Hour meter still running when key is off and out of if ignition

[Saltybones 2016]

Hi I was wondering if anybody experienced this or knew of anything about this I have a 2002 Checkmate 270 convincor.
When I shut the engine off and take the key out the hour meter still counts hours. I know how many hours are on the boat from when I bought it but I need this issue fixed any help would be appreciated

 

[karzrus]

Was any recent work done on the boat? That's where you look first, then if nobody played with the wires installing something, I would trace the power wire for the hour meter looking for a place where it is bare and shorting onto something with constant power.

 

[Saltybones 2016]

Hour meter

The hour meter is wired into the ignition. And the radio at the same time if you turned the key a specific way it would make the contacts in the ignition short out. Yikes glad I caught this before a fire!!!!!!