Does anyone know how many times can a battery in an EPIRB refreshed/replaced? It is a GME unit with the date sort of scratched off it

GME have also changed the replacement policy so after 3 years over date then no replacement
Jusy went and brought a new one from ocean signal.

There's nothing special about an epirb transmitter. It's just a glorified radio transmitter that transmits simple data on a frequency nearly the same as many amateur (hams) use. If it gets its correct power from any source it will work. I myself had no problem taking mine apart and putting fresh batteries in it last year. The epirb companies would have everyone believe the batteries are some how sacred. They aren't.

Haha Trek, I missed your missive because I was busy composing mine

Datawiz said..
This is yet another example of corporations concocting an aura of complexity and insecurity, use by dates and warranty voidance conditions to intimidate users into having only them replace batteries and 'service' equipment at extraordinary prices - and eventually unnecessarily buying a new unit.
The same technique is used for EPIRBS, Liferafts and Lifejackets.
Lydia, you've been conned just like thousands of others.

For myself, I service my own life raft and when necessary, will replace the batteries in my EPIRBs and PLB's.
These operations are not rocket science and can be successfully and reliably done by anyone with the appropriate technical background.

regards,
allan

ive got an old raft that they said they would not service ...... its probably better quality than a new one !!!!! can you tell me more about how you go about service on your life raft ....... i was thinking the only use for it was to do a life raft deploy and use drill with the crew ....

Seebreasy73 said..

Trek said..
There's nothing special about an epirb transmitter. It's just a glorified radio transmitter that transmits simple data on a frequency nearly the same as many amateur (hams) use. If it gets its correct power from any source it will work. I myself had no problem taking mine apart and putting fresh batteries in it last year. The epirb companies would have everyone believe the batteries are some how sacred. They aren't.

I thought your EPIRB has to have an official expiry date on it and doesn't the Police check for it? I am certain I could replace it too, but what about legality? Also, where did you manage to find the replacement battery for it?

You are correct! You cannot service EPIRBS yourself!

The expiry date stamp must be current and will be renewed when serviced by certified centres.

beacons.amsa.gov.au/maintenance/servicing.asp

Datawiz said..
Haha Trek, I missed your missive because I was busy composing mine

We are on the same page Datawiz. There is no law whatsoever forbidding anyone replacing their own epirb batteries. If you want it to comply with some rule or regulation that is different but has nothing to do with it working properly. I can just imagine amsar saying "we won't respond to that distress call because maybe he changed his own batteries"

That organisation is the respective states' parliament. It is an offence under the respective Maritime Acts/Regulations not to have required safety equipment in date and serviced according to manufacturers instructions. Like it or not, that is the law!

www6.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/nsw/consol_reg/msr2016236/s121.html

There is no specific law about changing batteries, but there is the above. The manufacturer will have instructions on who can change batteries, which for GME/KTI that i looked at, says only they can do it.

Who would have the original box after 6 years

I have an ACR top of the line unit on Rhapsody.
When it was due for service l sent it to OLBIS pty. ltd. in Qld, they replaced the battery, serviced the unit and returned it to me for $275.- with an official stamp with the new expiry date on it.
There was no NSW firm servicing ACR Epirbs four years ago l could find.

I am legal, and l don't care about the costs as if it comes to the crunch, l'll be legal, covered from all sides, no matter what.

In my PLB unit the batteries l change myself, them being AA lithium ones. This unit has no official stamp on it.

Certain things, like insurance, Epirbs, PFD's are imperative in my thinking. That means, one has his own arse covered for all possibilities. Physically, legally and otherwise. I think some might say it is prudence, and it is part of good seamanship imo.

Seebreasy73 said..

sirgallivant said..
I have an ACR top of the line unit on Rhapsody.
When it was due for service l sent it to OLBIS pty. ltd. in Qld, they replaced the battery, serviced the unit and returned it to me for $275.- with an official stamp with the new expiry date on it.
There was no NSW firm servicing ACR Epirbs four years ago l could find.

I am legal, and l don't care about the costs as if it comes to the crunch, l'll be legal, covered from all sides, no matter what.

In my PLB unit the batteries l change myself, them being AA lithium ones. This unit has no official stamp on it.

Certain things, like insurance, Epirbs, PFD's are imperative in my thinking. That means, one has his own arse covered for all possibilities. Physically, legally and otherwise. I think some might say it is prudence, and it is part of good seamanship imo.

fair enough, it is just a waste in my mind that a unit that spends it's life unused for 10 years, probably in perfect shape otherwise but the battery, needs to be thrown away. Pity, and pwople complain about why we have so much waste in our oceans!

At a cost of $275, they sort of forcing you to buy a new unit. Cost of battery probably $40 and a line worker's hourly wage @$25, put on 20% service overhead, $78 and Handling and Postage $20, should cost about $100 for the whole thing! Ok, make it $125, even at than cost it would be half the cost thay charged you and a fair price. I have seen BCF periodically selling EPIRBs at under $300, so might just go for that.

It's the rampant greed of the manufacturers that annoys me.
What you do is create a captive market through a combination of:
1) getting a seat on the appropriate Standards Committee and steering the Standard toward your commercial advantage.
2) getting the ear of instrumentalities such as AMSA and Marine authorities and politicians so that your aims are made mandatory.
3) creating an aura of sophisticated and incredibly complex technology around your product such that only you, the manufacturer could possibly service the product, or if it's software make the current version obsolete...
4) through pricing, and possibly collusively, force the customer to purchase a new unit rather that periodically replace expendable components of the product such as batteries, CO2 cylinders in liferafts, flares.......and so on.

So when your done, you've created a milk cow that just keeps on giving - money for jam!

PS: just because everybody does it (Apple, Microsoft, etc, etc) doesn't make it right...

LooseChange said..

Datawiz said..

It's the rampant greed of the manufacturers that annoys me.
What you do is create a captive market through a combination of:
1) getting a seat on the appropriate Standards Committee and steering the Standard toward your commercial advantage.
2) getting the ear of instrumentalities such as AMSA and Marine authorities and politicians so that your aims are made mandatory.
3) creating an aura of sophisticated and incredibly complex technology around your product such that only you, the manufacturer could possibly service the product, or if it's software make the current version obsolete...
4) through pricing, and possibly collusively, force the customer to purchase a new unit rather that periodically replace expendable components of the product such as batteries, CO2 cylinders in liferafts, flares.......and so on.

So when your done, you've created a milk cow that just keeps on giving - money for jam!

PS: just because everybody does it (Apple, Microsoft, etc, etc) doesn't make it right...

You forgot point number 5

5) Any boat traveling more than 2 nautical miles from land must carry an epirb

Forcing you to buy a unit from a monopoly industry

Does it say it has to be functional?

I was just browsing around ebay and came across a KTI EPIRB selling for $259. Any thoughts?

LooseChange said..

Datawiz said..

It's the rampant greed of the manufacturers that annoys me.
What you do is create a captive market through a combination of:
1) getting a seat on the appropriate Standards Committee and steering the Standard toward your commercial advantage.
2) getting the ear of instrumentalities such as AMSA and Marine authorities and politicians so that your aims are made mandatory.
3) creating an aura of sophisticated and incredibly complex technology around your product such that only you, the manufacturer could possibly service the product, or if it's software make the current version obsolete...
4) through pricing, and possibly collusively, force the customer to purchase a new unit rather that periodically replace expendable components of the product such as batteries, CO2 cylinders in liferafts, flares.......and so on.

So when your done, you've created a milk cow that just keeps on giving - money for jam!

PS: just because everybody does it (Apple, Microsoft, etc, etc) doesn't make it right...

You forgot point number 5

5) Any boat traveling more than 2 nautical miles from land must carry an epirb

Forcing you to buy a unit from a monopoly industry

What are you quoting Loosechange?

It's all good, you MUST carry one, so just do so!

Philosophising about an inherently avaricious industry, any legislation, or human greed will not save one's life, while a functional, reliable Epirb or Pfd might.

Stop being an ass. We all spend a fortune on rubbish we seldom use after the first week. Why whinge about a few extra bucks spent on essential safety gear?

After all it is only filthy lucre.