How Does a Lawn Mower Hour Meter Work?

What is a Lawn Mower Hour Meter?

A lawn mower hour meter is an instrument or gauge that is used to track elapsed time. It displays its time in the form of an hour/tenth of an hour. 

A lawn mower hour meter can be attached to several brands such as Toro, Husqvarna, Ariens, etc. Lawn mower hour meter shows the running time of equipment to ensure that maintenance is performed at the right interval. 

How Does a Lawn Mower Hour Meter Work?

The hour meter on a lawn mower records or tracks the running time of your mowing machine. This will enable you to know the maintenance schedule of the lawn mower. It is usually attached to an electrical system and it can only run when the lawn mower is being used.

You can attach this device to your spark plug to track or record the operating time. It starts tracking the running time when you start the engine. A lawn mower hour meter is usually displayed in hours and tenths of hours. 

What Are the Different Types of Hour Meters?

Hour meters differ by power, display, shape and data. Here are the types of hour meters:

• AC or DC powered 

Hour meters can be AC or DC powered. Riding mowers and other non-electrical versions of lawnmowers often use the AC-powered hour meters while electric lawn mowers make use of DC-powered meters due to their battery. 

• Electromechanical or Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD)

Hour meters can be electromechanical or liquid crystal displays. Electromechanical hour meters come with rotating wheels that indicate running hours while LCD hour meters mostly require power for the display to be visible.

• Rectangular or round shape 

Hour meters are available in a rectangular or round shape. If the dial in your panel is round, round hour meters might be a good fit for you while rectangular hour meters work best when there are few or no gauges to match.

• Data

Most hour meters take their measurements in the form of hours and tenths of hours while some meters show their data in volts/hours.

Importance of Hour Meters for Lawn Mowers 

The major reason for using an hour meter is to track your maintenance schedule. This enhances a better mower performance. This will eliminate guesswork about your servicing calendar. 

Here are some of the the benefits of hour meters for lawn mowers:

• Service/Maintenance Schedule

It is important to always service your equipment at the right time. An hour meter helps to track the running time to ensure that filter, belt, oil changes and other maintenance tasks are done at appropriate times. This enhances the durability and efficiency of the lawn mower. 

• Warranty

Some equipment of the lawn mowers is warranted by hours. The hour meter will keep a record of when the warranty will elapse.

• Resale value

Some lawn mowers are resold based on age, logged hours and conditions. An hour meter will record the duration of time used. 

With this device, the logged hours will aid the mowing machine’s resale value because a proper calculation of elapsed time will play a vital role in price difference while selling the mower.

• Rent

Some lawn mowers are rented for lawn maintenance. Hour meters can be installed to calculate the hourly rate whenever the mower is rented.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Lawn Mower Hour Meter

Most hour meters are accurate and affordable. People have their preferences as regards the types. Here are some things to consider before installing an hour meter on your lawn mower:

• Ruggedness

Both analog and digital hour meters have similar specifications when it comes to accuracy, power consumption, vibrations, temperature resistance. They are both sealed and tamper-resistant.

• Panel Profile

LCD meters have a shorter depth than analog meters. LCD meters can fit into skinner panels and they weigh less than analog meters. This is an important factor to note, most especially for airplanes.

• Noise and on/off cycles

When it comes to the emission of noise, analog meters may not be as silent as LCD meters. Concerning the issue about on/off cycles, the LCD meter might be the best option for you. 

• Terminals

Most AC meters come with three styles of terminals. The spade terminal has a ¼ inch blade. In addition, it uses a fast-on attachment feature. The screw is held with a lead wire through the screw terminal. The wire lead termination style is called a plain wire.

• Shape

You might need to select between a rectangular shape and a round shape. The shape of your dial and instruments in the panel depends on how you will select the one you want. 

• Accuracy

You might need to consider the accuracy of tracking an equipment’s running time. Some experts observe that the electromechanical hour meters record or track equipment are more accurate for longer periods. 

What is a Tachometer?

A small engine tachometer is a gadget that records the revolutions per minute of the working engine. It is a handy lawn mower accessory. The tachometer is made up of a dial and a needle.  

Why Use a Lawn Mower Tachometer?

The installation of a tachometer monitors the speed of your mower’s engine. Digital tachometers come with unique data storing features that provide the record of RPMs attained during a particular working period.

A tachometer plays a vital role while mowing on dense grass. The digits that show on the tachometer reveal the rotations of the engine that is required for cutting thick grass.

A tachometer helps you know the limits of the lawn mower’s engine. The records of the engine’s RPM will make the user adjust the engine speed for smooth mowing without overloading the engine.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Lawn Mower Tachometer

Here are a few important factors to consider before buying a tachometer for your lawn mower:

• Power Capacity

This is one of the factors to consider before getting a lawn mower tachometer. The lawn mower tachometer is usually powered by batteries. Tachometers can either come with lithium batteries or AAA batteries. Ensure you get a tachometer with a durable and long lasting battery.

• Quality

Another factor to consider is the quality of the mower’s tachometer. Ensure that your tachometer has a maximum range of 1000rpm. 

Tachometers are usually exposed to sun, debris, and rain.  Plus, tachometers bear the mower’s vibrations. A high-quality device will deal with these situations without breaking down.

• Digital Memory

It is advisable to get a lawn mower tachometer that has a digital memory. This meter will save your data automatically until the engine is off. It will provide the minimum and maximum RPMs attained during a period. 

The digital memory records the data of your previous work. This means that your data is secure and safe if your meter accidentally turns off. You might consider this feature before you buy a tachometer for your lawn mower.

How to Install a Tachometer on Your Lawn Mower

Here are a few tips for installing a tachometer on your lawn mower:

• Read the manual to recognize the wires. The wires have colour codes for swift and easy identification. 
• For safety reasons, turn off the engine by removing the spark plug boot. 
• Locate the wire of the spark plug and wrap it with a signal wire around the plug wire. Wrap the wires with electrical tape.
• Loosen the bolt of the engine body with the ground wire. Ensure that you tighten it properly.
• Put the meter in an appropriate place on the handle of the mower.
• Secure it with a zip tie and ensure that it is tight.
• Attach the plug, boot the spark plug and turn on the engine. 
• You can check the display unit to confirm if it is working. If not, double-check the wire connections.