Hour Meter

[ghobday]

Has anyone rewired the Hour meter on a B7100 so it only operates when the engine is running? It seems the hour meter operates as long as the key is in the operate position and continues to run if the engine stops. I think I need a normally open contact switch connected to the oil pressure system that will activate the hour meter only when the engine is running.
Does anyone know if Kubota has an oil pressure switch that closes with pressure?

 

[Bird]

ghobday, I don't know of anything or anyway to change the hour meter on the B7100. I used to have one and the hourmeter is simply an electric clock that runs, as you say, when the key is on. Of course, that means it registers an hour in an hour's time whether you are idling or working at full RPM. In contrast, some other tractors, such as my B2710 have hour meters that are tied to engine revolutions, so it registers an hour in an hour at PTO speed, but would only register half an hour in an hour at half that engine speed. You mention the hour meter continuing to run if the engine stops. You do turn off the key when you kill the engine, don't you? That stops the hour meter.

Bird

 

[WVBill]

I need to do some troubleshooting on the hour meter on my B6100 as it doesn't work at all right now.

Interesting, though that it is supposed to run whenever the key is in the "on" position. I can take the key completely out of my B6100 and the engine keeps running. Maybe that's why they changed the hour meter to run off the engine revs. Too many "low hour" used Kubotas got that way by running around with the key removed? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[bpence]

I really wonder how many Kubotas are showing the low hours 'cause you can run them without the key. I can turn my B7100 off and pull the key and it just keeps on running........maybe I should do that more often. Sure would keep the hours real low. Of course, you don't get any headlites. Of course, you can do that with many diesels.

On the flip side, the guy I bought mine from apologized when I was looking at the tractor because it had an extra 100 or so hours on the meter. Seems the first day he had it, put it in the shed after mowing, pulled the throttle back and killed the motor. 5-6 days later he went to start it and it was totally dead. Also noticed/realized he had another 100 or so hours on the meter versus what he remembered when he parked it. So, if you don't turn the key off you can just slowly run the battery down. Poor guy.....his wife made sure I knew how stupid she thought that was and she made sure she told my wife too, in case I decided to get stupid.

Bob Pence

 

[Bird]

WVBill, on a lot of diesels, the "kill' switch is a manual fuel shut-off that has nothing to do with the electric system. Such was the case with my B7100, your B6100, and many, many others. I think more and more tractors are going to the electric solenoid that shuts off the fuel when you turn the key off, as do most, if not all, the diesel cars and pickups. As you said, you can turn off the key and remove it and the engine keeps running. The problem with that is that if you're using any electrical equipment, such as lights, your alternator or generator is not charging the battery, so you can run it down without realizing it. Of course, killing the engine and leaving the key on may get a similar result.

Bird

 

[Bird]

Bob, looks like we were typing at the same time, and saying something similar, you were just faster than me./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[bpence]

Must be great minds think alike, or something like that.

Bob Pence

 

[GlueGuy]

Does the B7100 have an oil pressure indicator? If so, trace that back to the pressure sender. Once you've found where the sender is, you can re-plumb the fitting to have a "T". Put the sender back in one side, and a Hobbs pressure switch on the other. Then re-wire your hour meter through the pressure switch. That's the way it works on my airplane.

The GlueGuy

 

[RIRICH]

For years gasoline fuel injection has been using dual purpose oil psi switches. One would read psi and the other would close the the fuel pump relay circuit. Adding an extra sending unit from a idiot light set-up will do the trick, but I do suggest using a relay, and fused circuits. It will not only be safe and "proper" but be better than some factory jobs.

 

[WVBill]

Bird:

I don't normally run the tractor with the key out - just find that to be an interesting feature of a diesel engine: no electricity is needed to keep it running.

But your comment: " The problem with that is that if you're using any electrical equipment, such as lights, your alternator or generator is not charging the battery, so you can run it down without realizing it." made me think.

I just had to replace the battery in the B6100 just recently - it just would not turn the engine over (click, no crank, lights dim/out, sometimes not eve a "click"). I tried re-charging it but it would not take a charge so I replaced it and the new one cranks the engine fine.

I don't know how old the other battery was so it may have been just "wore out" but I'm wondering if there might be some condition in the tractor that caused it to die/discharge. There are only four electrical items on the tractor: The starter, the glow plugs, the headlights and the hour meter. I never run the headlights and I always remove the key when the tractor is not being used so that leaves the glow/start as the only user of electricity (other than possibly the hour meeter is mechanically failed and still drawing electricity when the switch is on).

But what if the generator is not working? How would I ever know - until the battery is fully discharged after some number of starts? How can I confirm that the generator is working? Any other thoughts on the cause of my dead battery?

By the way - on the key switch there are three positions: Left = glow plugs, Right = starter engage, and Center = "run". Does inserting the key complete the circuit for the hour meter or does engaging the starter lock in a relay for the hour meter that remains locked in until the key is taken out? I think it may NOT be the relay option because I do not hear any kind of click when I remove the key.

I guess I will dig into the wiring diagram when I get home this evening...