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Necessity is the mother of invention, and that's how these products ended up being available.

Lofrans Iris II Chain Counter - Replacement Buttons Membrane

It seems that the Up, Down and Power Buttons on this chain counter fail after about 2 1/2 years of regular use. It is expected that the control unit itself will last for decades and replacing the entire chain counter because the flexible buttons have failed is not palatable at a $350 cost.

If your buttons have started to develop cracks, you need to replace them as this will allow water to enter into the control board, severely shortening its life. Fortunately, I sell an upgraded button membrane to fix your chain counter!

They cost $15 + shipping and take about 15 minutes to install (once the chain counter is removed from your helm).

Before:

Original buttons after 2 years of use. Severe failure in "down" and cracks on backside of "up "and "power". This occurred even though the display was covered unless we were actively sailing!

The improved re-design:

Redesigned button assembly with positive retention into case.


Image showing CAD Design

Repair Steps:

  1. Remove the unit from your boat - Instructions will vary by installation, but there are typically four screws which must be removed from the backside of your helm.
  2. Remove the 4 screws that hold together the chain counter

  3. Remove the rear cover

  4. Remove the control board - Be sure to keep it dry and protect the LCD screen from damage
  5. Remove the button material from the hard plastic. It should come off relatively easily. Be very careful to not damage the clear window in the housing.

  6. Remove as much residue from the original buttons as possible. Since gluing should not be required, the back surface does not have to be perfectly clean.

  7. Take the new button assembly and push it into the housing.
    Start with one of the end buttons and press the top of the button into the top of the opening.


  8. Using your thumbs, apply pressure right at the edge of the opening in the back side of the button assembly
    DO NOT Press on the long button actuator part of the button membrane! 

  9. Repeat this process for the middle button
  10. Repeat this process for the last button

  11. OPTIONAL AND NOT SUGGESTED: If you expect your chain counter to be subjected to very strong water pressure (more than garden hose pressure), you can use "water-thin" cyno-acrylate glue ("super-glue") and apply it very carefully and sparsely at the interface between the button membrane and the housing and let it wick under. Use a toothpick to press the membrane into the housing to secure the bond.
    This is NOT recommended as the fit is very tight and there is more chance of having this very thin glue spread and cause discoloration/damage to your housing. 
    Damage that results from gluing is NOT covered by warranty and again gluing is not recommended.
  12. Clean the surface of the LCD and the backside of the clear window of the housing with a dry, soft cloth.
  13. Reassemble the chain counter by reversing the dis-assembly steps.
  14. Verify that you feel the switch "clicking" when you depress each button.
  15. Re-install the chain counter into your boat.
  16. Congrats, you are done!

Warranty and Disclaimers

This product is not associated with or endorsed by Lofrans.
It is very likely that replacing the factory membrane with this replacement membrane will void your 2 year Lofrans warranty. It is strongly suggested that you go through the Lofrans warranty process if you are still within "2 years from purchase".
On A New Tack, LLC warranties that this product is free from defects, fits within the IRIS II housing and will not fail for a period of 2 years.
All risks associated with installing this product into the IRIS II housing are born by the user. On A New Tack, LLC will not be liable for damage to the housing, damage to the vessel, damage to the replacement membrane or personal injury.
If the product fails within the warranty period, a new unit will be provided free of charge - shipping excluded.

How to Order

We live on our sailboat, so shipping can be tricky.  The best bet is to reach out by email  mike@onanewtack.com and we can discuss locations and figure out options. This should be a quick process.

At present I am only offering this product in black TPU (95A durometer). To me as the designer, the feel of this material is perfect. I fully expect this to last 5 years or more, but only time will tell.  If there is enough demand for grey buttons, I can investigate offering this, however getting raw material can be challenging as we live on our sailboat and are travelling the world.

Please reach out with any questions!

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