I am pondering developing an inexpensive, resettable, total airframe/engine digital elapsed time meter. Powered from on board batteries, draws about 3 ma, but only while 'on'.... weighs about 10 grams, plugs into any "Y" in the system, and reads continuous total "on time" to tenths of an hour.

Couple of questions for ya'll.....First, anyone think this would be of any benefit to help manage engine run time, airframe, battery usage times?
Second, if you think it would be a benefit, what would be the "ouch" price for such an accessory???

Fun concept but how is "on" time differentiated from engine "run" time? Price wise, based on what I see in RCU it would have to be targeted at a specific user group. The size of the aircraft flown by the target group would determine the "ouch" level.

Bob are you thinking about one that tracks both or the use of two hour meters?

Yes
Basic - total time
Option - total time, incremental engine run time.

Hobbs time or tach time? Full size airplanes used to be rented by either Hobbs time (time engine turned on to engine turned off at any speed) or at tach time (engine running at 2500 rpm) or cruise speed. I believe for most small aircraft, 2500 rpm was the standard flight cruising rpm.

In your note - it would be "Hobbs Time" (engine running, regardless of rpm).

Somebody beat you to it. It's been around for years. http://www.tinytach.com/tinytach/gasoline.php

Sorry....

AV8TOR

Thank you, yes that is out there, but is engine running time only. Some folks may be interested in total airframe time to track other things, battery life, etc. Appreciate the link.

For the batteries, I would think a "MAH consumed counter" would be really handy. I don't know, maybe someone already makes that too.

AV8TOR

Yup, 42% makes them. This one and one with deans connectors.

http://www.thunderboltrc.com/index.p...roducts_id=702

Well, that's close....the 42% project is based on current load/draw from the source. I'm asking about simple "time" of power on (or engine run). Similar but different??

Yup, I like the idea...

Something like that would be great for engine run time. As far as batteries go, I dont screw around, I replace all reciever betteries every 3 years reguardless of conditiuon. With $4-$5000 a warbirds whats $35.00 per reciever every 3 years. As far as airframe time, you would have to install a meter as soon as the aircraft is ready for maiden flight. I guess it would work.