Tinytach?

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Old Bill

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It was recommended on another web site that I should buy a Tinytach for checking the RPM on my single cylinder outboard motor as I change to different prop pitches.

From what I read on the Tinytach website, the device is a small tach with an hour metor, that operates from a single wire wrapped around the motor's spark plug wire. Cost about $40.00.

https://www.tinytach.com/tinytach/index.php

I was wondering if anyone here had any experience with this tach?

Thanks,
 
I have used one for years on small engines and they work great. I would like to find something for my Johnson 2 cyl 15hp.
 
dreadinger said:
I have used one for years on small engines and they work great. I would like to find something for my Johnson 2 cyl 15hp.

Thanks dreadinger. Have you ever changed the battery on yours?
 
Old Bill said:
dreadinger said:
I have used one for years on small engines and they work great. I would like to find something for my Johnson 2 cyl 15hp.

Thanks dreadinger. Have you ever changed the battery on yours?
If I remember correctly it has a permanent battery. I will probably be getting one at some point soon.
 
dreadinger said:
I have used one for years on small engines and they work great. I would like to find something for my Johnson 2 cyl 15hp.

I have just placed an order for the NR-2 C model that cost $36.00.

While reading the FAQ I came across this:

"Q. Why does my 1-c tach read 1/2 time on a 2 cylinder engine?

A. You need to attach the wires to BOTH cylinders. Make sure you use only 3 wraps with the wire."

So, dreadinger, do you think your TinyTack might work with your Johnson 2 cyl 15 HP? It might be worth a email to TinyTack to find out.
 
This afternoon I received the Tiny Tach Model 2C that I had ordered a week or so ago.

It only took me about 30-minutes to install. I mounted it on the tiller of my Nissan motor.

Prior to installing it, I did test it by attaching the wires to my riding lawn mower's engine. Since I ordered the single cylinder model 2C, the idle speed was reading 1860 rpm. Which is about right if divided by 2.

Here are some photos showing the Tiny Tach mounted on the tiller, and the two wires installed. White is the ground and red attached to the spark plug wire.
 

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I just bought one(model TT226R-2XL),I put it on a couple days ago.My readings are twice as much as I think they should be.Hopeing it's because my spark plug wires are to close together or maybe I have the wire run to close to the coil?Havn't had any time to play with it.Want to fish not fix stuff.
 
Nope...when I was idling it said like 1850rpm and over 9999rpm at WOT.
Unless i have a chainsaw back there,kinda noisy like a chainsaw:)

sorry if this is stealing the thread
 
Zum said:
Nope...when I was idling it said like 1850rpm and over 9999rpm at WOT.
Unless i have a chainsaw back there,kinda noisy like a chainsaw:)

sorry if this is stealing the thread

Zum, I don't believe you are stealing the thread. Your comments are about the Tiny Tach!

Have you had time to contact the Tiny Tach Company about the miss readings of your Tiny Tach, and if so what did they tell you?
 
I sent them a email a couple of days ago,nothing back yet.Havnt pursued anymore yet because it might be my fault due to how close the spark plug cables are.I sent them the make/model of my outboard they said they had a tiny tach to fit it.I seen plenty of reveiws on the tiny tach 99% of them are good,probably just something I did wrong or worse case senareio they sent the wrong tach.I doubt I send it back though,shipping from here was almost as much as the tach.
 
I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER! :cry: :cry:

I tested my new Tiny Tach this afternoon and the RPM readings were off the chart!

At idle speed the Tiny Tach readings were in the 1300s. At midrange speeds the Tiny Tach's readings would bounce from the 3400s to 4600s and then back to the 3400s! While the motor speed didn't change!

I believe the unit is defective or they send me the wrong model. However, I doubt that they send me the wrong unit because I told them the make and model of my single cylinder Nissan motor when I placed the order.

Anyone got any suggestions before I request my money back?
 
Old Bill said:
I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER! :cry: :cry:

I tested my new Tiny Tach this afternoon and the RPM readings were off the chart!

At idle speed the Tiny Tach readings were in the 1300s. At midrange speeds the Tiny Tach's readings would bounce from the 3400s to 4600s and then back to the 3400s! While the motor speed didn't change!

I believe the unit is defective or they send me the wrong model. However, I doubt that they send me the wrong unit because I told them the make and model of my single cylinder Nissan motor when I placed the order.

Anyone got any suggestions before I request my money back?

Call them and tell them the symptoms and see what they say. Tell them you posted it here and that 300+members are waiting to see what they outcome is. :beer:
 
Jim said:
Old Bill said:
I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER! :cry: :cry:

I tested my new Tiny Tach this afternoon and the RPM readings were off the chart!

At idle speed the Tiny Tach readings were in the 1300s. At midrange speeds the Tiny Tach's readings would bounce from the 3400s to 4600s and then back to the 3400s! While the motor speed didn't change!

I believe the unit is defective or they send me the wrong model. However, I doubt that they send me the wrong unit because I told them the make and model of my single cylinder Nissan motor when I placed the order.

Anyone got any suggestions before I request my money back?

Call them and tell them the symptoms and see what they say. Tell them you posted it here and that 300+members are waiting to see what they outcome is. :beer:

Excellence ideal Jim! I'll call them tomorrow! 8)
 
Old Bill said:
Jim said:
Old Bill said:
I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER! :cry: :cry:

I tested my new Tiny Tach this afternoon and the RPM readings were off the chart!

At idle speed the Tiny Tach readings were in the 1300s. At midrange speeds the Tiny Tach's readings would bounce from the 3400s to 4600s and then back to the 3400s! While the motor speed didn't change!

I believe the unit is defective or they send me the wrong model. However, I doubt that they send me the wrong unit because I told them the make and model of my single cylinder Nissan motor when I placed the order.

Anyone got any suggestions before I request my money back?

Call them and tell them the symptoms and see what they say. Tell them you posted it here and that 300+members are waiting to see what they outcome is. :beer:

Excellence ideal Jim! I'll call them tomorrow! 8)

Word of mouth is the best form of advertisement. If they do right by you it will be a big plus for them. Hope it all works out.
 
Well, boys and girls, there is no joy in Mudville tonight!

This morning I called Tiny Tach and talked to a very helpful man named Steve. He said that he thought I had received the right model Tiny Tach, and suggested that I cut the exposed end of red wire by one half. Then try wrapping the red wire closest to the black cable one time around the spark plug's wire.

I did all this, and even removed the white wire and cleaned the post to ensure that the white wire was making a good ground. But, the Tiny Tach's readings were still not accurate! It was reading 1200 RPM at a very slow idle speed and the mid range speed reading was 3400 to 4600, and was bouncing 1000 RPM at times. I don't believe the Tiny Tach I received is the proper one for my motor! :cry:

I tried two, three and four wraps of the red wire without any improvement in the readings!

So I have given up and asked for my money back! I don't have the time, nor the desire to drag my boat out it's storage, fill a water tank full, and test and retest a non working Tiny Tach!

I'll let you know the outcome.
__________________
 
Yesterday I received a nice email from the Tiny Tach Company assuring me that if I want to return the Tiny Tach for a refund, there would be no problem.

I have decided that prior to returning the unit, I will try one of the suggestions that was made, in the hope that it will correct the incorrect RPM readings.

It appears that the red wire of the Tiny Tach is actually an antenna that picks up the firing order of the cylinder. The more times the red wire is wrapped around the spark plug wire the stronger the signal sent to the Tiny Tach. Too long a length of red wire can cause the incorrect RPM readings of the Tiny Tach.

So there are many things that can effect the readings...the number of wraps of the red wire and the lenght of the red wire.

Well, that's the way I understand it!

After I test the Tiny Tach after making some changes in the wraps and red wire length, I'll post the results,
__________________
 

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