4 Practices To Deal With Mercury Outboard Tach Not Working 

mercury outboard tach not working
mercury outboard tach not working

If you’re new to fishing and need a good outboard for your boat, then Mercury is the only viable option for you. There aren’t many brands that can keep up with the efficiency and affordability of the Mercury unit.

So, if you want a safer option for your boat, then Mercury is the perfect brand for you.

The company has come up with several lineups over the years and each of them is equipped with tons of features. You should note that the newer lineups usually have better features on them.

Additionally, there are tons of improvements that have been made to these devices.

If you are thinking about purchasing an outboard for yourself then make sure that you go through the models carefully. This should help you in getting one of the best motors for yourself.

The features of the outboard play a huge role, but you should note that there are also some issues that can be found.

With that said, there have been a few complaints regarding the Mercury Outboard Tach not working. If you’re in a similar situation with the Mercury tach, then the solutions mentioned here will help you.

Going through these should teach you about the reasons as well as solutions for the problems.

Mercury Outboard Tach Not Working

  1. Fix Voltage Issues

If you’re running into issues with the tachometer, then it is a good idea to start the troubleshooting method by inspecting the power source. Issues with insufficient voltage can create a lot of problems for your tachometer.

So, if your Mercury Outboard Tach is not working perfectly, start by checking the power output from the battery terminals. You just have to grab a multimeter and check the power output on the battery terminals.

Ideally, you need to get around 12.5 volts of output from the terminals.

So, if you’re not getting the desired response from the battery terminals, it is a good option to purchase a new battery pack. People should note that several other important factors should be noted here.

If the battery you are using was new, then there might be something else causing the issue.

voltagee

On the other hand, if the battery you are using has gotten quite old then there is a high chance that it requires a replacement. There are several things that should be noted here which include the usage of your battery.

These usually tend to lose their ability to hold a charge over time.

Talking about this if you note that the battery you were using is several years old then there is a high chance that it has run out of its life expectancy. You can usually replace this with a new one to fix your problem.

The only thing that you need to ensure is that the product is bought from a reliable source.

If you notice that the problem was not from the battery being faulty then you can move on to the next step. This should help you in dealing with issues that might be preventing the battery from working.

  1. Clean Connection Points

Bent wires and issues with corroded connection points can lead to a lot of issues with the tachometer. So, if you’ve not checked the connection points in a long while, now might be a good point to inspect them.

Most of the time, you will find debris built up on the connection points.

All you have to do is create a diluted vinegar solution and clean the rust with a brush. This works in most cases but sometimes the rust formed might be stuck.

cleaning cloth

This can be annoying to deal with, but it also comes off after scrubbing for some time.

You should note that it is best that you prevent the rust from ever forming. This can be easily done by cleaning the connection points frequently.

With that said, inspecting the wiring cluster for bent or kinked wires can also help you isolate the problem.

So, if your connection points are clean, you need to look towards cleaning the connection points to fix this issue with the Mercury Outboard tachometer.

Luckily, replacing the wires and cleaning connection points is not that difficult. It will barely take a few minutes, and the issue will be fixed.

The main reason behind faulty wires is that you have not routed them properly. This can be frustrating, but it is recommended that you keep the cables routed in a uniform manner.

The process prevents the wires from ever breaking or running into issues like these.

If the wires are already damaged, then your only option is to get them replaced. This is usually simple as long as you consult the manual provided along the outboard.

However, some people might feel hesitant trying to do this on their own. When it comes to them, it is best that they seek professional help.

In cases like these, the best thing that you can do is contact a specialist or support team for Mercury. Additional information regarding the support team is provided below to further help you out.

  1. Inspect Tach Needle

Even if there are no issues with the power and the voltage of your unit, you can run into problems with the Tachometer needle getting stuck inside the device.

wiring

So, if you’re sure that the wiring is in perfect condition and the multimeter shows the optimal output from the battery pack, then you are likely dealing with a defective unit.

To get around this problem, you will have to either purchase a new unit or open up the tachometer to fix the needle.

In most situations, purchasing a meter replacement is a better option. Otherwise, you will run into issues with the needle shortly after fixing the needle. So, make sure to keep this information in mind if you believe that the tachometer is defective.

With that said, the replacement shouldn’t be that expensive.

You will be able to install a new tachometer within a few minutes. Similarly, people can either install the tachometer on their own or contact a specialist to help them out with the installation.

Whatever the case might be, there are several other things that should be noted. When installing a new tachometer on your outboard, people have tons of options that they can choose between.

As long as these support similar power ratings, you can even upgrade the existing device to get better features.

  1. Contact The Support Team For Mercury

The steps mentioned above are usually enough for people to fix most issues found on their Mercury Outboard Tach. However, in some cases the problem you are getting might not be mentioned above.

This is because there are several other small parts that can cause issues.

team

If you have been using the device for a long time, then you can easily go through the different parts and troubleshoot them. The process takes a lot of time, but you should still be able to isolate the problem.

Once done, you can then replace the faulty parts with new ones to fix your issue.

If you are still feeling hesitant or having trouble with the troubleshooting steps, then it is best that you contact the support team for Mercury. This is much better as it helps in saving time and effort.

The team will isolate the problem on their own and then get it fixed for you.

If you are simply contacting the team through a call, then you will be provided with the troubleshooting steps. The team might ask you some questions to isolate the problem after which it will be fixed.

On the other hand, you can also send your device back to Mercury and get it repaired.

People that still have a warranty left on their Outboard can also get free replacements. This is why make sure that you also go through the guidelines once.

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