You should be able to change your own battery!
An Epirb, Emergency, Position Indicating Radio Beacon, is one of those devices that almost all offshore sailors carry. When activated, it allows mariners in distress to let the Coast Guard know that they are in trouble, and where they are. It was way back in October 2009 that I first learned the ugly truth about these already somewhat expensive safety devices: the batteries, which are typically only rated to last 5 years, must be replaced by a “certified technician.” This means that, no matter where you are in the world, if you want it to remain “in service,” the unit must be shipped back to a dealer to have a new battery put in. In some places, even here in Grenada for example, that is not always easy, or inexpensive. I also noted that the batteries can cost almost half the price of a brand new unit, or perhaps more!
I’m sorry but if you can sail a boat around the world, fixing your engine, pumps, electronics, etc., you should at least have the option of changing your own battery! Seriously… how hard could it be? So, seeing as we need to purchase a new Epirb, today’s question is, what manufacturer sells a device that offers that as an option? I had heard that the guys who manufacture this one allow it but after visiting their site, I’m not so sure. I emailed them this morning to check so I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
While, in principle, I agree with the notion that batteries should be user-serviceable, I understand the reasons why they are not in this case. It has, BTW, nothing at all to do with the battery, and everything to do with testing, and the reduction of false alerts, which are very costly and could even be life-threatening. Since true functional testing can not be done by an end-user (it requires a laboratory with a Faraday cage and a satellite simulator), regulatory authorities mandate that EPIRBs be serviced and tested by such a laboratory on a regular basis. Manufacturers set the battery lifetime to be coincident with the mandated testing schedule — since you have to send the EPIRB in for testing and re-certification, the battery might as well be changed at the same time.
I understand the argument that cruisers are often in far-away places with limited access to certified testers. But the simple counterargument to this is to have it done when it’s convenient, rather than wait until the actual expiry when you might be in a remote place. Yes, this means that you’ll be doing it more often (and thus spending more money) than the published schedule would lead you to believe. But the same thing is true of life rafts, inflatable vests, CO detectors, flares, and a litany of other items that have limited service lives that might end while you are in the middle of nowhere. It is one of the costs of full-time cruising that weekend or seasonal boaters don’t have.
JMO and FWIW.
We also learned the hard way that our unit can NOT be serviced after so many years. So check with them about this and have it serviced just before that date. That way you can get a few more years out of it.
Also be aware of this if you are purchasing a used one.
Safety Alert SA1 EPIRB ?
10 year replacement is better than 5!
http://kti.com.au/epirbs/safety-alert-sa1g/
We bought a 2nd EPIRB when our 1st one reached the 5 year point. We’ll get the 1st one serviced in NZ where there is a dealer to support ACER. Its the way it is Mike. We’ve actually met some cruisers in the South Pacific who don’t even have an EPIRB, but its a big risk.
Risk management is the name of the game!
Many years ago a friend of mine worked where they serviced EPIRBs. I was able to watch them replace my battery. It is like Sean mentioned, they are actually inspecting and testing the unit, while it is open, they replace the battery.
The whole workshop was inside a Faraday’s cage so if the EPIRB is accidently triggered during the inspection, the signal goes nowhere.
They test the unit twice, first time with the existing battery, they wont replace the battery if the unit is faulty. If it works then they open, inspect, and the battery is replaced. It is reassembled, water ingress tested, and then signal tested again. If all good, it is handed back (with the bill).
If the unit failed the initial test, it is opened, tested using a power source, if it fails again then they pronounced it DOA. At that test lab they didn’t try and repair the componentry. They did sell new ones 🙂
Obviously more involved that I suspected. I heard the same thing from several people on our Facebook page. I still feel that with today’s technology, a system of self-testing could be designed, perhaps using bluetooth and the internet, that could make the units much more user serviceable. The sceptic in me says that because that would reduce profits, it won’t likely happen.
I completely agree with you Mike and totally disagree with my name sake above…..This is 2015, gps and other satelite technology are not new to any of us. The makes of these devices can certainly engineer a device that is not only easy to change the batteries, but perform accurate self test/diagnostics once done. They do it for the computer industry in the form of UPS devices, they should be able to do it for EPIRBS. This smells a lot more of a money grab than anything else.
My thoughts exactly.
I think all EPIRB manufacturers are running a business and it has to be great business too see a good percentage of your product you sell come back to get serviced every year.
Not much motivation to change.