Showing posts with label car battery problems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label car battery problems. Show all posts

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Go Power! GP-SW1500-12 1500-Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter

Go Power! GP-SW1500-12 1500-Watt Pure Sine Wave InverterI have bought two other brands that have failed. One never did work and I was still charged 20% to return it! I did some research and found the Go Power to be backed by a serious company. After over two years of continuous operation, 24/7/365, it has delivered quality power to my three computers, scanner, laser printer, DVR, satellite controllers, speakers, wave radio, well, you get the picture. Don't mess around with a cheaper product, you'll end up paying more in the long run. With what I know now, I would pay the $950 list price.

I'm a mobile DJ and bought this inverter to power my 4000 watt PA/Lighting system. It replaced a modified sine wave unit that was noisy (static) through the speakers. This unit is completely quiet and actually provides cleaner power then my mains service. It works very well and doesn't seem to break a sweat running the PA and lighting system also powering a laptop, mixer and effects rack. It is light weight and feels very sturdy. All of the connections are good and will accommodate 4ga battery cables. I also like the separate voltage and capacity displays to give me an idea of how much time remains.

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This was a real plug and play unit for me since I waws bypassing a modified sine wave inverter. Very solidly built.

The only reason it didn't get 5 stars is there's nothing more than bar readouts for load and voltage and I prefer meters or digital readouts.

Three plus months in operation and I have yet to see any issues.

If needed, I would defintley buy another of these.

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It works ok. The only problem is that it can not be hard wired. Runs my frig tv and computer

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I would not buy this brand again, based on my bad experience. However, I bought mine back in 2003, so perhaps the bugs in this model have been worked out by now.

I would've given it 2 stars, but it did get me through Hurricane Sandy by powering my 2 refrigerators (its first emergency use), so I'm thankful enough that I'm giving it 3 stars despite its bugs. Mine does not work correctly in all modes, doesn't work the way the instructions said it should work.

I found some workarounds, but they're complicated, so I had to write my own instructions and tape them to the inverter -I'm pasting them below:

A) Without remote control installed:

Problem: Inverter does not work correctly with low power loads, like a transistor radio, whether or not it's in power saving mode.

1) With power saving mode enabled, it would work for about 30 seconds or so, then turn off, when attached to low-power loads like radios.

2) Even when the power-saving mode is disabled, it still acts as if it's in power-saving mode(!): it stays on for 30 seconds or so, then turns off (at least for about 10 seconds, then I think it went back on again by itself for another 30 seconds or so, but Corina thinks it stayed off), when attached to low-power loads like radios.

Cases where it works correctly: It seems to work okay only for high-power loads, over 100 watts, even with power-saving mode enabled. I've used it successfully for my electric drill and my weed-wacker-type Toro trimmer, and it takes a few seconds to come on but it works.

B) With remote control installed:

Problem: inverter does not work correctly in power-saving mode (even though I set the dip switches as instructed, five six and seven off). When put into power saving mode using remote (hold down button for 5 seconds until green light comes on remote), inverter acts up like it did without the remote control when power-saving mode was disabled (A2 above): it stays on for 30 seconds or so (green light solid on remote and inverter), then turns off for a few seconds (green light off for a few seconds on remote and inverter), then turns back on again (and turns on again even without any load attached!)

Cases where it works correctly:

When using remote, it works fine with power-saving mode disabled using the remote (orange light solid for inverter on, orange light flashing for inverter off). Turn the inverter on and off (keeping power-saving disabled) by one press on the remote button.

Summary and tips:

Without remote, works only for high-power loads (like drills, trimmer, etc.), regardless of whether inverter is in power saving mode or not.

With remote, works only with power-saving disabled (orange light on for inverter on, orange light flashing for inverter off).

If I need power-saving mode: disconnect remote, and use only high-power loads.

If I need to use low-power loads (like CF lights or small radios): keep remote connected, with power-saving disabled (orange light), and then switch the remote on by a short push (orange light turns solid).

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

NCAA LSU Fightin Tigers Power Decal

NCAA LSU Fightin Tigers Power DecalI was worried it wouldn't be seen because my windows are tinted, but it shows up and looks great. Geaux Tigers!

I love this decal! I haven't put it on my rear window yet but today will be the day I put it on there! It's so neat how the decal lights up and will cut off once the car is turned off! I'll have to order a Dallas one for my hubby!

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I bought a few of these as Christmas gifts to give out to family members and they really liked them. They work as advertised and look very good at night. Would highly recommended if you are a "True Fan"

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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Fm Transmitter- Works with All Ipod / Iphone or Any Mp3 Player with 3.5mm Jack

Fm Transmitter- Works with All Ipod / Iphone or Any Mp3 Player with 3.5mm Jack
  • With Lithium Battery
  • Product Dimensions: 4" x 7"

This is the best Fm transmitter that i have ever bought. It's very simple and easy to use. I just plug it into the headphone jack of my android phone and turn on the music and boom!! It also works as a car stereo bluetooth. The signal picks up very well and it can be used with or without the car charger that it comes with!!

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I would highly recommend this product. I was on the hunt for a very long time trying to find the perfect FM transmitter that could accommodate both my iPhone and my Zune; finally, I came across this one. I am extremely pleased. Previously, I purchased a Belkin transmitter, and it was awful. I found myself constantly scanning stations to find the one with the least static. After I purchased this, I've only had to use one station, and I haven't heard static once in the three weeks that I've had this transmitter. Additionally, I find it really convenient that it actually has an on/off switch, and it doesn't need to be plugged in whenever one is using it. If you buy this, you will not be disappointed!! Again, I would highly recommend this, even if it is a bit more expensive than some other options out there.

Read Best Reviews of Fm Transmitter- Works with All Ipod / Iphone or Any Mp3 Player with 3.5mm Jack Here



This video demonstrates the product transmitting a 320kbps MP3 file of Sarah McLachlan's 'Fumbling Towards Ecstasy' from an iPad 2 at maximum volume.

The radio volume is set at '35' and the car is a 2005 Toyota Carolla driving at 75mph west along I-40 in Texas. (In the video, I pause the track, allowing one to appreciate the ambient 'background' noise present in the interior of a sedan cruising down the highway.)

Also worth noting, of course, is the fact that the video presented here is a Flash compressed video file of an already compressed video file (taken by a Motorola Droid RAZR smartphone) of an FM signal broadcast of an MP3 (lossy compression, albeit at maximum quality) file. So, if you're not able to form an opinion on the audio quality from the video file, you'll need to rely on my report: the signal is clear, and on par with what is received from commercially-available fm stations.

This product was purchased for a cross-country road trip, and it has performed extremely well. Internal battery life is great; as a matter of course, I charge electronics often in the car, but without being plugged in, the transmitter lasts for about 3 hours with no apparent loss of quality or "strength." Picking an open FM frequency on the car stereo is easy, but if you're driving in an area that is flooded with FM stations (Illinois, I think), you can expect the device (along with your car stereo) to really struggle to make a connection. So, the functionality of the device will depend largely on the population of FM signals being broadcasted near your desired frequency setting in your geographic location.

I have no complaints about the physical design, but it's worth noting that the product is very lightweight and certainly feels cheap. It performs well, though. So, I'd recommend not being too rough with it in order for it to enjoy a nice full life! The packaging is minimal and includes practically nothing in the way of documentation. (Then again, it's not a complicated device to figure out.)

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This fm transmitter is the best ive owned yet. It works really well and has really clear reception. No static, just nice clear music coming out of your speakers. I was supposed to have this product between june 4th and 6th, and it got here sooner than expected. if your looking for an fm transmitter with great quality, this is the one.

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I really did not expect a whole lot in this price range, and to be honest it does look "Cheap"!

However, it works surprisingly well and has a few nifty features packed into its tiny size.

It has a built in Li-ion battery that according to the specifications on their web-site, will last for up to 5 hours (I used it for three yesterday) it can also be used via the cigarette lighter plug if you simply switch it off, it then conserves the battery and also charges at the same time. To use it on the internal battery power... unplug the power cord and flick the switch to "ON"

The display is clear enough to easy see the frequency on it, the up-and-down-buttons will allow you to pick a frequency of your choice. The on-line spec's say you can save several frequencies though I have not tried that and don't see the need for it. There is a very slight hissing sound that might be audible to some though I would guess be acceptable to most folks, and depending what you are listening to, might not be audible anyway!

For the price, I am very pleased with it. I am not sure this thing will last that long, but I will do an update to this review if I think it is warranted!

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Stanley DPS109 Digital Portable Power Station

Stanley DPS109 Digital Portable Power StationI bought two of these units about one year ago. One is still functioning. The other failed after 3 months. .500 is a good batting average if you are a baseball player but not so for consumer products. I will not buy another nor recommend the product.

My daughter has one of these because her husband felt it was a good thing for her to have, when her battery died and she was stuck 2 hours waiting for a tow truck. She has used it numerous times for things like pumping up a trailer tire, jump starting their riding lawnmower with it, charging up her cell phone in a power outage, and tonight we just used it again during a five hour power outage as our main source of light. It has a 12 volt cigarette lighter style socket, a USB and wall outlet power source. We can't find anything bad to say about this little unit and I am going to buy one of these for myself when I return home. We Love this unit!!!!

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This thing cranked a car with a dead battery once for me. After that it just did not have enough power for the job. I used it to pump up a few tires (that were soft, not flat) and now it barely does that.

Now after using it 5 or 6 times, I have it on the charger and it won't go past 11.3 volts.

This unit was a replacement for another Stanley jump box that also failed after a month. Don't waste your money on this it will let you down.

BTW, the jump box I owned previously jumped dozens of cars and lasted for several years! It was a generic unit I bought on sale for $20! I am wishing I had not left it in the back of some car I worked on.

Read Best Reviews of Stanley DPS109 Digital Portable Power Station Here

Overall I like it, documentation is sparse, LCD readout is very nice, my main complaint it it does not come with a 12V adaptor so it can be charged form a car 12V outlet.

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This thing didn't hold a charge, the digital readout didn't work and it overheated so fast the 120AC outlet was useless.

DO NOT BUY! YOU CAN NOT RETURN IF IT IS A PIECE OF CRAP!

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Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Rapid Car Kit Auto Plug-in Power Charger for AT&T ZTE F160 - ZTE R225 - Nice Cell Phone - BestCellB

Rapid Car Kit Auto Plug-in Power Charger for AT&T ZTE F160 - ZTE R225 - Nice Cell Phone - BestCellBuy Brandit was great item at the beginning but it broke but I guess for the amount of money I pay is not a big deal is just waist of time for me

This product works great and really comes in handy to charge your cell phone on the go. Very happy with this charger and would recommend it to others.

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This is a great item to have in the car, just in case. I don't like how fast the battery in my phone runs down, so having this is a lifeline. One thing I would strongly suggest is to either avoid having it plugged in when you're away from your car or cover it up so it can't be seen from the outside. A charging cell phone is a red flag for someone looking for something to steal in a mall parking lot for example.

Read Best Reviews of Rapid Car Kit Auto Plug-in Power Charger for AT&T ZTE F160 - ZTE R225 - Nice Cell Phone - BestCellB Here

I wasn't sure this was going to work with my phone, but for the price figured I'd try. It works fine. I'm very pleased with the value.

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Friday, March 21, 2014

EDUP EP-B3502 Wireless Car Bluetooth Music Receiver Stereo Output A2DP For Phone Ipod 3.5mm

EDUP EP-B3502 Wireless Car Bluetooth Music Receiver Stereo Output A2DP For Phone Ipod 3.5mmSo i really wanted to enjoy my music and podcasts in my car that does not have a bluetooth option but it does have a aux plug so i bought this adaptor.

shipped quickly and was as described, pairing was very easy and delivers what it promises, i can listen to my iphone 4s output through the car stereo and am very happy with it, nice sound quality.

it only has 2 drawbacks, there is no sleep mode so i need to turn it off when before i exit the car or else the charge will drain by the end of the work day....

and if i try to charge while listening (from the lighter) there is a loud hiss that makes listenint while charging impossible.

so...

i charge while i listen to the radio, it charges quickly and lasts about 8 hours so i need to charge about once a week and just remember to shut it down before leaving the car, it pairs up very quickly and easily when i turn it back on.

so not all i dreamed for but for the price def' worth it.

I ordered this Bluetooth receiver with some trepidation because it was so inexpensive. The first unit I received would drop the connection after only a few minutes and the mini USB port was too large to hold the connector securely. I complained to the seller and they promptly sent me a replacement which seems to work satisfactorily. I was very satisfied with the seller's customer service.

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I used to have a Miccus Mini-jack RX: Bluetooth Music Receiver but when I got a new car with built-in bluetooth, I gave it to my husband. But then I found I wanted a similar device for myself to use with headphones and other speakers. Since I have a LifeProof Case on my iPhone, it is not easy to access the headphone jack, so I like to use bluetooth whenever possible. This device serves that purpose well enough considering the price, but it definitely has some quirks and annoying aspects.

First off, the charging port looks like an ordinary micro-USB port, but there must be something special about it, because EVERY time I have used a charging cord other than the one that came with it, it has killed the device. The first time this happened I thought it was defective, and I arranged for a return through the seller. But as I was packing it up to return, I noticed it had a couple of small holes--one on the top, and one on the side--like those found on many devices to perform a 'reset' by inserting a paper clip into the hole. I tried this, and the receiver turned on and worked again!

After that, I tried all the Micro-USB cables I had, and all of them caused the same problem except for the short one that came with the device. Putting the paper clip in the side hole always brought the device back to life, but I don't want to risk damaging the device permanently by using other cables. I'm not sure what the hole on the front is for.

I mostly use this receiver with ear buds for listening to audiobooks. In most apps, pressing the button once will cause the audio to pause, but then pressing it again does not always resume the audio playback. With some apps it will resume and others it won't. Pressing the button twice quickly will skip to the next track in some apps, but not all. I don't think these functions are documented.

One very annoying feature of this receiver is that it beeps--LOUDLY--when you turn it on and off, and when the battery is getting low. It's dangerously loud if you have it connected to earbuds or headphones. I have to be careful to remove the buds from my ears when turning it on and off. And when the battery is low it also emits a very loud, obnoxious beep. The warning beep is every few seconds so you can forget about using it until you go and charge it. It does work while being charged but since the charging cord is so short it usually isn't practical to do so.

The indicator lights on the receiver are part of the button. This makes it difficult to see the what the lights are doing as you are pressing the button. Bad design decision. I have to press the button with my thumbnail in order to see what is going on with the indicator lights.

I found the directions were not entirely accurate about turning it off and on. To turn it on, I press and hold the button for about 5-6 seconds, until the blue light starts flashing slowly. To turn it off, I press and hold the button for about 7-8 seconds until the blue and red lights both appear, and then you have to immediately release the button, or you'll end up turning it back on again if you hold it for too long.

When you plug it in to charge, it will display a solid red light while charging, and then a red and blue light after it is fully charged. I've never timed the battery life, but it's probably around 5-6 hours, which is about half that of the Miccus BluBridge.

Helpful hints:

Only use the short charging cord that came with this receiver.

If the receiver will not turn on, try resetting it by inserting a paper clip into the small hole on the side for a few seconds. Then try turning it on.

Remove any attached headphones from your ears before turning it off and on.

For my limited use, this worked out okay for the price, but if you don't mind spending a little bit more, the Miccus BluBridge Mini-jack RX is a better device. It has better controls and indicators, longer battery life, works more reliably in various apps, and seems to be of higher quality. If I was using this receiver in the car, I think the annoyances would be too much to put up with.

Read Best Reviews of EDUP EP-B3502 Wireless Car Bluetooth Music Receiver Stereo Output A2DP For Phone Ipod 3.5mm Here

Our car isn't fully loaded with the newest built-in technologies. It has great safety features for traveling with my family, but we didn't splurge to get the upgraded in-car media or Bluetooth options. During longer road trips, my kids watch movies on an iPad, but the audio was limited to the crummy iPad built-in speakers. The kids also have headphones, but they're still young enough to be interested and engaged in the car, and will likely be seeking isolation benefits of headphones as they grow up. So, we steer clear of headphones in the car. Long story short, i was looking for options that would enable a connection with the auxiliary jack on my car stereo. I looked at long cables, and we even used the long cable a few times, but it just gets hung up on the stretch to the back seats. This Bluetooth receiver is perfect! Movies from the iPad now have awesome sound via the car speakers! I wouldn't say "cinematic quality," but compared to using build-in speakers for shared audio, the car stereo speakers are WAY better. We also no longer have to worry about the long cord getting caught on everything -or advertising "there's something connected" for people who may look in the car window during rest stops.

It does come with two connectors -to connect the little Bluetooth receiver to the audio jack. One is an actual audio cable and the other is a short plug. In the product photo you see the short plug -it actually has a male connector on both ends. I don't know how much clearance other people may need when connecting to audio jacks, but to me the short plug is still a little long. Why not just make it flush/flat and then eliminate the long cable (and added cost)? Since it does poke out of the dash a couple of inches, we need to make a deliberate effort to not bump it and accidentally break either the jack or the plug.

I do like this, and I'd recommend to others.

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Works as it should! Only complaint is I can't use it and charge it at the same time. A loud buzzing sound is produced.

Secondly, CAN SOMEONE HELP ME? After I paired it to my phone, I threw away the manual and can't find one online. How do you make the device pairable to new device?! Please email me, tzubay at gmail.com

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Kinetik HC1400R - 1400 Watt 12 Volt Power Cell Reverse Terminal Battery, Pack of 1

Kinetik HC1400R - 1400 Watt 12 Volt Power Cell Reverse Terminal Battery, Pack of 1Im using this battery as a starting battery and a battery for my sound system.

At the moment im only running about 500 watts RMS and it doesn't skip a beat.

I'm soon going to be running about 1000 RMS and will probably revise my review then.

Either way, I was very concerned about if it would fit under the hood, luckily for me it did and I have a 2002 Hyundai accent.

So as the product description states it will fit in Honda civics Hyundai accents and other sub-compact cars. Still take very careful measurements.

Kinetiks customer support is also very helpful, if you ever have any questions you can call and you get connected directly to a real human being.

Right now it's also dealing well with extreme weather conditions, 20 degrees and lower, and still doing well.

Sits at 13+ volts on average.

Basically I'm never going back to traditional lead acid batteries, they leak, they lose their charge, they don't output as many volts, they can't deep discharge and recharge slower.

AGM's are twice the price roughly but if you have electronics in your car, well worth it and kinetik batteries are excellent and put out a lot of cranking amps and amp hours for their size.

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Maxell P-11 2-Port USB Car Power Adapter

Maxell P-11 2-Port USB Car Power Adapter
  • Dual car charger can charge smartphones, iPad and many more devices
  • 2.1 Amps total allows the large battery in the iPad to charge more quickly than when using the traditional 1 amp adapter
  • Ideal for powering iPod, iPad and other devices while listening and driving
  • Replaceable 1 Amp safety fuse and 2-foot coil cord
  • Plugs into any car's 12-volt power jack

I did buy this I Pod charger, for me, and it worked great. My wife also wanted one, and I did buy her the 2nd, so we both own this maxell chargers.

Its a great value for money product.

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Sunday, February 23, 2014

Husky Liners Custom Fit WeatherBeater Molded Front and Second Seat Floor Liner for Select Toyota Pr

Husky Liners Custom Fit WeatherBeater Molded Front and Second Seat Floor Liner for Select Toyota Prius ModelsPerfect in my 2010 Pruis. Exact fit and they catch all the Fl. sand well. I love them and even bought the cargo mat for the trunk.

Came quickly, All as described. Fits well. Color appears as depicted. material is rigid for front liners. You must remove the factory floor mats.

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Pro

Nice thickness of plastic (should be easy to clean)

Good form to the floor

Look good, and perform well (i live in the north-east, so we get lots of snow and rain)

Con

none, worth the investment ( i can see the dried salt and bits of gravel, just hit it with water and let it dry)

Read Best Reviews of Husky Liners Custom Fit WeatherBeater Molded Front and Second Seat Floor Liner for Select Toyota Pr Here

I purchased these in Black would have preferred Grey but not a big issue. I did return for several reasons. First and Primary was they did not fit as promised; neither front or back. Think they just put the wrong mats in box; returned today. I was seriously looking forward to the lines to protect my new 2012 Prius, Pkg 4. May try and reorder and give it a 2nd chance.

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It works. Spilled a little bit of water on it when I was grabbing stuff out of my car and it did what it suppose to.

The fit is nice, the spike under it is pretty sharp, but once you put it in place it just stay on.

I have a Prius II 2013 btw (not the V or the C).

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Friday, February 21, 2014

Viper 7652V Replacement Transmitter

Viper 7652V Replacement TransmitterPretty good range and small size and love it. You can lock the buttons so you don't accidentally start you car when you don't want to. Easy to change batteries as well: CR2016 batteries on amazon for few bucks.

This remote along with the led remote came with my "Viper 5901 Responder LC3 SuperCode SST 2-Way Security and Remote Start System".

This remote has never been good to me. I'd have it in my pocket grocery shopping and bend over to grab something and you hear a beep on the remote and then you're wondering which button got pressed. You go out to your car to find it running or unlocked. The buttons them self are cheaply made and pop out. The worst part of all was one day at work the remote would not unarm and unlock my car. I took the cover off and it kept making a music tone. Luckily had a new battery at work to try and that didn't fix it either. So I had no choice but to drive 12 minutes home from work with the alarm blasting to get my led remote to unarm arm. Save the stress and embarrassment and avoid this cheap unit.

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Monday, February 17, 2014

Parrot PF410008 MINIKIT NEO Hands-Free Bluetooth Car Kit - Retail Packaging - Black

Parrot PF410008 MINIKIT NEO Hands-Free Bluetooth Car Kit - Retail Packaging - BlackI had been using the BlueAnt S4 for a number of years when the BlueAnt first came out with it. As of late, the unit had become laggy and not reliable. Maybe it was because of the Texas heat it was in finally did a number on it.

In comes the Parrot Neo Minikit. I received an email from Parrot and took a little deeper look into the handsfree. The "gotta-have" feature that I got from the descriptions were like the BlueAnt S4, truly handsfree, meaning you need to speak a "magic word" to activate the handsfree on the Neo. The other feature that I absolutely loved was the deep sleep mode, where the unit turns itself on when the car vibrates. In this case, when a car door gets closed. The BlueAnt S4 had a setting you had to manually switch to, which was the battery saver mode, which would connect to your phone when it was nearby to connect.

Ok this is the cream on the top :). The Neo has both an iPhone and Android app to accompany the Neo. I personally use Android so I am giving my view from this device. The feature that I love and now my 4 year old loves is that when we go to school, I put her into her car seat in the morning. Then I close the door. Sometimes, if I close it hard enough, the unit will turn on. Otherwise, it will turn on when I sit in the drivers seat and close the door. This feature, available in the Minikit app, allows you to record your own sound to use when the unit turns on from the deep sleep mode. I personally recorded "HI **my child's name**" and she absolutely thinks its the coolest thing since ice cream! LOL. And I have to admit, even I smile everytime the unit turns on and says hi to my child even if she isn't in the car with me. I don't think another device can make me more happier at this point. :)

Now does this Neo have any negatives?? Of course, but not really enough for me to stop using it. For one, the battery life is not as good as the BlueAnt S4, but I think it's because of the size of the unit or battery in the unit. Because comparing the sizes of each unit, the Neo is a third of the size of the BlueAnt S4. The other thing is the clip. Where the BlueAnt S4 has the powerful magnets and two different size clips depending on your visor, the Neo's clip is incorporated into the unit itself. So that means in certain cars may be a tighter fit.

Pairing is a breeze. I use a HTC Sensation 4G running Jelly Bean and it pairs up fast. No code needed in my case. I also want to point out that the Neo can pair with your device even easier, through NFC if your device has it of course. I haven't tried that yet, the only NFC device I have is my Nexus 7, in which doesn't really need a bt handsfree, even though I do have tom tom installed on it lol.

Now how does it sound? Compared to the BlueAnt S4, this is a leap clearer. Not sure what they used as speakers, but the sound is clear as day compared to the S4, where the S4 sounded like a walkie talkie and this sounded like a phone's handset.

Would I recommend this unit? Yes! It utilizes features that I use everyday and now every time I get into my truck, I smile because of it. What other device can put a smile on your face like that? :)

Seems like a solid product. However, when it is attached to my visor I cannot access any of the control buttons. My visor might be too thick (complete guess) and the design does not allow for any adjustment of the clip. I cannot press either button to make a call (hands free?).

I sent 2 emails to support and after ten days of waiting with no reply, I am returning the item.

Just an FYI...I drive an older Lexus with what appears to be too thick visors. My wife also drives an older Lexus and her Motorola Roadster works great and she has easy access to all the controls even with thick visors.

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This tiny speakerphone is amazing. I was surprised just how easy it was to use and how well it responds. The buttons are intuitive and easy to push. The pairing was as simple as can be. The mini kit did it all, including downloading my phone book. People I call have no problem hearing me and it keeps out the background noise.

Out of the box it does it's job well without changing settings. Iif you want to use the more powerful features, you need to access the menu and set it up further. Piece of cake.

Particularly good:

-Background noise canceling.

-Voice clarity at both ends

-Ease of set-up

-Volume

-Looks

-ease of use...my wife uses it without troubles. THAT is saying something.

-Instant connect feature works really well.

Good:

-Voice recognition (better than my phone)

-Documentation

-Form factor

Bad:

-Nothing to speak of, although there's little choice of how you mount it.

TAKE NOTE:

Be aware this does not fit "fat" visors. I knew this before purchasing it for my wife's Tiburon so I checked first. It does not fit my Chevy Colorado, but I didn't get it for that. Parrot makes another miniKit with the same features that has a larger clip style mount.

I have not tried the bluetooth to radio function. But I can tell you that playing music through the speaker of the MiniKit is as you would expect from any small speaker without base. It's best for voices.

I would not hesitate to buy this again. In fact I'm going to purchase the other MiniKit model for my truck

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2006 Toyota 4Runner and does not work when attached to visor. Buttons are blocked because visor is too thick so magic words still work but no way to hangup or use buttons in any way. Otherwise seems to work great.

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Having a series of iPhones I found that the phones do not have the kind of voice command system that will work through a normal hands free device. So I got an original Parrot Minikit because it downloads your phone contacts into its memory and then functions like a regular voice activated hands free device. It left a lot to be desired. The clip was substandard and kept coming loose. It had no switch and no visible indicator that it was on or off. The Minikit Neo solves most of those problems. The new hinge clip is excellent. The Minikit Neo goes to sleep after five minutes and turns off after ten. It is supposed to come on with any movement of the car such as entering and it does most of the time but not always. It does have an on/off switch but has no light indication that it is on or off. While there are audible clues that it is activating they are easy to miss. That said the Neo is a wonderful improvement over the old Minikit. If you are an iPhone user I highly recommend it for your use. Someday Parrot will get it all right but this is the best there is for iPhone if you want true hands free voice activation in your vehicle.

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Wednesday, September 11, 2013

NEW BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE LITHIUM EVO2 12V 8 CELL MOTORCYCLE BATTERY,RED,275 AMPS

NEW BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE LITHIUM EVO2 12V 8 CELL MOTORCYCLE BATTERY,RED,275 AMPSNeeded new battery for motorcycle and this delivers. Figure $90+ for a good gel battery why not get this with 3 year warranty, and if you take care of it you're looking at possibly 7 years of life. One thing that is a minor annoyance is the terminals are opposite of what I needed. I installed battery facing inboard to have terminals on proper side. A little tight to make connections but it works. I don't know if it is available with in a + configuration vs the + I got. If it is I didn't see it during the ordering process of the battery.

Long story short, I more or less got one of the few (if not the only) dud from the factory line. The battery would not start my bike (2002 Yamaha R1) in the cold mornings no matter how many cranks it produced. To its credit, it kept cranking the bike like a champion no matter how many times and how long I held the starter button down. But it wasn't until the temps got up just enough from the morning that the bike would start. I swapped the old lead acid battery back on the bike, and I never had the problem again.

Ballistic Performance has been outstanding in their customer service via email and phone. Ultimately, I returned the battery to the local store I purchased it from, and Ballistic made sure that the retailer shipped the battery to them immediately for testing. Ballistic kept me updated throughout via email, leading to the same conclusion that while the battery passed all metering tests with flying colors, it did have intermittent problems in starting their bike (Aprilia Tuono).

I rated the product Four Stars at this point due to Ballistic Peformance's outstanding customer service, and for a very well-finished product. Despite the faulty starting performance of the battery, it was clearly well-constructed and finished, and is truly a very lightweight replacement to the standard lead acid batteries. I couldn't give it Five Stars due to my luck of the draw, but I wouldn't hesitate to try Ballistic Performance again when I'm ready to have another go at it.

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I bought a 8 cell for my CBR1000RR with a host of additional electronics, including an alarm, Dynojet fuel injection module, quickshifter, a gear position indicator and a wired-in radar detector connection.So my bike draws more than a stock CBR1000RR does.

I got my battery very quickly in the mail, and was excited to install it. I was dismayed to find it would not crank like it did with the stock battery, but the weight saving was incredible. I thought my charging system might be bad on the bike.

So I ordered the balancing charger from Ballistic to optimize my battery and as soon as I hooked it up, the problem was obvious. Two of the 8 cells were not registering any voltage at all. I called Ballistic, spoke to the president on his cell phone, and he was awesome.

He immediately apologized (but hey, I understand; things like this happen occasionally) and sent me out a new one just as fast as he hung up with me complete with tracking number. That is great customer service!

One thing to remember; this 8-cell battery started my bike on only 6 cells every time. I am fully confident that the replacement will be fine and the Ballistic Balancing Battery Charger will allow you to see exactly what each cell is doing. A stock battery with a dead cell would have left me stranded.

I highly recommend this battery, it gave me more room in my battery box to relocate my alarm module there and free up precious space under the passenger seat. If you had an '05 CBR1000RR with an underseat exhaust you would know exactly what I meant!

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After installing the ballistic battery it was evident that I needed the 12 cell battery. the 8 cell just didn't have enough juice to start the bike. It actually did start it twice but that was it. I have a 1000cc Aprilia, any how I sent ballistic an email explaining the situation and they sent me the 12 cell battery no charge. Pretty darn nice outfit. The 12 cell works great!! Thanks Ballistic....kp

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This is one of the best purchases for my track bike that I've ever made, EXTREMELY light, small, and plenty of cranking amps. Even on cold mornings after my track bike has sat in the garage for a few months, my bike starts right up without issue. Because of the small size i was able to relocate some things in my tail section and get everything more condensed. Highly recommend this battery to anyone looking for an alternative to the stock battery.

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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Lisle 54150 Battery Terminal and Wiper Arm Puller

Lisle 54150 Battery Terminal and Wiper Arm PullerWorks well so far, but the cone shaped nut is made of plastic, not the shiny metal pictured in the ad. My experience has been that metal items far outlast plastic junk. For well over $20, there is absolutely no reason for plastic!

It is heavier and larger than comparable tools but this made it near impossible to fit over one of the wiper arms on my car. The little cylinder in the middle keeps falling off.

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pretty good design but jaws were too small for chevy HHR wiper arm that I was trying to remove, may work great on other vehicles

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I have been using one of these for about half a year. It works pretty good. The button on the end came off mine, but popped back on. They turn lever could be stronger. I have bent mine a little already. I have had this issue with other pullers before also.

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I struggled for over an hour trying to get my wiper arms off, and destroyed a cheap battery terminal and a gear pulller in the process. With this, I got both arms off in 2 minutes. It just works.

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Monday, September 2, 2013

Pyramid RPB425 4 Gauge Ground Wire 25 feet OFC (Black)

Pyramid RPB425 4 Gauge Ground Wire 25 feet OFC
  • 4 Gauge Black Ground Wire 25 ft. OFC
  • 61/0.25 x 7C,D. 9.0mm

This is the WORST power wire ever purchased. They claim it is 4 gauge, but in reality it is 8 gauge! it is all shielding and hardly any copper wiring. It is made from such thinly stranded wire that cutting the cable shield will surely cause you to cut into the wire, reducing the gauge even more. I have performed trunk battery installations in 8 other vehicles, all using 4 gauge wire. Using this wire the car will NOT START. For comparison, Stinger brand 4au wire is 3.0mm, Phoenix Gold's 4au wire is 2.5mm, this brand is 2.0mm. AGAIN THIS IS NOT 4au WIRE!!!! Don't be ripped off.

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I bought this along with some 4ga ring termials. Just be aware that the wire is smaller than regular 4ga, the wire with insulation fit inside the crimp on termials. Compared this to a piece of 4ga I had from an old system and it seems like this stuff is 8ga. Maybe it was labeled wrong or something.

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I bought this wire expecting 4guage wire. I have alot of 4 guage in my car right now and it is alot bigger than this new stuff. Although the shipping was pretty good, when i opened the package it was dissapointing to see this instead of 4guage. But none the less, it is a great price and i wish i would have read up on some reviews. i would say this is closer to 6 or 8 guage.

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Truly this is about a 6 gauge wire, so don't buy this expecting a true 4 gauge wire. I knew this beforehand and still purchased because it it's a really good price per foot of wire, even if it is 6 gauge.

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This is a good quality wire.

The image shows a deep black insulator which is not exactly what I received.

On the other hand, the electrons that flow through the cable, I am sure, won't mind the slight color issue.

As a 4 Gauge wire it is quite flexible and easy to handle. The bend radius, as one would expect is limited.

If you intent to use it in small spaces with tight bends, it is probably better to use some higher gauge wire.

I use it to connect a battery bank with wires of equal length together and don't want too much of a voltage drop between the individual batteries.

Friday, August 16, 2013

GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter with Charging, Music Control, and Ha

GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter with Charging, Music Control, and Hands-Free Calling for Android, iPhone, Blackberry, & Windows Smartphones
  • On-board volume, play settings, and phone controls|Built-in microphone with enhanced voice detection
  • FM tuner with an Auto-seek feature to help find the clearest FM station
  • Universal USB port lets you charge your Smartphone or MP3 Player while streaming
  • Includes "line in" port and 3.5 aux. cable for connecting non-Bluetooth enabled devices

When I got the HTC Evo back at the beginning of June I just went to Wal Mart and picked up an FM transmitter there for 50 dollars, but it would only transmit to the radio but not charge the phone. For anyone who has an Evo, you know that the battery life is not good. Plus it had a so much excess wiring. I returned it and bought this off of amazon and it is amazing. It paired within 10 seconds and transmits with barely noticeable no static, transmits far better than the 50 dollar thing I got from Wal-Mart or the FM transmitter I had for my iphone. I put my phone onto pandora, plug in the charger and set it down and if a song comes up I want to skip, I can just hit the forward button on the flexSmart unit which can be easily adjusted to any position for your hand.

I love this thing, its not obtrusive, theres not a ton of excess wiring, just the gooseneck and if you want to charge it simultaneously you can just plug it into the usb port with the included 6 inch wire or use your own. The calls come in clear and great too, just as good as any bluetooth headset.

I highly recommend this if you dont have an auxiliary port in your car stereo, I was considering getting the gomadic one which is only 5 dollars cheapers, but has so much more wiring and the typical inconvenient control module built into the wiring. I'm really glad I got this one, I'm about to drive from DC to Portland and this thing will make the trip much more bearable and its not an eye sore in the car.

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This product is an FM transmitter that connects to your Phone via bluetooth, and then transmits the audio to your car stereo through an FM signal. Just the same as other FM transmitters, but using bluetooth connection to your phone rather than a cord.

Setup:

I take a lot of trips up to Santa Barbara on the weekends and it's about 90 miles away. I use this with my Motorola Droid usually, but also with my friends' phones too. First you just plug the FLEXSMART X2 into the cigarette outlet in your car, and then press the power button. You see the LCD light up and you can adjust the FM station with the twisting knob. Just match the FM station on the FLEXSMART X2 and your car FM radio. To find the best station you can just hold down the twisting knob for a few seconds and it automatically finds a clear station for you. All you have to do to put the FLEXSMART X2 into pairing mode is hold the blue call button for a couple seconds, and then the lights start to flash. Then you go into your bluetooth settings on whatever phone you have and search for FLEXSMART X2 from the list. It usually connects in about 5 seconds. You here two beeps. One thing to notice is that when you want to disconnect one phone and connect a friend's, you have to unpair the 1st phone before connecting the 2nd one.

Sound for Music and Calls:

The sound quality for music seems to be very good. It's way less interference than other FM transmitters, I think it's possibly because there are no wires connecting the phone to the transmitter. Bluetooth music seems to be superior. One thing I did notice was a difference in my sound levels with the bass and treble. I just tweaked the bass and treble levels and got it sounding the way I like. Call quality is different. I can't figure it out...sometimes when I make or receive calls everything is perfect.. then sometimes the person I'm talking to says they can hear their voice echo in the background, BUT they sound fine to me??? It only happens maybe 1 out of 10 times.. but I can't figure out what causes it... maybe a bad cell phone signal I'm not sure. BUt for the most part calls sound good and I like how I can answer and end calls without ever toughing my phone

Controls:

You can answer and end calls by the controls on FLEXSMART X2, and you can even hold down the call button to call the same person you last talked to. The twisting knob is used for fm station tuning. Twsting it will change the FM station by 0.1 with each click. One cool feature is this Auto-Seek that finds clear stations for you. You just hold down the twisting knob and it zooms into a clear station...very cool. Also, the knob controls volume if you click it down just once. It seems like the best sound comes when you turn the FLEXMSART X2 volume up to 30, and then your car radio at about mid level(depending on how loud you like your music). I've noticed by turning up the volume on FLEXSMART X2 first the sound quality is really great. The play, forward and back buttons control your music. These controls worked great on most phones I've tried, but only the play and pause control worked on the iPhone 3GS we used.

Other cool things.....

I noticed that when you leave your phoen bluetooth on, FLEXSMART X2 automatically re-pairs it when you turn your car on. Thats pretty cool. It also comes with 3 usb cables which can charge iPods and almost any cell phone. It has a USB port on the side of it that you connect these cables to, so you could charge your phone or your friend's phone even though your cigarette outlet is being taken up.

The lights are also really cool at night. They go nice with my 2002 Volkswagen console lights. ALSO, you can use this just like any other FM transmitter if you have an iPod or something without bluetooth capability. It has a 3.5mm headphone cord jack and a two-way cable. It's cool that you can use it even with things(mp3 players / laptops) that don't have bluetooth capability.

What a cool product... for sure one of the coolest car audio products I've ever used...hahha and my friends like it too.

Read Best Reviews of GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter with Charging, Music Control, and Ha Here

Okay, so maybe everybody knows this, but this isn't just for the Android phone-it's compatible with the iPhone 4 as well. I wasn't sure of this (I've never really messed with bluetooth before) as they list the FlexSmart on here for the iPhone and the Android phone as separate products. The one listed for the iPhone is actually more money and is not Prime eligible, so I took a chance and just ordered this one. Success, it worked! So if there's anyone out there that's as silly as me wondering hey, will it work for both? The answer is YES. I have an iPhone 4 and my husband has the Samsung Galaxy (an Android phone), and we both connect to it with NO problems whatsoever.

The sound is super crisp. I've had an FM transmitter for my iPod before and not been impressed-it was static-y and wouldn't hold the signal. But this little gadget really knocked my socks off! Pairing it with 2 different phones was super easy, and the sound quality is terrific. My husband wants one for his truck now. :)

In the item pictures, it only shows the mini & micro USB and audio cords, but this comes with a little package of all the USB cords you'd need for charging if you're a multi-phone family like us (including iPhone/iPod cord). That is REALLY awesome because now I've got ONE device for bluetooth, charging and music! I can get rid of all those other cords! The cord plugs into the USB port and keeps my iPhone charged on long drives. :)

I also plugged my mom's iPhone 3G and my sister's iPhone 3GS into it, paired it using Bluetooth, and it worked flawlessly with those models as well.

I highly recommend this!!

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This my quick review, I'll use the given standardized attributes -

Call Quality (4)

The quality is actually pretty good, but it wasn't 5 stars primarily because the voice volume is considerably lower than the music volume and this is with them set to be even on the phone, it's a big discrepancy in the two volume levels.

Compatibility (5)

Gave it a 5 for this because I tried it with a bunch of devices and it connected and worked NO PROBLEM! It re-pairs and reconnects effortlessly. It supports all the different pairing modes as advertised and paired with my Android phone I can control the music I play with the easy-to-use buttons.

Setup (5)

You don't have to be a Techie AT ALL to set this up in under 10 mins (and keep it setup). Pairing was easy, using was easy and intuitive. There is one little issue that I will mention at the end. What Is great is that they provide you ALL the cables you would ever need.

Sound Quality (4)

The sound quality is pretty okay, but not great.

Music Quality (4)

I gave this a 4 because the sound quality over bluetooth is noticeably less than when it is connected via cable (not too much of a surprise there). There's almost no bottom-end in the music over Bluetooth.

SUGGESTION to the manufacturers:

I really luv this product. There are two quick suggestions I have -

(1) Improve the quality of the music over Bluetooth (it needs to be able to carry bass).

(2) This next one is concerning the knob. It is very nice in every way, EXCEPT... I suggest to reverse the volume and tuning operations. When you turn the knob it changes the FM frequency (which is not something that you have to do much if at all)... HOWEVER, to adjust the volume (more frequently done) you have to first press the knob and then turn it to adjust. These need to be switched around.

If I discover anything else I will add more.

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I was hesitant to purchase an FM based transmitting device for my iPhone. I was going to spend the money and get a new stereo with an wired interface for my iPhone instead. I've tried quite a few of the FM based devices before, and I was always getting interference from FM broadcast stations, even ones that were not close by. I was very surprised that I did not have that problem with this device. I traveled over 250 miles one way, going through 3 major cities, and not once did I have to search for a clean station. When I turned off power to the Flexsmart X2, there was a very strong station being broadcast on the frequency it was using, but I never had bleed through from it. Amazing. I did not really buy it for the phone capabilities, since I use a BlueAnt visor clip model, but the Flexsmart X2 is superior to the BlueAnt. No one tells me that I sound awful using it, and most people don't know that I am on a speaker phone unless I tell them. Since the audio for the phone is coming through the radio, I don't have a problem hearing the party I am speaking to, either. Only problem with it is that the flex arm seems to be a bit weak and sags after a while, but it is far from a deal breaker. I have no problem recommending purchasing this to anyone looking for a very good, inexpensive way to interface their iPhone with their car stereo.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Car Camcorder DVR Car DVR Full HD 1080p Car Video Camera DVR Car Car Black Box 5.0 Mega with Dual L

Car Camcorder DVR Car DVR Full HD 1080p Car Video Camera DVR Car Car Black Box 5.0 Mega with Dual Lens/ Dual Cam+GPS Function and Gravity Sensor
  • Built-in Li Battery supports to take videos while charging
  • built-in gravity sensor
  • Supports :4GB -64GB Micro SD card, but it doesn't support 2GB or 1GB Micro SD card (not included the TF Card)
  • Supports to take videos automatically once the engine starts
  • Supports to delay the startup in case the transient pulse current when the engine

I like it in one way coz for dual cam, but the angle is not wide enough the way I want it, but still is good, Like to recommend this to my other friends.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Big Crank ETX16L Battery

Big Crank ETX16L Battery
  • 12 Volt 19 Ah AGM

I think most bikers, especially Harley riders, eventually come to realize that after-market parts are, generally, not the bane they are made out to be. Furthermore, most informed bikers, and a few Harley riders, learn that dealer threats of voided warranties by use of after-market parts are trumped by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. In a word, service it, repair it, or replace it with whatever you choose, keeping receipts and a record of what was done and when.

For me, there are two reasons to use after-market parts: greater variety and reduced cost. It is for the latter reason that I purchased the Deka Big Crank for my FXDL (as a replacement for the Harley 65989-90B); as long as the battery/tray dimensions are within range, this battery will suit multiple applications (it comes standard with a tray adapter, if needed).

I've only had this battery for seven months so I am unable to fully comment on its value. To date, however, the battery has performed flawlessly in hot and cold weather, although the term cold, as used in southern NM, is relative. When not riding I always maintain my batteries on a tender which reduces sulfation rates, while keeping the battery fully charged.

Because the Deka Big Crank is an AGM battery, there are no restrictions on shipping and no maintenance procedures to follow. As I mentioned, it is too soon for me to fully evaluate this battery but, to date, I am a happy rider.

Ed

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I put a charge on it using a battery tender. As advertised, it was nearly fully charged out of the box. I verified the charge over several days and it held up well within specs. It's now on my jet ski and I don't even think about it it turns my 130 horses over just fine. Great for the price.

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This battery does exactly what it should. It fits perfectly and starts every time without any trouble. Of course the bike itself must be in good running condition. I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THIS BATTERY SO FAR,. TIME WILL TELL..

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WELL IT IS THE WINTER NOW IN JERSEY SO IT WILL NOT SEE MUCH ACTION BUT SO FAR WHEN CALLED UPON IT STARTED RIGHT UP.

I've used this battery in our Waverunners for years and they are great. AGM technology is far superior to a flooded battery in that they provide more starting power, no leakage (corrosion issues), far longer storage time and battery life. I've had some of these for 4-5 years with no degradation in performance. Deka builds a solid, reliable AGM battery.