ACR EPIRB - cost to send out for service ?

[Milacron]

In this case ACR Satellite 2, 406 model. apparently made in 1999 with replacement date of 3/2013. Came with boat. Seems to work via suggested LED tests, but battery must be getting long in the tooth by now.

Is battery user changeable if one is savy with electronics and soldering ?

[thoward]

You can change but there is more involved. Buy a new one and keep that one as spare. You going to add a roller furling too?

[Cricket]

You have to be kidding trying to save a couple of $$$$ to change the battery yourself in a 16 year old piece of safety equipment when you and your crew's lives could be on the line. Get a NEW one.

[Milacron]

You have to be kidding trying to save a couple of $$$$ to change the battery yourself in a 16 year old piece of safety equipment when you and your crew's lives could be on the line. Get a NEW one.

In all the boats I looked at for sale, most of which were 53 to 74 foot Hatteras, as far as I recall, the boat I bought is the only one that had one of these at all. So here I am at least paying some attention to the one that happened to come with the boat and get chastised for not buying something new that apparently most motor yacht owners in this size range don't buy in the first place.

Life is about probabilities and for our use of the vessel, the likelihood of ever needing an automatic EPIRB is pretty close to zero. But I figure, if not much investment, what the heck, even at near zero, might as well put in a fresh battery if not too much PITA.

[Milacron]

You can change but there is more involved.

It works perfectly according to the testing LED sequences (although the ultimate test would involve submersion in water). Are you implying that ACR rigged these devices to automatically go into an error mode if DIY battery replacement is attempted ?

[thoward]

Save your money, dock queens do not need epirbs.

[rsmith]

Boats do sink at the dock too!

[Milacron]

Save your money, dock queens do not need epirbs.

That of course falls into the "Well....d'uh.." department. But we don't plan on dock status forever and there might be a few short offshore runs where there is the minuscule possibility one of these might be needed.

I guess the deal is when some of you have no clue as to the answers to the actual questions asked, you grab the low hanging fruit and simply make fun of, or fake offense, that someone would dare ask such questions. Or maybe you guys miss the good old days of Milacron forum fights....who knows...

[Avenger]

I have an old Guest 121.5 MHz EPIRB that I keep in my office as a paperweight, and guess what? I tried it a week ago and it tests good. Battery replace by date is '09.

Do you really think that battery will last for 24 hrs in actual use?

ACR will change it and verify that it works properly. I also think they have service centers that will do it. Lifesaving equipment is not a good place to try to save a buck.

Also, make sure you register it. Otherwise when you actually test those batteries SAR will be calling the previous owner.


On second thought,... forget about registering it. The odds of your needing it are about zero. Bon Voyage.

[Plan B2]

From the manual:

Always refer battery replacement and any other beacon service to a factory authorized Service Center. Find a Center near you at http://www.acrartex.com. Battery replacement includes servicing the beacon by replacing all o-rings, testing the water seal and the electrical properties and doing a full functional test on the unit.

NOTE: There are no user serviceable items inside the beacon. Do not open the beacon except to disable (in case of faulty or accidental activation). Otherwise, always have the beacon serviced.