PLB battery replacement
Original post
Does anyone have any recent experience with getting a PLB battery replaced, or investigating it? Where did you go and was it worth it?
A few years back I recall not seeing it available anywhere outside Auckland, and so expensive that it wasn't financially with it compared with buying a new PLB, which seems sad because I hate wasting otherwise perfectly good stuff. This thread from 2016 seems to agree about the non cost effectiveness, but maybe something's changed? https://tramper.nz/forums/thread/9261
Specifically it's an ACR Resqlink+. The original only had a seven year expiry so if a replacement is the same then it also mightn't be as cost effective as buying a new one with a 10+ year life.
Hi @izogi
I've seen some recent threads about this over on the NZ Hunting and Shooting forum.
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.nz/
I've seen some addresses of agents etc.
Hope this helps
https://www.wilcomarineservices.co.nz/beacons/
Found one thread:
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.nz/f22/acr-beacon-servicing-61138/
"Cost $150 plus freight and GST.
All in $223"
get a new beacon, start at $350 , ten year battery life...
i'm moving to an inreach... have to pay for a subscription to go that route. but more functionality like tracking and two way comms
Thanks. Yeah that's a lot for a battery compared with just buying a new one that'll probably last longer, although $223 for 7 more years ($32/year) vs $350 for 10 more years ($35/year) might still work out economically. I wonder if anyone collects donated old ones for eventual replacing batteries in bulk.
Personally, I would go with a newer unit, but that's me.
The are several considerations that can be looked at, and everyone is different.
@waynowski Will you still carry a PLB aswell?
I carry both, and have on occasion drained the battery on my inReach (leaving it on over night), meaning (I assume) that the SOS feature won't actually work.
The inReach+ maps aren't as good. But Garmin are now doing a more expensive unit with better maps I think "GPSMAP® 66i".
I consider my PLB my primary "oh bugger", and my inReach secondary "oh bugger" and for happy wife.
But if I do have an "oh bugger" moment, I'm setting them both off.
Inreach v epirb
More functions on the inreach epirb can only say "send cavalry quick"
Range better on epirb
battery life 10 years or 1 use on epirb its switched off till then Im guessing inreach uses a rechargable or replaceable battery.
My previous club recently replaced its epirbs as they hit end of battery life. New units were only a little more cost than the old batteries and the new units were half the size and weight.
Work went the other way when investigating options and decided that inreach could send an Im ok message every 30 min as required and no message meant somethings wrong. They considered this more reliable from a health and safety viewpoint
i take a power bank , can recharge the inreach with that when flat.
can use phone for maps
1
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| Forum | Gear talk |
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| Started by | izogi |
| On | 20 July 2020 |
| Replies | 38 |
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