Hi Amelians,

I'm having a problem with the chain counter sensor of my Lewmar V4/5 windlass (Amel 54). The control head unit in the cockpit is the AA560. I assume this sensor is just a reed switch which triggers with each rotation of the gypsy as the magnet passes overhead. 

The problem shows up as random counting (and beeping) and the diagnostic check shows the sensor output being "unstable". The voltages displaying on the AA560 diagnostic check are unstable, flickering between 4.8-5.0V on the red connection and 0-2V on the black connection.

So, it looks like I have either a faulty sensor or a problem in the wiring/connectors.  I have checked the cable connections at the terminal block behind the AA560 head unit and they look fine. 

In the fore-locker I can see the grey cable coming out of the windlass bottom plate where the sensor is located. The cable (along with the main power cabling for the windlass motor) then runs into some conduits and around into the switch panel in the box in the aft starboard corner of the fore-locker.

It seems to run through that locker (difficult to see) and out into a conduit that runs across the top of the locker and then aft into the boat.  

The questions in my mind at the moment:

Is there a connector somewhere along this sensor cable run that could be faulty, or is it a single cable run from the sensor to the terminal block behind the control head?

Is it easy to remove that sensor from the windlass plate? How? Is it glued in there?

Has someone trodden this path before me and can offer some guidance?
 
In the meantime, I will disconnect the cable behind the control head to stop the beeping!

Many thanks

--
Dean Gillies
SV Stella *****,  Amel 54-154