ACR EPIRB 406 battery

[divert00]

Anyone found a source for ACR EPIRB lithium batteries? Service Center quoted me $350 + shipping. I opened unit and it doesn't look like anything special.

[Genesis]

They want a crazy amount of money for those things.

Mine is due to service next year, and you can bet I'm going to do everything ni my power to avoid returning it to them and/or paying them for the battery.

Unfortunately I've not yet had to open it up, so I'm not sure exactly what's in there.

[Akyla]

I did my acr 406 epirb last year at a place in Annapolis for about 250. I agree it is a crazy amount for a battery, but somethings even I don't skimp on. I even pay to repack the life raft...
The place I used was USA services. They do alot of safety gear on commercial ships and the like. www.usaservices.com Been treating me OK dealt with a guy named Dave Abt.

[Genesis]

A battery is a battery. If it has the correct AH and voltage rating, then you're set.

The self-test on the unit will verify that its working. Check it once in a while.

BTW, the ACTUAL useful life on those batteries is specified as TEN years, not five. The 5-year "window" is to cover both extreme conditions and the manufacturer's azz, and no doubt to make a profit too.

I don't skimp on safety gear either, but I bet I care much more about my EPIRB working than ANY shop monkey does. After all, he's not going to come take my place and die for me if HE screws up.

(I feel the same way about my dive equipment and boat's engines, which is why NOBODY other than me does any work on either. Too many bad experiences with both to trust anyone other than myself....)

[Banshee36]

I had one of those and I took it apart. Just a battery and a piece of lead to keep it up right in the water. I just bought a newer more accurate one, not the gps one. I Bought the Pain Weesex man release for about $500.00.
The forum member who uses USA services, beware, I had serious problems wiith a liferaft the were going to re-cert for me. After the horrendous quote to fix it. I took it to Vane Brothers in Bawltimore. ZLow and behold USA did not pack it right and water got in the cannister!!! The firing mechanism on the bottle froze up and would not have worked it I needed it.
This happened 3 years ago. Vane brothers could probably do the batteries in the epribs as well.

Just my two cents worth.
JW