Mystery Sensor

[mireland]

I have a white cylinder about 6 inches diameter and about the same in height, attached 6 ft above the deck on my mast. It says VDO Marine on it and has a single wire emerging from its base and disappearing inside the mast.

It is clearly old and I would like to know what it is. Current VDO websites do not show it. I assume it is a sensor of some sort but there are no obvious clues.

Does anyone remember such a thing and if so could they enlighten me as to its purpose on this earth.

Thanks in advance.

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[Rohorn]

Hi...if you put your ear to it, do you hear a muffled ticking sound?
Cheers....R

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[mireland]

Thanks Rohorn. I'll take my stethoscope down tomorrow and prepare to call the bomb squad!

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[jerryat]

Hi Mireland,

It sounds very similar to a remote sensor for a VDO Adis 360 fluxgate compass. Perhaps your boat is steel since the usual (recommended and necessary) place for the sensor to avoid anomalies, was on the mast well away from the hull.

Can't think of any other sensor that would be placed in that position.

Cheers

Jerry

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[tugboat]

As your boat is steel, the position of this item makes it certain to be a fluxgate sensor. Maybe for a compass readout, or could be fed to an autopilot or radar, etc.

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