nimbusgb
Active member
We all know that getting the batteries replaced in your EPIRB is a somewhat expensive exercise so I decided to do a bit of investigation.
My EPIRB is past the end of it's battery service life and I am either going to have to have its pack replaced or purchase a PLB.
For my sailing ( Greece and the Channel ) a PLB is probably all I need but I have here a piece of kit that cost nearly £500 5 years ago and it hurts to have it unused. So on the understanding that if it all went pear shaped I'd purchase a PLB I decided to have a poke around and look at battery replacement for my unit.
Before I started the unit passed self test and displayed a battery green condition.
1 - Find an old shipping container ( down at our local building supplies place ) to use as a Faraday cage IN CASE the unit triggers. Close the doors and removed 4 casing screws.
2 - gingerly slide off the bottom casing.
No sign of life from the unit so we're ok to procede.
3 - Investigate power connection from cells to PCB. A simple plug in connection common on PCB's these days.
4 - Disconnect battery from PCB. no trigger from the unit. Initiate self test, unit dead. Reconnect battery still no life, excellent. Disconnect and leave the Faraday cage.
5 - ( After driving home
) Discover that the battery pack simply drops into the bottom casing. It consists of 2 plastic shells held together with fibreglass packing tape. Split tape with knife and open casing to discover 3 Saft batteries.
6 - The internet! Discover that the manufacturers web site and find the specs on the batteries. 2 things about them, they are hazardous goods class 9 ( not good for shipping ) and they have a shelf life of 10 years minimum ( so your 6 month out of date unit is likely to be fine. In fact your 2 or 3 year unit is likely to be fine )
7 - Phone France ( the only phone number I can find for the manufacturer ) and get a UK number. Phone them, they put me on to the UK distributor long story short ..... minimum order of 120 units, £20 EACH! Dead end.
8 - Back on the internet find 3 different US suppliers in a flash. Best price $12.50 each. They have an instant chat facility, wait till they get to work and initiate a chat. Will they ship to the UK? Yes but sorry it'll cost $29. Order 3 batteries. wait 4 days. £44 all in
9 - rebuild battery pack - 1/2 hour soldering. reassemble EPIRB.
10 - self test unit. All OK.
Next I'll send the unit for reprogramming. I don't know if it would need it during a normal change but better safe than sorry. £30.
So for £75 I have re lifed the batteries in my EPIRB and had the programming checked.
Not for everyone I guess and I wouldn't recommend it for someone venturing further afield than coastal sailing but £125 is a fair few beer tokens and will go towards a PLB anyway! In my particular case I'm happy with my decision.
I suspect that PLB's will come down in price anyway now that they have been cleared for use on land.
My EPIRB is past the end of it's battery service life and I am either going to have to have its pack replaced or purchase a PLB.
For my sailing ( Greece and the Channel ) a PLB is probably all I need but I have here a piece of kit that cost nearly £500 5 years ago and it hurts to have it unused. So on the understanding that if it all went pear shaped I'd purchase a PLB I decided to have a poke around and look at battery replacement for my unit.
Before I started the unit passed self test and displayed a battery green condition.
1 - Find an old shipping container ( down at our local building supplies place ) to use as a Faraday cage IN CASE the unit triggers. Close the doors and removed 4 casing screws.
2 - gingerly slide off the bottom casing.
No sign of life from the unit so we're ok to procede.
3 - Investigate power connection from cells to PCB. A simple plug in connection common on PCB's these days.
4 - Disconnect battery from PCB. no trigger from the unit. Initiate self test, unit dead. Reconnect battery still no life, excellent. Disconnect and leave the Faraday cage.
5 - ( After driving home
) Discover that the battery pack simply drops into the bottom casing. It consists of 2 plastic shells held together with fibreglass packing tape. Split tape with knife and open casing to discover 3 Saft batteries.6 - The internet! Discover that the manufacturers web site and find the specs on the batteries. 2 things about them, they are hazardous goods class 9 ( not good for shipping ) and they have a shelf life of 10 years minimum ( so your 6 month out of date unit is likely to be fine. In fact your 2 or 3 year unit is likely to be fine )
7 - Phone France ( the only phone number I can find for the manufacturer ) and get a UK number. Phone them, they put me on to the UK distributor long story short ..... minimum order of 120 units, £20 EACH! Dead end.
8 - Back on the internet find 3 different US suppliers in a flash. Best price $12.50 each. They have an instant chat facility, wait till they get to work and initiate a chat. Will they ship to the UK? Yes but sorry it'll cost $29. Order 3 batteries. wait 4 days. £44 all in
9 - rebuild battery pack - 1/2 hour soldering. reassemble EPIRB.
10 - self test unit. All OK.
Next I'll send the unit for reprogramming. I don't know if it would need it during a normal change but better safe than sorry. £30.
So for £75 I have re lifed the batteries in my EPIRB and had the programming checked.
Not for everyone I guess and I wouldn't recommend it for someone venturing further afield than coastal sailing but £125 is a fair few beer tokens and will go towards a PLB anyway! In my particular case I'm happy with my decision.
I suspect that PLB's will come down in price anyway now that they have been cleared for use on land.
