Installing Hour Meter on Sportsman 800 / 1000 watt Inverter Generator

[@wutdoyoumean]

Subbed! I decided to buy this generator for my grandmother, off of Amazon, just a few minutes ago. It will see hard duty use in a hurricane hit area. This generator will be running day and night, only stopping for refuels, oil changes and recommended maintenance. I'm going to install an hour meter, NGK CMR6A Spark Plug if it didn't ship OEM and put 10W-30 Shell Rotella Heavy Duty oil for the life of the generator in tropical heat. I will let you know how this holds up and look forward to getting more than a 1000 hours within 41 or more days. It will power a small refridgerator during the day, and a fan and few lights at night... thanks for the videos. Very high quality. Good day!

[@KevCentral]

+Millo Thanks for the comments. I’ll be curious to hear how it holds up to constant use. Be sure to make an early oil change to get the break-in sheen out of the way before running it constantly.

[@wutdoyoumean]

Roger, that. Thank you, sir! Keep making these helpful videos. I have enjoyed the ones on the Predator 3500.

[@W3TFART]

So how did the gen go ?

[@tommierush2539]

I ordered a hour meter from amazon and it came with no instructions. Went back to the order and under the questions and of course the first one is a no instruction question. The comments were to go to you tube and use the videos as a guide. Two additional comments were helpful. I followed your instructions but added two additional steps. First instead of all that wire inside the generator just leave a little slack and wedge it in the hour meter and cut off the excess. Second they wrapped the coils in electrical tape. Armed with that information I installed the hour meter and works just fine. Great generator at a great price 199.00 at Walmart.

[@anthonythompson4718]

Thank you i just bought this generator and hour meter because of your videos cant wait to use it at the flying field charging my batteries

[@KevCentral]

+Anthony Thompson Congrats! Let me know what you think of it.

[@probeteam9936]

Kevin... great videos... thank you. When i use that wire type meter i get the rpm/hour meter. If i want just hours i found one type that senses the engine vibration ... no wire... works great... a few dollars more but just sticks on anywhere. I wont replace the old wired hour meters i already have... but i like these for their ease of installation. You are very meticulous ... i should say more than me even ... and my stuff lasts almost forever ... many people arent... their units fail...

[@KevCentral]

+Probe Team99 Thanks for the comments. Do you have a link to the meter you mentioned?

[@garyb9867]

www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Tach-Vibration-Activated-Hour-Meter-For-ATV-Snowmobile-Gas-Engine-New-/321664504077?hash=item4ae4b2d10d:g:jRUAAMXQC-tTFAIR&vxp=mtr

[@probeteam9936]

Also... loved the tail gator series ... good stuff. I have a few sportsman ... 7500 and 4000 generators... they are wonderful. I have over 3000 hours on one 4000 watt propane generator... although that one is nearing the end of its service... anyway... great stuff God Bless you and yours... and have a great day...

[@KevCentral]

+Probe Team99 Thanks so much for the comments. They are appreciated. Sportsman generators seem to have very high quality control. I'm impressed with what I've seen.

[@generallee3303]

Just added the hour meter to my sportsman gen in the same spot as you did but i drilled a tiny hole just big enough for the wire to fit thru and it looks like it came from the factory that way, u cant see the wire at all and used 2 sided tape to attach it to the gen, easier, faster than getting out the dremel and modifying the spark plug door, figured either way your cutting or drilling it, drilling it looks better and is faster just make sure use a short bit and be careful when drilling to not damage anything inside the gen but theres not much right there where u need to drill the hole at

[@jhemnes1]

You left out the main things we needed to see...I know how to make a hole in plastic

[@jaygold4467]

Very intelligent video. Well done. Where on the spark plug do you attach the cable?

[@ColtTSMG]

Why not use option #3? That is, carefully remove the sticker and put it where you put the hour meter, and put the hour meter on the removable cover. That's what I'm doing with a mechanical type hour meter.

[@MiamiBeachBarzola]

I just bought a Sportsman Baja 900 propane generator and this hour meter and a soft start but my question is, does this hour meter work on the propane model as well? or..? anyway, I've been watching all your videos and that is why I bought what I bought.. Thanks

[@KevCentral]

The engine will still vibrate, so the meter will work on propane

[@jsanzare]

Can you post a link for the hour meter?

[@SOLDOZER]

You dont know how to Google "hour meter"?

[@chipjumper]

I did the same but with a mechanical and genuine Hobbs meter. I’ve never cared much for those electronic ones as if they are left with a dead battery too long they don’t retain the total hours after replacing the battery. Goes back to zero.

[@garyenwards1608]

plus men use machines in the pouring rain

[@brandonjones8223]

What do these meters do?

[@chipjumper]

Brandon Jones They measure time of use. When the engine is running, the meter runs.

[@brandonjones8223]

@@chipjumper how long does the sportsman ususlly run ?

[@Boobtube.]

@@brandonjones8223 until it runs out of fuel.

[@bigyin.7710]

Hi just found the video, why not just mount it inside?

[@KevCentral]

Heat

[@JoshKilen]

nice job on the install, got a link for the hour meter?

[@KevCentral]

Thanks. The link is below: www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Hour-Meter-Gauge-For-Gas-Engine-Motor-Boat-ATV-Snowmobile-Black-USA-Ship/321659488232?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[@JoshKilen]

Thanks for the link, what do you think of my model steam engines?

[@KevCentral]

+Josh Kilen I just looked. Impressive.

[@JoshKilen]

Thanks feel free to comment, I normally respond with in 24hours.

[@cleopatra9074]

Great idea! Can you please make another video on how you and where you attach the cable? Appreciate your videos I'm planning to buy this Sportsman soon. Thank you.

[@KevCentral]

Do you mean where it attaches onto the meter or where it attaches in the spark plug cable?

[@cleopatra9074]

KevCentral How to attach the meter or cables to the inverter...

[@KevCentral]

That’s the easiest part. Just take the black wire and wrap it around the spark plug cable about 5-6 times and zip tie (or electrical tape) it in place. That’s all there is to it. It’s also worth note that the meter also comes in a version that doesn’t require a cable. It uses the vibration from the engine to sense when it is running. They’re only a dollar or two more than the cables version. If I were to do this again that’s what I would choose. Link below: rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F272767371644

[@cleopatra9074]

KevCentral I'm very grateful for your help & thank you for providing the link. I'll look into it.

[@W3TFART]

How’s your gen going I have put the hour meter on mine after watching your video

[@KevCentral]

Still running

[@rolanddvcourt]

You sound like the Project Farm guy...must be from the same place?

[@RevGunn-jq3cq]

Aw, don't worry about saving any lives........when the pass on take all their stuff!............ok bad joke Excellent video.

[@tommierush2539]

good luck on the 199.00 price seems it jumped 100.00 dollars.

[@mwilliamshs]

On sale today for $149.99 @ Home Depot

[@ColtTSMG]

@@mwilliamshs I also just bought this model for $149, on sale thru Walmart. I wouldn't pay over $150 for this gen with only a less than 800 watt output.

[@marcusratcliff1030]

Put it on already ! Jesus Christ !

Drawn out far too long for such a minor mod !