Can You Trust Excavator Hour Meters? The Hidden Trick You Didn’t Know About

[MikePhua]

In the construction industry, the income of many equipment operators is based on the number of operating hours recorded by the machine's hour meter. However, some individuals have found ways to manipulate the hour meter, inflating the displayed hours to earn more money.

   

There are two primary methods used to alter the operating hours of excavators: one involves replacing the original hour meter with a special one, and the other involves installing a "time increaser" to interfere with the system’s signals. Here’s how they work:

1. Replacing the Hour Meter with a Special One
This method is relatively low-cost and simple. The special hour meters are designed to look almost identical to the original meters, and they can record time independently from the excavator’s main timing system. This allows users to adjust the displayed hours at will. By swapping out the original meter with one of these modified meters, it becomes easy to deceive site managers and make the machine appear to have more operating hours than it actually has. These modified hour meters are relatively inexpensive, typically ranging from a few dozen to a couple of hundred yuan each.
2. Installing a “Time Increaser”
This method is more sophisticated. It involves installing a device called a “time increaser,” which is connected to the engine's RPM signal circuit. This device sends a false signal to the system, making it believe that the engine is running even when it's not. As a result, the hour meter continues to accumulate hours whenever the excavator is powered on, even if the engine is not started. This method is more expensive, with prices typically ranging around a thousand yuan.

   

The Impact on the Industry
Manipulating hour meters to falsely inflate operating hours is, at its core, fraudulent behavior. It disrupts the normal order of the industry, undermining fairness and causing legitimate businesses to suffer. Due to weak regulation and low detection rates, this practice has been allowed to proliferate, becoming an open secret in the industry. If this continues, it will result in a situation where "bad money drives out good," leading to a loss of trust in the market and damaging the interests of all professionals in the field.

   

The Need for Integrity in the Industry
Maintaining a fair and healthy market environment requires the joint effort of everyone in the industry. Each individual should adhere to good professional ethics, conduct their business with integrity, and work together to resist such dishonest practices. Only by upholding a culture of integrity can the industry grow in a healthy and orderly manner, ensuring that all participants enjoy a fair and transparent working environment.