Ameri-King AK-450 ELT battery replacement

Flyingj

Flyingj

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Joined
Dec 9, 2021
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Location
North Texas
Do any of you still have this factory installed ELT in your aircraft? Mine continues to pass the operational tests required to comply with the AD but I am having a hard time locating replacement batteries. It uses 6 Duracell MN1300 "D" batteries. I found them on Amazon but am guessing that won't fly as there will be no expiration sticker to affix to the ELT. My batteries were replaced 2 years ago by the previous owner's IA and expire next month. I am not interested in replacing it until absolutely necessary.

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The batteries are stock off the shelf Duracell D mn1300. The expiration date is on each battery.
Clean the contacts, inspect the ELT and return to service with a logbook entry.
Chris
BTW, only the duracell mn1300 are legal replacements...
 
Hiperbiper said:
The batteries are stock off the shelf Duracell D mn1300. The expiration date is on each battery.
Clean the contacts, inspect the ELT and return to service with a logbook entry.
Chris
BTW, only the duracell mn1300 are legal replacements...
Click to expand...
Can't figure out why my logbook and a sticker/placard on the outside of the ELT show an Aug 22 expiration date but the batteries themselves don't expire for another 7 or 8 years (can't remember the exact date). Figured it was purchased as a set from Aircraft Spruce, etc. with 6 batteries and the sticker (like most other batteries).
 
The Ameri King 450 caused no end of trouble for the FAA when the time came to force everyone to go to the 406 ELT...
With all the other good 121.5 ELT's that had given service since the 1970's the new replacement super duper 406 was over hyped, over priced and it at least two cases so prone to failure the sales were less than brisk...so much so the FAA decided it needed to "push" owners to the new boxes. Answer: batteries for the old 121.5 boxes would be phased out...except the 450 used standard Duracells. Oops.
Not to worry; the FAA came up with an AD that made the repair of the 450 illegal. Installing a used 450 is illegal. Doing anything but changing the batteries and doing yearly tests is illegal. They dragged the Ameri King company thru the mud not because there was an unacceptable failure rate historically but because they could and they had to force everyone to go to the 406 format.
The FAA gets what they want one way or another...ask a company called Navworks. 🤬🤬🤬
JMPO
Chris
 
Flyingj said:
Where’s the directive about expiration date, ie, 2 years?
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There isn't one. But most people did it because it was ingrained "change out every two years" with all other ELT's...I would just check for 1.2vdc per cell, visually inspect for corrosion and put them back in but some owners just wanted a fresh set of batteries in there...
Chris
 
Thanks Chris, I appreciate the info on this. I now assume the previous owner's IA just printed his own expiration date "sticker".
 
And then there is this to consider:

From the FAR 91.207...

(c) Batteries used in the emergency locator transmitters required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section must be replaced (or recharged, if the batteries are rechargeable) -
(1) When the transmitter has been in use for more than 1 cumulative hour; or
(2) When 50 percent of their useful life (or, for rechargeable batteries, 50 percent of their useful life of charge) has expired, as established by the transmitter manufacturer under its approval.
The new expiration date for replacing (or recharging) the battery must be legibly marked on the outside of the transmitter and entered in the aircraft maintenance record. Paragraph (c)(2) of this section does not apply to batteries (such as water-activated batteries) that are essentially unaffected during probable storage intervals.
 
Interesting! I was able to buy two different ELT battery packs from Spruce within the last two years. What drives me nuts is that $50 battery pack just has six el cheapo cells potted together. Trivial to make.

I mostly use the 50nm training exception, which means I only buy batteries when I actually commit cross-country (not often any more).

I hate ELTs - the only time they seem to go off is in the hangar. And if you are not there at the time it can get messy. The four times it has happened to me I was either there or got there within ten minutes, so all was friendly.
 
Flyingj said:
As far as I know, ATC doesn't monitor 121.5 anymore but the airlines do.
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As do a lot of GA pilots.
The problem was when the Feds wanted everything to go to satellite based telemetry they only wanted 406.
A real world assessment led to keeping the 121.5 format alongside the 406...they realized 406 is picked up by satellites (maybe) and purpose built receivers (USAF, CAP) which reduced SAR from everyone with a comm radio to very few assets...
Ah, the joys of government planning...
 
UAL also, we monitor 121.5 continuously and it isn't uncommon to hear an ELT that has been activated. With international flying, if we are intercepted by military aircraft, they will attempt to contact us on 121.5, especially entering Israeli airspace where they have very specific entry requirements.
 
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