Best Lawn Mower Tachometer

Keeping a tachometer by your side is a good thing for your lawnmower engine. You can check whether the engine is performing as well as it was supposed to with that meter. It will provide you accurate data and you will be able to take the necessary steps according to those data.

A tachometer is a very handy tool indeed and it costs very little. Plus, spending that extra little cash will ensure the longer good health of your machine.

Now there are a lot of options available in the market for you. You have to filter out the best options among them and that can be a little hard work on your part.

This article might act as a time saver for you as I am going to talk about the 3 best lawn mower tachometer reviews. In this article, we will decide together which is the best option to go for. So, let’s begin.

3 Best Lawn Mower Tachometer Reviews

1.Runleader RL-HM011G Backlight Hour Meter Tachometer

Let’s kick things off with a top-rated product. To ensure that your lawn mower or tractor or generator is working at its full capacity, Runleader presents to you the RL-HM011G. It has multiple working functionalities. It contains an hour meter, tachometer, service timers, etc. which makes it an all-around performer.

With the help of this one, you can now track all the activities of your machinery. You can see how many hours you kept your engine running. When you turn off the engine, the 12.5mm x 42mm LCD screen shows the total runtime of your engine and it stays visible. You can reset the total hours within 1 hour. You will get 0.1 hours accuracy with this one.

Another thing this one can do is to remind you about the required maintenance. You can set the timer yourself and when it’s time, it will warn you with the service warning icon by flashing it continuously.

Then the tachometer system will help you to keep track of the total rotations per minute or RPM when the engine is in running mode. It has a maximum of 20000 RPM reading capacity. You can use it for various engine firing patterns by programming it.

The CR2450 battery that comes with this one is easily replaceable. That feature sets it apart from many of its competitors as the other brand products have a non-removable battery. The cable of this one is 5.74 ft long.

Though the seller claims that it is fully waterproof but the users say otherwise as well as the product description book. So, it’s best to just keep it away from water to avoid any unfortunate events.

The price tag of runleader digital hour meter is also very low given all the great features it is offering.

Pros

• A multifunctional meter
• Standard size display
• Accurate RPM calculation
• Has multiple programmable timer options
• Notifies the maintenance time with a flashing warning icon
• Best value for money

Cons

• Not waterproof as advertised

2.Digital Backlit Tach Maintenance Hour Meter Tachometer

This one is from the brand Neoikos. Another multi-purpose meter that you can use with your Dirt Bike, Lawnmower, Boat engine, ATV, UTV, etc. This digital backlit tachometer hour meter will provide you the total time your engine has been running for up to 9,99,999 hours. That timer is non-resettable. You can record your job hours though, as it is resettable.

Then there is the option of programmable maintenance interval time. That clock hour capacity is up to 2000 hours. It will notify you about the maintenance once the programmed time is up.

You can read RPM when you turn on the engine and record it until the engine goes off. You can set a programmable rpm alert for the maximum RPM you want to record. This one has 25,000 RPM recording capability.

It works on different gas engines like 2 stroke engines up to 6 cylinders or 4 stroke engines up to 16 cylinders.

The turn-on and off functionality is also very simple. Just press and hold the
“Menu + Set” button simultaneously and you will see the display showing off the icon. That’s when you have to release the button and it will turn off. You can press either one of the Menu or Set button to turn it back on.

The backlight is also programmable and it has 3 options to choose from: On, Off, and Auto.

The battery given with this one is also a CR2450 like the Runleader RL-HM011G and you can replace the battery of this one too. The replaceable battery feature is very crucial for a gadget of this type.

The price of this one is a little on the higher side so it is safe to say that this one is a premium pick.

Pros

• Huge total run time hours capacity
• Huge RPM calculating capacity
• The easily resettable job time feature
• Can be set to stop counting after max RPM reached
• 9 programmable firing patterns available

Cons

• Price is high

3.AIMILAR Digital Tach Hour Meter and Tachometer Gauge

The last one for today’s best lawn mower tachometer article is from the brand AIMILAR and this one also has some pretty good features. AIMILAR tach hour meter tachometer comes in 2 different versions. With one, you will get the replaceable battery option and you won’t get that in the other one.

This one works perfectly with various gas engines with different firing patterns. You can adjust engine speed for different engine firing patterns as per your need. It works best with firing patterns 1P1R, 1P2R, and 2P1R.

It will keep track of the engine RPM when running for most of the 2/4 stroke gasoline engines. It will keep calculating the total RPM when the engine is on and as soon as the engine is turned off, it will display the total run time. That run time will remain visible until you turn off the meter.

You have the option to reset the total run hours not the total run time. The meter is powered by one CR2450 lithium battery.

Turning this meter on and off is also very simple. The cable given with the meter is 5.5 ft long.

The price of this small engine tachometer is on the lower side. So if you are a budget shopper then this one is definitely worth considering.

Pros

• Easy to understand the mechanism
• Perfect for small engines
• Works with multiple gas engines with different programmable firing pattern
• Long cable provided

Cons

• The display is small

Verdict on Best Lawn Mower Tachometer

If I were to suggest one among the three I reviewed, I will definitely recommend the Runleader RL-HM011G digital hour meter tachometer. That’s simple considering its all-around specs and features along with the price tag.

Now for those of you who are looking for a premium category product, I will recommend the digital backlit meter from Neoikos.

How to Choose the Best Lawnmower Tachometer

Power capacity of the tachometer

The first and foremost thing that you need to consider while purchasing a tachometer for your lawnmower is the power capacity of a tachometer. You will see that the lawnmower is being powered by two types of batteries. The battery types are lithium-powered batteries and AAA-type batteries.

While making a purchase, make sure that the battery you are bringing for your lawnmower tachometer is replaceable and you can change it anytime without any problem. Without it, the battery needs to be high-quality and durable. It is highly recommended to go to any of the two above-mentioned batteries. Any battery type except those two types is not recommended.

Quality

The second most important thing where you need to pay attention to is the quality of a lawnmower tachometer. Quality is an issue that you should consider always. Does not matter what the tool is. Your tool should be of high quality.

However, you may know that your tachometer is usually installed on your lawnmower and that’s why it will be exposed to water, cold, sun, dust, woods, debris and so on. So, I hope that you have got how important is the tachometer quality.

Apart from that, your lawnmower will produce a lot of vibration while mowing and your tachometer will have to bear this torture. That’s why your lawnmower tachometer should be made of high quality.

Revolutions Per Minute

Basically, RPM or revolutions per minute are actually the engines working rotation that can be the engine of a chainsaw, riding lawnmower or any other machine. The duty of a tachometer is to read the revolutions per minute of the engine to a definite limit. The tachometer limitation is reading the RMP is called the tachometer range.

In general, the tachometer holds the ability to read up to 10,000 RPM that is compatible with almost all engines. However, you will find that some engine features more than 10,000 revolutions per minutes. In this kind of situation, you will be required a tachometer of high ranges for such kind of engines. So, pay attention to this issue.

Digital memory

Well, here digital memory does not actually mean that it can tell you about the previous work. What actually is that the digital memory is responsible for providing the maximum and minimum RPM that is achieved during any specific working time period.

However, as you can guess that the memory is digital and it has auto-saving features. It offers you not to go through manual data saving feature. So, there is no possibility of losing the data even if the batteries accidentally cut off. So, your data will remain secured and safe with this device if the meter accidentally turns off.

So, I hope now you can understand the importance of having a digital memory. So, consider this issue while purchasing a tachometer for your lawnmower.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best lawn mower tachometer?

With a 2000 rpm reading capacity, multiple working functionalities & other top-notch features, Runleader RL-HM011G is the best lawn mower tachometer in our opinion.

What is a tachometer?

A tachometer is a device that is used for measuring the rotation speed of shafts or disks. It measures the RPM(rotations Per Minute) of cylinder engines, gas engine mowers.

How Do You Test A Tachometer?

Set AC voltage to the multimeter. Connect the negative lead to the good ground chassis in the vehicle & the positive to the tachometer’s wire. Start the vehicle Let the vehicle get it to its normal speed. If the meter works perfectly, it will be showing a constant AC voltage.

What RPM Do Lawn Mowers Run?

On a walk-behind mower, normally the engine shaft spins at 2900 RPM. Blades on riding lawn mowers usually spin from 2700 to 3200 RPM.

Why a tachometer is being used?

Basically, the tachometer is a device that is used for measuring the rotation speed of any working engine, disk or shaft. It records the RPM on the display unit and used to calibrate the engine speed for smooth working and also to protect the engine from heating up due to overloading.

How does a tachometer work?

There are actually four types of tachometers. They are the digital, analog, contact & not contact and time and frequency measuring tachometer.

The most used one is the digital one. That’s why I will talk about the digital tachometer. The digital tachometer mainly used optical encoders for determining the speed rotation of a motor or a shaft and then converts them to a digital signal.

How can I re-calibrate my tachometer?

Well, actually it varies from model to model of your lawnmower. As the inductive tachometer use voltage for measuring RPM, you are allowed to follow a process calibrator for adjusting the machine. This option may not be always found on the small tachometer.

How can I enhance the RPM on my lawnmower?

You will find that there is a spring that is attached to your lawnmower governor arm. You will find faster RPM if the spring is tight. So, now hold the top side of your governor in a way so that it can’t make any movement. Then, hold your lawnmower governor arm along with the piler and then turn this anti-clockwise for tightening the spring.

How can I install a tachometer on my lawnmower?

Well, before getting started, at first you should go through the instruction manual first that comes along with the lawnmower. You will find some safety precautions and instructions that you need to follow strictly throughout the installation process.

Step-1: At first, go through the instruction manual first in order to know which wire is signal wire and which one is ground. You will find that the wire is colored for your easy identification. If you can’t attach the wire properly, then your tachometer will not work. Then, take off the spark plug of your lawnmower to avoid an accidental start. This is highly recommended.

Step-2: Now, you have to find the spark plug wire that is attached to the spark plug boot. Then just wrap the signal wire of your tachometer around your lawnmower plug wire. You should use  electrical tape in order to secure both of the wires.

Step-3: After that, you need to loosen a bolt on the engine body and wrap the ground wire below that bolt and then again make the bolt tighten.

Step-4: Locate a meter on your lawnmower handle and secure the meter using a zip tie. Then, if you find any wire is hanging loosely, zip ties those wires and keep them away from the engine.

Step-5: Finally, locate the plug boot again to the spark plug and then turn the engine on. You are supposed to see that the display unit has already started working. If you find the display unit is not working properly, then you have to check the wire connections again. It will be fine.

[no_toc]