Hour Meter...

[CaveCreekRay]

Dinna wanna hijack another thread where the subject came up but...

The hour meter on my L3800 runs the same speed at idle or PTO speed. One member mentioned the meter runs slower at idle.

Anyone notice a difference on their Kubota?

 

[Daren Todd]

Depends on if it's electrical or mechanical. If it's mechanical you will get some fluctuation in your time. Electrical will just measure time when it has power to it.

Of course they have probably come a long way in making the mechanical one more accurate as well. I notice a big difference between grading and using the foot pedal for throttle and mowing and using the hand control. But then my tractor is 35 plus years old also

 

[ShaunRH]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbs_meter

It depends on the kind of 'hour meter' you have the above link is for a hobbs meter which is the sort that is in most 'engine hour' applications (not just aircraft). A tach hour meter will vary with engine RPM's.

 

[BotaDriver]

My 3800 counts TACH hours. This means it is counting engine revolutions. 1 hour = total number of RPMs at RATED RPM. So at idle, which is basically 1/3 of Rated, 3hrs idle = 1 tach hour. Easiest way is to find out how long it takes to tick .1 hours. 6 minutes idle = .1 tick? HOBBS Meter. 18 minutes idle assuming it's 1/3 of the Rated RPM = Tach hour.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Well.. The reason I asked is I let it idle for 6 minutes and it ticked off .1 hour. (Mine is a 2012 L3800)

I'll have to try it again. Hope it counts idle at 1/3 time!!! That would save on oil and hydrastic service.

 

[ShaunRH]

It makes sense to track TACH hours as that does roughly track actual engine wear.

What I'm curious about is if all tractors monitor TACH hours or are there any true time hour meters out there?

 

[Bulldog]

I think most equipment counts low idle just like high idle. Parts are turning no matter what the rpm's are.

 

[Daren Todd]

It makes sense to track TACH hours as that does roughly track actual engine wear.

What I'm curious about is if all tractors monitor TACH hours or are there any true time hour meters out there?

The newer tractors have the potential for listing actual hours. If they have an on board display, they can list the engine hours according to the ecm.
Lofa industries and controls inc both have engine control panels that read true hours. If the motor has an ecm, then it reads actual engine hours according to the ecm. Even if a new panel is installed. If they aren't hooked to an ecm, then they use the altenator to determine that the motors running and start ticking hours. Both are pretty accurate. Of course if it's not hooked to an ecm, and the board goes out. Then the new panel is gonna start at zero. Lofa just added a feature so i can go in with a lap top and adjust the new panels hours along with calibrating them for deutz, deere, or catipillar sensors. I could probably do a few more, but thats all our liscensing allows

Murphy and a few other manufacturers have a 12 volt hour meter that just hooks to power and ground. Of course if the keys left on then it keeps ticking. Some manufacturers make a combo unit to except a tach cable and use 12 volt for the hour meter.
For most of us out there, our best options are gonna just give us a best guesstimate

 

[djm1204]

So I am confused - how does the hour meter work on my L4600 ?

I thought it was based upon engine speed - but I may be wrong inmy thinking


Dan

 

[Bulldog]

So I am confused - how does the hour meter work on my L4600 ?

I thought it was based upon engine speed - but I may be wrong inmy thinking


Dan

As far as I know the hour meters are electric, not mechanical. Engine speed has nothing to do with the way it counts. If the engine is running, the meter is counting. High idle or low idle, it should count the same.

 

[78Vette]

All three of my kubota's have a electric hourmeter with 2 wires going to it. Nothing elaborate....for every 6 min, it counts .1 hr

 

[djm1204]

As far as I know the hour meters are electric, not mechanical. Engine speed has nothing to do with the way it counts. If the engine is running, the meter is counting. High idle or low idle, it should count the same.

Thank you Sir - I love clear and simple answers. No offense to anyone but I hate when I ask someone the time - they want to build me a watch instead of just telling me the time.

Thanks again Bulldog

Dan

 

[Bulldog]

Thank you Sir - I love clear and simple answers. No offense to anyone but I hate when I ask someone the time - they want to build me a watch instead of just telling me the time.

Thanks again Bulldog

Dan

Glad to be able to help.

 

[GWD]

Here is some more information on the subject:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/164597-hour-meter-operation.html?highlight=

 

[UnionMan]

FYI - The hour meter on a L3800 is mechanical. I found this out when the cable on mine broke and had to be replaced.

UnionMan

 

[BotaDriver]

Well.. The reason I asked is I let it idle for 6 minutes and it ticked off .1 hour. (Mine is a 2012 L3800)

I'll have to try it again. Hope it counts idle at 1/3 time!!! That would save on oil and hydrastic service.

It would have been another 18 mins at idle before it ticked again though