bang for the buck.
oneoldbanjo
Addicted to ArboristSite
The cheaper units use the inductive energy from the spark plug wire to tell the hour meter the engine is operating. They won't work if you don't have a spark plug wire.
If your diesel engine needs a battery to operate and has a generator - you can find engine hour meters (not tachs) that are driven by the electrical source for the engine. Watch eBay and you can find hour (or Hobbs) meters pretty cheap on occasion. These hour meters just need a ground and a hot wire that provides electricity whenever the engine is switched on. If your diesel is one that you just pull the rope to start and push a button to stop......I don't know of anyway to keep track of the hours....except for writing them down!
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