Dead EPIRB Battery

[Four Suns]

I have an ACR EPIRB I bought back in 2003 and had the thing serviced (battery replaced) a few years ago... can't exactly remember the year. The new replace battery date on the thing after being serviced is 3/2012 so the thing needs a new battery. What I found surprising is the test button doesn't work... Looks like the battery is completely dead! Surely there is more of a safety factor in these things than 1 week. Glad my boat didn't sink in Feb 2012 or I would have about 3 seconds of EPIRB time left in the thing.

I'm thinking about getting a new one instead of having the thing serviced again. If I remember, the service wasn't much cheaper than just buying one...

 

[Turtlesboat]

The battery is like 90% of the cost. just buy a new one and sell the old one on Ebay as "Works perfectly, only needs a battery"

 

[Four Suns]

Perfect.

 

[Nehalennia]

Shortest thread ever.

 

[LTD.330]

Could the unit have been activated for a period of time?

Barring inadvertent usage of the EPRIB and if you have decided to get a new unit, I sure as hell would pop open the old unit and examine the battery. The replacement guidelines are fairly conservative in terms of battery life. My guess is the battery either wasn't replaced or it was replaced with an old battery.

 

[Four Suns]

It's a manual activation unit so it wasn't activated. A fairly reputable shop did the service (Vane Brothers)... The flip up switch has some corrosion on it... it might be that. The thing lives in a holder in the cockpit when we are underway so it gets pretty salty. I assume the thing was built for that environment.

 

[Four Suns]

Now this is interesting:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=epirb battery&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CIQBEBYwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usmsa.org%2Frecall%2Falert_epirb_batteries.pdf&ei=BYyDT5jDCcaA2wW58qTxBg&usg=AFQjCNHqtWY5AGx9jAdS0sN1jzF-9fo1eg&cad=rja

Wonder if that is what happened to me? It looks like I had some water in this top cap as well....

 

[mistercomputerman]

The same folks are servicing my liferaft. As a matter of fact, they called me to pick it up.

Do you think I ought to pull the ripcord in their lobby to test it?

Are they authorized dealers for that make/model EPIRB?

 

[Four Suns]

Are they authorized dealers for that make/model EPIRB?

They said they were... hell... they do this stuff for most of the commercial/government fleet in this area.

 

[mistercomputerman]

From ACR website:

 

[Four Suns]

Great...

Got anymore good news there buddy?

 

[mistercomputerman]

Great...

Got anymore good news there buddy?

 

[SR400DB]

I just had my 05 ACR Epirb serviced here:

http://www.satellitephonestore.com/repairs/epirb/battery-replacement-center

I did not call to question, but the bill was $205 for my model (they quote $285 online), certainly less than the replacement cost. Mine is also a manual unit, but I did not test it prior to sending it in so I am unsure if it was working or not.