Hour Meter is Always On

[tomsariens]

Very interesting. Thank you.

 

[GrumpyCat]

If it is an LCD display it will stay on.
A LCD only uses current when a crystal is changed by polarity.

That is not strictly true. The current draw to maintain a segment is very very low, but very very real. You are correct the current is higher to change a segment than to hold it.

And there is so little current needed that they even don't need a battery.

But they do need a battery and when it dies the display blanks.

They have enough from the induction from the spark-plug-wire
Look how this one works:
click
I have a lot of these installed on my snowblowers, mowers etc.

Nope. In a few years when the battery dies in those units the display will blank and you will have to buy new ones.

 

[lumberguy66]

Should the hour meter turn off when my key is off on 2023 Ariens Ikon 918005 zero turn mower? Mine stays on and I'm concerned that may be weakening my battery.

Most new hour meters are self powered with an internal battery. An easy way to check is take a look at how many wires come off of the back of the meter. If it's a single wire, that is the static wire going to the spark plug and the meter would have an internal battery. if there are multiple wires, it would feed off the mower battery, but usually is connected to the on/off ignition switch.

 

[mmoffitt]

Nothing should be "on" when it's "off"...definetly see what the manufacturer tech reps say...lot's of wisdom here but I do not believe anyone here designed that unit...unless they did? and if so what is your take on it.
T.Rubble Macher

 

[sharnett]

Should the hour meter turn off when my key is off on 2023 Ariens Ikon 918005 zero turn mower? Mine stays on and I'm concerned that may be weakening my battery.

I'm assuming that you mean the display is on, not that it is logging time with the engine off. Meters with display always on use an internal battery and do not drain the battery at all. They usually sense ignition pulses to log time, so they aren't even connected to the battery. Even hour meters that do connect to the vehicle battery use a negligible amount of power -- microamps.

The meter battery should last well over 10 years. I have a GDI meter that I've mounted to the top of my truck engine for logging engine hours. It is still working perfectly after 16 years, despite living in the heat of the engine compartment.

 

[Fish]

"Hour Meter is Always On" would be a good title for a book.​

 

[MParr]

"Hour Meter is Always On" would be a good title for a book.​

Pretty much.

 

[GrumpyCat]

if there are multiple wires, it would feed off the mower battery, but usually is connected to the on/off ignition switch.

Country Clipper enables the hour meter via the ignition switch but grounds through the oil pressure sensor cutoff on the engine to accurately measure engine run hours. If low oil pressure sensor is not available the hour meter grounds directly and measure hours the ignition switch has been turned on.

The hour meter is powered by a self-contained battery. Hours display continuously mimics the function of a mechanical hour meter. Shouldn't have to turn the vehicle on to see the hours.

 

[mcspeed]

Right! I’ve already checked.
That’s why Lowe’s sold them.
They could be purchased for under $4,000. Hydro-Gear ZT2800 transaxles.
It’s a residential mower.
It’s like saying that a Toro Timecutter or a Hustler Raptor are commercial mowers.
Just because someone uses a residential mower to make money doesn’t mean the mower is a commercial unit.
Keep trying.
Or, keep trolling.

Seems like the “commercial” term gets thrown around a lot these days. Marketing departments have picked up on this and like to lure in unsuspecting customers. One of my favorites is a steel building advertiser stating “ 26 gage commercial steel.” in their advertising.