Can someone enlighten this poor new boy on the analogue tacho that has a key to open it.
The flashing light on the bottom is amber, is this a fault sign?. Says in my handbook that a flashing RED light is for faulty tacho.
Sorry if its a stupid question 
The amber light means that there is no chart inserted or is inserted wrong.
If that’s the light you’re referring to then yes it means there’s a fault with the tachograph, It will light if the chart is missing or incorrectly inserted or the tachograph isn’t closed properly, also when the vehicle reaches a certain speed but this can vary from tachograph to tachograph
The light tends to be mostly red I think but they can sometimes be amber as the one in the image appears to be.
B4 you defect the vehicle for a faulty tacho check that the tacho is installed correctly & working by opening & closing unit then give it a short drive 100-300 yards & look for a trace on the graph.
Ive now encountered at leas 6 different types of analogue unit, some tachos go straight in some have a flap that it goes under & some have a flap like but that the tacho sit on.
check your unit if nessasary give us a pic of the back & we will tell you which way it goes in.
Thanks for the replies.
I put it on the hammers setting and drove from 1410 to 1705, i then put it on break from 1705 till they finished unloading which was 1915.
When i got back to base and took the chart out ,it had recorded other work from 1410 to 1805 and rest from 1805 to 2200.
Also there is no speed or distance trace.
When you open the tachograph there is a thin circle of plastic, i put the chart on top of it , should it have been underneath it?.
I can’t say I’ve ever seen one with a red light. Except perhaps in a Volvo where it was ‘hinged’ out of the top of the dashboard.
The amber light can flash if there is no card in the second position and the switch is set to other than rest.
The ‘speed indicator’ can be set manually. Years since I’ve actually adjusted one, but I think it just requires a small screwdriver. IIRC, it is ‘stepped’ in 5kph increments.
I’ve had vehicles where the light has continued to flash but no fault is apparent, and recordings have been correctly made.
I would suggest that the majority of failures are due to an ‘error of design’, in that the head is hinged from the housing and therefore requires wires connecting the two. The action of the head being opened/closed each day causes the wires to become brittle. Copper being a metal that ‘work hardens’.
It may well be that the fault/failure relates to the 2nd position and wouldn’t be apparent in normal operation.
Try using an additonal new blank chart in the 2nd position and changing the mode switch periodically and check if that records correctly.
2nd position charts do not record driving. Only the three activity settings.
The peice of placsit is a spacer & should be left alone, you place your tacho on top.
Is it just a flat plastic panel type with no holes.
All tachographs have some panel that flips up to fit the second driver chart underneath.
also did you place your chart so the bit you fill out faces up so you can read it ?
this can be double checked by looking for 3 pins on the inside of the unit where you will close your tacho in to, theese pins record your trace’s.
2nd position charts do not record driving. Only the three activity settings
Oh lordy how embarrassing 
If this is what ive done, shall i fill in the chart manually on the back?. What sort of repercussions can i expect from vosa if pulled up?.
My new motto is now ,if in doubt ASK!.
robntl:
The peice of placsit is a spacer & should be left alone, you place your tacho on top.Is it just a flat plastic panel type with no holes.
All tachographs have some panel that flips up to fit the second driver chart underneath.also did you place your chart so the bit you fill out faces up so you can read it ?
this can be double checked by looking for 3 pins on the inside of the unit where you will close your tacho in to, theese pins record your trace’s.
Yes m8 the chart was face up. When i opened the tacho i assumed i had to just put the tacho face up and driver1 position was the one you see when you open the tacho.
fill it out manually you will be fine
the gv262 states that if for any reason you canot record the modes on the tacho using the modes then you should amend it on the back of if it fails fill out the back.
As long as you have a racord of what you have done you will be fine.
a good read of the gv262 wont go amiss either try & carry a copy if yoy can as well as the wdt.
Thanks for help guys, and i will find myself a copy rob thanks 
if no luck pm me & ill send you some copys.
Thanks, best get some more ink for the printer!
When you come across a Veeder Root tacho, that will baffle you.
Like how do I get this pear shaped hole over that â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– â– thing 
Its a bit like VHS and Beta Max