Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I took delivery of a 2014 Sylvan 8524 with a 115 Merc 4 stroke yesterday. The engine has no hour meter on and I would like to install one for maintenance reasons. Has anyone installed a meter so that it records only when the key is in the "run" position and not in the "Acc" position? Like everyone, we spend a lot of time fishing or beached with the key in "Acc" position and I don't want it to record those hours.

I have seen hour meters that have a wire that wraps around one of the spark plug wires. How does that work on an outboard motor? I really don't care where the meter is, so maybe I go that route and install the gauge by the battery?

i installed on last year on my new harris. i connected to one of the gauges that had power only when the key is in the on
position. my key does not have an acc position, only on, off and start. get a cheap test light and find a terminal that is hot only on the run position. I would not wrap a wire around a spark plug on a new merc motor with the high voltage ignition system no telling what problems that may cause, or if you would void the warranty.

Mike

crookedlaker wrote:i installed on last year on my new harris. i connected to one of the gauges that had power only when the key is in the on position....

This is all I bothered with...

That's all we did on our 2013 Sylvan. Found a wire under the console that is only live when in key is in the On/Run position and used that for the live feed to an hour meter.
Simple and effective.

Or you could install an oil pressure switch so it only runs when engine has oil pressure.

For reference the standard is for purple wires to be hot in the run position on a boat. You may get lucky and find you have extra purple wires unused in your harness for other gauges like I did. I installed my hour gauge to an unused purple wire behind the gauge cluster.

RobZ71LM7 wrote:For reference the standard is for purple wires to be hot in the run position on a boat. You may get lucky and find you have extra purple wires unused in your harness for other gauges like I did. I installed my hour gauge to an unused purple wire behind the gauge cluster.

Did not know this.... Will have to cross check this one day... Thanks

Take a look here:

http://boatwiringadvice.com/boat-wiring-colors/

Not all follow, but most do.

RobZ71LM7 wrote:Take a look here:

http://boatwiringadvice.com/boat-wiring-colors/

Not all follow, but most do.

Great reference material !!!!!!! Thanks for posting this. I've bookmarked it for future questions I'm likely to find.

Perfect...exactly what I need. I was looking at it the other night and couldn't make sense of much,

I have one integrated with my tach (Honda outboard). It only runs when the engine runs. My entertainment and GPS/fishfinder also have their own 12volt feed that don't run from ignition switch.