[Nick Heath]

I did not correctly answer a question  about the PLB which was posed at the last club on-line meeting. I was asked “How can I test that the device works?” My reply was that you can’t really test it – just trust the manufacturer and replace the battery each 7 years.

Reading my instruction manual (!) it seems that I should test it once annually. The test button will send a short burst of signal (like an aircraft’s distress signal) that should be done only in the first five minutes of any hour – apparently this is by international agreement.

Each test depletes the battery by 10%, which is why more frequent testing is not recommended, if you expect the battery to last 7 years.

I’ve owned mine since 2000, so I guess I’m overdue for a test!

Topic

[Nick Heath]

Well spotted, Richard. My error again, due to my clumsy, fat fingers. I bought the PLB in Spring 2020, not in 2000!

[Roland Stefani]

Richard, you say “test PRN and replace earlier than they say”.

Given that Nick’s reading of the instructions are that one should test the battery at least once annually, I would expect the annual testing is anticipated in the 5 year battery life.  There fore, replacement earlier that they say is probably not necessary.

[Roland Stefani]

Please report on the test.  If it succeeds, that would indicate the battery life is seriously underestimated.

 

[Richard Merchant]

I don’t have a PLB but…   I wondered about the battery life.   In general for something like this one should not push battery life to it’s max; so the question is “how replaceable is the battery”?

Quick google I see a product “ACR PLB_400”; spec sheet says “Battery Replacement 5 years” – this is good because it means that the battery can be replaced; and that the battery is “Non-hazmat Lithium Batteries (LiMnO2)”.

This is a “Lithium – Manganese Dioxide Battery (Li-MnO2) Batteries” – not a usual battery, I think, but it looks like every manufacturer makes them so they shouldn’t be hard to find.

So my assessment would be – test PRN and replace earlier than they say.

I think Nick is overdue for replacing his battery.    23 years is too optimistic for my taste.

[Author]

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