Showing posts with label car battery look up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label car battery look up. Show all posts

Friday, July 4, 2014

2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the HTC EVO 4G - Uses Gomadic TipEx

2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the HTC EVO 4G - Uses Gomadic TipExchange Technology
  • Transmitters emit a powerful FM signal that is the maximum allowed by FCC regulation. Advanced signal isolation provides crystal clear sound quality.
  • Smart technology circuit architecture provides precision voltage and resistor regulation specific to the HTC EVO 4G. Protects the internal battery longevity by modulating the charge in a safe and efficient manner.
  • Full FM frequency spectrum is available and is user selectable in 0.1MHz increments from 88.1 to 107.9 MHz. Advanced Digital PLL sound coding maintains stable and high quality sound.
  • Sophisticated power protection mechanisms keep your EVO 4G safe from power surges, overcharging and short-circuiting.
  • Product is designed to last and is backed by our Gomadic Lifetime Warranty. Buy with confidence!

This is a return review. I have used this charger/fm transmitter for my htc evo for five months. It served its purpose for the five months. however, it is not working and not charging now, i just wanted to mention that to users

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i got this product because it doesn't take batteries. it works just fine. there is one problem. if the device and my stereo are on i can here a low ticking noise. not noticeable with music on though.

Read Best Reviews of 2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the HTC EVO 4G - Uses Gomadic TipEx Here

I have had this product for some time now and it still works as expected. No complains so far. I would recommend.

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it's been a year since I had this and it still works well and still love it, also got 1 for my wife and she loves hers

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Exactly what I was looking for. My truck doesn't have a MP3 jack to listen to my music on my phone. Love this product!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Parrot Minikit Slim Portable Bluetooth Car Kit

Parrot Minikit Slim Portable Bluetooth Car KitAfter going through several bluetooth ear plugs, I decided to try out one of the bluetooth speaker units on the market. The parrot mini got some great reviews so I decided to give it a try. It was soooooo easy to set up. My 300 contacts were automatically transfered from my phone in a couple of minutes. The quality of sound is great. Although some people have said the volume wasn't loud enough, I've had to lower it. Great product at a great price !!! Already recommended it to many friends.

For the price, this speaker can't be beat. It's low profile and has good volume for such a small unit, yes it has address capabilities, but I have almost 3000 contacts, this is not an important feature to me. I need to hear well and to be heard, that's my only real criteria, this product does both well.

The only down side is when you turn the volume up all the way, the unit can "rattle" a bit, the sound seems mechanical, not static or the speaker itself. Not a major issue, but I have noticed this small flaw from time to time. I can't speak to the battery life as I have it hard wired to switched power.

Buy Parrot Minikit Slim Portable Bluetooth Car Kit Now

I had several issues with this product. The biggest problem is the battery life. It has none! There is obviously something wrong with the auto shut off to save battery life. It is supposed to turn on and off automatically to conserve power but from day one, each day I got into the car it was dead. Secondly, the power cord is so short it doesn't reach the outlet from the visor. This was a total waste of money for me. I would not recommend this product to anyone.

Read Best Reviews of Parrot Minikit Slim Portable Bluetooth Car Kit Here

I was hoping this would make calls easier to handle while driving. I could not hear over road noise on the highway and ended up having to hold the bluetooth device in my hand like a phone. Also, the lack of an off/on indicator was annoying. In town, I felt my eyes were on the road less than just making the call with the phone. My 2009 Scion has an iPhone port(not USB) to control the radio. This device did not work if my phone was plugged into the iPhone port. I was hoping for a simple solution to update my car's capabiliity to be hands free, but it seems I am better off saving my money to have bluetooth installed in the car.

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Saturday, March 29, 2014

Gsi 3-In-1 Charging Kit For iPhone 4/4G/3G/S And iPod Touch, Nano And Classic - Includes Home Trave

Gsi 3-In-1 Charging Kit For iPhone 4/4G/3G/S And iPod Touch, Nano And Classic - Includes Home Travel USB Charger, Rapid Car Charger And Dock Connector To USB Data Cable
  • New All In One Portable Charging Kit For Your Apple iPhone Or iPod
  • 1- Mini USB To Wall Outlet Charger Adapter - Connect To iPod With USB Cable Included
  • 2- Mini USB To Cigarette Lighter Car Charger Adapter - Also Connect With USB Cable Included
  • 3- Dock Connector To USB Cable, Connect To PC Or Laptop For Charging Or High Speed Data Sync
  • Both Home And Car Adapters Are Universal Fit, Can Charge All Electronic USB Devices And Mobile Phones

We like to take road trips and quickly ran down the battery on the iPod. This solves that and allow us to charge it in the hotel room as well. The packaging makes for a convenient little travel case as well.

Buy Gsi 3-In-1 Charging Kit For iPhone 4/4G/3G/S And iPod Touch, Nano And Classic - Includes Home Trave Now

It arrived quickly, but ultimately did not work. It fit with the iPhone we had but it said the accessory was not supported. :\ It also feels as cheap and flimsy as it was.

Read Best Reviews of Gsi 3-In-1 Charging Kit For iPhone 4/4G/3G/S And iPod Touch, Nano And Classic - Includes Home Trave Here

These are probably the least expensive charging kit for the iPhone 4, and you get what you pay for. The wall charger works fine for the iPhone (less well for the iPad), but the car charger is terribly slow. Don't expect to recharge your phone in the car, even over the course of an hour commute. If you're playing a podcast at the same time and keep your 3G data on, it'll probably just maintain your battery at whatever charge it came in with. Better than your phone dying on the road, I guess.

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It's almost indistinguishable from the originals that came with the phone. Excellent quality and I couldn't be happier with it.

I ordered this product and only 2 of the 3 came in the mail. Then I called and the man was really friendly and sent me my extra piece. A week later the part that plugs into your phone detached from the cord!!! Horrible product. I guess you get what you pay for... and I think I paid $5 or so and I had it for 3 weeks..

Monday, February 3, 2014

Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire Inflator

Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire InflatorSo far this unit has performed well. I used it to jump-start a raggedy old farm tractor, and the little box seems to have an impressive amount of cranking power (for short bursts, anyway).

I've used the inflator twice to inflate a car and a truck tire. Takes awhile to get a tire up to pressure, but's that's normal with these little compressors. For it's size, it's quite adequate as an emergency air source. Took me about 8 minutes to bring the car tire up from 25 PSI to 45 PSI (under the weight of the vehicle). Really not that bad.

The truck tire took a bit longer, as I had to stop the unit to let it cool down. B&D recommends running the inflator for no more than 10 minutes continuously. Total time to bring this nearly-flat tire up to pressure: Just under a half-hour. Again, not too shabby considering how small this thing is.

I like the layout of the controls and indicators. Clear, easy to read, easy to access. Storage for the jumper cables is OK. I'd prefer to see them stowed in a sealed compartment, but they seem pretty secure. Keep the clamps clean, and there shouldn't be any issues storing this in a car.

Storage for the inflator hose is cheesy. It's stuffed into a tiny compartment, and you have to really bend the hose in order to get it inside. The maximum length of the air hose is about 2 feet. You must set the unit very close to the tire for the hose to reach the valve. Not a problem for me so far, but keep this in mind if you need a unit with a long reach. B&D could have done better here.

A major gripe I have is that the inflator has no provision for a backup power source. Depending on how long the internal battery will remain charged in storage, you might find it lacks the juice to power the unit in an emergency. Why couldn't B&D include a 12V cigarette adaptor for this situation? For a unit that's supposed to be a piece of emergency gear, this seems like a glaring oversight. You'd better hope that the internal battery is extremely reliable without it, the unit is useless. Could have been a five-star rating if not for that issue.

Overall, I'm pleased with this purchase. Reliability will be the ultimate test, and it's still too early to pass judgement. If it holds up season after season, and delivers the goods when really needed, I may change my rating to 5 stars. For under 100 bucks, I'd say give it a try.

UPDATE: 12 Jan 2010

The inflator died on me, with less than 4 hours total runtime. The motor was cranking away, but there was no air pressure at all. Brought it to a B&D service center, and paid $15 to have a new one shipped to my home. No hassle at all returning the unit, and the replacement is working as advertised so far. Maybe I just got a lemon, so I'm not going to downgrade the rating at this time. Will check back at a later date.

UPDATE: 23 Aug 2011

Working fine after 15 hours of compressor use. I was advised not to store the unit very long in sub-freezing temperatures. This apparently can damage the compressor, which may be the reason my first unit failed.

This review is for the Black & Decker JUS500IB 500 Amp Jump Starter with Inflator

I received this last week, plugged it in to charge the battery, and planned to leave it in the garage. I wasn't planning on writing a review until I used it, until this morning when I needed jump-start my car because "someone" left the lights on overnight. Sure enough, I put this baby to work immediately and the engine started (no surprise there).

What I was surprised about was that I needed to connect both the positive and negative to their respective terminals. At first, I connected the negative clamp to the chasis (like how I would normally jump a car), but my car would not start. I tried several places along the non-painted metal frame part and even the engine block of the dead car to no avail. As a last resort, I connected it to the bolt of the negative post (while wearing eye protection), and the car started. I know this is a no-no, but nothing else worked, and I needed to go to work. I'll troubleshoot at a later time (or most likely never). UPDATE: I've since used this on various automobiles (including the problematic car described above), and connecting the negative clamp to the chasis works perfectly fine now. I'm not sure what happened since, but now it is working fine following the proper useage.

Now, I keep it in the trunk, just in case. It has a nice compact body, so it does not take up much space. I like the light on the unit, but it is also a bit awkward to use (it points UP, rather than down), so I had to hold the unit upside down to see what I was doing. I have yet to use the inflator, so I have nothing to contribute about it. I did try it, and it seems to work. The compartment for the hose is awkward (behind a small plastic door underneath), but at least the hose is stored and not dangling around.

It does not come with an extension cord, which is required for charging. Luckily, I had one available, but it would have been nice to have come with one (even a six-footer would be nice). (Minus half star)

Overall, a very nice portable jump starter. I have a project car that constantly needs a jump, and I found this jump starter readily handy. For those who do not anticipate to use it a lot, this unit may be a bit overkill, and there are other smaller and cheaper alternatives. Highly recommended. Will update in a few months.

Note to Amazon: This product comes with an "AC charger," and not an "air conditioning charger." Please make the appropriate change in the product description section.

Buy Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire Inflator Now

I've owned this for almost a year now, and I can honestly tell you, buy the jump starter without the tire inflator.

The jump starter works great, the internal battery lasts a very long time, and this unit is very well made for the most part.

The weak link is the tire inflator. It overheats very quickly depending on the outside temp. In hot sunny weather it began smoking in a few minutes. Within a few months of regular usage (I have a bad rim on my car), the inflator completely died. It ran, it just has no air pressure.

I guess in an emergency the inflator would do it's job, but for regular usage, buy a better inflator.

The light works well, but points straight up.

The usb charger worked as it should.

I'd give 5 stars except for the inflator.

My rating is 3 stars

Read Best Reviews of Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire Inflator Here

Bought for my husband as a gift and he takes it everywhere. Used it 2X's to rescue boats on the lake. Keeps our car tires inflated. Handy for bikes and rafts. It's a GREAT piece of machinery!! Worth the investment!!

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This product serves its purpose to perfection. I have used this to start my car 3 times. I also used it to start my mothers van which was dead for about 3 months. Each vehicle started up in less than a minute. Usually within 20 seconds. The only criticism is that apparently it seems to have a problem with the inflator because mines went out as well. I purchased this product at my local walmart and they replaced it. My second unit has been trouble free and works perfectly. Highly recommended for emergency situations. I would purchase this product again.

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Garmin Nuvi 710 750 755T 760 765T GPS 110-230 A/C AC Wall Charger Accessory Adapter Cable Comparabl

Garmin Nuvi 710 750 755T 760 765T GPS 110-230 A/C AC Wall Charger Accessory Adapter Cable Comparable to Garmin 010-11107-00 with 18-pin connector
  • Designed for Garmin Nuvi 600 610 650 660 670 680 710 750 755T 760 765T 770 5000 GPS Navigators
  • Custom designed to connect to Garmin's 18-pin connector socket on the GPS or GPS Cradle.
  • Powers and charges your Garmin GPS Navigator at the same time ! 6-feet cord.
  • Durable and High Quality Construction ! One Year Limited Warranty.
  • Comparable to Garmin 010-11107-00 AC Wall Charger with special Garmin 18-pin connector.

I have a Garmin Nuvi 765T in front of me and there's no place the pictured connector would fit. The 765T uses a mini-USB plug for external charging. If I'm not mistaken this applies to most current and recent Garmins.

Buy Garmin Nuvi 710 750 755T 760 765T GPS 110-230 A/C AC Wall Charger Accessory Adapter Cable Comparabl Now

We use this when traveling and it has come in handy on several occasions. Highly recommend for anyone who needs an alternative charging system.

Read Best Reviews of Garmin Nuvi 710 750 755T 760 765T GPS 110-230 A/C AC Wall Charger Accessory Adapter Cable Comparabl Here

This wall charge is something I got as an auxiliary aide when I bought my GPS so that if needed, I could charge my Garmin GPS from an ordinary 110V AC wall socket if I had to do some extensive programming in the house, or if the GPS hadn't been used for a while and it needed to be charged to be ready for a trip.

It turns out that I have never had to use it! The battery in the Garmin GPS holds a charge sufficiently well that a wall charger wasn't necessary. But the dealer sold it at a good price, delivered it quickly and it was nicely packaged. So, kudos for the dealer for being an honorable merchant!

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The unit arrived in a very reasonable period of time.

Short instruction manual contained inadequate how-to information (green attempt by Garvin, they say). Other than that, with the information available on line, the unit does what it claimed.

I have had the nuvi 780 for about a month and yesterday, received a lowbattery notification on-screen, which replaced the map while I was using it for directions to a distant location.

The low-battery notification occurred while the unit was plugged into a working DC cigarette lighter outlet in the car and required the nuvi to be turned off since the notification replaced the on-screen map.

The on-screen information is excellent easy to read and interpret.

The mounting hardware supplied with the unit is excellent in all respects.

The nuvi speaker audio is rather poor quality but the use of a cassette adapter with the car stereo is very good. (I have not tried to use the NUVIs FM output to the car radio but reviews say it is too lacking in power to be useful and my antenna is rear mounted.)

The NUVIs routing voice notifications are bit difficult to understand but they are much better than nothing; it requires getting used to.

Check to see if MS Direct information (trial version comes with the nuvi) is available in your area if you want this service. (It isn't in my area but seems to be available in most or all larger metropolitan areas.)

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Peak PKC0AO 300 Amp Jump Starter

Peak PKC0AO 300 Amp Jump StarterThis charger works exactly as designed. It's an incredibly compact unit, and it has built-in cables which can be wrapped right onto the chassis, which saves an incredible amount of space and makes it very easy to carry/move/store.

I had a riding lawnmower that was draining batteries and constandly needed to be jumped off of my truck battery, which was incredibly cumbersome. Carrying this starter out to the lawnmower, jumping it, and then mowing the lawn was 100 times easier than backing out my truck, popping the hood, untangling the cables, pulling the mower out in front of the truck, and then jump-starting it. I've since repaired the lawnmower, but am keeping this handy little charger around for my wife's car, just in case she needs it. It barely takews up any room at all, and it holds quite a charge. I've jump-started my riding lawnmower twice and the battery indicator didn't even drop (I would imagine a car would take a much higher charge and therefore drain the battery more), but it still shows how much this charger is capable of holding.

If you're looking for a portable jump-starter, this is the one for you.

My Mazda3 would not start, battery cells dried out or just getting old.

Had to call AAA twice and at the same time ordered this unit.

Sure enough, battery weak again, car would not start, a fully charged up Peak to the rescue, INSTANT success.

Drove the car on the highway for a while and it now seems OK.

With the Peak in the back, no longer a need to worry about getting stuck or calling AAA.

Its best features:

low cost

small size

recharges in home via AC or in car via DC, all cables included.

Two things to pay attention to:

When charging (and this is true of any such unit) make SURE ground is NOT touching painted surface, it MUST make contact with raw metal.

If ground is touching a painted surface, the units contact indicator can give a false reading of contact.

Use the battery terminal ground at your own risk, if you do so for whatever reason, be sure there is NO fluid or fumes coming from battery.

The built-in indicator showing the units strength must be used when unit is ACTUALLY charging, otherwise false reading may occur.

Highly recommended!

Buy Peak PKC0AO 300 Amp Jump Starter Now

I have an remote starter on my car and after work I figured I'll start my car as I walk to it. The car didn't start but the headlights were on. I went inside the car and tried to start it with the key and nada. No noise or anything. My automatic starter must've glitched. I kept trying to turn the key to start my car in hopes by magic it'll turn over. NO luck. I stopped to think for a second and then figured I'll put the car in valet mode (it's for the auto starter) to see if I could bypass the remote starter. I did and nothing. My last option was to see if i killed the battery by trying to start it so many times. I took this out of my trunk that hasn't been charged in 4 months and connected the red to the red battery terminal and the black to a nut some where on the engine. The green light turned on telling me I had a correct circuit. I then turned the knob to power on the jumper. I ran to the driver's seat and tried to start it. A sign of life! It's trying to turn over. I counted to 4 and then tried it a second time and it turned right on. The scream i let out could have been heard in China (where it was most likely made). I can't tell you how awesome this unit is. I used it several times for my DC accessories and it last a very long time. This product has yet to disappoint me. 5 STARS! Thanks for reading.

Read Best Reviews of Peak PKC0AO 300 Amp Jump Starter Here

I suggest anyone owning or considering buying this product read the post by Robert on 11/28/2010, esp. this part:

"The built-in indicator showing the units strength must be used when unit is ACTUALLY charging, otherwise false reading may occur."

I can confirm that to be true. The indicator may show the unit at full strength when it is actually 50% discharged. It appears that you only get a true indication when it is charging that is not made clear in the manual.

I tested the amperage on the AC charger and got a reading of about 150 ma. At that rate it would take about 27 hours to re-charge the unit's 8 ah battery if it were 50% discharged. So if you use this as a 12 volt power source, you may need to charge it a while to get it fully recharged.

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It sits in the trunk and holds it's charge until needed.

Then it works to jump start the car.

It does what it says it will.

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Saturday, January 18, 2014

Cobra CPI 1575 1500 Watt 12 Volt DC to 120 Volt AC Power Inverter

Cobra CPI 1575 1500 Watt 12 Volt DC to 120 Volt AC Power InverterThis review is in response to some comments regarding wire and fuse size selections for this inverter and others like it.

In response to other review quoting a table from the National Electric Code (NEC). While the table that was posted is correct for 115VAC (household voltage) is does not translate directly to 12VDC (automotive voltage). When dealing with a 12 volt system there is less concern with wires overheating, at least in the way that the NEC considers it, and far more concern with voltage drop. When running wiring a reasonable distance (a couple hundred feet or so) there is little concern with voltage drop with AC power. But when dealing with DC, simply increasing your wiring distance 5-10' can have a drastic effect on voltage drop. That is why this inverter should be wired with, at the very least, #4 wire and really should be installed with #2 or thicker, especially if you need to run wire 15 or 20 feet or more.

The purpose of a fuse in a DC system is to protect the rest of your electrical system in the event of a short. That is why you always want to install your fuse as close to the battery as possible (no more then 3' if you can help it). As far as the amperage goes, there is a really good quick reference chart for automotive wire size that can be found at Tessco's web site here:[Turns out I can't link to an outside page so I'll paste the contents of the table at the bottom]. But to boil it down, you can safely fuse a 12VDC circuit at 150, or 200 amps, or more on #4, #2 or #0 wire.

Now this unit at full load is something like 85% efficient. So if you do the math -1500 Watts / 12 Volts / .85 efficiency = ~147 amps, A 150 AMP FUSE IS REQUIRED. If you take peak power into account you would need to double that to a 300 amp fuse, but because the inverter cannot run at peak power for more then a moment, a slow-blow 150amp fuse may work just fine, or perhaps you could step up a 200amp. I wouldn't go all the way to a 300 amp fuse unless you really found that you needed it and had the inverted is wired in such a way that it could handle that level current (read: installed using very heavy gauge wire). Now if your vehicle is running while your inverter is working the amperage will be a little lower because your dealing with 14.4 VDC rather then 12 volts (watts = volts x amps -oramps = watts / volts). But at the very least, a 150 amp ANL fuse is very good idea and not at all over sized.

Just a FYI on fuses, most car stereos are installed with AGU style fuses, but they only go up to 100 amps.

You will need an ANL style fuse to get one rated at 150 amps or more. See these links for examples:

Kicker 09ANL150 150 Amp ROHS Compliant ANL Fuse Package of 2

Scosche EWFH Single ANL Fuse Holder

Wire Gauge Selection Table 12 Volt Circuit

Wire Distance

AMPS 3' 5' 7' 10' 15' 20' 25'

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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

New Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger + USB Data Charge Sync Cable for AT&T Samsung Galax

New Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger + USB Data Charge Sync Cable for AT&T Samsung Galaxy S Skyrocket / i727Of course, if you're buying these, then you're probably buying them for the price and the fact that it's a convenient combo. My original Samsung AC adapter and charging cable were fine, I just needed a separate one to keep elsewhere and a charger for my car too.

In that regard, they work well enough as extras. I would have given these products five stars for doing what I need them for, but my rating went lower because of the AC charger. To start, it doesn't charge as quickly as an AC charger should. I tested it extensively and it seems to charge at the same rate as plugging your phone into a computer USB port -to get to the gist, it charges slowly. Whereas the original Samsung AC adapter would charge from 5% to almost 100% in two hours or so, this AC charger would take 4-5 hours to do the same (i.e. USB port rate).

Furthermore, and this is what really brought the score down, it appears there is some sort of glitch related to the AC charger. When charging through the AC charger and using the phone at the same time, the responsiveness of my phone (the Galaxy Skyrocket) would go down dramatically. Often, I would be completely unable to enter my lock-screen pattern or I would have to touch the screen several times before my touch registers or simply that my touch would register after a 2-3 second delay. I have to unplug the phone from the charger to make the phone responsive again.

I haven't tested whether this same issue is there on the car/USB charger, but AC charging is my primary method of charging, so this is a big downer. If the above issues I listed are not a problem for you, then these offers a great extras to what you already have. If the above issues do present a problem, I'd suggest buying something of a higher quality to ensure a good experience.

This was a sweet deal and I am so glad I purchased it when I did. I can now charge my phone anywhere at home and in my car at anytime

Buy New Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger + USB Data Charge Sync Cable for AT&T Samsung Galax Now

These are not a bad product for the pri ce, but the car charger and wall outlet have to be just right or they will not charge.

Read Best Reviews of New Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger + USB Data Charge Sync Cable for AT&T Samsung Galax Here

First had a problem with car charger It ok now the car charger working but got a replace meant and it work ok now

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This item was great, just as described. would do biz again. Plan to in the near future! I have recommended to friends. Thanks

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Bulldog Remote Vehicle Alarm System

Bulldog Remote Vehicle Alarm SystemI have had 2 of these alarms installed to two different vehicles during the last 5 years or so. One was returned for a full replacement within the first year...replacement is still in use. The other started to drain the battery on the vehicle it was installed in after maybe 4-5 years...so I've just bought a new replacement.

I find these alarms easy to install...but I hardwire them to the battery...and do not use the clip. There is not usually a lot of room under the hood of most vehicles...and the small size of this alarm is a big advantage. 2 wires to connect...one to the battery...one to ground...stretch out the antenna.

I try to mount them pointing down in an area free of high heat or water spray.

I've found that the range stated for the transmitter is probably more like 100'. The remotes are very rugged..if it gets wet...just dry it out...and the battery lasts a long time...have had no issues with the buttons. At times this alarm can be affected by large temperature changes(or by sheet metal triggering the shock sensor?)...and might be occasionally affected by other remotes or devices made to disrupt alarms.

The sensitivity can be set to where you want it...otherwise even rain can set one off. The current sensor works pretty well...but you need to be sure your dome light works.

It will inform you as to whether it was set off by shock or current.

You can set up 2 different alarms in 2 vehicles to respond to the same remote.

The newest version has a different siren sound...and it seems to be louder. Also it will reset itself if triggered. As far as transmitter range and other behavior...can't say yet.

IMO....for the DIYer...this is a relatively easy alarm to install and use.

After someone cost me over $500. in tire repairs by repeatedly puncturing my tires I had enough...

I bought this Bull Dog alarm and left it in it's most sensitive settings and problem solved. It would've gave it 5 stars if only the alarm was louder.

Buy Bulldog Remote Vehicle Alarm System Now

It's the simplest Alarm I have ever seen. Install Red Clip to Positive of Battery and Black wire to one of the Screws provided to mount Base of Alarm to Vehicle and that's it. The Alarm is louder than I thought it would be, no problem hearing it from a great distance. Great Alarm for the Money!!!!

Read Best Reviews of Bulldog Remote Vehicle Alarm System Here

Great little product from an American Company. Easy to install, and took a few days of trial and error to get the sensitivity set right, but got it to respond exactly the way I wanted it to. I don't have an expensive car 13 year old Honda CRV in pretty good shape but when some nuts decided to cut out my catalytic converter it came time to upgrade from The Club to a little bit more security. This Bulldog alarm did the trick.

U P D A T E: One year later and it still works great.

U P D A T E 2: After two years it still operates at the motion settings I originally set, {only the big street-sweeper or largest trash-truck set it off, telling me it's working and on the job}. No problem with anyone trying to break in since I installed it. Gettin' my money's worth here.

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I brought this product for an employee she love it and tells me its one of the best things anyone could have given her so I say Thanks Again for this product I have use them before myself and I loved it Thanks

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Monday, November 25, 2013

Original Motorola Handsfree Car Kit Network Box - S9950

Original Motorola Handsfree Car Kit Network Box - S9950
  • Motorola S9950 Handsfree Network kit without Hang-up Cup/Cradle unit.
  • Communicate clearly and naturally. The kit helps reduce noise and echo, which provides enhanced audio performance.
  • Charge the phone battery with ease. Whenever the phone is mounted in the cradle and the vehicle ignition is on, the phone battery is charging. (See your phone`s user`s guide for information on your phone`s status indicators)
  • Turn your phone on and off when you turn your vehicle ignition on and off. you can wire the kit to power your phone on and off with your vehicle`s ignition. (To enjoy this convenice, your phone needs to be in "power on" mode when you insert it into the cradle. If your phone is in "power off" mode when you insert it into the cradle, it will be in "charge only" mode after you turn off yhe vehicle ignition.)
  • Compatible with V60S V60P V60 V60 COLOR V70 V120 (all versions) T720 (all versions) T721 270 280 V300 V400 V500 V525 V600 E390 Cellular Phones

This beats a bluetooth car kit hands down. It has excellent audio quality, it charges your phone, and has a connection for an external antenna. Let me repeat something for those of you who haven't had a bunch of car kits like I have It has excellent audio quality. Most don't.

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Monday, September 16, 2013

Nitecore Sysmax Intellicharge i4 version 2, Four Bays universal home/car battery charger, Two Nitec

Nitecore Sysmax Intellicharge i4 version 2, Four Bays universal home/car battery charger, Two Nitecore 18650 NL183 2300mAh rechargeable batteries, Two Nitecore RCR123 NL166 650mAh rechargeable batteries with Smith & Wesson Carabeamer LED Clip Light packagePurchased this along with the Nitecore MH 40 (nice light). Found the charger to be defective right out of the box. Worked on DC power but not when plugged into AC. Returning was easy and fast thru Amazon. Exchanging wasn't an option available, but am going to try purchasing another one since I can use the included batteries in other devices

So far so good. I am using a Sure Fire E2D LED DEFENDER and an M4 Scirrako Extreme Beam tactical light and this charger and battery say they are the best choice I could have made for a charger plus batteries. These are serving us well.

The CR123As are 3.7v and do not seem to present a problem with either tac light at this point. The larger batteries have a bigger diameter and do not fit in my Sure Fire, unfortunately. However, the larger batteries DO fit my Extreme Beam Scirrako quite comfortably and give well over 3 hours continuous run time. The CR123As fit mu Sure Fire nicely and function well enough with well over 2 hours of run time. These seem to work as well as the normal lithium batteries with no noticeable drawbacks which is unusual for rechargeables.

The other thing is the intelligent charger. It is not a 15 minute rapid charge so expect 3 hrs for a good deep charge. The fact that it is "smart" enough to determine the chemical makeup of the batteries and then choose the best charge "patterns" for optimal charging and longest battery life is a remarkable feature to say the least. It will also charge any AA or AAA batteries in any combination as the slots function independently of each other. I have owned many different hobby and utility chargers and battery types over the duration of many years and this is hands down by far the best charger I have ever owned and even the best price. I just wish we could charge C, D, 9v, etc.

Great quality buy and price!

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AMAZON has done it again with putting a great Battery and Charger package choice out for the MT-26 Nitecore Flash lite I ordered. I choose this package because you get two choices of batteries the RCR123 and the 18650 High Output units. It came with a wall plug in and a car charger plug in and a cool little LED CLIP LITE FREE at no charge. You cant beat the prices at AMAZON I tried and could not do it so don't waste any time put your order in now and enjoy this great product by Nitecore Sysmax. Remember this is a High Output charger so don't put single AAA or AA Batteries in this unit always put more than one at a time in it to be charged and space them out unless using all 4 charging slots. Don't wait come and join the Amazon family of shoppers with the Nitecore Sysmax products and get your charge on. Thanks AMAZON ! Hunter :)

Read Best Reviews of Nitecore Sysmax Intellicharge i4 version 2, Four Bays universal home/car battery charger, Two Nitec Here

Admittedly I haven't had the charger or batteries very long, but I have used it with li-ion and NiMh batteries and it did all the ad said it would. Don't know if this will fly, but EdisonBright, the company I bought it from--through Amazon--delivers every bit as good as the charger. Maybe better. They go out of their way to ensure their customers are happy.

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Monday, September 9, 2013

Schumacher SE-1052 50/10/2 Amp Manual Starter/Charger

Schumacher SE-1052 50/10/2 Amp Manual Starter/ChargerI bought this to charge my Mom's car battery which we used several other chargers on that didn't work. This one got it started. I used the 10 amp setting for about an hour then used the 50 amp for a couple of minutes and it started right up. I have the same brand charger that I received about 20 years ago and it still works great. I hope this one lasts as long. It's made of metal and seems pretty sturdy. My only critism is that on my Schumacher charger, there is an on/off setting and on this newer one there is not. Once you plug it in, there's electricity going to the clamps. Make sure you have it connected to the battery before plugging it in.

Does the job. Well. It is not a mobile battery, it is a 3 speed charger. You need to be near an electric outlet. The 50 amp setting will not start a totally dead car, but leaving the charger on 10 amps for just a few minutes and then switching to 50 amp will. Do not leave the charger on 50 amps to charge the battery as this would be dangerous.

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Look all you want and you will not find a charger that does what this one does for the money. Jump start, fast charge, trickle charge for 45 bucks including shipping.......impossible to beat.

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A great charger for all my equipment however there is no fail safe when neg and pos leads are attached in reverse to a battery. The charger is destroyed without a fuse or other protective devise to save the charger.

Thank you for your level of service.

Len Schultz

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Charger Would not start car with dead battery. but after two hours on 10a turn to 50 amp and car start good with good power. looks great well worth the price. don't understand other reviews. case made good, no need to be heaver.

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Monday, August 26, 2013

Raptor GSTB3 SPADE TERM 12ga #10 opening - GOLD

Raptor GSTB3  SPADE TERM 12ga  #10 opening - GOLD
  • METRA CAR AUDIOSPADE TERM 12GA #10-GOLD SPADE TERM 12GA 10-GOLD

Brass tacks.. spades are spades but the primary difference is if the base material is made out of copper or something else.

These spades are 24k gold electroplated copper. They crimp well and work perfectly for their intended use. If I can get 20 for about $7, it is a steal compared to spending $6 for 4 (OTHER name) and getting essentially the same thing with a different spade design and maybe fancier packaging. I really don't need good looking packaging as it goes straight to the garbage anyways.

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Not your deluxe model, but I soldered them on with 6% silver solder and they work excellent. Plastic color coded sleeves work well enough, also. For the budget minded audio enthusiast it's a no brainer.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Whistler Pro-1600W 1,600 Watt Power Inverter

Whistler Pro-1600W 1,600 Watt Power InverterI have purchased many inverters for my service truck, RV, boat, and emergency home backup, and this is what I have learned...

Buying a large inverter is confusing. Most people want their inverter to run the "continuous" loads that they have, plus have enough surge power to start air conditioners, microwaves, sump pumps, etc. Seems simple enough, but when they purchase an inverter, usually it can't handle the startup surge they were hoping. Herein is the problem: most people don't understand "Surge Duration".

Most inverters can put out more than their rated "continuous" output for surge. But the question is: How long can the inverter provide that surge? The vast majority of consumer inverters can only provide surge for 2 seconds with most less than 1 second! This is totally inadequate for hard starting appliances. I have measured the surge on my 2 hp air compressor, and it lasted about 5 seconds before it settled out to its "continuous" wattage. My 1000 watt microwave settles down at about the 3 second mark.

So what to do? Always look for an inverter with a long surge duration. The bigger inverter companies sell them, but they are usually labeled "Industrial" or "Commercial", and are much more expensive.

Which brings me to the Whistler Pro Inverters. Whistler Pro's have something they call "Smart Surge Control" that provides the surge wattage for close to 10 seconds. That is the longest I have found of any low priced consumer based inverter. I gave several a shot, and they work as advertised! They have more than enough surge duration to start my hard starting appliances like A/C, microwave, air compressor, large power tools, sump pump, etc. My 3000 watt Whistler (5000 watt surge) can start my hard starting RV air conditioner with no problem while also running my microwave!

...So add up your continuous wattage needs. Then find the wattage of your most surge hungry appliance (here is a great chart w w w.g e n e r a t o r s a l e s.c o m/w a t t a g e-c a l c u l a t o r.a s p ) and size your inverter based on those calculations.

Example:

Rated running watts ("continuous") of my lights + fridge + sump pump = 1440 running watts

Largest Surge wattage appliance is my big sump pump = 2700 surge watts

Pick the inverter that is above both ratings, in this case I would get a Whistler Pro 1600. It is rated at 1600 watts running continuous, 3200 surge.

Remember: inverters require VERY HIGH current, so the 12v cables have to be VERY large to work correctly. For larger inverters (1500 watt+) the cables need to be LARGER than the cables you see on your car battery. Large cables are expensive, stiff and heavy, but are a MUST! Your inverter will NOT run correctly without them! Follow the cable sizing guides, and don't skimp or you will be disappointed with your inverter's performance! I cannot stress this enough. Also, keep the 12v connectors clean and tight for reliable power.

Lastly, let's talk about your batteries:

Home backup, off grid or RV (large) inverter use requires more than one deep cycle battery, usually many more. Check with an inverter pro to size your battery bank correctly BEFORE you purchase your inverter.

For those of you that are running an inverter in an idling single battery vehicle, the vehicle alternator makes your battery look bigger than it is. In my truck I have a 165 amp alternator with a 1600 watt continuous inverter. It works terrific with the engine idling. I just don't use the inverter with the engine off. The continuous large current draw on an ordinary car battery will shorten its life considerably if the engine is not running. I could install a battery isolator with a second battery, but if I leave the truck idling, that isn't necessary. Remember, BIG cables, TIGHT clean connectors!

I hope this helps you with your inverter buying quest... Good shopping ;-)

Added May 23 2013:

Just to clear up some confusion about using an inverter in a running vehicle:

If you draw more amps than the alternator can produce at idle, you will drain your battery. Once the battery voltage drops below about 10.5 volts, the inverter will shut itself down. Most alternators produce about 30%-40% of their output at idle. High output replacement alternators are readily available. Just Google "high output alternator". Be sure to increase the size of the alternator hot wire if necessary to support the higher amps of the replacement alternator...

I purchased this to run my appliances (fridge and freezer) in the case of power outages. Got heavy duty cable and battery clamps so can hook up to any available auto to power the unit. Tried on the chest freezer and the over/under fridge one at a time with no problems. Will only need to run for an hour every 5 or 6 to keep things cold enough to not spoil. Can also obviously run lights and other items as needed with this. Easy to store, easy to use, no need to store gas, no maintenance. There is always at least one car in my driveway too.

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One just can't beat the amount of wattage this item provides for the money. It seems a good quality product and simple to use. Works great, if properly set up. One thing I didn't see anybody mention is that this inverter is NOT supplied with the battery cables, which these things used to always include. As another reviewer recommended, get very heavy wiring/cables to connect this item to your vehicle because it will draw a lot of amperage when driven hard. I give this Whistler product 5 stars and two thumbs up.

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I just ordered this inverter because my 15 year old Whistler 1500 watt is going on the blink. If this one lasts have that long I will be totally happy. I think the trick to long life is mounting it horizontal and give it plenty of air space around it for cooling. I use it in my Locksmith van to run key machines, a Dremal and laptop. Not at the same time. I also don't let the inverter get stressed, I run the truck while in use. This puts less stress on the truck battery to. Past experience is why I am going with Whistler.

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Powers my 1/2 HP sump pump from a battery without breaking a sweat. The display shows 1440 watts when the pump is running which sounds too close to the max for comfort, but the fans don't even turn on -so it's very quiet -and the pump starts and runs fine (it was running about 40% on, 60% off after a heavy rain when I tested it).

Edit: (changing 5 stars to 4) Apparently something fishy is going on with the ground wire. I expected that if the ground terminal on the input side is properly grounded, then the outlets will have proper ground. Not so. My voltmeter measures zero volts between both ground & neutral, and ground & hot. My high efficiency gas water heater, which uses electricity only for electronics and exhaust fan, refuses to run with error code "wiring error: high resistance to earth ground".

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Monday, August 12, 2013

Actron CP9185 Elite AutoScanner Diagnostic Code Scanner

Actron CP9185 Elite AutoScanner Diagnostic Code ScannerThe CP9185 works exactly as expected with one exception. It does accurately provide the diagnostic codes for trouble-shooting and will clear (turn-off) the "Repair Soon" light if you wish. It seems to have an extensive built-in database that allows it to recognize most vehicles both domestic and imported. The operation of the unit is straight-forward and simple. However, the internal database on the unit I received contains data only through model year 2002. Vehicles manufactured after that date would have required an update to the built-in database. Updating over the internet is one of the features that attracted me to this unit. The problem occurred when I tried to install the PC drivers that would allow the unit to communicate with my computer something that is necessary to perform an on-line update. The drivers provided with the unit simply would not work i.e., the PC would not recognize the drivers on the supplied CD as valid drivers for my CP9185. I am very familiar with computers and installing drivers for a unit like this is straight forward. I contacted technical support (in fact I spoke with them about 4 times) to try to work through the problem. Technical support personnel were friendly and responsive I have only the highest praise for them but they were unable to solve the problem. They finally told me that it appeared the CP9185 itself was defective in that it was probably identifying itself incorrectly to the PC even though the unit appeared to work fine in every other respect. I have shipped the unit back for repair (my expense) and am told it will take 4-6 weeks for repairs to be completed. If it had not been for this problem, I would have rated the CP9185 as a full 5 stars. If and when the unit is returned to me in working order, I will update this review.

UPDATE The unit did come back from the repair shop after about 2 months with a note stating that the unit had checked out as working correctly and there was nothing for them to fix. The repair shop note did not elaborate and there is no indication that they had ever tried to connect it to a PC despite that fact that I had included a very specific description of my problem. As far as I know, they simply checked the unit for stand-alone functioning. Of course, there is never any way to talk directly to the technician that did the work. Needless to say this is not the result I had hoped for. I have effectively given up and decided that I will have to live with a tester that cannot be updated. Clearly, this quite severely limits its usefulness in future years.

The Actron p-9185 worked good when I first received it. But it always showed a low battery reading. The device came with an usb cable to do updates. When I tried to do the update with the software they provided with the device it went blank and would not turn on anymore. Now it is in the repair-shop to be fixed with the only explanation that my anti-virus may have caused this problem. With unsuccessful e-mails and phone calls to the repair shop I finally found out that they were three weeks behind in repairs. I still don't know when I'm getting it back.

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I previously used an Auto Xray for pre 96 vehicles. The newer AutoXray and Actron are very comparable scanners but after calling the companies and researching I decided to go with the Actron because 1)Actron came with a usb hook up for computer link(AX needs an adapter for serial cable) 2)Liked the graph features 3)Better instructions 4)More info in the scanner on codes. Since I already had a capable scanner for the old vehicles I went with the 9185 to save a few bucks off of the 9190. The scanner did prove to be simple to use but can be hazardous if your looking at the live data while driving. A good scanner for the money.

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Two years ago I purchased the Actron Elite AutoScanner CP9185. I used it once to trouble shoot a problem with one of my cars. Today I tried to use the unit to trouble shoot a hard start problem with another car and it would not power on. A call to technical service indicated that something must have shorted out during storage and I would need to send the unit in for repairs. Because the unit is now out of warranty I must pay shipping both ways (estiamted at $20). Cost to repair the unit is $76 per hour plus parts. If I want an estimate for repair costs that is $60.00. If I send the unit in for repair and the esitmated repair cost is higher than I want to pay, I have spent $80 and still have a unit that doesn't work. Lowest possible repair cost is $96 assuming no parts are needed and the work can be done in less than an hour. This is just too much money to spend on a unit that breaks during storage.

Needless to say I am very disappointed with the quality of the Actron Scanner. I have learned my lesson, I will never purchase another Actron (SPX Corporation) product.

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This device is exactly as advertised.

I have used this on both cars 1999 Mitsubishi and Saturn. Some of the more advanced diagnostics my be passed the weekend DIY but a quick search on the internet and you will quickly be up to speed.

Usb cable is of a good quality, serial cable is heavy duty.

Software update is easy but takes a few minutes to do.

Internally memory is limited, you may need to download often if you use the record feature. My brother is a mechanic by trade and says that $219 my be a little expensive but the construction is durable and it will save you money on the trouble codes versus doing it at a garage.

The unit is pretty thin

Con: I would like this to be a little shorter and it would be nice with a hard case or at least a soft case with a compartment made to hold it securely. The included case is a fabric clam shell (good quality fabric and stitching)

I would recommend this only if you want advanced diagnostics.

This is not for people who just want to search and clear codes, for that I would recommend the 9135 or lesser expensive unit.

Actron CP9135 AutoScanner Diagnostic Code Scanner with On Screen Definitions for OBDII (Post-1996) Vehicles

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Sunday, August 11, 2013

Motorola HF600 Retractable Self-Install Car Kit

Motorola HF600 Retractable Self-Install Car KitYou're probably better off with just a car adapter to power the phone and a technique to attach the phone to the dash so that it doesn't roll around on something like a car seat. The v710 provides best speakerphone quality to both ends if used alone.

I also tried to control the speaker volume from the phone (there's nothing on the speaker unit to do that), and wasn't satisfied.

Forget Bluetooth. Forget iPhones. When I had my Motorola V60 (and others) I had the best sound and the best transmission ever. People have been complaining they can't understand me on my iPhone and won't take it anymore!

My first iPhone--a 3GS--was so inaudible that I removed my SIM card and reverted to my old V60 in the middle of a trip. And yet, I have had 3 iPhones since. All have nifty mini-computer gadgety stuff -but the telephony sucks. Even with my Bluetooth!

So, POd, I just removed my SIM card again (4 years later) and pulled out my V60 from 2003-6. I'm getting the retractable again, because it is unbeatable! I'll keep my iPhone and use it as a Touch -just do my email etc on it.

But this is unbeatable. I can't understand why they haven't made models for newer phones with that different connection. I'd love that!

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I've been using this car kit for about 3 years and couldn't be happier wih the sound quality. The only problem I have with it is that the 12V plug is too tight for the accessory outlet in my Lexus RX330, but it has fit fine in several other cars that I've owned, including Nissan and Chrysler. If you intend on using it in a Lexus, get an adapter for $12.99. It will save you trips to the dealer to have the accessory outlet put back in. I've had the same problem with the 12V plug on my GPS unit.

I don't understand why the other person rated it so poorly, but mine is loud and clear with my V300.

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Saturday, August 10, 2013

Rapid Car Kit Auto Plug-in Power Charger for ATT LG Thrive / Phoenix - LG Xenon GR500 - Nice Cell P

Rapid Car Kit Auto Plug-in Power Charger for ATT LG Thrive / Phoenix - LG Xenon GR500 - Nice Cell Phone - BestCellBuy BrandPerfect, just what i needed, especially since my phone dies so fast and easily. It charges my phone very quick and since I am always on the go, this charger comes in handy.

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Thursday, August 8, 2013

Stanley TGC11 Total Garage Center with Battery Charger and Compressor

Stanley TGC11 Total Garage Center with Battery Charger and CompressorI think this is a great concept, but the compressor end needs upgrading. Not really a powerful compressor but adequate for bicycle tires and such. The real week link is the non changeable chuck. You have to sit and hold the non automotive chuck on the valve until desired pressure is reached, would could take awhile. This compressor has the same power as a small AC portable compressor you plug into the power accessory plug in a car. Hopefully next editions will be upgraded. Until then I will be returning this edition.

I came home to the US for the holidays and bought this unit. It is cheap Chinese crap. Of the four castor wheels that came with it, three were locked up and wouldn't swivel. Despite the negative comment here from the first reviewer about the compressor, it worked fine for me. You just have to screw on the tire adapter, (not hold it) and it inflated my tires pretty quickly no hassle there. I don't think the other reviewer understood how to fasten the compressor hose to the valve stem of the tire.

The manual is poorly written and many parts are just plain wrong typical of Chinese manuals.

I called the stanley support number for help about the non swiveling castors but they indicated my only option was to re package up the whole unit and send it back ugh. I am not going through THAT hassle. I asked if I could just send back the bad castors but they indicated they don't have any spares so I went down to Home Depot and bought a set of castors for $18.00.

So I agree with the first customer review, a nice concept but the unit falls well short of the promises in the description.

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