E.P.I.R.B.s
As well as getting Ti Gitu ready for the summer sailing, I also
checked our E.P.I.R.B.s which needed the batteries replacing.
We have two epirbs. A Jotron Tron 1E which is not monitored
by satellites any more but its signal will be picked up by aeroplanes so as we
have one it seems worth putting new batteries in. The other is an ACR 406 satellite
EPIRB.
We asked the local service agents who muttered about them
being old and did the sharp intake of
breath saying they would see if parts were available etc. etc. Then I
checked the price for a service by the manufacturer and I did a sharp intake of breath.
What a rip off!!! First if the epirb is more than a few
years old many manufacturers will refuse to service it, which also means that
the agents won’t service them either. They say that you should buy a new one. Then
the cost of a service is astronomic, which they try to justify by saying how
expensive the batteries are and that the unit will be tested.
These units have a self test so what else do they do? Some
manufacturers say that they test them in a shielded box to ensure transmission,
but I bet the little local agent doesn’t. I couldn’t find the batteries in the UK so
I looked on www.aliexpress.com where you can search Chinese companies.
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I found the battery for the ACR for £101.00 plus delivery
which was £35.00. I ordered it and it arrived from China within a few days. Very
impressive service. For the Jotron the batteries couldn’t be found but examining
them I found that they are ‘C’ size lithium batteries with a tag attached to
each end to enable soldering the wires onto. Two of these cost £35.00 including
delivery. So we now have renewed the batteries in both for a sensible price.
These are all lithium batteries which apparently have a very
low self discharge rate, quoted as 1% a year. On epirb’s it says that the
battery should be changes every 4 or 5 years but with them reputedly only
discharging 10% in 10 years I can see why even very old epirb’s still test OK when
the test button is pressed.
I will be putting this on my information website which can
be found at
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