Hour meter sleeping on the job!!

[Mad Mackie]

Hi Troops,
Mowed four places yesterday, checked the hour meter before I started the first place, five hours later, including travel time, when I cleaned the machine with my back pack blower the hour meter only showed 2 tenths of an hour more and it was flashing "0930" and the latest time alternately. I'm not sure what this means, but for sure after 4 gallons of gas, it should have shown more than 2 tenths of an hour of machine time on the clock. Tomorrow I will bring the machine into my garage and check out electrical and charging as this meter, which is the 2nd one on this machine, isn't supposed to clock time when the key is on but only when the engine is running. This means that internal to the meter is a circuit that can sense the higher voltage produced by the charging system and will only clock time when it senses this condition. I may have a charging system problem with this machine, tomorrow I will check it out.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

 

[Mad Mackie]

I checked out my Scag Tiger Cub today, nothing out of the ordinary, hourmeter clocking time as it is supposed to, but the next time I mow I will check it frequently. I do have a feeling that this meter is failing. I may look for an analog meter that fits in the rectangular hole and if so, bring its time up to the time on the machine or close to it. Rain yesterday, today and possibly tomorrow, I'm not complaining, but the weather pattern has moved me to weekend mowing to keep up, not crazy about spending weekends mowing.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

 

[tigercat]

Just switch it over to the analog type. I hate clocks that run with batteries! The weather is humid over here........
I posted this last year, I put this on mine from amazon. I'm happy with it, but it clocks all the time when the ignition is on.

 

[Mad Mackie]

I think that I'll do the same. I don't mind that it clocks time with the key on. Did it fit the rectangular hole OK?

 

[tigercat]

Yes perfectly. I remove the key so I don't leave it turned on and then clock 50 hours behind my back... I plug the mower into a battery tender. One time my jacket must have bumped the switch and it turn on. I was clocking without being in the garage. But as luck would have it, I re-entered the garage a few minutes later and caught the machine with the ignition on. Now I just remove the key and drop it into a jar on the bench. Key is out, machine is off. Works for me.
I had to drill the mounting holes, but the meter fits the opening perfectly.

This is the one I bought. Hunt down one with this part number, if you like.


Brand Name Honeywell
Part Number 085094 44
Number of Items 1
UNSPSC Code 41111600

 

[Mad Mackie]

Just ordered a Honeywell/Hobbs meter. I plan to run the meter time up to as close to current time as possible, this will take some time and monitoring, but that's OK, I've done it before!!!

 

[tigercat]

I done that too. That's what a 12v power supply is for.

It will fit the opening perfectly. I just cut the original wires and rewired it. NO MORE BATTERIES! :smile:

 

[Mad Mackie]

I've got a timer that I can put on the PS to stop it when the time gets close, meanwhile, 600 hours will take 600 hours no matter how fast I would like it to happen!!!! I'll drill and tap the hold down screw holes to 6-32 thread and locktite them. The machine is charging OK and I didn't find any electrical connector problems. Of course every time that I have run the engine in the last few days trying to get the meter to screw up, it didn't!!!! I'll be mowing a lot the next few days and I will check the meter frequently.

 

[Mad Mackie]

Did some checks on my machine yesterday after mowing about three gallons of gas, but showing only .3 more on the hourmeter. The battery was fully charged, I connected a 10 amp battery charger but didn't turn it on. Connected a voltmeter across the battery, turned it on, 12.96 VDC. Turned the key on, battery voltage dropped a little which is normal, the hourmeter did not clock time. Turned on the battery charger and observed the battery voltage rise, hourmeter started clocking time at 13.6 VDC, battery voltage continued to rise to 15.65VDC. I did this several times and observed the hourmeter and it started clocking time between 13.5-13.8 VDC. However when the machine is running with the PTO on and just the voltmeter on the battery, the system voltage decreases slowly and the hourmeter stops clocking time. The system voltage with the PTO on stabilizes at 12.8-12.9 VDC after 10 minutes or so. I drop the deck to the lowest position so I can't stick the tip of my shoes under the deck.
I know that I'm way passed a 50/100 hour servicing, but I don't know how much, so I'm going to do the servicing today and hopefully tomorrow the analog hourmeters that I ordered will arrive. I'm going to install one ASAP, the other meter I will connect to a power supply and run its time up to where I feel the actual machine is and then install it. Putting 600 hours on an hourmeter will take 600 hours!!!
No more digital specialized hourmeters for Mackie, all my other machines have analog meters already installed except the Hustler X-ONE which is still on a 5 year warranty plan except the engine which is 3 years, and the hourmeter and fuel gauges on it are working properly.
I gotta clean the deck too!!! Generally almost fills a 5 gallon pail!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

 

[tigercat]

I don't like these digital meters. 90% of the time your PTO is on so what's with these meters with actual grass cutting hours anyway? Your machine is charging so the meter is too sensitive on voltage, or the machine output has dropped slightly causing the meter not to clock time.

I think you will be happy when the new meter is installed.