ACR EPIRB Battery change and reprogramming

[JohnGC]

My new boat came with an ACR EPIRB which needs a new battery and reprogramming.

I have a quote from Ocean Safety; it's quite expensive.

Does anyone have suggestions for alternative services?

Thanks,

John

 

[duncan99210]

Can I ask why you need it reprogramming? UK based EPIRBs don’t need to the MMSI number programmed into them, so unless you’ve got an overseas registered EPRIB, there’s no need to have anything done to it.

New batteries are expensive, almost to the point of it being better to get a new beacon, which will be fitted with longer life batteries. Not come across any cheap companies doing battery changes; you can source the batteries yourself and do the swap, there are a fair number of “how to” videos on YouTube.

 

[Bilgediver]

My new boat came with an ACR EPIRB which needs a new battery and reprogramming.

I have a quote from Ocean Safety; it's quite expensive.

Does anyone have suggestions for alternative services?

Thanks,

John

Under normal circumstances the EPIRB should not need reprogramming as when registering it you provide the details that are shown on the EPIRB. However if the EPIRB was previously registered under a different flag state then you might have a problem.

You are in the right place to get the answer . Falmouth is the home of the UK MRCC who are the authority which deals with EPIRB registration. I have found them very helpful so give them a call.

MRCC Falmouth. 01326 317575

 

[JohnGC]

Thanks.

It's a Netherlands registered EPIRB. The reprogramming cost is £42 and would just be a one-off.

But the cost to replace the batteries and reprogramme is £266. If it's like for like then that will be a 5 year battery.

I can buy a new EPIRB with 10 year batter life for £300

Or I can just stick with the PLBs we have on our life jackets already.

Mmmmm?

 

[rogerthebodger]

Try SARTECH in Redhill Surrey

They reprogrammed mine from UK to South Africa and replaced the battery /tested almost while I waited.

 

[JohnGC]

Try SARTECH in Redhill Surrey

They reprogrammed mine from UK to South Africa and replaced the battery /tested almost while I waited.

Thanks. I'll ask them.

 

[Daydream believer]

I bought a new EPIRB from Sartech rather than hav ethe old one serviced for a third time & they gave a discount for scrapping the old one. I did not send it back, but sent a picture of it stripped beyond repair.

 

[JohnGC]

I've three quotes now;

- Ocean safety £266 drop off and collect.
- Sartech £262 inc delivery.
- De Wolf (Nederlands who serviced it last) £360 ex delivery.

So Sartech are cheapest but with a new equivalent EPIRB coming in at £299.95 ex delivery with a 10 year battery life there doesn't seem much point getting the old one serviced.

Thanks all.

 

[fredrussell]

Hard to believe a battery can cost nearly £300 to replace. If someone could set up a cheap/reasonable battery replacement service for these devices they would make a good living from it I would have thought.

 

[rogerthebodger]

There has been several threads on changing the batteries in EPIRBS.

The issue has been getting the correct battery which must have solder tags and need to soldered together with reed switch and heat shrinking correctly.

 

[lw395]

The right batteries are not cheap, even in the trade.
There is a bewildering variety of vaguely similar batteries
Having the QA systems in place is not cheap.
You want to know the battery is not counterfeit and doesn't have a 'history'!
The testing which should be done when you change a battery involves a high capital cost in test gear.

Personally I don't want to be relying on just any person with a soldering iron for this sort of thing.
When disaster strikes, I'd rather have an EPIRB that's never been fiddled with and isn't older than necessary.
So the cost of a new one every 7 or 10 years doesn't seem high if you are going to be relying on it.
I'm happy not to have an EPIRB for channel sailing, but I don't see much value in a dubious one.

It's like flares and lifejackets, if you want to operate a yacht at that level, you just have to accept that it costs x-amount every n-years.
Generally it seems to be a lot less than people spend on other gadgets and non-essentials.

 

[Daydream believer]

I believe that there are concerns about the quality of transmissions & when one goes to someone like Sartech it is not just battery changing. The test sheet that comes back with the unit suggests a number of transmission tests need to be undertaken as well. When I rang about a new one & the reasons for scrapping the old one, they did explain the rules ( forget what organisation oversee transmissions) & it is quite strict on the test station. They are quite concerned about old units staying in circulation, as it appears false transmissions can cause serious problems