EPIRB Life

[JumbleDuck]

My boat came with an EPIRB (by ACR, I think). It is therefore at least six years old and probably eight. A couple of weeks ago I gave it its annual check, and with the operating lever it produced all the flashes and beeps it's meant to.

Does this mean that it's fully healthy, or could it have a struggling battery which can run through the self-test procedure but wouldn't operate the device for any length of time? In short, do ACR (probably) EPIRB self-tests check out the battery state or only the circuitry?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Some good information here which might help. It appears that the batteries hold their charge well but then don't, rather than a slow decline. Assuming your device has the same type of batteries then you are at risk of it not working anytime after 6 years old.

http://www.sartech.co.uk/products/servicing/epirbservicingfaqs

Can I leave it for a year or two?

EPIRB batteries gradually lose their stored energy over time. A small amount is lost every time the TEST button is pressed, however the biggest loss is through "self-discharge". You will be familiar with this effect if you pick up a torch which has been left in a drawer for a year or more. Most likely it will be very weak or completely dead. Lithium batteries hold their power very well, but give no warning of their impending demise. Unlike alkaline batteries used in torches, their voltage drops off very rapidly at the end of life, so that they will deliver full power (and pass the self-test) right up to the last few minutes. So pressing the TEST button can give no indication of the remaining capacity.


Up until the expiry date marked on the EPIRB, then you can be very confident that there is sufficient capcity remaining in the battery to power the EPIRB for 48 hours at -20degC. However even this period is no more than an estimate, as the battery self-discharge is highly temperature dependent. An EPIRB which spends a lot of its time at 30 degC will lose capacity twice as fast as one kept at 20 degC. At 40 degC, the self-discharge doubles again.


So in conclusion, if your EPIRB is kept in a warm climate, you should certainly make sure it is serviced before the expiry date is reached. In a cool climate, there is less of a worry, and you can get the job done at the next convenient time - e.g. during the winter season. But don't leave it too long, or you might find that more time has passed than you thought, and you will regret it once you are in that life raft!

 

[William_H]

Surely OPs EPIRB or battery has an expiry date somewhere on it. If it has rubbed off or can't be found it would be best to replace the battery. olewill

 

[TQA]

The batteries are available on EBAY for my ACR the set of three cost about 25 squid. Changing them requires a bit of soldering and a screwdriver.. Less than an hours work.

I my position partially due to location the cost of getting it done by a service center, getting it to them and back plus duty is close to the cost of a new one. I put the saving towards a new PLB.



















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[charles_reed]

I had an ACR 406 EPIRB, new in April 2000.
In 2006, at vast expense, in Marsielle, I had the battery changed, by the official agent.
In 2014, having been told that re-batterying would cost more than a new GPS assisted PIRB, I replaced it.
This April 2016 I ditched the old unit, (with the Port Police) only to have the CG contact my next of kin, within 24 hours - because the unit had sent a distress call (from exactly the correct locus).
The ACR unit had a stated battery life of 5 years, clearly printed on the unit - on both occasions it registered as faulty when tested.
Oh!! For the last 10 years it's been in the Med, where summer temperatures approach 40C.
Which just goes to show that self-professed experts are similar to monkeys up a tree...

IMHO The development in sophistication and reduction in cost makes re-batterying an EPIRB uneconomic.

 

[rogerthebodger]

One of the problems with battery power items like EPIRBS where the battery is mostly on standby and not powering the unit is that the manufactures need to give a shelf life and with new battery technology that has no long term live tests, the self like can only be an estimate and would tend to be a conservative estimate so we must replace batteries in EPIRBS before the real shelf has exceeded.

My first EPIRB had a replacement life of 5 years,My replacement had a life of 6 years ,I see now there are EPIRBS with battery replacement like of 10 years. This reflects the real life experience gained by the manufactures but this is never changed for older units even when the battery technology has not changed. It is of cause in the interests of the manufactures to keep the replacement time the same and cost highish so as to create an increased market either for battery replacement of replacement with a new EPIRB.

I has the situation with the agent wishing to sell me a new EPIRB at a discounted price but still higher than the battery replacement cost which I declined as there was no advantage (increase in battery life) of the newly replaced EPIRB.

I consider it is possible for a competent person to replace the batteries as has been done by several members of even a specialized battery replacement centre as I have used with battery drill and HH VHF radios in the past.