Be it rechargeable or replaceable battery is battery and neither would be dependent on external power.

It's going to be fun as the roll out gathers momentum as who will be able to resist testing them?

If you buy one of the ones with an already 'live' compatible app, there is no reason why you shouldn't test it at home.
The DGT or whoever is using the signal wont care I suppose. Its not as if they will dispatch a Police Car to your location. Or will they????
As I don't have one yet, can anyone tell me if there is a test mode or do you have to wait for the fateful moment when you press the button after breaking down on the AP7 at rush hour near Valencia.

I am not aware of any test mode . When i got mine i did briefly turn it on to confirm it did light up but as for knowing if it transmitted my location? I presume it did as the light lit up but there is no way of knowing.

Does not everything come with directions/instructions? Did you read them?
For all the others - Walk into Carrefour/Nor Auto, read the box and purchase one. . It is that simple.

The HelpFlash IoT does have a test mode as mentioned in the instructions. Other devices maybe different

I don't get your point ? Yes I followed the instructions .put the batteries in correctly , turned it on by pressing the button to ensure it illuminated , it did so was working . There is though no way that I can say whether it transmits the e SIM signal and transmits my location. That's it yes it is dead simple

Got mine yesterday and of course briefly tested it.

In the blurb it says that it communicates every 100 seconds and I'd guess to minimise false alerts the system likely needs to see more than one single transmission before flagging up.

Yes I don't think they transmit the location signal straight away so the light can be turned on for as you say 100 seconds before it sends information via the esim

DGT 3.0 is not just about the breakdown light BTW. That's why it's appended 'IoT' which, for those who don't know, means 'Internet of Things'

Just bought one, but it fails to connect!! Is this because the system is not up and running or do I have to wait until next year to try connecting?

How are you checking that it is connecting

There is a barcode on the instructions that take you to a website where you input the IMEI of the sim. Always tells me that the connection failed..

Thanks i wasnt aware of that i will have to look through the paperwork again. I read on one of the beacon sites that DGT3 system is switched on now but not fully operational at this time but will be by the time the beacons become mandatory? so maybe thats why yours isn't showing connected.

Thanks, I'll keep trying...

Just to revive this but regarding foreign registered vehicles in Spain - I mentioned this some time ago somewhere but now officially from the DGT, if the country of origin is a signatory to both/or the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic of 19 September 1949 and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 8 November 1968, the warning device, usually a triangle, required in the origin country is good enough for being in Spain with.
I'll still get a V16 anyway.

NP-UTILIZACION-DEL-DISPOSITIVO-DE-PRESENALIZACION-DE-PELIGRO-V-16-EN-CIRCULACION-INTERNACIONAL-def.pdf