EPIRB Battery

[CSY Man]

Okay and thanks Hellosailor and all.

In that case I shall proceed with the installation and GPS wireing.
The wire run will be only 6 feet or so, but yeah, good point on heavier gauge wire.

[hellosailor]

Wotname, if the "expiration" date was the 5-year date, I fully agree with you. I was thinking the "expiration" was the 10-year anniversary, not just the halfway point.

I just don't trust ACR any more, I've seen or heard of one too many recalls or defects with their name attached to it. I think I'd rather stick a satphone in my bag and if thw worst happens, call the USCG to discuss the matter. (At least I can TEST a satphone regularly without the need for an RFI casket at a special facility.)

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I just don't trust ACR any more, I've seen or heard of one too many recalls or defects with their name attached to it.

Could you detail these - my own 406 EPIRB is an ACR one (due to be scrapped in 2011) and they are also the ones that clients I have worked for generally prefer to have specified for new builds, so I have a vested interest.

The only significant problem I have been aware of was to do with mechanical failures of antennas (quite some years ago now) so seems I may have been missing something important and I would appreciate knowing what?

Thanks

[hellosailor]

Midland-
My memory isn't that sharp. IIRC the first one involved some EPIRBs where the confidence light would come on--but the transmitter actually wasn't powering up. It is little things like that which really make me wonder what this world has come to.

http://www.amsea.org/pdf/v18n3.pdf Here's one from 2003 that's an 'alert' not a recall--not that it makes a difference to me, they're saying the units can fail.

And SSCA Discussion Board :: View topic - ACR Electronics "Useful Life" Policy a discussion which mentions ACR has some issues with internal stress cracks that they expect in some units--which will make them flunk a service call.

But I've heard of other incidents over the past many years, I don't know how much work it would take to dig them up. ACR apparently doesn't keep a list of recalls 9excuse me, recalls, alerts, and known issues) on their web site. Maybe the USCG or the Consumer Product Safety Commission might. Dunno.

I just try to keep mental tally of "Oh, THEM AGAIN?" for better or worse when vendor names are brought up. You know, like "Chinese toxic lead paint in toys" and "Chinese toxic additive in pet food gluten" and "Chinese toxic glycol in toothpaste". The details don't matter to me, the bottom line is "Chinese is less safe" period.

ACR? I'm sure I've heard of at least 3 problem runs, counting the two above. I could only ignore that if I'd also heard of an agressive contact/recall/replacement program that included free replacement to all the inconvenienced users. (Didn't happen.)

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Wotname, if the "expiration" date was the 5-year date, I fully agree with you. I was thinking the "expiration" was the 10-year anniversary, not just the halfway point.

That explains our "different"opinions - therefore I think we are of the same opinion which is: Should be OK up to the the date the manufacurer states (battery service date), expect decreasing performace after date and hardly any performace by the 10 year date.
Thanks for the feedback.