Tach / hour meter on a RIB

[Perdiem]

Hello. I am getting an AB Lamina AL10 with the bow seat/locker. I would like to install a tach/hour meter like this one:

https://www.amazon.ca/Joykit-Engine-...h%2Fhour+meter

I want to flush mount it in the aft wall of the bow locker so I can see it from the steering position. Am I allowed to extend the sense wire that wraps around the spark plug lead so it will reach from the outboard to the bow locker?

I also would like to install a small depth sounder. The outboard is a Suzuki DF20A - manual start but with a 6 amp alternator. I'm told the 12 volt DC power is not clean enough to wire directly to the sounder. What is the smallest battery I can install? Weight is an issue.

Thank you very much,
Gregg

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Perdiem

Hello. I am getting an AB Lamina AL10 with the bow seat/locker. I would like to install a tach/hour meter like this one:



https://www.amazon.ca/Joykit-Engine-...h%2Fhour+meter



I want to flush mount it in the aft wall of the bow locker so I can see it from the steering position. Am I allowed to extend the sense wire that wraps around the spark plug lead so it will reach from the outboard to the bow locker?



I also would like to install a small depth sounder. The outboard is a Suzuki DF20A - manual start but with a 6 amp alternator. I'm told the 12 volt DC power is not clean enough to wire directly to the sounder. What is the smallest battery I can install? Weight is an issue.



Thank you very much,

Gregg

If weight is an issue why add these items at all?

That said, any small 12 volt battery will work. This would be just fine

https://www.google.com/search?q=12+v...UP2C-4QgjYIywQ

[Jim Cate]

The weight of a small sealed lead acid battery will be of no consequence, and I have often wished I had a depth sounder in our dink, but why on earth do you want a tach and hour meter? Your ear will be an adequate tach unless you plan doing predicted log events (!) and maintenance issues can be done adequately by estimate... so I'm curious. None of my biz, obviously, but you did post the question!

Jim

[a64pilot]

Coming from larger center consoles, a tach is nice to have as you become more aware of just how hard your pushing the thing and invaluable for propping. My dink was obviously underpropped with the stock 10” as it hit the rev limit, so I got a 12” and that seemed to be overpropped cause it was slow to plane, so I then bought an 11” which seems OK, but without a tach it’s just guessing. The Solas SS props seem to have a lot more cup than the stock Suzuki prop and cup of course adds pitch, so maybe an 11 Solas is equal to a Suzuki 12 ?
Yeah I know it’s just a dink, so I just gave up.
Going by ear doesn’t work for me with these little four strokes, just about the time it begins to sound about right for cruise to my ear, the thing hits it’s rev limiter, the little four strokes just sound so much slower.
Often after you put a Hobbs meter on something, you become surprised at how many hours your putting on it, a generator is an example.
I can see uses for both, but don’t think they are real necessary.

I didn’t know the little Suzuki had an alternator, I knew it made power of course as the thing is computer controlled, but didn’t know there was an alternator that you could tap into for battery charging. I had been wanting an inexpensive depth sounder, but never liked any of the flashlight battery powered ones I have found.

[CascadeThumper]

Aren't there other 20 hp outboards on the market with an alternator beefy enough to run your tach and depth sounder? Tach can't take much and smaller sounder shouldn't be too bad. Other 10' RIBs have steering console, elec start and gauges, radio + running lites and more. What setup are they using?

[Sea Life]

I run a depth finder, nav lights etc. weight was also important. Bought a pwc/motorcycle agm battery from walmart.....maybe $50. Very light

[a64pilot]

Almost all of the emergency light you see over doors have a 12V SLAB.
SLAB is sealed lead acid battery, what makes them attractive for this is price and they are sealed, they can’t leak.

Anyone know how to access the charging wire that is apparently on a Suzuki DF20A? Specs do indeed say it has a 12V, 12 amp alternator.

[CascadeThumper]

Motorcycle AGM is what I use but I only run a small Hummingbird fish finder/depth sounder. And I charge the battery onboard the big boat overnight not from the dingy's outboard.

[a64pilot]

This is what I want, I had it’s big brother on a Dive Boat and it was outstanding in how clear the bottom picture was, and for $100 for a CHIRP machine, how can you go wrong?
https://www.amazon.com/Raymarine-E70...fly+fishfinder

[Cheechako]

a small motorcycle battery will be fine. You dont need a tach or hour meter really.