TACHOMETER
TACHOMETER/HOUR
METER
The tachometerlhour meter used in propulsion engine instrument panels contains two separate electrical circuits with a
common ground.
One circuit operates the hour meter and the
other the taehometer. The hour meter circuit operates on 12
volts alternator charging voltage supplied to the (+) terminal
on the baek
of
the instrument.
The tachometer circuit operates on AC voltage 6-8 volts, fed
from one
of
the diodes in the alternator and supplied to the
tachometer input telminal while the engine
is
running, and
the alternator producing battery charging voltage 13.0-14.8
volts
DC.
The following are proeedures to follow when troubleshooting
a fault in either
of
the two cireuits in a tachometerlhour
meter.
Hour
meter
Inoperative
Check for the proper
DC
voltage between (+) and (-)
terminals.
1.
Voltage present meter is defective repair or replace.
2. Voltage not present trace (+) and (-) electrical con-
nections for fault. (Jump 12 volts
DC
to meter (+)
terminal to verify the operation.)
Tachometer
Inoperative
Check for the proper AC voltage between tachometer input
tenninal and (-) tenninal with the engine running.
1. Voltage present attempt adjusting meter through calibra-
tion access hole. No results, repair or replace meter.
2. AC voltage not present check for proper alternator
DC
output voltage.
3. Check for AC voltage at tach tenninal on alternator to
ground.
4. Check electrical connections from tachometer input ter-
minal to alternator connection.
Tachometer
Sticking
1.
Check for proper AC voltage between "tach inp."
terminal and (-) terminal.
2. Check for good ground connection between meter (-)
terminal and alternator.
3. Check that alternator
is well grounded to engine block at
alternator pivot bolt.
Tachometer
Inaccurate
a. With a hand-held tach on the front
of
the crankshaft
pulley retaining nut or with a strobe-type tach, read the
front crankshaft pulley rpm at idle.
b. Adjust the tachometer with a small Phillips type screw-
driver through the calibration access hole in the rear
of
the tachometer. Zero the tach and bring it to the rpm
indicated by the strobe or
hand tach. (Verify the
rpm
at
idle and at high speed and adjust the tach
as
needed).
NOTE:
Current model tachometers use a coarse adjustment
dial to set the tachometer to the crankshaft pulley rpms. The
calibrating screw is then used
for
fine tuning.
)
TERMINAL
CALIBRATION
TACHOMETER
CHECK
(New
Installation)
NOTE:
In a new installation having new instrument panels,
the tachometer may not always be correctly calibrated to the
engine's rpm. This calibration should be checked
in
all new
installations.
1. Warm up the engine to nonnal operating temperature,
Remove any specks on the crankshaft pulley with a clean
cloth and place a piece
of
suitable reflecting tape on the
pulley to facilitate use of a photoelectric type tachometer.
2. Start and idle the engine.
3.
Aim the light
of
the tachometer onto the reflecting tape to
confirm the engine speed. Check the instrument panel
tachometer reading. Adjust the tachometer in the panel by
using the instrument coarse adjustment to calibrate the
instrument reading to the closest R.P.M. that the photo tach
is showing, Then use the fine calibration adjustment to
bring the instrument to the exact reading
as
the photo tach.
4.
Set the tachometer to the idle speed (the engine idle speed
has been factory adjusted and the idle screws and high
speed screws have been locked in place).
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Engines & Generators
43A