PLB's The Correct Information

OK. I contacted GME Brisbane who contacted head office and rang me back with the following information.

You take it in at 6 years for a battery replacement. They dismantle the unit and rebuild it with the original electronics and a new battery, case, whatever for a price yet to be determined but "about one quarter the new price".

After another 6 years, or when the unit is 12 years old, the electronics have reached the end of their useful (reliable) life so the unit is unserviceable and you buy a new one.

6 years applies to epirbs. For a PLB battery life is 7 years.

So the battery life of a MT410(g) is seven years, the service life is 14 years.

Anyone else like to try for a different answer.

Hi Lex
At least this is a good debate, but would like to clear a couple of issues up.

What is stated on the web is correct, as what they are saying is that there are certain parts inside the unit that are able to be reused. That is why they specify the 12 year life from new. I find it very odd that the Brisbane office did not know the correct facts that they have given you. I was able to read your reply during work hours, but unable to reply until now.

After reading you reply's, I personally rang the head office in Sydney (I think option 3 for technical enquiries) and was told the exact information that I was told by Adelaide. What the technician has told me is as follows

Basicly when you take your MT410/MT410G in for a battery replacement, a new/refurbished unit will be supplied to you, as like a have said before, once the case in broken, there is no way that the unit can be reassemble without first being sent to the factory. Some of the parts will be used again, while the rest will be new components.

I do not get where you are informed that the unit only has a 14 year life. Every 7 years, if you send the unit in, you will be given a replacement unit, so if you engrave your original unit, the new unit that you receive will be minus your engravings. It is not just a simple task of ripping the back off, new batteries in and your old unit back.

As a consumer, providing that you do the right thing, have the unit serviced in the recommended time, you have a new unit every 7 years.

It does not get any clearer that this.

Like I said above, give Sydney a call, they will confirm have I have stated.

Cheers

Stephen

No point in pursuing this further, we'll find out in 7 or 14 years as the case may be. :-)

I only know that the Brisbane person said he'd spoken to head office when he rang me back , and I believe I accurately reported what he told me.

It's interesting that the web site calls out a service life though.

It might be all academic anyway. In seven years time everything may have changed. We could all have satellite tracked implants and an emergency button on our forehead.

"and an emergency button on our forehead. "

- and when we do a "doh", we'll have to phone AMSA and cancel the activation ????

Good one Mike hahahahahaha

Krakka

I have my doubts about the 6 or 7 year battery replacement deal also.

Too me it all sounds like Waaay too much trouble for the seller/manufacturer.

How are they going to keep track of individual PLB's & epirbs etc? in order to get them back to you?.

If I were them this is what I would do....(based on experience watching many others do this).

I would register another company similar to the first maybe the wives of the existing directors for example with a similar but not the same company name.

At 5 years and 9 months - I'd run the parent company down into the ground and declare it bankrupt - start selling the new EPIRBS & PLB's etc thru the NEW company - and leave everyone with the flat batteries to bin their epirbs and buy a new one off my new company!

Service like sending epirbs back to the factory (yeah - where? - in india or china?) for a battery replacement are pie in the sky dreams!

If the govt don't change the frequency again before hand making the new 406 mhtz epirbs outta date before then - well expect the companys to all be folding and reappearing in new guise just before the frst battery replacements are required.

The new company won't have any such replacement arrangements - they will become a one use throwaway unit by then anyway.

If you believe that they will replace batteries at 6 years or 7 - then you probably believe the other 3 greatest lies on earth.

1. trust me - I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you

2. The cheques in the mail

3. I promise I won't (you know the rest - if not use your imagination) ;o)

It's true, that a fool is born every minute - this from a guy with a whole 20 litre bucket full of dead epiirbs & flares etc that I can't give away!

Cheers