rollback gaffrig hour meter

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CaptCrunch

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My mechanic left the starboard key on by accident and now my hour meter reads 100 more hours then prior. any way to roll it back?
 
Just disconnect it for the next 100 hrs as determined by the port hourmeter.
If that is not a satisfactory solution , as one option I believe you could send it to lspeedo.com to have it reset with very fast turnaround.
 
The "official" way is to enter the discrepancy on the logbook, noting the reason for the discrepancy. In theory, you should never "modify" the hour meter.

I've known others who have righted the situation as Sandy has stated. Hour meters are not "official" in the way that odometers are on cars, so use the method you are accustomed to. But I would document in the logbook what ever is done.
 
Hour meter shouldn't turn unless motor is running.
 
Many hour meets do in fact run directly off of ignition key. I agree with disconnecting gauge until proper hours are registered. Often times it is as simple as unplugging from the back.
 
Then put power to the other meter for 100 hours and you will be even. You could even remove it and just power it from a battery charger then after 100 hours re-install it.
Bill
 
I wonder of it would go backwards with the leads reversed
 
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

I wonder of it would go backwards with the leads reversed

Click to expand...
If you had a current limiting 12VDC power supply it just might run backwards with reverse voltage.
The unit would have to be removed from the boat or the wiring removed before trying this.
Bill
 
I had the exact same issue on a Carver I owned. Service guy left a key on. It took two minutes to unplug from the back and when I got to the proper hours, I simply plugged it back in. Easy as pie.
 
Hank, if I wasn't trying to sell the boat I would do just that. I'm hoping to have it sold sooner rather then later
 
quote:
Originally posted by CaptCrunch

So how would I try this after I remove the gauge?

Click to expand...
You could try a set of simple clip lead (Radio Shack) and your car's battery. If you have a car charger try using that to the terminals instead.
Bill
 
quote:
Originally posted by CaptCrunch

Hank, if I wasn't trying to sell the boat I would do just that. I'm hoping to have it sold sooner rather then later

Click to expand...


Got it. I was thinking of that. It took two years to get it right. Of course most motors have the ability to read actual hours via the engines themselves with a simple plug in from surveyor.
 
Tried connecting it to a battery charger in reverse no go. Leaving it unplugged and may just leave port key on.
 
some meters have a reset function so you could zero the meter then run it until they match.
 
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

I wonder of it would go backwards with the leads reversed

Click to expand...


I kind of doubt that will work as at least all the electro-mechanical hourmeters I've had employed a ratchet turnover of the digits that appeared to negate possibility of reversal.
But...if that did work without burning it out, one would only have to have it reverse-wired for 50 hours of running to get back to "actual."
 
Suggest you not "just leave the port key on", as then you will then have 2 lying hourmeters.
 
You can unplug it, but heck, if you have a MEFI controlled engine, the hours are read out on the ECM. I would never trust the hours on a hobbs meter during a pre buy.
 
Anyone looking at the two meters, which have a 100-hour discrepancy, will ask, "Why?" Just explain what happened. A computer-controlled engine records actual running time in the computer; a surveyer will check it. Interestingly, I haven't heard a single comment concerning playing with the hour-meter being illegal. I guess that, unlike resetting an odometer on a car, juggling the hour-meter numbers is not illegal or unethical! I look at hour-meter numbers as simply a guide for servicing an engine, not an official record of usage. By the way, our previous Chaparral and our present Cruisers run the hour-meters off the ignition switches, not the engines themselves. That's why the two hour meters on our Cruisers read slightly different numbers. Hy
 
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