Measure time use by ignition impulse

[VibSpeed]

I need to work out a way to measure useage of equipment in time by measureing time equipment is running i am hopeing to use ignition impulse to measure does any one have any ideas or informtion on what is available the equipment to be measured is small two stroke engines similar to chain saws

 

[handleman]

Are you just looking for a counter to measure how many cycles the engine has run or do you want to know an actual time the engine has been running unless your engine runs at constant rpm counting ignition pulses won't give you an actual time a quick google search for pulse counter returned a large number of results including this one

 

[unclesyd]

Here is just one of several out there that will do just about anything you want.

http://www.sendec.com/Maintenance+and+Meter+Products/806-10x+Tachometer-Hour+Meter/default.aspx

 

[zeusfaber]

I did an running hours meter for the outboards on a couple of workboats a few years ago - this one just measured the time the boat's battery voltage was above a particular threshold.

I used a 12V hours meter, gated by the output of a linear comparator that compared a proportion of the supply voltage with a zener reference. I added a mini pot to fine-tune the proportion of the battery voltage that went to the comparator, and an LED to show when the unit was counting.

The whole thing worked off two wires straight off the power supply (which meant I could hide it under the cosole well away from the noisy end of the boat) and was potted inside a bit of square plastic drainpipe with the walls splayed at one end to form mounting flanges.

Theory was that while the engine was running, it would be charging the battery and the system voltage would be higher than when the engine was stopped. The time it took the voltage to decay to the "stop counting" threshold after the engine had stopped was more or less offset by the occasions when the auxilliary loads were greater than the charger capacity on the motor and it all worked reasonably well in practice.

A.

 

[berkshire]

VibSpeed (Mechanical)
If you use the Sendec type units be careful where you mount them on the engine. I have found out the hard way that they do not like high temperatures. If they get cooked the displays blank out. try to keep the environment under 130 degrees.
B.E.

 

[Ron07663]

The easiest solution when no electrical power is available are the vibration activated elapsed time hourmeters. You can mount them to gas lawn mower, chain saws etc. and they will register engine operating time. No wiring or power is required to operate or trigger them.

Here is one company that makes this:

http://www.enmco.com/

 

[berkshire]

Ron07663 (Electrical)
These are another system where the displays blank out
I have had bad results with their T54C1 units.
B.E.

 

[ivymike]

hmm... could you use a timer + an ignition pulse sensor, and count seconds on the timer only when ignition pulse frequency exceeds a threshold (say 100/min)?

 

[ivymike]

You could use an analog clock which switches on (and counts h/m/s) only when the ignition pulses faster than a given frequency.

 

[griffengm]

Vibspeed,
Check with snowmobile or motorcycle shops. One to try Dennis Kirk on the web. I'm not sure of the name of the meter but many ultralight aircraft use meters fitting your description on two cycles. Try California Power Systems (CPS).

Griffy