Commercial Fixed Wing
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Manuals; Procedure
Installing new ELTs and following the paperwork and others have done the same. The problem is the paperwork tells you how to remove and reinstall but states that you turn off the ELT and make sure it's off before sending it to the vender.  WHEN INSTALLING IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT TURNING THE SWITCH TO THE 'ARMED' OR ' ON' POSITION!  SO IT LEAVES YOU WITH INSTALLING IT AND LEAVING IT IN THE 'OFF' POSITION PER THE PAPERWORK!  THIS MEANS WE HAVE PLANES FLYING AROUND WITH THE ELT'S in the OFF position. Which is per the paperwork! This is not a good position to be in if they are needed and the switch is OFF per Company  paperwork.
Technician reported that references for removing and installing the ELT have no step for ensuring that the ELT is switched to on when complete.