Dija Know This??? re: runtime clock.
 

I wonder if I'm the only one who found this fact eye-opening....

I tried starting my new cubby lt50, but discovered the key was on (I blame the grandkids... Always blame the lil kids, right?)

Battery was of course, totally dead. I jumpered from a spare and it started right up, but I was shocked to see hour meter at 52 hours! I checked my phone cam archives and saw last use time was 2.7 hrs. WTF????

So, here's what I learned about the run-time clocks.... they don't necessarily track engine run time... the clock runs any time the key is on.
Surprise to me.

Maybe not a big deal, maybe all the world's clocks are the same, but I have to wonder how a guy can be assured that the clock really represents tru engine run time... I also wonder if anyone else already knew this???

st.
:bigthink:

thanks for all the input, folks. Ya, do have grandkids, even great-grandkid, ifn ya want to count my semi-scottish daughter and her sub-clan...
n e how, my concern was because my 'other' cubby had a blown engine and somehow it seemed significant that the engine showed only 020 hours runtime. Now, it seems, I have nothing to wave about the air in my complaints since the hours dont mean diddly!

o well. Merry Christmas, y'all!
st

That's why I probably will hook the hour meter into the charging system, so that when the key is left on all it does it burn up the coil instead of adding hours on.
My 1250 is hooked up that way, and so I know that the hours are correct.

So you are willing to burn up a coil rather than just clock time on an hour meter????

From the kid that can't afford nearly free tractors and equipment??? :BlahBlah:

You can eliminate this issue by installing a battery shut off switch that manually disconnects the battery from any device or gauge on the lawn mower...

I think most of the guys here know the clock runs if key left on. I had a green one once that th PO installed a single led light on the dash that lit when the key was on. It didnt shine on anything nor was it bright enough to use to see anything really. But it did let you know the key was on from distance.. :bigthink: wonder if the PO had grandchildren :biggrin2:

Yup, I have known this for a couple of decades.

:ThumbsUp:

Hour meters are as reliable as odometers, and the people that set them back.
I group them with lawyers/politicians. :bigthink:
If one wires them through an oil pressure switch,
( on engines that have an oil pump) then they will only operate when there is oil pressure of a running engine.

Either way it would burn up the coil, right?

You can eliminate this issue by installing a battery shut off switch that manually disconnects the battery from any device or gauge on the lawn mower...

Tractor basically already has one - the keyswitch.

I eliminate the switch being turned on accidently, I take the key out and hang it on a nail out of the grandkids reach.

Same here bama

Time to change the oil after 50 hours.......:biggrin2:

Anyway.....my previous truck had a battery rundown protection. Having seen this thread, I went searching and came with this: https://www.strobesnmore.com/Priorit...xoCI8AQAvD_BwE

I wonder if something like this would work? Not just the battery, but also the components on the tractor.

I wonder if it works with car alarms?

A carter oil pressure switch A68301 has a normally open contact and a normally closed contact. You could wire the oil light to the NC terminal and ground the hour meter to the NO terminal. Hour meter will only run when there is oil pressure.

Wow excellent find! I'm getting one of these for my Satellite.