Digital odometer failing

[frahkn]

My digital 'odometer' or hour counter is sometimes (more often now) fading out or not appearing at all.

When it doesn't appear it nevertheless keeps counting the engine hours.

What is the problem and how can I fix it?

It is a Beta 43 engine with the standard Beta instrument panel and the usual two alternators.

 

Thanks.

[pearley]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vdo+hour+counter+failed&oq=vdo+hour+counter+failed&aqs=chrome..69i57.13353j0j7&client=tablet-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

[system 4-50]

1 hour ago, frahkn said:

My digital 'odometer' or hour counter is sometimes (more often now) fading out or not appearing at all.

When it doesn't appear it nevertheless keeps counting the engine hours.

What is the problem and how can I fix it?

It is a Beta 43 engine with the standard Beta instrument panel and the usual two alternators.

 

Thanks.

Separate the big wiring connector apart and clean the contacts. Apply vaseline (I think) and reassemble. A known Beta problem.

(with power off)

[Nickhlx]

Rather than Vaseline, a better anti-corrosion fluid for electrical connectors is ACF-50, available as a pink "oil" or as a green grease. It was especially designed in Canada for the Navy/Airforce to prevent corrosion on steels and other metals and also electrical contacts. It has since been used extensively on motorbikes' and their electrics for many years (including mine) and preventing any electrical gremlins from occurring, mainly from winter salt spray and comes thoroughly recommended. Motorcycle Valets also use them on an annual deep clean to protect machines, atomising the product to a fine mist which accesses otherwise difficult to reach places under the fairing and in the depths of the engine. 

Hope that inspires !

Nick

Edited October 7, 2017 by Nickhlx

[Tony Brooks]

2 hours ago, system 4-50 said:

Separate the big wiring connector apart and clean the contacts. Apply vaseline (I think) and reassemble. A known Beta problem.

(with power off)

I don't think that will do it because there is nothing about it loosing the rev display and nothing about other gauges/lamps failing. I think the actual gauge is till functioning internally bit its suffering the usual "bad contact on the back of display" problem. I have not followed Pearlye's link but I am sure that tells all and also some stuff on here about using an Adrino to fix it.

[cuthound]

The display tends to fade out when it becomes damp.

On my last shareboat I resucitated it by putting the tachograph inside the warm boat for a couple of days then reconnecting it.

[system 4-50]

28 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I don't think that will do it because there is nothing about it loosing the rev display and nothing about other gauges/lamps failing. I think the actual gauge is till functioning internally bit its suffering the usual "bad contact on the back of display" problem. I have not followed Pearlye's link but I am sure that tells all and also some stuff on here about using an Adrino to fix it.

You are right, I was remembering it wrong. It was the tacho that was misbehaving for me as well as the hours (I think!).

[frahkn]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

I don't think that will do it because there is nothing about it loosing the rev display and nothing about other gauges/lamps failing. I think the actual gauge is till functioning internally bit its suffering the usual "bad contact on the back of display" problem. I have not followed Pearlye's link but I am sure that tells all and also some stuff on here about using an Adrino to fix it.

Yes Tony, the taco is ok (well except that it has never returned to zero when the engine is turned off).

Parley's link is to a google page, looking at the entries I think that the main advice is to put the unit in the airing cupboard.

 

1 hour ago, cuthound said:

The display tends to facde out when it becomes damp.

On my last shareboat I resucitated it by putting the tachograph inside the warm boat for a couple of days then reconnecting it.

I am going to try this - I will report back.

[dor]

I think this is a common problem with digital hour displays.  I've had the same on my Vetus.   Cold and damp it displays next to nothing, after a few warm days it attempts to display fully.  After various attempts to seal it/clean contacts/ talk to it nicely I eventually fitted a Durite hour counter inside the boat.  It differs to the tacho hour counter by less than one percent, and who is to say which one is right?

Connected it up to start to that it matched the occasionally displayed tacho hours.  

[cuthound]

10 hours ago, frahkn said:

Yes Tony, the taco is ok (well except that it has never returned to zero when the engine is turned off).

Try stopping the engine before turning off the "ignition switch. Then the tacho needle should drop to zero.

My Beta 43 tacho sticks where it was if I turn the ignition off before stopping the engine.

[frahkn]

2 hours ago, cuthound said:

Try stopping the engine before turning off the "ignition switch. Then the tacho needle should drop to zero.

My Beta 43 tacho sticks where it was if I turn the ignition off before stopping the engine.

My taco is at about 8000 revs at ticker.

I always stop the engine first and then the ignition.

Sometimes the taco falls to zero but about equally often it rises to 10,000 and sticks there. There are no other alternatives.

As far as I can see, there is no link to the hours counter's behaviour, they each have their own eccentricities.

[Naughty Cal]

We had the rev counter and hour counter module replaced when we bought our boat as it had stopped displaying the hours.

The new one failed within a year.

It still displays the hours every now and again so is still counting but more often then not it doesn't display anymore.

You can take them out and put them in an airing cupboard to dry them out. But they will fail again.

[john6767]

When ours failed I spoke to Beta and their recommendation was to take it off and put it in the airing cupboard for a few days, damp in them is a common problem.

[Cheshire cat]

It's not a problem that is exclusive to Beta by any means but they just aren't fit for the environment they are being asked to operate in. I fitted a Durite. I was told they are fragile but 5000 hours in it seems to be ok.

[cuthound]

9 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

It's not a problem that is exclusive to Beta by any means but they just aren't fit for the environment they are being asked to operate in. I fitted a Durite. I was told they are fragile but 5000 hours in it seems to be ok.

I would agree, my current  boat is 10 years old,  and being a trad stern, the tacho is effectively inside the cabin. The display of the Beta 43 engine still works fine and has never faded in my ownership.

Edited October 10, 2017 by cuthound

[rustydiver]

I took mine out put it in the airing cupboard and it worked for a few weeks. Then it stopped. I've come to the conclusion there's more important things in life than worrying about the timer clock. The rev counter don't work because in the past someone has fitted a new alternator without the D? Connector. 

But I just listen to the sweet purring sound of the clonkie old diesal. 

[WotEver]

3 hours ago, rustydiver said:

new alternator without the D? Connector.

W. 

[rustydiver]

1 hour ago, WotEver said:

W. 

That's the puppie. 

I couldn't remember 

[Flyboy]

On 07/10/2017 at 16:34, frahkn said:

My digital 'odometer' or hour counter is sometimes (more often now) fading out or not appearing at all.

When it doesn't appear it nevertheless keeps counting the engine hours.

What is the problem and how can I fix it?

It is a Beta 43 engine with the standard Beta instrument panel and the usual two alternators.

 

Thanks.

This is a common problem with VDO tachometers that most boats will have. It's caused by the connection of the ribbon cable where it is bonded to the LCD display. Damp around this connection is a major factor. You can sometimes get it working by heating with a hair drier. The hours will still be recorded even when the hours display is playing up so it will display correctly if it decides to work after drying out.

This repair might be applicable. Repair of Yanmar Tach updated.pdf

[frahkn]

19 hours ago, Flyboy said:

This is a common problem with VDO tachometers that most boats will have. It's caused by the connection of the ribbon cable where it is bonded to the LCD display. Damp around this connection is a major factor. You can sometimes get it working by heating with a hair drier. The hours will still be recorded even when the hours display is playing up so it will display correctly if it decides to work after drying out.

This repair might be applicable. Repair of Yanmar Tach updated.pdf

Thanks very much.

The instructions seem a bit fiddly for me but I'll have a look.

Which of the 2 alternators is the initial signal taken from, or does it not matter?

[Tony Brooks]

Won't really matter but usually the engine one. Whichever it is it normally has an extra thin wire or small terminal on it, sometimes marked W

[Drayke]

This is how I have overcome the same problem with my Isuzu engine control panel. The hours counter is wire into the ignition switch.