Hours Meter

[George Kolar]

I own a Grasshopper 227/61 which I purchased new in 2006. I currently have 435 hours on the meter. When the engine failed to start today, I purchased a new battery which solved my problem. Upon looking at the meter I noticed that it now read 505 hours or 70 hours more than last week. How does that happen? Replacing a battery in a car sometimes messes up the clock or the radio----could a dead battery cause the hours meter on my Grasshopper to change? If so, how do I fix it?

Thanks,
George Kolar

 

[KennyV]

Hello George... Welcome to LMF....

Well I know why your battery was dead.....

Someone either:
Tried to start it, and the battery was low, so it didn't start & they then accidentally left the key on, thus completely depleting the battery.
OR the last time it had a full battery someone left the key ON and that then ran the battery down...

You need a full 12 volts to run the starter, you don't need that much to run the hour meter...
Also... you can not reset a Hobbs meter... once it racks up the time there is no taking it off, If accuracy in hours history is important to you, make a note in your maintenance log....
Don't feel bad a LOT of construction equipment has ran up hundreds of hours setting on job sites after being rained in, at times a week or more could run up, big equipment has BIG batteries, they will tun an hour meter for mths before running down... :smile:KennyV

 

[George Kolar]

Kenny V

Thanks. I think you hit the nail on the head. I must have left the key on.

George

 

[fastback]

The samething recently happend to me. The very first time I used the new tractor I somehow left the ignition on over night. It had 18 hours when in fact I only had 1.5 hours of use. I unpluged the nour meter and recorded my usage until I had the additional 16.5 hours on the machine and then repluged the meter. Today I have 32 hours on the machine and the season is only half done. So far I haven't forgotton the switch on again.

 

[Edwards saw service]

Just to piggy back on what KennyV said, you need at least 10 volts to crank and engine the starter motors rpm on a 12 v system will decrease at about 9.5 volts.

Sent from Lawn Mower Forum for iPhone.

 

[George Kolar]

Fastback,

Thanks for the feedback. I like your idea to unplug hours meter ---keep track of the overstated hours and than reconnect. Just one question---how do I unplug the meter?

George Kolar

 

[KennyV]

On back of the meter... BUT on most, it is deliberately not easy to get to... :smile:KennyV

 

[Briana]

Hey there - WELCOME to LMF!

I moved your thread to the Grasshopper Forum. :smile:

 

[fastback]

Mine was easey to get to. The rear of the meter has a plug just disconnet. Like Kenny said, I'm sure that most are much harder to get at. Good luck.