# Tinytach?



## Old Bill (Apr 8, 2008)

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,


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## dreadinger (Apr 9, 2008)

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.


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## Old Bill (Apr 9, 2008)

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?


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## bassboy1 (Apr 9, 2008)

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.
> ...


If I remember correctly it has a permanent battery. I will probably be getting one at some point soon.


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## Old Bill (Apr 9, 2008)

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.


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## Old Bill (Apr 17, 2008)

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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## Old Bill (Apr 17, 2008)

OK, I'll add another photo!


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## Old Bill (Apr 17, 2008)

And the last one!


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## Jim (Apr 17, 2008)

Looks Good Bill!


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## Zum (Apr 18, 2008)

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.


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## Jim (Apr 18, 2008)

Zum said:


> Want to fish not fix stuff.




I know the feeling!  

So when you say twice as much, Is that normal for your motor?


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## Zum (Apr 18, 2008)

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


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## Old Bill (Apr 18, 2008)

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?


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## Zum (Apr 18, 2008)

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.


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## Old Bill (Apr 19, 2008)

I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!   

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?


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## Jim (Apr 20, 2008)

Old Bill said:


> I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!
> 
> I tested my new Tiny Tach this afternoon and the RPM readings were off the chart!
> 
> ...



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:


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## Old Bill (Apr 20, 2008)

Jim said:


> Old Bill said:
> 
> 
> > I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!
> ...



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


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## Jim (Apr 20, 2008)

Old Bill said:


> Jim said:
> 
> 
> > Old Bill said:
> ...



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.


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## Old Bill (Apr 21, 2008)

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!  

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.
__________________


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## Old Bill (Apr 23, 2008)

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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## Zum (Apr 24, 2008)

thanks for the posts ...never knew that ill give it a try also
plus someone said not to run your cable to close to your coil may be some interference there


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## Old Bill (Apr 27, 2008)

Well, I hate to say it, but my Tiny Tach is packaged up and will be returned via UPS to the Tiny Tach Company tomorrow.

I tried every way possible to get my Tiny Tach to give an accurate low speed reading, but, nothing worked. The lowest RPM reading was alway in the 1200s.

With the idle readings not truely reflecting the actual motor RPM, I was afraid the wide open readings might also be inaccurate. I was planning changing the pitch of my propeller and didn't want to exceed 6000 RPM.

The Tiny Tach I received may have been defective, or it is possible that my Nissan motor is somehow sending out stray signals that were affecting the Tiny Tach's RPM readings.

The Tiny Tach people were very helpful and are issuing a full refund against my credit card. A person can't ask for anything more than that! Therefore, I rank the Tiny Tach Company a great company to do business with! =D>


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 27, 2008)

Yours is the first failed performance that I have heard of (outside premature battery failure).

Those tachs are wildly popular on duck hunting boats of the members from another forum I frequent.


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## Old Bill (Apr 27, 2008)

Quackrstackr said:


> Yours is the first failed performance that I have heard of (outside premature battery failure).
> 
> Those tachs are wildly popular on duck hunting boats of the members from another forum I frequent.



Well, what can I say? Maybe, if I had any luck at all...it would be bad? :lol: 

I did have a couple of people contact me that said their Tiny Tachs also didn't give correct low speed readings. However, the WOT readings, and the hour meter were right on, so they were happy with their Tiny Tachs. (I don't know if Zum is still unhappy with his Tiny Tach)

I have asked the Tiny Tach Company to let me know the results when they tested my returned unit. If the unit is defective I might order another one. It the return unit is not defective then I will know that it was my motor causing the problem...and ordering a second unit wouldn't be a good idea! :shock:


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## Zum (Apr 27, 2008)

not to sure yet;
went out and bought some muffs so I could work with it at home.

Re-ran my wires away from the coils,tried all kinds of different variations of wraps around the plug wire.The only way I could get a reading of what I thought it was idling at(600rpm)was if i held the red wire next to the spark plug cap.I couldn't try it at WOT because your not suppose to run your outboard above 1500rpm when on the muffs and I wasnt getting a good flow of water out the pee hole so I shut it down.
Right now I have the red wire attached to the spark plug cap with a wire tie.Hopefully I'll get on the water tomorrow to try it out;my hopes aren't high on it working.

On a side note looks like I might have to change my water impellor or maybe the thermostat.Man these outboards are fun.

I wanted for the same reason as you,to see if the prop I was running was right.I think it was 22 bucks to ship to Nova Scotia so i doubt I send i back, maybe you will see it on ebay someday,never tried that B4.


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## Zum (May 3, 2008)

the wire tie has been working
i havnt trimmed any extra wire off yet and probably wont if it keeps on working....just having trouble trusting it because of how i have it attached...going by the tach and the fact the one inch more pitch slows your rpm down by 200rpm...i need aleast two sizes bigger...i'm running a 12 probably will go to a 14,hopefully bringing my rpm's down to 5600

darn motor died on me today,never brought my sparkplug wrench.had to troll about an hour to get back to the launch.probably have to clean the carb,never done that before but i'm going to give it a try if the new plugs don't work....stuipd me used 5month old gas with some new stuff hoping it would be okay


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## Old Bill (May 3, 2008)

Zum, that is good news about the red wire working OK on the spark plug cap! I wish I had tried that before I returned my Tiny Tach.

Even buying all new gasoline doesn't always ensure that you will be fuel problem free. Last September I bought fresh gasoline from a little lake side store, and in the middle of the lake my motor also quit running.

Lots of water and trash was in the gasoline. Oh yes...I paddled and drifted with the wind until I drifted into a marina...where a guy towed me back to my campsite! Paddling sure isn't much fun is it!  

I have since installed a water/fuel separator filter kit ($20.00) which was highly recommended by several motor repairmen.


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## Jim (May 3, 2008)

Zum said:


> stuipd me used 5month old gas with some new stuff hoping it would be okay



I do it every year and never learn.


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## Zum (May 3, 2008)

i didn't have to paddle,trolling motor saved me
and gas being $1.35/liter...ill probably do it again next year to Jim

always wanted to take the carb apart anyways...hope i can get it back together


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## Popeye (May 4, 2008)

Zum said:


> always wanted to take the carb apart anyways...hope i can get it back together



Whenever I take a carb apart all I ever end up with is a bag of assorted parts and a trip to the service center.


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