why do some tachos default to a set mode when you turn the ignition off? i had a tip in dalston last night in a 58 plate actros megaspace (i found love 
) and because it was dark i didnt know the mode had changed itself after i handed my keys in so i wound up having a break after a couple of hours driving which really screwed up my driving time. from there i went to barrow in furness for a collection which i took to tesco livingston. thanks to that default setting i had to take a second break and very nearly ran out of working time on my 6th shift this week 
scanny77:
why do some tachos default to a set mode when you turn the ignition off? i had a tip in dalston last night in a 58 plate actros megaspace (i found love
We have some like that, I simply do a manual entry and book the tacho as defective. They are not set up to the normal defaults ie other work. If you drive a different vehicle each day it is difficult to remember which one defaults to what mode. Having the light on the tacho go out when you switch off doesnāt help.
waddy640:
scanny77:
why do some tachos default to a set mode when you turn the ignition off? i had a tip in dalston last night in a 58 plate actros megaspace (i found loveWe have some like that, I simply do a manual entry and book the tacho as defective.
You are on dodgy ground there, the tacho is not defective. 
maybe is isnt defective but surely it should not be deciding what mode to switch to. only driving is supposed to change automatically and since 99% of the ones i use do manage to stay on the mode that i set them to, this minority would be classed as an abnormality which will be causing infringments at the very least 
scanny77:
maybe is isnt defective but surely it should not be deciding what mode to switch to. only driving is supposed to change automatically and since 99% of the ones i use do manage to stay on the mode that i set them to, this minority would be classed as an abnormality which will be causing infringments at the very least
So what do you suggest then? It stays on driving until you change it to what you want? Most ādecideā to change to other work after a period of driving but some change to break/rest. Neither option is a defect and neither option is causing infringements. The driver is causing the infringement by assuming rather than checking the mode is the correct one for his next activity.
On one if I stop and am doing other work I donāt have to press anything but if I am taking a break I have to press the mode switch.
On the other if I stop and am doing other work I have to press the mode switch but if I am taking a break I donāt have to press anything.
defaulting to other work is what you would normally be doing when you stop and therefore is what the mode would normally be set to so that isnt as much of an issue as defaulting to rest. suggesting it should stay on driving is just being intentionally pedantic since you never set it to driving in the first place
as for the driver checking. you stop, you change the mode, you turn the ignition off. you dont expect the mode to change after you have already selected the correct mode. bear in mind that the display does darken when the ignition is turned off so you cant see it anyway. even if you turned the ignition back on to check it, it would default again as soon as you turned it back off 
scanny77:
defaulting to other work is what you would normally be doing when you stop
I have probably equal number of stops when I go straight to break as other work.
scanny77:
as for the driver checking. you stop, you change the mode, you turn the ignition off. you dont expect the mode to change after you have already selected the correct mode. bear in mind that the display does darken when the ignition is turned off so you cant see it anyway. even if you turned the ignition back on to check it, it would default again as soon as you turned it back off
So it is all the fault of the unit that the driver isnāt ensuring he has done something as important as the mode setting correctly. The display dims and you canāt see it so no interior lights in the vehicles you drive? Or what about using your torch if you have that much trouble seeing it? Maybe learning how it works instead of complaining about it might help in your predicament.
Iām paid off the card, and tachos that default to break/rest when I pull the keys annoys the ā ā ā ā off me.
Itās not so bad if your expecting it, but when a company runs a mixed fleet, youād think theyād have all their tachos set the same.
it is the fault of the unit when the driver does set the mode and the unit decides to change the mode when the unsuspecting driver takes the keys out to lock the cab up. i have only seen 2 vehicles that have this problem. an axor and an actros although i would put that down to coincidence rather than blame mercedes. computers are supposed to act upon information and instruction from the operator, not make unauthorised alterations
scanny77:
i have only seen 2 vehicles that have this problem. an axor and an actros although i would put that down to coincidence rather than blame mercedes.
Nothing to do with coincidence, itās how Mercedes set the dig tacho units up. The operator can have them changed if they wish or see it as a big problem.
scanny77:
computers are supposed to act upon information and instruction from the operator, not make unauthorised alterations
You have to meet āthe computerā half way and actually learn how they do things and more importantly how to use them. That way these small issues donāt become big ones.
This digi thing is getting like you and auto gear boxes, you havenāt got a clue how they work and how to use them so you blame the tool. I blame a different tool.
I had an 08 plate TGA that did the same, itās perfectly legal and I think you can get a tacho centre to change what it defaults to when you turn the ignition off. Mine went to break but I very quickly got into the habit of switching it straight back to other work if I didnāt want a break. I personally would prefer it just stayed on whatever it was on though as on tipper work youāre much more often turning the engine off and doing other work than you are going onto break so found it just made more work for me and made me more likely to accidentally record the wrong thing on my card.
Paul
scanny77:
it is the fault of the unit when the driver does set the mode and the unit decides to change the mode when the unsuspecting driver takes the keys out to lock the cab up
This is where youāre going wrong.
Certainly on the VDO units I have come across the display blinks about 3 times when the key is turned to off, and that is when you change the mode. Donāt change mode first, then pop keys. Do it the other way round.
macplaxton:
scanny77:
it is the fault of the unit when the driver does set the mode and the unit decides to change the mode when the unsuspecting driver takes the keys out to lock the cab upThis is where youāre going wrong.
Certainly on the VDO units I have come across the display blinks about 3 times when the key is turned to off, and that is when you change the mode. Donāt change mode first, then pop keys. Do it the other way round.
Which goes back to my point about his lack of knowledge on how to use the digi tcaho and blaming the unit for that. Maybe we should have some kind of training in place to solve this problem, some kind of certificate of competence. 
Coffeeholic:
Maybe we should have some kind of training in place to solve this problem, some kind of certificate of competence.
Like most certs itās a good idea in principle, but give that some current so called ātrainersā donāt know their arse from there elbow about the regsā¦ it probably would be a waste of time.
Better advice would probably be a thread like this to make drivers aware of the different behaviours of said tachos and get them to RTFM.
On the other hand the powers-that-be should have just written the regs so they all behaved in a similar way, then itād be easier all round.
macplaxton:
On the other hand the powers-that-be should have just written the regs so they all behaved in a similar way, then itād be easier all round.
Correct me if Iām wrong but originally didnāt all digital tachograph stay on the same mode when the ignition was turned off, then because some drivers couldnāt remember to change the mode to rest when they parked up all new vehicles had tachographs that defaulted to rest, only after lots of complaints was it changed so companies could have them reprogrammed.
Itās not hard to get used to the way they are so thereās really no point in drivers blaming the digital tachograph for there own shortcomings, but the way digital tachographs have been brought into operation is in my humble opinion yet another example of EU incompetence
macplaxton:
Coffeeholic:
Maybe we should have some kind of training in place to solve this problem, some kind of certificate of competence.Like most certs itās a good idea in principle, but give that some current so called ātrainersā donāt know their arse from there elbow about the regsā¦ it probably would be a waste of time.
Better advice would probably be a thread like this to make drivers aware of the different behaviours of said tachos and get them to RTFM.
On the other hand the powers-that-be should have just written the regs so they all behaved in a similar way, then itād be easier all round.
Hi macplaxton,
IIRC, Mercedes (and perhaps other manufacturers) have written a 7-hour DCPC qualifying course on the āuse of the tachographā or somesuch?
The other part of the course covering the actual driving Regs could always be taken with a pinch of salt, but surely the info given on that makeās preferred tacho head unit would be beneficial?
On the other hand (and Iām prepared to be wrong here,) didnāt tachograph have several links to original tacho head manufacturerās instruction books on how the various tacho heads are to be operated?
If so, perhaps heād be kind enough to post them again, then we could possibly make a sticky on the subject for everybody to see.
tachograph:
Is this what you mean dd
Hi tachograph,
Thatās the one I had in mind and I thought Iād remembered it correctly, but does your post in that topic cover all makes and models of digi tacho heads?
Iām thinking of making a sticky covering downloadable/printable instructions on the operation of the most commonly encountered digi-tacho heads.
I know at least one person who ought to read it. 
Not quite, Iāve never managed to find the operating instructions for an Actia tachograph ā¦ well not in English anyway.
Having said that Iāve never seen one and Iām not sure if anyone fits them in UK trucks
The tachograph simulator covers the Actia though.
tachograph:
Not quite, Iāve never managed to find the operating instructions for an Actia tachograph ā¦ well not in English anyway.Having said that Iāve never seen one and Iām not sure if anyone fits them in UK trucks
The tachograph simulator covers the Actia though.
Hi tachograph,
This is getting interestingā¦
By doing some āgooglingā in a foreign language (sneaky eh?? 
) ā¦ Iāve found this:
http://www.actiatachographs.com/images/stories/pdf/smartach/SmarTach-livretA5_EN.pdf
And I got it from here:
http://www.actiatachographs.com/en/Manuels-produits/
Do we have a full set now? 