Best Tiny Tach type

Fenlander · 01 March 2016, 09:21

Following on from this thread wonder if anyone has opinions on the best Tiny Tach type device to show outboard revs and log hours run? Prefer cheap/disposable if/when it breaks.

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/first-d...tml#post707751

Will be used on a 2cyl 4-stroke.

dave3235 · 01 March 2016, 09:38

Hi

I have Digital tach hour metre from ebay £10,does the job as long as it is mounted correctly.

Max... · 01 March 2016, 09:40

Cheap Chinese for a fiver (the one I had that died after a pretty short life):

engine tachometer | eBay

(ignore the first couple - hours only, no revs)

The genuine article (Chinese aren't bad at copying are they?!):

Tiny Tach TT2B Digital Hour Meter / Tachometer for Small Gas Spark Engine Motor | eBay

To borrow the old saying: "Buy cheap, buy twice" or in this case buy seven for the price of one?

Or maybe the middle ground £24ish:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Backlit-Wa...gAAOSwl8NVWgGc

Fenlander · 01 March 2016, 09:51

Ahh that's good Max. Just noticed the gen Tiny Tach has a coax signal lead with a ground wire to stop interference upsetting the readout. That makes sense and may be worth the extra alone.... but the Tiny Tach is still a sealed fixed life. Grrrr.

The last one you linked looks good on paper and I'd though I might go for it but on Amazon folks have a lot of issues that it isn't properly waterproof and the display corrupts.

Max... · 01 March 2016, 10:16

Yep, these things are never properly 'waterproof' especially getting shot at with jets of salt water. I'd seal it up in a poly bag or go round the back seam with some silicone next time.

Stigomery · 01 March 2016, 10:21

One feature that'm not sure they do, mine certainly doesn't, is to be able to set the hours... i.e. the 2 year battery life runs out and I replace it, I'd like to set the new meter to the old hour setting so I have the cumulative total... any of these do this do you guys know?

Fenlander · 01 March 2016, 10:23

I see the last one linked has a replaceable battery which appeals... but another water ingress source.

If I just wanted it for hours run display I'd mount it under the hood... but I guess it might get too hot.

Stigomery · 01 March 2016, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

Yep, these things never properly 'waterproof' especially getting shot at with jets of salt water. I'd seal it up in a poly bag or go round the back seam with some silicone next time.

If there's one thing can be said for the one I have... it certainly seems water tight... ok, so there are no buttons to set anything, but the entire thing is encased in a block of resin - there appear to be no 'seams' other than where the cable goes in and obviously around the screen.

CHEAP TACH

Fenlander · 01 March 2016, 10:33

The last one with the replaceable battery claims it remembers data when the battery is swapped.... but with the battery cover and two buttons to remain waterproof I reckon it may not last long.

willk · 01 March 2016, 13:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

The genuine article (Chinese aren't bad at copying are they?!):

The impression I get is that copying is not the issue, but rather unauthorised production - often by the same manufacturer. SO at 1800 the RealThing-TM production line stops and the official labels/brands/stamps get locked away. Then at 1900 the night shift begins production again, but with cheaper materials and different logos...

I have a handheld spotlight that is EXACTLY the same as a AquaSignal Bremen but cost me about 20% of the real thing. Different logo. I'm sure AquaSignal wouldn't be too impressed.

jeffstevens763@g · 01 March 2016, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Following on from this thread wonder if anyone has opinions on the best Tiny Tach type device to show outboard revs and log hours run? Prefer cheap/disposable if/when it breaks.

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/first-d...tml#post707751

Will be used on a 2cyl 4-stroke.

£10 one same as the other guys stuck mine on the tiller arm top had it on the side but difficult to read there. just be aware of the cable length not much scope in terms of where to put it.

cheers

matata · 01 March 2016, 15:34

I have an original tiny Tach for probably 5 or 6 years. never missed a beat. When the battery had expired a friend who is handy with electronics opened it up for me and put in a new cell. Much more accurate than my honda tacho. Nik

Roflhat · 01 March 2016, 15:39

I had a genuine TT on my tohatsu, was faultless. And it is possible to replace the battery, also to reset them. Saying that I bought a cheap one (£5.41) on ebay for my yamaha, and so far so good

Fenlander · 01 March 2016, 16:26

Reading round the net seems to support the posts just above this one. The genuine TT is a reliable unit with greater accuracy than the cheapies.

So assuming you get a "fresh" one it works out about £10/yr to see your revs/hours.

Poly · 01 March 2016, 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by matata

Much more accurate than my honda tacho. Nik

How do you know?

Fenlander · 01 March 2016, 23:20

Well I've boiled my brain over every Ebay listing and website selling one of these things. With the new outboard being EFI I wondered if there may be extra stray pulses about under the hood to confuse the very cheapest small tachs. So not really wanting to pay £60 for the branded tiny tach I've gone for the cheapest I could see that has a co-ax pulse wire like the tiny tach.

It's this one I've just ordered... happy to spend £4/yr for the revs/hours info.

Impressions/test to follow.

Digital Hour Meter Tachometer Adjustable Resetable Job recall max rpm + service | eBay

kaman · 02 March 2016, 00:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Well I've boiled my brain over every Ebay listing and website selling one of these things. With the new outboard being EFI I wondered if there may be extra stray pulses about under the hood to confuse the very cheapest small tachs. So not really wanting to pay £60 for the branded tiny tach I've gone for the cheapest I could see that has a co-ax pulse wire like the tiny tach.

It's this one I've just ordered... happy to spend £4/yr for the revs/hours info.

Impressions/test to follow.

Digital Hour Meter Tachometer Adjustable Resetable Job recall max rpm + service | eBay

Hi Fenlander the tach you linked looks identical to one the I owned 2 years ago.
Only lasted a season and a half and died last year.
Observations I made were that where the cable enters the body there is a small gap.
Also the rear of the unit casing is push in - as such pops in and out.
Likely to see water ingress also .
I mounted mine externally near the tiller so that I could read the RPM.
Despite it failing I've bought another tach identical.
I've siliconed the rear casing and around the cable entry point.
I'm thinking of putting it inside the cowling this season to keep semi out of wet stuff.
But TBH for all it costs I will probably velcro it on externally again so that I can observe my RPM.
They are cheap as chips - just hope the silicone makes it a bit more durable☺

Fenlander · 02 March 2016, 08:54

Ohh only lasted season and a half... that's upped my yearly tach costs!

The tiller looks the ideal place where it will be a little exposed so I'll take note of your experiences and give it extra sealing or perhaps find a small waterproof mobile phone bag or similar to keep the worse of the water off.

Anyway hopefully it will last until at least the summer then It'll be run in with prop pitch sorted and less need of the tach/hours readings.... those two things are my main need for it.

Fenlander · 23 March 2016, 16:42

OK so outboard arrived and hooked up the tach. Earth wire to an unused tapping on the engine and the pulse wire 5x round one plug lead. Tach on setting as it arrived and the idle was correctly shown as 850rpm which is spot on the ECU controlled figure for this motor.

Checked the time elapsed has registered correctly so it's now ready to aid judging my running in revs/hours.

Temp mounted with Bluetac for today... will cable tie on the tiller for running in... once I've done that and assessed the prop performance might do a permanent mount under the hood.

jeffstevens763@g · 01 April 2016, 08:40

after buying a cheap tacho mainly for the hour meter i decided to get a new one that works with the tacho too.

so i bought the same as fenlander when stocks came back in. fitted yesterday its showing 850-860 RPM i confirmed this by a timing light which you divide by three [dont know why] but it works out the same so happy.
the one thing is to fit it then go through the spark to rev menu until it suits the engine this isn't hit & miss as if your wrong it shows 50 RPM or 1400 rpm each side of the correct setting so if you know the tick over RPM you will see easily when your on the right setting.mine worked out at 2 sparks/revolution.

i did put the red wire 6 turns round the HT lead in the end instead of the 5 [showing in the pic] that you start at but again fully explained on the instructions.i was a bit wary of setting up whilst the engine was running for fear of damage but speaking with fenlander its the way to do it.

all wires run along the loom where possible i protected the red wire from heat as it crosses the engine with a heat sleeve off of an old electric cookers wiring to be safe.
the old tacho i sikafexed to the tiller top but this new unit if far more robust so i have tie wrapped it to the handle on the front of the engine not a bad position for viewing.
cost was £20 ish well worth the money its got an internal battery with a life span bit like a watch battery i suppose around 5 years

cheers