NX series engine hour meters

[Threepoint]

Anyone know for certain whether the engine hour meter in the tach of the NX series records actual running time, or running time based on an algorithm tied to engine rpm?

In marketing for the DK series, Kioti has said "The electronic hour meter accurately records the real working hours of the tractor." To me, that implies time is counted only when certain assumptions are met, probably operation at rated rpm. But I don't know for sure. And I haven't found a similar statement about the NX series. I've seen this come up in discussing service requirements based on hour intervals, but I don't know if it's been resolved.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Anyone know for certain whether the engine hour meter in the tach of the NX series records actual running time, or running time based on an algorithm tied to engine rpm?

In marketing for the DK series, Kioti has said "The electronic hour meter accurately records the real working hours of the tractor." To me, that implies time is counted only when certain assumptions are met, probably operation at rated rpm. But I don't know for sure. And I haven't found a similar statement about the NX series. I've seen this come up in discussing service requirements based on hour intervals, but I don't know if it's been resolved.

My feeling is that it is measuring work time only.

 

[DK35vince]

Anyone know for certain whether the engine hour meter in the tach of the NX series records actual running time, or running time based on an algorithm tied to engine rpm?

In marketing for the DK series, Kioti has said "The electronic hour meter accurately records the real working hours of the tractor." To me, that implies time is counted only when certain assumptions are met, probably operation at rated rpm. But I don't know for sure. And I haven't found a similar statement about the NX series. I've seen this come up in discussing service requirements based on hour intervals, but I don't know if it's been resolved.

There is nothing to resolve, the service requirement hours are listed in the owners manual regardless of hour meter type.
My tractor has the RPM based hour meter.
Near PTO speed for 1 hour =1 hour.
But it always counts hours any time the engine is running, it just adds hours at a slower rate at lower RPM's/faster at higher RPM's.
Seems most of the newer machines have the clock hour type meters. 1 hour=1 hour any time the machine is running.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Haven't actually checked it , but mine seems to be run time at idle or full throttle.

 

[Threepoint]

There is nothing to resolve, the service requirement hours are listed in the owners manual regardless of hour meter [snip]

Well, yes, nothing to resolve in respect of recommended service intervals. But I would like to know for other purposes, and at least know more about the assumptions the engineers used, if algorithm-based. Especially with the Tier 4 engines, where I think particulate build-up may be faster, and DPF filter life perhaps even shortened, by always operating at low rpms. E.g, if I only use my tractor to drive up for the mail or check the fences at1200 rpm for a couple of yrs, algorithm-based hrs could be less than if I work at rated rpm in ground engagement over the same period. Yet the engine may actually be in better shape in the latter case with higher hours. Just conjecture, but it's one reason I'm curious.

 

[rd_macgregor]

For an RPM-based approach, the meter is actually measuring total revolutions, but stating the total in accumulated hours. For example, if engine rpm is 2500 for rated PTO speed, then one hour of operating time is 150,000 revs. So, the meter clicks over an "hour" every time the meter collects another 150,000 revs (or tenths of an hour every 15,000 revs). When operating at less than the 2500rpm, accumulating an hour on the meter takes longer than an hour on your wristwatch. If, for some reason, you happened to run your tractor at 4000 rpm, time would really fly by, recording an hour every 37.5 minutes. This hypothetical tractor at 1000 hr, will have turned the engine over 150 million times.

Neither approach to hour recording gives the full story. A straight clock-time clock tells you seat time, but gives little information about how the engine has been used. However, an rpm-corrected clock only tells you the total revolutions of the engine to date, but not anything about whether those were hours at 1500 rpm doing loader work or hours at 2500 rpm running PTO implements (my experience is with gear tractors; the HST folks might have less variability in their RPM between the different operations). Given the electronification of tractors, I'd say it would be possible to accumulate a log of use (eg, in graphical form) that could show patterns of long-term use...eg, time at various rpm loads...but I haven't heard of anybody offering this function; maybe there isn't any demand?
Bob

 

[Threepoint]

Thanks, Bob. You've described the issue more completely than I did. :thumbsup: It's why I'm curious to know what assumptions the Kioti design engineers used when determining what constitutes "work" or "real working hours", if the hour meter is in fact algorithm-based. The hour meter is part of the tachometer, so I'm assuming its operation is tied largely to engine rpm. But I'd be surprised if it is a straight linear relationship based simply on number of revolutions, without some further engineering assumptions being factored in as to types of loads likely to be applied to the engine at such-and-such rpms. I'm guessing this would have to be based soley on assumptions, as I can't imagine there is any on-board system in these tractors to measure actual work, as might be done with a dynomometer applying varying braking loads and measuring rpm and rate of acceleration to calculate torque. Well, actually, I can imagine it, and I'm sure design engineers across the various modern tractor brands could come up with a way to do it, if there were a demand and folks were willing to pay for it. For me, it's just a curiosity borne of my irritating "need to know". I'm not planning on buying a used modern tractor any time soon.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

For what it is worth, at the turn in of my road over two miles down the road is a pothole. After repairing my road from the cable company SNAFU, I still had some class 5 leftover in my bucket and so I took on the mission to go fix the pothole down the road.

Drove down two miles, got out leaving the engine idling, and hand shoveled in material from the bucket for a few minutes. Then I raked it by hand, jumped back in the cab and used the tractor to pack down the material and then drive back two miles. My hour meter ticked over 3/10s of an hour.

 

[Threepoint]

Interesting, Eric. I know you work fast, but that would be a lot to accomplish in 18 minutes!

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Interesting, Eric. I know you work fast, but that would be a lot to accomplish in 18 minutes!

I thought as much myself.