FAQs: Beacons in General - Battery
How do I know when the battery is due for replacement?
It depends which unit you have, but there is a battery expiration date label on every PLB or EPIRB. Look for “battery needs to be replaced if used or by date shown” on the body of the unit.
Can I buy a battery from you and replace it myself?
No. An EPIRB and a PLB must have their batteries replaced by an authorized service center.
The battery of any EPIRB needs to be replaced by an ACR Certified Battery Replacement Center (BRC), where trained technicians will perform this service. The battery cannot be purchased. This is a life saving device and you need to have the tools, hardware and software to perform a battery replacement. Full functional testing is done on the unit, after the battery is replaced, to make sure that the unit will last another 5 years in the field.
Click here for the location of a service center near to you:
www.acrelectronics.com/brcloc/default.htm
What will happen if I do not replace the battery every five years?
The chances of surviving a life threatening situation is greatly diminished if proper care and maintenance is not given to a beacon.
Do I have to replace the battery if the beacon goes off by mistake and why?
Yes, as this is a lifesaving device it should be diligently maintained to perform as specified. For this unit to transmit for the full 24 or 48 hours it will need a new battery as any inadvertent activation will deplete the existing battery.
Why must I replace the beacon’s battery at 5 years when it has an 11 year lifetime?
The battery does not have an eleven year “useful” life; it has an eleven year SHELF life. Once you install a battery in an EPIRB or PLB, current is being drawn when you self test the unit during the 5 year “replacement” life. There is also a minute current (in the micro amp range) being drained from the battery, in the “rest state” of an EPIRB or PLB , during the full 5 year period of the battery’s stated life. The battery is guaranteed to last the full specified period of 24 or 48 hours if activated in an emergency, any time during the 5 year replacement life. When the “replacement due date” is past, the activation period of an EPIRB will start to decline and cannot be guaranteed any longer.
Where do I dispose of an EPIRB battery?
You cannot buy the battery yourself.
The battery of any EPIRB needs to be replaced by an ACR Certified Battery Replacement Center (BRC), where trained technicians will perform this service. The battery cannot be purchased. This is a life saving device and you need to have the tools, hardware and software to perform a battery replacement. Full functional testing is done on the unit, after the battery is replaced, to make sure that the unit will last another 5 years in the field.
If you follow this link,
www.acrelectronics.com/brcloc/, it will help you to find the location of a service center nearest to you.