Battery Expiration in Rescue Beacons

[sy_gilana]

Dockhead, you can change your own batteries, its easy. You can buy lithium (Military spec) batteries online. Just search a bit online. You get what you pay for. Try this link..
Spezial-Batterien (Lithium) - im Conrad Online Shop günstig kaufen

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

No, I'm afraid that's not the case. The issue is not expiration, or any kind of sudden failure. The problem is that, as the battery ages, it's available charge/power drops. That means that, in an emergency, the functional lifetime drops.

So they set the 5 year limit to give you a reasonable lifetime in an emergency. I think it is about half the time you get when new. Every year after that, it drops further.

Definitely send it in after 5 years and get a new battery. My PLB is going in this year.

The problem with that is that if I have to send it in in 2 1/2 years, the cost of ownership is as someone above calculated -- not worth it, compared to the MOB1 for seven years at $300.

The specification calls for it to work for at least 24 hours. I guess that it will be within spec during the official battery lifetime. So if what you're saying is true -- the operating time drops gradually after you exceed the standard battery life -- then that's not really a problem. Can't imagine needing this to work for more than three or four hours anyway -- you wouldn't survive longer than that up here in any case. So using it for five years from now would be ok, in which case, it makes economic sense to keep it.

[boatman61]

Sorry.. dense Luddite aflip Remark..
Now I'll proceed to bore the crap outa ya's with my insanity..
I don't mean Spot as is exactly.. but the principle is there.. link the AIS facility with the SPOT technology and with a basic reciever fitted and the appropriate program one could have world wide coverage on a page or zero in to your particular patch..
Each vessel is transmitting its data be it AIS via radio or SPOT to a satalite.. at the moment, I believe.. once a vessel is over xoonm offshore its invisible to the network..
Another bonus to the tie up is if someone hits the MayDay all vessels recieve it and those nearest can alter course to assist before time is wasted waiting for shorebased decisions possibly 1000's of miles away..
But as I said.. maybe rigging little sets with basic data transcievers to feed a program and data relay facilities are already in the Sat.. I can't imagine the 'space' required would amout to much..
But this is sci-fi to me...

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Sorry.. dense Luddite aflip Remark..
Now I'll proceed to bore the crap outa ya's with my insanity..
I don't mean Spot as is exactly.. but the principle is there.. link the AIS facility with the SPOT technology and with a basic reciever fitted and the appropriate program one could have world wide coverage on a page or zero in to your particular patch..
Each vessel is transmitting its data be it AIS via radio or SPOT to a satalite.. at the moment, I believe.. once a vessel is over xoonm offshore its invisible to the network..
Another bonus to the tie up is if someone hits the MayDay all vessels recieve it and those nearest can alter course to assist before time is wasted waiting for shorebased decisions possibly 1000's of miles away..
But as I said.. maybe rigging little sets with basic data transcievers to feed a program and data relay facilities are already in the Sat.. I can't imagine the 'space' required would amout to much..
But this is sci-fi to me...

There already seems to be "satellite AIS" that is available on sites like Satellite AIS for vessel tracking - AIS Marine Traffic I assume it works by satellites receiving the Class A VHF transmission. I don't know if class B would be picked up.

[RaymondR]

No, I'm afraid that's not the case. The issue is not expiration, or any kind of sudden failure. The problem is that, as the battery ages, it's available charge/power drops. That means that, in an emergency, the functional lifetime drops.

I think I read somewhere that at expiration the batteries still retain 80% of their original capacity.

I generally just buy a new EPIRB rather than have the batteries replaced however I have purchased batteries and replaced them in one of the superseded units which I then kept in my dingy however this can be a risky business as government "revenuers" can then issue an infringement notice for having an "expired" EPIRB aboard the vessel even though you may have a second unexpired unit aboard. Such is the sad state of regulation in the State of Queensland in Australia.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

The problem with that is that if I have to send it in in 2 1/2 years, the cost of ownership is as someone above calculated -- not worth it, compared to the MOB1 for seven years at $300.

MOB1 gives a different service than EPIRB.
MOB1 being AIS (VHF frequency) serves for locating an overboard crew in the vicinity of the vessel. (basically an AIS PLB)
EPIRB being satellite coms unit gives a worldwide SAR alert for a ship in trouble. (GPS PLB will give worldwide alert for crew overboard)
So, you may want to choose one or the other not only according to price but by intended uses/benefits as well.

Another thing - the older units were considered as HAZMAT for shipping purposes, making them costly to ship for battery replacement.
Modern units are considered hazard free and the battery is can be replaced by the user. I believe you may find the info regarding your unit online.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by meirriba

MOB1 gives a different service than EPIRB.
MOB1 being AIS (VHF frequency) serves for locating an overboard crew in the vicinity of the vessel. (basically an AIS PLB)
EPIRB being satellite coms unit gives a worldwide SAR alert for a ship in trouble. (GPS PLB will give worldwide alert for crew overboard)
So, you may want to choose one or the other not only according to price but by intended uses/benefits as well.

I have had a PLB for a few years now. An ACR ResQLink which is lanyarded into my lifejacket. I don't carry an EPIRB because these days I am never more than a couple days from land and so within reach of helicopter rescue services, so don't need the multi-day operation ability of a full EPIRB. Moreover, around here, a distress call on VHF DSC will be the primary means of distress signalling, anyway.

This device is specifically for the nightmare case of MOB in these cold and stormy waters. You can't receive the signal from a PLB on board in order to locate a MOB victim. So this device fulfills a different function. A PLB might get you rescued here, in time -- the SAR services of France and the UK are incredibly efficient. But in case of MOB, Plan "A" is to recover the victim ourselves. For that, an AIS MOB beacon is the killer app.

[highseas]

In Canada it was quoted at $300. for new battery in my ACR PLB.Same price for brand new floating ACR,now I have 2.I think if you check the power output between PLB and Delorme or SPOT,you will find the PLB to have more watts.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by meirriba

MOB1 gives a different service than EPIRB.
MOB1 being AIS (VHF frequency) serves for locating an overboard crew in the vicinity of the vessel. (basically an AIS PLB)

Bingo! For a minute reading this thread I thought there were two completely different conversations going on. AIS MOB and EPRIB are totally different things for completely different purposes.

Dockhead, I would not worry about the battery life. In cold waters you aren't going to last 24 hours anyway. Test the battery once per year or as indicated in the users manual. If you do fall in and the AIS MOB saves your life put it on your trophy mantle and buy a new one.

If you should cruise to warm waters then I would give a different answer than above.