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PhreeZone

Repacking a rig with a cypres set to expire before 120 days.

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Is it legal to repack a rig that will have the maintence date of the unit come due before the 120 day repack cycle is over? With the time to send Cypres units in set at -/+ 3 months does that mean its ok to repack a unit and just send it in after the repack cycle is complete or not?

I've got a unit thats got a date of May 2000 on it so its due for its 4 year in May. The rig needs to be repacked before the end of this month, but Airtec/SSK won't accept the unit until next month at the soonest. Is it acceptible to repack the rig and when its cycle is up in early June to send it in then?
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Yes, it's legal.

+3 months means a unit due in May can be used through August.

Remember that batteries are separate issue: no + leeway when they're due. If the batteries will expire in less than 120 days, an entry on the packing card noting when the batteries (and the pack job) expire will do the trick.

Mark

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Further, Airtec recommends to replace the battery if the two year period will be up before the next scheduled repack. This avoids the cost of an extra repack to just change the battery. Note that your rigger can change the battery, the CYPRES unit does not have to be sent to Airtec or SSK.



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Further, Airtec recommends to replace the battery if the two year period will be up before the next scheduled repack. This avoids the cost of an extra repack to just change the battery. Note that your rigger can change the battery, the CYPRES unit does not have to be sent to Airtec or SSK.

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Correct. You can re-pack the reserve even if the batteries will expire in less than 120 days. But, the reserve is due for an inspection and re-pack when the batteries expire. I won't pack a reserve if the batteries will come due before the reserve does because I cannot guarantee the owner will not jump the rig once the batteries expire.

So there is no leeway, as NightJumper posted. Once the batteries expire, the rig is not legal to jump.

Derek

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What about the legality of expired batteries?

For instance, if you packed it and noted the pack card as such, they jumped past that date and was hurt/killed. Do you think the rigger could still be held responible in court? (assuming it was something like a cypress malfunction).
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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A clearly obvious note specifically saying that the rig is actually only 'good' till date XX/XX because of reason XX should be good enough, right?
People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

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I don't see how you could say "there is no leeway". It says nothing cut and dry that once the batteries are past the date, that the rig must be grounded, and taken care of. I'm not advocating that this is what I do, but it is a good debate. We stock cypres batteries here, and basically change them every repack due to the rigs generally having almost 500 jumps in a cycle. But, the batteries we have are sitting on a shelf, and are well into the 2 years from DOM. I know that this is a little different, but just a thought. It says the 2 years is from last battery change. What if the batteries were on the shelf for a year? Where does this fit in? Sorta a grey area.
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I don't see how you could say "there is no leeway". It says nothing cut and dry that once the batteries are past the date, that the rig must be grounded, and taken care of. I'm not advocating that this is what I do, but it is a good debate. We stock cypres batteries here, and basically change them every repack due to the rigs generally having almost 500 jumps in a cycle. But, the batteries we have are sitting on a shelf, and are well into the 2 years from DOM. I know that this is a little different, but just a thought. It says the 2 years is from last battery change. What if the batteries were on the shelf for a year? Where does this fit in? Sorta a grey area.



It is not from DOM for the batteries but from when they are installed. Read User's Guide, page 7.
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I don't see how you could say "there is no leeway"



From FAR Part 105:

"(c) If installed, the automatic activation device must be maintained in accordance with manufacturer instructions for that automatic activation device."

“The 2-year maximum does[/I] period does not start until the battery is installed in the Cypres.”

“The Cypres1 battery assembly must be replaced every 2 years, after 500 jumps, or when the low battery error code (8998 or 8999) is displayed, -[I]whichever occurs first[/I]"

Edit: The italics are not mine, this is how it appears on their web-page and news sheet.

The batteries are 'good' for 2 years from the date of installation. Past two years the batteries are no longer 'good'. To jump a rig with Cypres1 batteries that have been installed for more than 2 years is a violation of FAR Part 105.

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But, the batteries we have are sitting on a shelf, and are well into the 2 years from DOM.



It is not 2 years from DOM, it is 2 years from installation.

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What if the batteries were on the shelf for a year? Where does this fit in? Sorta a grey area.



"When stored as instructed the batteries have a long shelf life; the two year period does not start until they are installed."

“CYPRES-1 batteries have a long shelf life (approximately 3 years), as long as they are stored in a cool, dry location (below 68°F).”

Airtec is very clear on the requirements for replacing Cypres batteries.

Derek

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What about the legality of expired batteries?

For instance, if you packed it and noted the pack card as such, they jumped past that date and was hurt/killed. Do you think the rigger could still be held responible in court? (assuming it was something like a cypress malfunction).



My personal decision is to not re-pack a rig with Cypres batteries that will come due before the reserve does. A note on the card would probably relieve the rigger from any legal liability. Obviously informing the owner of the rig that the reserve will be due when the batteries are due would be the prudent thing to do also. I don’t think DZ’s would check or notice the note on the card and some jumpers would continue to jump the rig with out of date batteries if they can get away with it. I would rather just avoid the entire situation and change the batteries. Take away temptation.;)

Derek

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It's not a scam.;)

Airtec is concerned about the reserve being damaged by battery acid/leak. The 2-year limit is based on tests showing that after 2 years from installation the batteries may leak and damage the reserve. Apparently this is not the case w/ the cypres-2.

It's cheaper to replace the batteries than both the batteries/ Reserve and potentially damage to the container.:)
Ken
"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

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It was no my intention to be-little.

Airtec says the batteries must be replaced after 2 years from date of installation. The FAR's say that the AAD, if installed, must be maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions. I think this eliminates any grey area. If the batteries come due before the reserve does, the rig is no longer legal to jump because at that point, the AAD has not been maintained according to the manufacturer's specs.

Where do you see a grey area, where am I wrong?

Derek

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Canadians are not as paranoid about law suits as Americans.

If Cypres batteries will expire before the end of a repack cycle, I try to sell them a new set of batteries. If they don't want to buy batteries, I tell them how much extra it will cost them to replace batteries and reclose the reserve, yada, yada. I note the replacement date on the work order, then get on with my next project.
I also tell them that all promises are off, when the batteries come due, etc.

Then I put the onus on them to be adults who are responsible for their own lives.

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Battery changes always coincide with a repack.



There are three conditions that mandate a change of Cypres 1's battery pack.

1) The battery pack has been installed for 24 months.
2) The Cypres unit has been used for 500 jumps
3) The Cypres unit determins the battery level is too low and aborts the power up procedure.

I can see several ways that the repack date and the battery change will not coincide.
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