strath 2 Posted November 23, 2020 Report Share Posted November 23, 2020 As new, never been wet or used in anger. It amazes me in this day and age to be told it is uneconomical to replace the battery. Why? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 327 Posted November 23, 2020 Report Share Posted November 23, 2020 because they charge more to replace the battery pack, seals and test in nz than it costs to buy a new epirb i think a friend paid $550? to get his old batteries replaced and i don't think the epirb even has a gps chip, he was annoyed when he went to pick it up and they sort of said they shouldn't have done the work without telling him it would cost more than buying a new and better(gps) unit some people do a diy battery replacement but you wouldn't bother if it wasn't a gps epirb http://battery.com.sg/our-products/3990-gme-mt401-mt403-epirb-battery.html https://www.marinepanservice.com/accessorio/mt403svc what GME has to say about battery replacement https://www.gme.net.au/us/news/warning-unauthorised-battery-replacements-on-epirbs/ when its time for my gme mt410 will be opening as these kayakers have and may now ziplock mine in the pdf pocket if the sealing is suspect https://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com/2010/08/plb-problem-and-modification.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CarpeDiem 21 Posted November 24, 2020 Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 2 hours ago, strath said: As new, never been wet or used in anger. It amazes me in this day and age to be told it is uneconomical to replace the battery. Why? That's pretty bad of them, it sends the wrong message. They should be promoting that this unit is old technology, that there are much better solutions AND that a certified battery change will cost the same as a new and better unit. FYI, the MT403 doesn't have a GNSS (aka GPS) receiver. Also, a large number of MT403's were recalled due to a design fault. If you're not going off shore, or need Cat 1/2 then you might consider a PLB instead of a EPIRB. All of our crew have PLBs in their life jackets. We don't have a boat EPIRB. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 595 Posted November 24, 2020 Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 I was told $250 to replace the battery on my $500 PLB. You can get PLB's with 7 yr battery life now for $450 if you shop around (or watch for specials). McMurdo I think the brand is that do 7 yrs. The main difference is a PLB doesn't float upright by itself, an EPIRB does. With the type of sailing I do, a PLB worn on the person is far more valuable. I probably shouldn't mention this bit, but the battery needs to last 48 hrs. If you aren't racing, I'm sure you can use an out of date unit for a while. Its still going to give a signal, just 6 hrs say, instead of 48 hrs. (I'm only doing Coastal / Gulf cruising) anything longer and I'd just get a new unit. But I'd replace your unit if it's not GPS enabled. That bit is a no brainer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
erice 327 Posted November 24, 2020 Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 afaik there are 3 differences design differences that differentiate between plb + epirb 1. epirb must float antenna up..........so is 2x? as large as plb to contain sufficient air volume....my gme mt410 is still pocket-able which is great as it can be carried in a lifejacket pocket or any jacket pocket when taken on land beyond phone coverage 2. epirb must have 48hrs battery life on continuous transmit, plb 24hrs 3. epirb must have strobe https://www.gme.net.au/us/news/epirb-vs-plb/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BOIGuy 137 Posted November 24, 2020 Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 https://skippersmate.co.nz/kti-safety-alert-sa2g-nz-406mhz-plb-beacon/ $359 10 year battery, only one that floats, why wouldn't you get one? erice 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Winter 16 Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 I paid $230 for my MT403G battery replacement in 2018. Well below the replacement cost for the same unit. Interestingly the invoice breaks it down to labor and materials, Labor cost $0 Service kit $230 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aardvarkash10 136 Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 best deal I can find at $329 for a brand new epirb with gps, guaranteed 10-year battery life. Its been priced like this since February, so not a sale going on. https://www.jaycar.co.nz/gme-mt600g-marine-epirb-with-gps/p/DC9071 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 595 Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 Keep an eye on what country the EPIRB will be registered in, if you are looking for an internet deal. There are some very cheap name brand units available, but they would be registered in a third country, not NZ Marine Rescue Centre. Two countries I saw were the UK and Au, which aren't too bad. Guatamala might be a problem though. But if you activated it, and you are in a hurry to get rescued, you are adding a layer of logistics and bureaucracy before your signal gets to someone in NZ with the authority to launch a helo for you... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sabre 336 Posted November 26, 2020 Report Share Posted November 26, 2020 3 hours ago, Fish said: Keep an eye on what country the EPIRB will be registered in, if you are looking for an internet deal. There are some very cheap name brand units available, but they would be registered in a third country, not NZ Marine Rescue Centre. Two countries I saw were the UK and Au, which aren't too bad. Guatamala might be a problem though. But if you activated it, and you are in a hurry to get rescued, you are adding a layer of logistics and bureaucracy before your signal gets to someone in NZ with the authority to launch a helo for you... Are they really produced market specific? I would have thought registering the epirb with beacons.org.nz would make where it came from irrelevant? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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