PLB replacement

[Pikey Dave]

My McMurdo Fastfind 210 is due a battery replacement which is going to cost the thick end of £90. McMurdo are offering a service exchange for a new 220 for £197. There's nothing physically wrong with my current PLB apart from it needs a new battery according to the sticker on the back.

Question. What's currently "hot" on the market, is there anything out there with a user replaceable battery, or a longer shelf life than 5 years?

Discuss

[willk]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

My McMurdo Fastfind 210 is due a battery replacement which is going to cost the thick end of £90. McMurdo are offering a service exchange for a new 220 for £197. There's nothing physically wrong with my current PLB apart from it needs a new battery according to the sticker on the back.

Question. What's currently "hot" on the market, is there anything out there with a user replaceable battery, or a longer shelf life than 5 years?

Discuss

I was in your position a few months ago: http://www.rib.net/forum/f37/plb-bat...-it-60595.html

In your case, McMurdo are taking the pisk! McMurdo FastFind 220 GPS PLB - 406 MHz Personal Location Beacon - Marine Super Store

That 220 has a 6 year life - IIRC there was another brand PLB with 7 years?

Sell the 210 and buy the 220 from above link?

Personally, I spent the £85 and ran with the new battery - next time I'll be going new.

[jambo]

Give Scott SPR on here a buzz I got a good deal from him. I don't see the sense in paying 50-60% of new unit on battery.


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[boristhebold]

Hi im in same position, noticed battery is about to expire, will probably buy a new unit to be on safe side.

[Pikey Dave]

Willk, I more or less told Mcmurdo as such when I rang them.

Jambo, cheers will do👍


.....sh1t happens.......

[willk]

Just out of marketing curiosity - would anyone buy a new McMurdo 220 that cost £180, and had a 6 year non-replaceable battery - i.e. you dispose of the PLB after 6 years?

[Bern Hanreck]

I suspect that a number of us are in the same boat now following the infamous RIBnet bulk buying episode !

http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/mcmurdo-...fer-33808.html

Well Done Knot Yet !

Perhaps one of the Trade Members might like to latch onto this , make a few bob for himself and benefit any RIBnet folk wanting to take advantage ?

I for one would be interested...............

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by willk

Just out of marketing curiosity - would anyone buy a new McMurdo 220 that cost £180, and had a 6 year non-replaceable battery - i.e. you dispose of the PLB after 6 years?

Possibly, assuming you could buy it "fresh as". £30 quid a year is neither here nor there in the big scheme. It's more or less the situation we're in at the moment & still works out cheaper than Flares.


.....sh1t happens.......

[MustRib]

Hi PD.
No easy answer on this IMHO.
The system is about to change - albeit with backwards/forwards compatibility,
and there will be beacons with more enhanced features.
I think prices may fall even more as the amount of time before the new
generation stuff comes online diminishes.
If you need one - I wouldn't wait though.

I chatted with the CEO of Orolia Group (McMurdo/Kannard) last year, and the
impression I got was that they are leading the technology. They are investing
in and developing both the front end and back end of the whole system.
Having said that - personally I like the ACR products from an ergonomic stand point.
Sepcifically the Aquamate View - which gives you as much information displayed
on its LCD screen, as you could expect from the current system, short of any return messaging.
Its a 5 year batt life (6 from manufacture) and a bigger unit,
but I would prefer that - holding something too small in the water with cold hands and I think I would stand more of a chance of dropping it.

The smaller ACR unit also has a good "feel" to it - 5 year battery life (6 from manufacture) and is the one the RNLI chose.

I have the GME unit - again its a little larger than the McMurdo, and kindly replaced for free after Round Ireland.
If your going down to Southampton, try and handle all the current PLB models.
I dont think they are very different in performance.

Hope this helps

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by MustRib

Hi PD.

No easy answer on this IMHO.

The system is about to change - albeit with backwards/forwards compatibility,

and there will be beacons with more enhanced features.

I think prices may fall even more as the amount of time before the new

generation stuff comes online diminishes.

If you need one - I wouldn't wait though.



I chatted with the CEO of Orolia Group (McMurdo/Kannard) last year, and the

impression I got was that they are leading the technology. They are investing

in and developing both the front end and back end of the whole system.

Having said that - personally I like the ACR products from an ergonomic stand point.

Sepcifically the Aquamate View - which gives you as much information displayed

on its LCD screen, as you could expect from the current system, short of any return messaging.

Its a 5 year batt life (6 from manufacture) and a bigger unit,

but I would prefer that - holding something too small in the water with cold hands and I think I would stand more of a chance of dropping it.



The smaller ACR unit also has a good "feel" to it - 5 year battery life (6 from manufacture) and is the one the RNLI chose.



I have the GME unit - again its a little larger than the McMurdo, and kindly replaced for free after Round Ireland.

If your going down to Southampton, try and handle all the current PLB models.

I dont think they are very different in performance.



Hope this helps

Cheers, good info. I hadn't realised the system was being changed.,what are the main changes? Reply message?
I'm going to Soton, & it's on my list of things to look at.


.....sh1t happens.......

[MustRib]

PM sent !

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by willk

I was in your position a few months ago: http://www.rib.net/forum/f37/plb-bat...-it-60595.html

In your case, McMurdo are taking the pisk! McMurdo FastFind 220 GPS PLB - 406 MHz Personal Location Beacon - Marine Super Store

That 220 has a 6 year life - IIRC there was another brand PLB with 7 years?

I picked up an AccuSat MT410G during the summer. It has a 7 year battery life. Mine had been sat on the shelf for a year so I got it half price ! Seems nice bit of kit, strobe light

They claim no warm up time (don't know how!) - cold start 34 seconds

Waterproof & Floats. Comes with neoprene holder.

[Avocet]

The battery for my McMurdo Fastfind expired back in June and I have only now got round to trying to organise a replacement. I obtained the appropriate Service Return Form by email from McMurdo although with no details supplied as to the cost. I enquired about this in order to send the remittance with the return unit and received the following reply by email:

"The cost of battery replacement is £101.89 ex VAT and carriage back to you. Total will be £140.27. However, you will be wise to wait until Greg has tested your PLB in case any other work needs to be done. We send a quotation via email once Greg tests each unit."

At that price, I have told them where to go and have bought a replacement unit from another manufacturer.

I have today taken delivery of a tiny but powerful Ocean Signal RescueME PLB1 (cost £199.99 from Marine Super Store) which has a seven year guarantee and battery life until Feb 2023. This works out at less than £29.00 per year and, therefore, effectively the same as the McMurdo replacement battery (assuming another five year life - although their current model boasts six years). It also means I now have two PLBs which will give a back up if needed (testing the 'expired' battery still shows it has a full charge). Let's hope I don't have to use either!

[whisper]

Originally Posted by Avocet

The battery for my McMurdo Fastfind expired back in June and I have only now got round to trying to organise a replacement. I obtained the appropriate Service Return Form by email from McMurdo although with no details supplied as to the cost. I enquired about this in order to send the remittance with the return unit and received the following reply by email:



"The cost of battery replacement is £101.89 ex VAT and carriage back to you. Total will be £140.27. However, you will be wise to wait until Greg has tested your PLB in case any other work needs to be done. We send a quotation via email once Greg tests each unit."



At that price, I have told them where to go and have bought a replacement unit from another manufacturer.



I have today taken delivery of a tiny but powerful Ocean Signal RescueME PLB1 (cost £199.99 from Marine Super Store) which has a seven year guarantee and battery life until Feb 2023. This works out at less than £29.00 per year and, therefore, effectively the same as the McMurdo replacement battery (assuming another five year life - although their current model boasts six years). It also means I now have two PLBs which will give a back up if needed (testing the 'expired' battery still shows it has a full charge). Let's hope I don't have to use either!

Great post

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Avocet

The battery for my McMurdo Fastfind expired back in June and I have only now got round to trying to organise a replacement. I obtained the appropriate Service Return Form by email from McMurdo although with no details supplied as to the cost. I enquired about this in order to send the remittance with the return unit and received the following reply by email:

"The cost of battery replacement is £101.89 ex VAT and carriage back to you. Total will be £140.27. However, you will be wise to wait until Greg has tested your PLB in case any other work needs to be done. We send a quotation via email once Greg tests each unit."

At that price, I have told them where to go and have bought a replacement unit from another manufacturer.

I have today taken delivery of a tiny but powerful Ocean Signal RescueME PLB1 (cost £199.99 from Marine Super Store) which has a seven year guarantee and battery life until Feb 2023. This works out at less than £29.00 per year and, therefore, effectively the same as the McMurdo replacement battery (assuming another five year life - although their current model boasts six years). It also means I now have two PLBs which will give a back up if needed (testing the 'expired' battery still shows it has a full charge). Let's hope I don't have to use either!

Your experience with McMurdo echoes mine & I shall be taking a similar path. I just haven't got around to actually replacing the expired unit yet

[willk]

You guys did spot that I had mine sorted for £85 all in?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by willk

You guys did spot that I had mine sorted for £85 all in?

I did, by whom?

[willk]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I did, by whom?

CH Marine. They have a depot in Northern Ireland too. They struck me as fairly professional lads.

[boristhebold]

I just bought a new unit, anyone recomend best way of disposing of old unit ?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

I just bought a new unit, anyone recomend best way of disposing of old unit ?

You could wait until Nov5th & set it off along with the expired pyros, I'm sure someone will come along & take it away, they might even arrive by helo. Don't forget to De-register it first though