DIY ACR EPIRB Battery replacement
- Thread starter mz4wheeler
- Start date
There may be some sort of legal dispute between your family and another entity as to the cause of your death. The self made man approach to servicing the equipment in question may put your family at a disadvantage in that litigious affair.
I apologize for the "lecture" in advance.
I find this thread an interesting example of how a bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. On one hand I admire the OP's and others willingness to DIY a seemingly simple task. Be aware that this is not simple, and as a dealer for all of the major Epirb brands as well as a certified service center for them as well, I have seen it all, and heard it all when it comes to EPIRBS among other things. DO NOT DO THIS PROCEDURE ON YOUR OWN!
"My response is that ACR must be making a huge profit selling these cheap battery packs to ACR reps" You will have to trust me on this one, ACR nor the dealers are making a huge profit on the batteries, though we do ensure compliance and you can be sure your life saving device will work when needed.
A few years ago I was asked to crew in the delivery of a well found vessel for a friend of a friend, I accepted and asked the owner if it was okay to run through his safety equipment and review emergency procedures a few days prior to leaving. The first thing I looked at was the EPIRB and his ditch bag. My inspection of the EPIRB revealed that a serious and critical test had not been performed due the owner replacing the batteries himself.
If you look at the picture you can see one of the screws has a bit of blue lacquer on it. This is the last screw that is installed after pressure testing the unit to 7 psi. Well his unit did not have that bit of blue on it. I walked away, figuring that if he took that shortcut to save a few dollars I wasn't willing to be offshore wondering what else he had saved a few dollars on, even though I have my own personal EPIRB.
The EPIRB from that vessel was tested months later after the delivery and failed the pressure test BTW, as the owner had misaligned the o-ring/gasket after replacing the battery. As a dealer/service center we send a report of all the units that we service. If we receive a unit that has been opened by an owner or tampered with we won't work on it.
Do what you want with your equipment just don't ask me to sail with you......
I find this thread an interesting example of how a bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. On one hand I admire the OP's and others willingness to DIY a seemingly simple task. Be aware that this is not simple, and as a dealer for all of the major Epirb brands as well as a certified service center for them as well, I have seen it all, and heard it all when it comes to EPIRBS among other things. DO NOT DO THIS PROCEDURE ON YOUR OWN!
"My response is that ACR must be making a huge profit selling these cheap battery packs to ACR reps" You will have to trust me on this one, ACR nor the dealers are making a huge profit on the batteries, though we do ensure compliance and you can be sure your life saving device will work when needed.
A few years ago I was asked to crew in the delivery of a well found vessel for a friend of a friend, I accepted and asked the owner if it was okay to run through his safety equipment and review emergency procedures a few days prior to leaving. The first thing I looked at was the EPIRB and his ditch bag. My inspection of the EPIRB revealed that a serious and critical test had not been performed due the owner replacing the batteries himself.
If you look at the picture you can see one of the screws has a bit of blue lacquer on it. This is the last screw that is installed after pressure testing the unit to 7 psi. Well his unit did not have that bit of blue on it. I walked away, figuring that if he took that shortcut to save a few dollars I wasn't willing to be offshore wondering what else he had saved a few dollars on, even though I have my own personal EPIRB.
The EPIRB from that vessel was tested months later after the delivery and failed the pressure test BTW, as the owner had misaligned the o-ring/gasket after replacing the battery. As a dealer/service center we send a report of all the units that we service. If we receive a unit that has been opened by an owner or tampered with we won't work on it.
Do what you want with your equipment just don't ask me to sail with you......
