Hour meter on Gravely HD question

sk11venge

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I just got my new Gravely HD 48. One thing I was wondering about is the hour meter, I noticed it doesnt turn off, it just constantly displays the hour count. I am concerned this will drain the battery over time. Is this normal for it not to turn off after a short period of time? I checked it hours later after turning the mower off and it was still on.
 

Rivets

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In a couple of years of nonuse it could drain the battery. I wouldn't worry about it, the draw is less than can be measured on most meters.
 

sk11venge

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In a couple of years of nonuse it could drain the battery. I wouldn't worry about it, the draw is less than can be measured on most meters.

Oh I see. Well I still don't get why it would be designed so it never turns off, I guess every mowers different. Are there any other users that have experienced this?
 

reynoldston

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everything I own with a hour meter turns off with the key switch.. If you don't have a on and off switch like a key switch to run your mower I would add one and then hook up the hour meter to it.
 

Ric

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Look at your hour meter with the key in the on position and see if there is a decimal flashing, that would mean the hour meter is running. When the key is off there shouldn't be anything flashing. Both of my units the Toro Grandstand and Cub Cadet ZTR stay on to show hours but there not running.
 

Mad Mackie

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Newer digital type hour meters have their own internal battery that keeps the screen live. When the engine is running, the clock will count the time. When the internal battery, which is not replaceable, dies then the meter must be replaced.
 

sk11venge

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The meter has no flashing when the mower is off and the key is removed. It would make sense that the meter has an internal battery i guess. I have owned a garden tractor with an hour meter and it turned off when the mower was off so its just odd to me I guess to see this one still displaying the hour count, I cant really see how useful that could be, I know the obvious would be to check the hour count but if you had the key with you it can be checked that way. Is there a particular reason the new hour meters have an internal battery? Perhaps to insure the hour count isnt lost when the mower battery dies or is disconnected?
 

Mad Mackie

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The original hourmeter on my Scag Tiger Cub started to read 9999.9 and would show the actual time when I pushed on one corner of the LCD screen. I chatted with the parts man at my local Scag dealer and he told me that Scag knew of the problem and had changed vendors. I bought a new meter but I don't remember if there was any display before I installed it. Scag meters do have an internal battery and a memory that indicates maintenance due regarding engine oil change intervals. The display stays live and when I store this machine for the winter. I remove the battery and put it in one of my GTs that only gets used in winter.
I cut the old hourmeter open on my bandsaw and was able to pry out the memory battery and it was a standard button battery that is used in some watches and computers, however potted in epoxy in the hourmeter.
The hourmeter in my Ingersoll 4018 GT is an analog type and will click away when the keyswitch is on regardless if the engine is running or not and will eventually kill the battery.
Today I was at my local Scag dealer looking over the Scag machines in their show room and I noticed that both Tiger Cats on display showed a clear screen on the hourmeters. The batteries were not installed in these machines, so I'm not sure what initiates the display in these meters.
I was just doing a google search for hourmeters and there is every configuration possible available. It all depends what the OEM specifies from the vendor.
 
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djdicetn

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I just got my new Gravely HD 48. One thing I was wondering about is the hour meter, I noticed it doesnt turn off, it just constantly displays the hour count. I am concerned this will drain the battery over time. Is this normal for it not to turn off after a short period of time? I checked it hours later after turning the mower off and it was still on.

The hour meter on my Gravely Pro Turn 100 XDZ stays on too but I've never really been concerned. I just figured that was the way it was designed.
 

bruce4

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Look at your hour meter with the key in the on position and see if there is a decimal flashing, that would mean the hour meter is running. When the key is off there shouldn't be anything flashing. Both of my units the Toro Grandstand and Cub Cadet ZTR stay on to show hours but there not running.

Hello I just bought a ZT 42 and had a hour meter installed by dealer. I got it home and meter does not seem to work. It reads 0000.1 after two mows, about 1.7 hours of mowing. I called dealer he said check connections. I did and they seem fine. One wire P connected to a purple wire in key switch and one wire N to frame. Any idea why meter won't work?
 
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