PLBs Can Save Your Life

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Not bad. But its dimensions: 5.5 x 3.5 x 5.5 inches are bigger than my old $10 40m rated Sony camera case of 2.0 x 1.25 x 4.25 inches,

View attachment 522612

Which means it can fit some of the larger PLBs?

 

[DandyDon]

It would seem that you could utilize the extra space (don't know how much extra there is) to carry something vital.

I can't think of anything else I'd like to carry in one other than a foil blanket maybe, and the smaller one is big enough for an ACR and the blanket. If you wanted to get the larger one so you could add more, and carry the larger one packed with whatever to & from the boat, fine - and it's only 0.78" longer. I just don't see the point.

Which means it can fit some of the larger PLBs?

How big of a PLB do you want to carry? I carry mine everywhere, including to & from boats. I wouldn't want a larger one.

Do you fellas have PLBs?

 

[Dan]

Which means it can fit some of the larger PLBs?

That’s a good thing about it.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

That’s a good thing about it.

Eyeball inside dimensions (should have kept the camera for this?) is 70mm x 38mm x 120mm.

It is just slightly more than 400grams bouyant.

It is NOT water proof to 254 feet. It was totally fine to 165 feet.

I suggest you buy one of the older? models without the yellow rubber skin. The skin adds bulk (2mm thick), likely some bouyancy and is very difficult to remove. But it does give your kit that "yellow submarine" look.

 

[Dan]

I’m set with what I have and it’s been working fine for the last 2 years.

Now I’m toying around with 2 custom made acrylic canisters, 3” OD x 6” OL (2.5” ID x 5” IL) cylinder that will fit the ACR PLB400 and 2.5” OD x 6” OL (2” ID x 5” IL) cylinder that will fit the PLB1. I’ll have the smaller one made by Wednesday & plan to take both of them down to 110’ depth in Flower Garden Banks on June 15 & 16.

 

[SeaWarden]

Found a case that works for my PLB.

This is my PLB: AquaLink 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) with GPS | ACR ARTEX

The case that I found: https://www.lazada.sg/-i231384471-s414480810.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1

 

[outofofficebrb]

Found a case that works for my PLB.

This is my PLB: AquaLink 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) with GPS | ACR ARTEX

The case that I found: https://www.lazada.sg/-i231384471-s414480810.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1

I’m skeptical of that case to work at dive depths, let alone any IP67 ratings or similar for even less than an hour. Have you dived with it yet?

 

[Dan]

I’m skeptical of that case to work at dive depths, let alone any IP67 ratings or similar for even less than an hour. Have you dived with it yet?

Good point. Here we go again.

@dianna912 brought up an idea in using a similar case Pelican 1010 but encased in another sealed bag in post #760, page 76. I suggested to test it with a dummy weight wrapped with paper towel in it before destroying an expensive device.

It’s only water resistant, not waterproof to certain depth. If he encases it in a waterproof bag (like one of those vacuum seal bag) it might work. He can test it by putting say 2 lb soft dive weight wrapped with paper towel in the case and take the case diving to 100’ depth and see if the paper towel gets wet after the dive.

 

[DandyDon]

Found a case that works for my PLB.

This is my PLB: AquaLink 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) with GPS | ACR ARTEX

The case that I found: https://www.lazada.sg/-i231384471-s414480810.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1

Your PLB needs to be purchased and registered in your home country, you know? That ACR 2882 has been replaced with two newer models, so I have to wonder if it's available - and if so, date of manufacture as the battery needs to be replaced six years from that date.

A $9 dry box might keep your phone safe on the boat, but I doubt that it has a chance of working at 130 feet down. You need to be shopping for dive canisters with depth ratings deeper than 200 feet.

 

[tursiops]

Status Report
I have the smaller HDVSEATEK canister that I purchased for my FastFind 220 PLB. I found the HDV somewhat bulky and hard to manage with my not-large hands. It does hold my marine VHF radio (with antenna removed) but I have not used it underwater.

I purchased the Custom Divers canister for my PLB, and recently used it on 34 dives (104 ft max) in the Philippines. It was clipped to my right waist D-ring, and I did not touch it during the trip. It was buoyant u/w and not in the way. It got banged around as my tank was being handled by the bangka drivers and sherpas and tank fillers. At the end of the trip (a combo liveaboard for a week then a resort for a week) I opened it (easily) and there was not one drop of water in it. I'm perfectly happy with it. The trick, as others have said, it to just close it, put faith in the double o-ring system, and don't crank it down tightly. If you do unnecessarily close it tightly, it WILL be hard to open.

I also carried the original Nautilus Lifeline with the chat channel set to the liveaboard's working frequency. Since we were at Tubbataha (middle of the Sulu Sea) i really liked the idea of being able to talk to the boat if needed. It was clipped off to my left waist D-ring, along with my SMB/spool.

With a DiveAlert on my LPI, the two radio devices, the SMB/spool, and a light capable of SOS-flashing, I found people wanted to be my buddy..... More importantly, none of it seemed to be in the way of my diving or my underwater photography.