Showing posts with label how change a car battery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how change a car battery. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Memory #1 (Must be programmed by Je

Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Memory #1Works Great but i dont know if its the remote or what but i have to be pretty close for it to work and my case is cracked already but, Besides that solid buy would buy again. Dealer charged me $100 dollars to program 2.

The top of my remote broke so it would not hang from my keychain. I ordered this and it came in the wrong color. I could not get it to work. As I sat looking at it I realized that I might be able to switch the broken case for the unbroken one. Popped it open and just transferred the guts. Now it attaches to my keychain and I have an extra battery.

Buy Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Memory #1 (Must be programmed by Je Now

took it to dealer paid $15 to program and it works like it should, opens and locks the doors, and panic button also works. (excelent) :)

Read Best Reviews of Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Memory #1 (Must be programmed by Je Here

Monday, July 21, 2014

BRAND NEW UNIQUE BRIGHT BLUE 2000-2011 FORD CROWN VICTORIA KEYLESS ENTRY KEY REMOTE FOB TRANSMITTER

BRAND NEW UNIQUE BRIGHT BLUE 2000-2011 FORD CROWN VICTORIA KEYLESS ENTRY KEY REMOTE FOB TRANSMITTER CLICKER + FREE PROGRAMMING & DISCOUNT KEYLESS GUIDE
  • FREE PROGRAMMING INCLUDED!
  • DISCOUNT KEYLESS GUIDE INCLUDED!
  • EXPERT KNOWLEDGEABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!
  • UNIQUE AQUA BLUE FORD REMOTE ***NOT A CHEAP PAINTED SHELL***
  • OVER THE PHONE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE

Works as advertised. Ford wanted $155.00 for this remote programmed. Highly recommend.

Don't waste your time going to A Ford dealership they are a rip off.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

SuperTooth High Definition Bluetooth Portable Visor Car Kit and Speakerphone for Cell Phones, iPad

SuperTooth High Definition Bluetooth Portable Visor Car Kit and Speakerphone for Cell Phones, iPad 2, and iPhone Retail PackagingSUMMARY:

=========

[I am using the Supertooth HD with a Nokia Lumia 900]

If you search my reviews, I bought and returned the Supertooth Buddy (the little brother version of this). So far, the Supertooth HD has not exhibited any of the annoyances of its little brother. Currently, this is a 5-star device and I will update my review as needed.

What makes the perfect car bluetooth speakerphone? (ie. The Supertooth HD does all of this!]

==============My 14 Most Important Criteria Items============

1. It should have caller-id that speaks the name of the caller

2. It should automatically turn on/off as you are away from the car

3. It should have ample volume while driving at highway speeds

4. You should only have to press a single and easily accessible button to answer or place a call

5. It should make use of your phone's built-in voice recognition system (if your phone has this)

6. It should be easy to pair and auto-download your phone's contacts

7. It should reconnect easily when you are in the car

8. Callers should be able to hear you clearly at highway speeds

9. The charging port should not be obstructed when the device is installed on a sunvisor

10. It should have a long battery life

11. It should be reliable whether it is -40 degrees in Fargo or the internal car temperature reaches 140 degrees in Texas

12. It should have good documentation or manufacturer's website and/or responsive customer support

13. It should be usable whether the sun visor is flipped down or up

14. It should be reasonably priced

How does the Supertooth HD stack up?

=====================================

A. [Update: 8/2012 We've had a number of 103+ degree days so far in Texas this summer of 2012 and my Supertooth HD is still working great!, so I can state that the Supertooth HD meets the bar on essentially all 14 of the criteria listed above now. Also, recently they completely overhauled their website and they NOW have the user manual online. Lastly, they do respond to emails sent do contact(at)supertooth(dot)net. I specifically told them that some people's HD bluetooth stays connected while it is in their garage or close to their apartment and they stated there was no way to adjust the sensitivity of their bluetooth. Well, at least their customer support was responsive enough to at least tell me that and hear the feedback. (Back in 2011 they had emailed me the user manual when I asked for it)

B. I've owned the Motorola T505 and it does not have spoken-name caller id, doesn't turn off or on automatically, the volume is not loud enough at highway speeds (or heck, even idling), and it is difficult to press the small answer or call button.

C. The Supertooth BUDDY that I returned does not have ANY form of caller id (it just rings), the bluetooth would never turn off when I was in the house, and it wouldn't always reconnect reliably. I also had one strange charging issue before I returned it.

D. I've owned TWO of the Motorola T325 which was almost the perfect device, but horrible reliability. Two broke and they were returned to Amazon. I suppose they simply couldn't handle the Texas heat. They would connect/disconnect constantly and or wouldn't hang up or wouldn't place a call or wouldn't turn on.

E. The Jabra Freeway is almost twice the price of this (I've never used one), but the reviews so far aren't all 5-stars, so I decided to take one for the team and try the Supertooth HD.

F. I purposely purchased the Jabra Cruiser2 (similarly priced to this) for my wife, so we could decide which one we liked better in 30 days. So far the Supertooth HD is ahead because the Cruiser2 doesn't seem to automatically turn on (you have to remember to press the 'phone' button to make it reconnect, though it does connect very quickly) and caller-id wouldn't work for my name, even though it worked for other spoken names. So the Cruiser2 is losing in #1 and #2 in the list above and fails in #13. The Supertooth Buddy and HD are the only genius devices that use magnets that allow you to quickly move the device to the front or back of the sunvisor for when it is flipped down or up.

Usage Notes:

=============

Here's what I've figured out on my own [their website NOW has the user manual online]:

Saying "Voice-dial" is the same thing as hitting the voice-recognition button on your phone. You say voice-dial and then it loads your phone's personal voice-recognition system and everything works normally from there. With my Windows Phone, I can listen to as well as dictate text messages from the bluetooth speakerphone it's pretty fantastic!

Beyond that you have to specially add an extra phone entry to your important contacts, so that even if your phone does not have voice-recognition dialing, the Supertooth HD gives you voice dial with a number of preset entries like Call Home, Contact 1-9 and Voicemail. For example, for my wife, I added ".6Home" as an extra name with her phone number. When I press the HD's big button, I say, Call Home and it finds the .6Home entry in my phonebook and automatically dials her, without using my phone's native voice dialing. You can add ".8Voicemail" and that will call your voicemail. This is all explained in the small little instruction booklet that they provide.

Now even if you don't have a fancy smartphone, you receive 6 months free of Dial2Do which is basically a special phone number that you call that allows you to send text messages, emails, Facebook status', tweets by voice. You have to previously register the numbers or addresses on their website, etc). One trick I learned is that this special phone number (and the special button) is programmed as ".0Assistant" So if your Dial2Do subscription has expired, you can then program that button to dial any number you want, such as voicemail, etc. Just add a phone entry in your phonebook with the name ".0Assistant" then any phone number you want it to dial. Now whenever you press the "Hands Free Assistant" button, it will automatically dial that phone number, for me it dials my voicemail.

IN CLOSING:

============

The Supertooth HD almost meets the bar on becoming the perfect car bluetooth speakerphone and for the price and 6-month trial of Dial2Do, it is definitely a great buy.

I will update this review as the days pass if I encounter any reliability issues or any other annoyances.

[Updated 12-12-2011]

This is still a reliable 5-star device for me. I've only had to charge it once and battery life seems excellent. It connects as soon as I open the car door every single time and announces it. Also, it properly disconnects when I arrive home, unlike the Supertooth BUDDY that I returned and my wife's Jabra Cruiser2 which frustrated her so much, she made me get her old favorite, the Motorola T325 (half the price of the Supertooth HD right now).

To recap, the Supertooth HD is the current winner in my list of 14 Criteria Items I've listed above. The only device that comes remotely close is the Motorola T325, which is half the price, BUT not reliable during a hot Texas summer. When you also factor in price along with my list of 14 Criteria Items, then the Jabra Freeway, Jabra Cruiser2, Motorola Roadster and Supertooth BUDDY all pale in comparison.

For half the price though, the Motorola T325 is a very strong contender for fair weather users.

OK, we got our Supertooth HD a week ago and have been putting it through the paces and it has succeeded with all as advertised to date. (My smart phone is an LG Thrive with AT&T service, OS is Android 2.1). I exchanged a couple of comments with Dean (see his review!!!) earlier, his review is the best on all specs and how it can work with messages. I don't intend to repeat what Dean has so eloquently compiled already. Rather, my intention is to immediately let everyone know that the company in France has just released a 32 page full feature Operation Manual that has not previously been available on the Supertooth website. I got the Manual sent to me after emailing an inquiry to their contact service (contact@supertooth.net) about how to use the music streaming feature (turns out all I had to do was pick a song on my phone and it automatically started playing through the Supertooth, a no brainer but your phone must have A2DP which most have by default). To get their Manual, here's the link to the email from France I got:

I know it's a real long address but it's a link through my ISP to the download from France. Rest assured as I ran it through Virus Total scans for virus and website issues, the link and website ran completely clean, but you can do the same again if you want to also. The Manual answers many questions in pretty good English, but remember who wrote it, not native English speakers. But it has more info than any other source for sure.

I think that it's easy to get confused about using the Hands Free Assistant. I am presently just not using it as the routine features of the phone work great to accomplish everything including voice dialing. One big help is to make your phone address book entries very very easy for the Supertooth to recognize after it transfers your phone book to the unit. So beforehand, remove any abbreviations etc. in your phone book and make the names real easy and distinct and you'll get more successful dial ups. I might use the Assistant in the future, but personally I think sending texts while driving is a little scary as the concentration demand is greater. But I bet others think it's slick and will adapt and get used to short quick messaging that is not as demanding while driving. Good luck and be safe out there! Be sure to read Dean's review too, its great. This baby is a winner, and is getting lots of positive recognition, awards etc.

Oops, looks like Amazon took out my link, so I suggest you just email contact@supertooth.net and ask for the HD full Operating Manual they can send you. If you cannot, feel free to email me and I'll try to send it your way, best wishes.

Buy SuperTooth High Definition Bluetooth Portable Visor Car Kit and Speakerphone for Cell Phones, iPad Now

I have a 2005 Quest that doesn't have built in Bluetooth so I saw this on Motorweek and had to get it. I've been using it for about a month, here's my impressions so far:

Easy connect to my Android phone (Samsung Galaxy S)

Connects when I get next to my car

Stays connected when I have been over 25 feet from car; in my house I have to go to the far corner to get it to disconnect

If you turn off the bluetooth on your phone so as to disconnect the device, it shuts off. Otherwise it stays on an reconnects automatically.

I use drive safely text reader which works well with the device

Very loud speaker, no need to leave it on full blast unless you have a lot of cabin noise or are deaf

Can't "voice dial" from my phone not sure why as I can from my ear bluetooth

Text and e-mail service requires registraion, since I use DriveSafeLY, I don't use it but may in the future. I'll update in this case.

I used it on a trip from El Paso to Las Vegas and back, no issues. Good sound, solid feeling device. Four stars due to the Voice dial issue, if I can get that working, 5 stars.

**UPDATE**

As promised, I upped it to 5 stars after figuring out the voice dial thing (it was my phone, not the device). Also, noticed that it kept re-connecting while in my house so to overcome this issue, I get it to disconnect first, then turn off my phone's bluetooth, then turn it back on before getting near my van and it reconnects automatically. Otherwise, if you are connected and turn off your phone's bluetooth, it powers down after a short time.

Battery life; I charged this device about a month ago, talk on it about 1-2 hours a week and the battery is still going event though I leave it in my car with temps around 100 ambient outside. I'm going to let it go until it dies.

Another feature is when it rings, it will announce caller then beep, at this point all you do is say "answer" and it answers! Truly hands free!

**UPDATE 2**

Ok, after a few months of use, I still think this bluetooth is the best. Also, the battery lasts about 25-30 days but I don't have many calls (maybe 1-2 hours a week tops). More calls, less time, no brainer.

Read Best Reviews of SuperTooth High Definition Bluetooth Portable Visor Car Kit and Speakerphone for Cell Phones, iPad Here

I ordered this product based on positive reviews. After testing it extensibly, the conclusion is it looks good, has good features, and is easy to use. However, I think most reviews stop here, and very few focus on the most important feature of a Bluetooth speakerphone: the sound, not the one you hear, but how well people on the other end can hear and understand you. That is where this otherwise nice product fails. The road noise was unbelievable, even while driving at 10-20 mph on a smooth road, in a very new car. Yes, when you are using it, you can hear your caller loud and clear, but your caller can barely understand your words. I think if most reviewers looked carefully into this, there would probably be more negative reviews. We tried this product for weeks, in multiple conditions, with multiple callers. All complained about the same: excessive noise, and a conversation that just could not be followed.

Unfortunately, I returned this speakerphone. I then purchased the Jabra TOUR here on Amazon, and what a difference!! Not only is it slightly cheaper, but the sound quality on the other end of the line is just amazing. On the Jabra TOUR, voice sounds much clearer, road noise is not nearly as pronounced, and the features are pretty much the same. I highly recommend the Jabra TOUR.

So my advice is, don't go just by how well you can hear your callers; ask them if they can hear you well. This SuperTooth HD definitely fails to deliver.

Want SuperTooth High Definition Bluetooth Portable Visor Car Kit and Speakerphone for Cell Phones, iPad Discount?

Have had this for about a month now, and it's my first experience with a bluetooth speaker. I use it with my iPhone 4S. The speaker is very clear, and plenty loud enough, and no problems with sound quality for the parties on the other end. The iPhone doesn't support voice dialing per se, but I can just push the home button on the phone to access Siri through the bluetooth, allowing me to voice dial or text (see edit below, you can access Siri via the Supertooth).

I spent a lot of time looking at the different bluetooth options here on Amazon, and I almost went with one that played through the car speakers. After using this, and spending some time traveling in a car using a built-in system that played through the car speakers, I'm actually glad I got this one. I have been using a GPS app on my iPhone, and found that with this product I can listen to the car radio at a reasonable volume and still hear the turn by turn instructions through the bluetooth. Using a bluetooth that works through the car speakers, I have to have the stereo on Aux/Line in to use the GPS (or I can't hear it), so I can't use the radio (have to use the iPod to listen to music). Just a small little detail I hadn't thought of.

I'd get this one again, for sure. Solid, compact, and good quality sound for things like phone conversations, GPS instructions, or even I'd imagine an audio book, although I might want that through the car speakers. It's not comparable at all to "real" speakers for music, but that's not what I'm looking for in this type of product.

Edit April 2013; still a 4 star plus product, no complaints at all. In fact, not sure if it would have always worked or if it's due to a change in the iPhone OS or something, but you can access Siri by pushing the voice instruction button on the blutooth unit and saying "VOICE DIAL" Siri then engages for instructions, including voice dialing, texting, etc.

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Thursday, April 17, 2014

Eastwood Emergency Battery Booster Jump Start Pack

Eastwood Emergency Battery Booster Jump Start PackVery nice, lightweight, compact and functional unit. Leads aren't so long they get tangled, but long enough to do the job well. I really like this booster and will probably buy another in the future.

It's basic and nothing fancy but it jumps my dads car anytime his battery dies. The box has a 12 volt outlet that my dad plugs his phone car charger or GPS into when he needs the extra outlet.

Buy Eastwood Emergency Battery Booster Jump Start Pack Now

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Kicker 09XI26 X-Series 2-Channel 6.0 Meter ROHS Compliant Twisted Pair Audio Interconnect Cable

Kicker 09XI26 X-Series 2-Channel 6.0 Meter ROHS Compliant Twisted Pair Audio Interconnect Cable
  • Dual Twisted Twisted Pair Conducters to eliminate inducted noise and interference
  • Hyper-flex technolgy allows the wire to bend, twist or contort in any way possible
  • Gold-cut collars, dual-split center pin and black protective-mesh, wire-loom jacket

excellent rcas by kicker just what i need it a pair of rca double twist technology to eliminate engine noise these did definitely eliminate the problem and im very happy with this purshase KICKER you cant go wrong and its like half cheaper here than in BESTBUY I RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT

THE PICTURE IS NOT THE ACTUAL ITEM BUT ITS THE KICKER 09XI26.

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Saturday, January 4, 2014

Husky Liners Custom Fit Second Seat Floor Liner for Select Toyota Sequoia Models (Grey)

Husky Liners Custom Fit Second Seat Floor Liner for Select Toyota Sequoia ModelsThe fit of the liner is about perfect. I found the material used in the liner to be a bit flimsy would appreciate it being a bit thicker and the finish of the surface is slippery.

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Friday, January 3, 2014

Rockford Fosgate 4 AWG Ring Terminal, 4-Pack

Rockford Fosgate 4 AWG Ring Terminal, 4-Pack
  • Crimp Ring Terminals
  • 4 AWG seamed crimp style ring terminal, platinum finish, 4 pack
  • RFTS4

Standard .10 cent brass connectors work better. The metal is flimsy and is not one cast piece but rather flat stamped metal that is folded into shape and deforms poorly when crimped. I also threw away the included rubber covers as heat shrink works much better.

Monday, December 30, 2013

CTEK UC 800 6V Smart Battery Charger

CTEK UC 800 6V Smart Battery ChargerQuality 6 volt chargers are hard to find and I was a bit skeptical about this one but am glad I purchased it. I have an antique car, 6 volts, that takes a good amount of power to start. Regular maintainers left me with an OK battery but not enough to turn the motor well. I always had to use a 6 volt jumper battery as well to start. This guy took a while to get things in order, but now the car starts with ease. I was concerned for a period of weeks because the light never moved from the center and I thought perhaps it was not working. However it eventually turned green and I was very please with my battery power.

As others have mentioned, put the right size rings on the harness! It should be obvious to the manufacturer that these rings are too small and we have to replace or drill to make work with most battery clamp bolts.

I recommend this unit for older 6 volt cars and I am sure it would be excellent for those applications where less amperage is needed.

The chargers come with nice leads for connecting to the battery, but a few issues for my installation. I take it this is designed for a motorcycle or something similar, as the length of the bolt-on lead to the quick-connector is short, like 14", so forget trying to get the connector out of the engine bay. I'm hooking up to antique cars and we need like 3' of lead. Plus, the connector is 1/4" and a 5/16" minimum is needed to go over the battery clamps on my applications, so the connectors did not do the job and I will have to try to fabricate some new ones with longer leads -

I have not used long enough to rate the charging systems but hopefully that is worked out. I'm going to ask the MFG for a longer lead and 12 volt style batter connectors for my applications, see how they react.

Buy CTEK UC 800 6V Smart Battery Charger Now

Thursday, November 28, 2013

NEW BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE LITHIUM EVO2 12V 16 CELL MOTORCYCLE BATTERY,RED,500 AMPS

NEW BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE LITHIUM EVO2 12V 16 CELL MOTORCYCLE BATTERY,RED,500 AMPSBallistic Performance claims that these batteries have a capacity of 28 amp-hours, but the actual capacity is about a third of that. Based on the claims of the manufacturer, I foolishly purchased two of these batteries expecting to get at least 25 amp-hours out of each of them. After a good break-in period of 8 partial discharge / full recharge cycles (using the Ballistic Performance balance charger), the capacity of both batteries is around 9.5 amp-hours. This was measured with a Watts-Up meter during discharge, and the balance charger confirmed the results at the end of the charge. After 9.5 amp-hours of discharge (at 3.5 amps) the voltage was 10.3V and dropping fast, which indicates that they were, indeed, at the end of their capacity.

My battery died on my bagger and the dealer wanted $185 plus tax for a replacement. I decided to take a chance and try something new so I ordered this Lithium Ferrous Phosphate battery from Amazon (Mueller Motorsports). It arrived in 5 days and when I picked up the box I thought it was empty!! It only weighs 3 lbs! I was worried that it would be bouncing around in my battery tray since it is so much smaller and lighter so I cut up an old mousepad made of neoprene and lined the bottom of the battery tray with that. Then I used the packing foam that came with the battery to secure it in place and hold it from vibrating. So far I have 800 miles on it and it works good, but it takes a little while to get it to wake up in the morning, kind of like my wife ;)

All in all I think it is a good investment and the weight savings alone is really awesome. So far so good!!

Buy NEW BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE LITHIUM EVO2 12V 16 CELL MOTORCYCLE BATTERY,RED,500 AMPS Now

I bought this battery for my experimental airplane because of the weight savings. Before I installed it in my airplane I tested it on my 1984 Ski Centurion boat. This little battery can crank over that 351 Ford motor! That is one great battery.

Read Best Reviews of NEW BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE LITHIUM EVO2 12V 16 CELL MOTORCYCLE BATTERY,RED,500 AMPS Here

The battery is fine and hopefully work as expected . The company I purchased it threw here was terrible and I would and will never use them again

Want NEW BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE LITHIUM EVO2 12V 16 CELL MOTORCYCLE BATTERY,RED,500 AMPS Discount?

I used this to replace the typical lawn tractor battery that was in out vintage race car. The cranking power was not enough to get the high compression, big bore race motor to turn over when hot. This lithium batter not only kicks the motor over just fine but saved 16 pounds in weight.

The only thing to be careful of is vibration can cause the battery to dump it's charge very quickly. Apparently all the wires and coils inside are not "potted" for vibration isolation. Seems a mystery to me that the "power sports" applications it is designed for don't vibrate enough to be a problem but a big bore 4 cylinder motor was. The cure was to put it in a bracket that is mounted on rubber mounts. Haven't had any problems since we went to that on our two cars.

Of interest is the manual (such as it is) warning that if the battery went down below something like 8 volts the battery was not usable. Talking with a tech at Ballistic he said to put it on a 6 amp or higher charge for about 15 minutes. If it gained in voltage then finish charging in the normal way. Sure enough, it came back and we have been using it ever since.

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Duracell DRPP600 Powerpack 600 Jump Starter and Emergency Power Source

Duracell DRPP600 Powerpack 600 Jump Starter and Emergency Power SourceI purchased this to have as an emergency power source in the event of extended power outages. Living in Oregon, I am primarily concerned with the possibility of a large earthquake (see Cascadia Subduction Zone), which could mean we would be without mains electrical power for a period of days or weeks. I would like to be able to keep small electrical gadgets like smart phones charged, as I have heard that the wireless cell network is often brought back up before the rest of the electrical grid. I would not be using this with high-draw appliances, I just want to be able to keep the small stuff charged up over a longer period of time. Although I am somewhat technical (a computer programmer), I came into this not knowing much at all about batteries and the like. So with that in mind, here are my initial impressions, along with some ideas for a more modular alternative setup.

Duracell has replaced the radio which earlier reviews talked about in the back of the unit with two USB charging ports. Some of the video reviews I saw online prior to purchase mentioned these ports, but didn't actually show them, so it was a relief to actually find them given my desire for charging small devices. I'm glad that Duracell apparently decided to get rid of the little radio and clock those are things that I would much rather just keep separately.

The unit is quite heavy, but the handle is comfortable and this makes it easy to move around at least within a house. The build quality is only so-so the main panel consists of a plastic sheet that is stuck down with glue, and my panel is already coming unstuck in places. I pressed it back down and it seemed to stay. Minor cosmetic issue.

When charging for the first time, the manual says to do it for at least 35 hours. During charging, the green light on the front panel blinks. This light changes to solid green when charged; it did this for me after about 6 hours, but I still left it charging for the full 35 hours just to be on the safe side I didn't want to ruin the battery by trying to use it prematurely, especially if it had been sitting around in a warehouse for a while.

When you use the unit for power, you have to be sure to first unplug the charging lead, otherwise this can apparently cause damage to the transformer. Just to see how long it would last, I tried plugging in a 100W incandescent light while we were watching TV in the evening (the light was the only thing plugged into the Duracell). Unfortunately I didn't note the exact run time before the alarm sounded, but it was somewhere between 1 and 2 hours, I think. I immediately unplugged the light and put the unit back on the charger. This was around 9pm; this time it didn't stop flashing until mid-afternoon the next day. So that gives you some idea of how long it can run a simple light, and how long it takes to recover afterwards. To be honest, I wasn't overly impressed I know 100 watts is a bright bulb, but somehow I've never thought of light bulbs as actually taking up that much power (I am no electrical engineer, so my opinion doesn't mean all that much I'm just talking about perception here). I also would have hoped that the thing would have recharged faster than it did, but it is what it is.

After a little more research, I noticed that people were saying that the battery inside the Duracell is not "deep cycle", which means it's not made for being repeatedly discharged using most of its capacity. Apparently if you discharge this Duracell too much then it can permanently damage the battery. Also, the internal battery is not that easy to replace perhaps it can be, but it's not clear how. So, this got me thinking about a more modular approach. I like modular, because it allows you more flexibility in choosing parts, and also you can replace each part if it should go bad. So I started looking at deep cycle batteries, and inverters (for getting power out of the 12V battery at 120V or for USB charging). I was looking for the highest capacity batteries, i.e. which have the highest aH number (I believe this is "amp hours"). I eventually settled on the Optima Yellowtop batteries, since they are deep cycle (as opposed to the Red Top, which are starter batteries, not made for extended discharge). Specifically this one: Optima Batteries 8051-160 D31A YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery, seems to have the highest aH rating amongst the Optima range. at 75 aH (vs 26 aH for the Duracell), and it's deep cycle, and made for vehicles which have a lot of extra electronics.

Then there's the issue of how to charge the battery. This one is a no-brainer, Optima also makes a charger: Optima 150-34178 Digital 1200 Battery Charger. I have this now and it seems to be very nice I'll post a separate review, but suffice to say I like it so far.

Next is getting power out of the battery in the voltages that are needed for everyday appliances. I did this in two stages: First, a 12V adaptor socket with clamps for attaching to the battery posts: Roadpro 12V Battery Clip-On and Cigarette Lighter Adapter (this lets you plug in anything that you could plug into the "cigarette lighter" socket in a car e.g. a car USB charger would be able to charge smartphones etc). Next, an inverter (to convert the 12V DC to 120V AC power) e.g. Samlex America PST30S12A 300W Pure Sine Wave Inverter. These things are obviously also useful everyday in the car for charging gadgets, laptops and so on. Incidentally, you might want to do some research on, or at least be aware of the difference between modified sine wave (MSW) and pure sine wave (PSW) inverters this affects the quality of the AC current being produced by the 120V outlets. The inverter in this Duracell is, I'm pretty sure, MSW. I also have the Samlex PST30 that I linked to above, which is PSW, and just out of curiosity I tried running a Wahl shaver first through the regular AC socket on the Duracell, and then through the Samlex, which was plugged directly into the 12V socket on the Duracell (so, both tests are using the same battery, just different inverters). There was a noticeable difference in the sound of the shaver between the two sources. It sounded more subdued and quieter on the Duracell's MSW inverter, and much stronger and maybe faster on the Samlex. Apparently many devices don't mind what they are plugged into, or at least they can tolerate the non-optimal AC produced by MSW inverters, but some devices may be affected by it (e.g. you might experience heating up of transformers, or buzzing, or different performance as in the case of my shaver). Just something to be aware of PSW is definitely more expensive, but as the name suggests, the sine wave produced is more, well, pure. So if you have sensitive equipment then you should look at the PSW possibilities. Note that you can use the PSW in combination with the Duracell, just as I did here simply plug it into the 12V socket and you are using the battery directly.

I have built a small wooden enclosure to put around the Optima YellowTop battery while it is being charged, so that I can keep it inside the house (we have cats and I don't want them to be able to mess with it). I choose to keep it inside the house, rather than out in the garage, for two reasons: First, it seems that batteries are quite sensitive to getting too cold or too hot, so I want to maximize its useful life. Second, these AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries are sealed, and so there isn't any danger of harmful fumes coming into the room. I wouldn't do this with regular lead acid batteries you need to be careful! I think it's ok with the AGM, though after all, this Duracell unit which is the main subject of this review uses an AGM battery, and it's clearly meant for use inside the house.

So anyway there you have it a much more modular, and probably much higher capacity alternative. The downside is that it is more expensive (at least initially), due to having to purchase the separate battery, charger, adaptor and inverter. But then you can replace the battery whenever you need to, or even have multiple batteries standing by. It's just much more flexible. Also, I have to say that I get a lot more confidence from the Optima 1200 charger than I do from the Duracell, due to the fact that it seems to be much more advanced in terms of multistage/maintenance charging. The Optima 1200 also does an automatic 3 hour maintenance cycle on the battery every 30 days, which helps keep it desulfated (an issue with AGM batteries).

I would say that the Duracell 600 is still worthwhile if what you want/need is an all-in-one package that works out of the box and can be easily transported. My modular solution is definitely not so portable, but remember that I got this primarily for use in the home, not taking on the road. I am still glad I got the Duracell, because I think its transportability will no doubt come in useful in ways I can't imagine right now e.g. on car journeys, camping or whatever. It's a very handy little thing to have around. I will leave it inside the house, not in the trunk of the car, though (again extreme heat and cold kills these things), and I leave it constantly plugged in so it can trickle charge the battery.

I'll also mention some other options which I have been learning about since I first wrote this review: As I said initially, I was primarily interested in keeping small gadgets charged up in the event of a power outage. There are alternatives that may be more appropriate for that specific purpose than either this Duracell or the Optima battery setup I outlined above. For example, the Anker Astro3E 10000mAh Dual 5V 3A USB Output External Battery Pack Charger for Smart Phones, Android Phones is a very nice battery pack that is about the same size as my Samsung Galaxy S3, and it will keep it topped off for a few days at least. One thing worth noting here: The 10,000 mAh of the Anker is equivalent to 10 Ah, and the Duracell's battery is 26 Ah, so three of the Anker battery packs would theoretically have more total capacity than the Duracell... and at about $40 for the Anker vs $150 for the Duracell, even three Ankers would both cost less, and take up less space. So if you're primarily interested in keeping USB devices going during outages, then it would seem there are better options out there than this Duracell. However obviously if you need the inverter (to run devices with regular electrical plugs) then the Anker can't do that.

Then there are new, small, efficient solar chargers that have recently come on the market which are much more effective that the previous generation. For example, the Solar Joos Orange Portable Solar Charger is really nice (I have it), and the Instapark 10 Watt Solar Panel Portable Solar Charger with Dual USB Ports for iPhone, iPad & all other USB Compatible Devices is another one that I am trying out. You can also of course get a larger solar panel for charging up the Optima battery, e.g. Instapark® NEW All Black 50W Mono-crystalline Solar Panel (you also need a charge controller, e.g. Sunforce 60031 10 Amp Digital Charge Controller to hook it up to your battery). The point is, if you think about what it is you actually want to keep charged up, then there may well be better, more compact solutions than this Duracell. I also like the idea that the little solar chargers can be used indefinitely even in the event of a power outage that lasts for an extended period as long as the sun is shining, you'll be able to charge. Just something to think about.

Hope this will be useful to somebody, I think it's a very interesting problem to think about how you might be able to keep all your little gadgets charged up in the event of a big disaster. Knowing how all the parts fit together (battery, charger, inverter etc) can be helpful in knowing what you're looking at when evaluating products like this Duracell.

I bought this powerpack over five years ago and it still works fine. I have used it several times a year during short power

outages to run my laptop, internet modem, portable 9 inch TV and a small lamp with a low wattage bulb. I used it once to jump

start my car. I felt like I needed to have three hands, because I needed one to plug in the jumper cable to the powerpack and

two hands to keep the red and black wires seporated so they wouldn't spark. It made me nervous. I like that it is expandable by connecting another 12 volt battery. There is also an option to charge via solar panel, all though I don't want to spend $250 for a solar panel when I only use the power pack for short periods of time. If you want to go camping, it might make sense to get the solar panel.

One time when there was a power outage, I turned on the built in lantern and put the pack next to the bathroom door so I

could see to take a shower. I guess the steam from the shower got into the AC outlets and that part stopped working for

several days. Eventually the outlets dried out enough and they started working again.

Buy Duracell DRPP600 Powerpack 600 Jump Starter and Emergency Power Source Now

I bought this as a power failure backup for my CPAP. I found it was good for 2 nights of use (without using the humidifier).

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First of all let me say Amazon was great in the process However Duracell and DuracellDirect were not.

I purchased the product and it came packaged very well from Amazon. I charged it for a couple of weeks before I used it. I was using it at a trade show to power my laptop via the AC plug. The first day it worked like a charm. Charged it overnight and the next day no AC power. The unit showed a full charge but no AC Power. Called Duracell many times that morning and was put on perpetual hold or cut off. Horrible customer service by both Duracell and DuracellDirect. When I finally got ahold of Duracell Direct the service Tech said it was probably a bad inverter. Called Amazon and they were very good at refunding my money but they do not take it back as it is classified as dangerous to ship (although it was shipped by them TO me). Although I'm glad I'm getting a refund but what I really wanted was AC power at the trade show.

Would like to get it fixed for future use, but it looks like I'm stuck with a BOAT ANCHOR.

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After 1 year the pack quit charging, no green light. The AC charger (transformer) is the problem. A 12V charger is an ok replacement with the correct connector. Mine has two pins and doesn't work one way. A 10.5V 13.5V charger can be used to replace the transformer. Leave it plugged in to a AC outlet or it does discharge quickly. FYI just in case.

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Monday, November 11, 2013

Capri Tools Heavy-Duty Auto Jumper Cables - 20Ft Length - Heavy 4-Gauge Wire with Storage Bag

Capri Tools Heavy-Duty Auto Jumper Cables - 20Ft Length - Heavy 4-Gauge Wire with Storage Bag"Heavy Duty" means something is made to be used a lot, that's not the case with these Made in China jumper cables. The clamps are low quality steel, and the wiggle in the hinged jaws doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in their potential longevity. Also, as another pointed out, this doesn't appear to be as big as either SAE or AWG 4 gauge multi-strand cable, and that's really important when you plan to carry low voltage, high amperage loads on a long wire (like starting a car 20 feet away).

All that said, these are probably more than capable of jumping a fairly big motor the few times in a car or truck's life you usually have to do that. The electrical connections look pretty good, and over all these look to be better than the truly cheapo, copper-colored-steel-clamped cables that come in most "roadside emergency" kits.

They get 3 stars for being a reasonably good value, but not living up to their advertising. They're probably worth just about the $25 total I paid, but it's not the great deal they appear to be, and I'm not sure whether I'd buy them again.

I guess they're OK for the price, but they are not 4 guage wire, maybe 8 gauge. It would be nice if the wires were molded together to prevent tangling, but it's just 2 pieces of wire with a clamp on each end.

Buy Capri Tools Heavy-Duty Auto Jumper Cables - 20Ft Length - Heavy 4-Gauge Wire with Storage Bag Now

At first feel these cables appear heavy.Upon closer examination the rubber insulation is thick and heavy but the wire instead of being .236" in diameter it is less than half that size at only .115" in diameter.And so will only have half the current load carrying capacity of Real 4 Gauge Cables.This is false advertising.On top of that the alligator clips are so thin they tend to bend and distort when you try to open them.Made in China.Mine are being returned.

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"Copper wire" means wire made of copper. At least that's what it used to mean back when I was in EE school. Here it means aluminum wire with a *very* thin coat of copper on top. The proper term for this stuff is "copper clad wire".

Why should that matter? Copper conducts electricity better than aluminum. It's also more expensive. If I pay for "copper wire" I expect to get it. Aluminum has half the conductivity of copper. In a battery cable, that means you need a cable that's twice as big if it's aluminum.

If you are looking for good jumper cables look elsewhere. You can get the real thing for the price you are paying for these !!!!

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I won't go into the type of clamp used, as other reviewers have made mention of the clamp composition. One thing I noticed on the way the cable is connected to the clamp is there is a potential for a poor connection over time. The cable is not bolted or attached with a barrel type compression lug, but rather it is stripped on one side and a fold over type crimp is made to the copper portion of the jaw. I seriously doubt this type of connection will hold up over time, or even carry 500 amps. My other observation is the black and red cables are not secured together. Most booster cables are bonded together along the length of the insulation up to about the last 12" of each end. This set is basically 2 independent cables with clamps on the ends. The problem arises with the potential of "knotting up" the cables during storage and re-use. I used some heavy duty black cable ties to join them together along the length of the set. A quality electrical tape could also be used with the same result. In the warmer months, electrical tape has the tendency to "leak" the adhesive around the tape. This was the main reason I used cable ties; storage during the hot, southern summer months would certainly cause the tape to loose its adhesive qualities. Not a bad product, but keep in mind it is made comparable to the price point.

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Monday, October 7, 2013

MPA 15268 Alternator

MPA 15268 AlternatorThis is a good generator, but it did come remanufactured where as I remember the article stating it was new. It also does not come with the cover it the photo.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

eForcity AC Wall and Car Charger with USB Cable for 1GB/2GB iPod Shuffle

eForcity AC Wall and Car Charger with USB Cable for 1GB/2GB iPod Shuffle
  • Compatible With Apple: iPod shuffle 2nd Gen. 1GB/2GB.
  • Valued combo includes: 1 X USB Data/Charging Adapter/1 X USB Travel Charger Adapter/1 X USB Car Charger Adapter.
  • Generic/Aftermarket
  • Accessory Only, MP3 is not included. Note: Needs to pair with a USB charging cable(comes standard with iPhone or iPods originally). Additional USB charging cable is available for purchase separately.
  • Material: Synthetic Leather. Bonus: Leather Lanyard with matching color are included. This form-fitting case protects your iPod investment!

Just what I needed to recharge my shuffle pod in the house and car. The short cord is something that is hard to find and helps greatly hooking up to my car stereo.

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Every item worked great for my gen 2 shuffle. The car charger and wall charger work very well even for other items such as a phone and I pod touch. Can't beat the price. I had the item in a few days. I will buy again if I lose or break my cords.

Read Best Reviews of eForcity AC Wall and Car Charger with USB Cable for 1GB/2GB iPod Shuffle Here

I purchased this wall and car charger in order to "power up" my ipod, which is a much newer version than my previous one. Not only does it work for my ipod, I was delighted that it also works with my Nook! SWEET! Now I only need to bring one cords with me when I travel the roads!

Thanks!

Nat G

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Wow great shipping first of mine to come in. Product was exactly what i needed to use my shuffle again lost my small charger and it is up and going helping me work out!Thank you

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I ordered this for a co-worker along with my larger order. She lost her original charger, and was finally able to use her Shuffle today after it charged.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Digitl Robust 360° Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A1 Adjustable Seat Bolt Car Mount Vehicle Hands-Free Tabl

Digitl Robust 360° Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A1 Adjustable Seat Bolt Car Mount Vehicle Hands-Free Tablet Holder
  • New innovative, adjustable tablet holder fits your Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A1 with or without a case or skin
  • 18 inch flexible aluminum seat bolt floor mount with optional floor or dash drill in bracket
  • Swivel ball connection for 360° rotation with tilt for portrait or landscape viewing
  • Lightweight and strong
  • Super Easy Installation!

Overall its a good product however after multiple uses and adjustments i can see the Ball and Socket will need replacement after probably a year. For our use it will work until the adjustment wheres out then we will look for another option.

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Friday, September 6, 2013

Kenwood System-H2EC Sirius Here2Everywhere Satellite Radio Tuner with Car Docking Kit

Kenwood System-H2EC Sirius Here2Everywhere Satellite Radio Tuner with Car Docking Kit
  • Here2Everywhere satellite tuner and car docking kit for receiving Sirius satellite radio
  • Picks up 65 commercial-free music streams and 50 sports, news, and entertainment streams
  • 5 search modes (stream, artist, song, preset, or genre); 30 station presets and 24-song memory/recall bank
  • Includes car docking cradle, windshield docking base, cigarette lighter adapter, and remote control
  • Includes wireless FM transmitter; tuner measures 4.5 by 2.91 by 1.18 inches (W x H x D)

I chose the Kenwood because of the look (sleek, blue screen) and reputation of their other products. This product does not live up to their standards. I was really disappointed, and here's why:

When I received the unit, I started with the in-home docking station. I hooked it up right away and basic set-up was easy. You'll know right away whether you can get a signal from the satellite on channel 184 before you subscribe. The instructions about antenna placement was clear... it needs a clear view toward the midwest. That was a problem in my house because of its layout, orientation, and trees on the property. The signal from the satellite was weak and cut out from time to time. The antenna wire was not long enough for my home layout--windows provided too weak a signal, and the roof was out of the question. Eventually, I moved everything around the house until I found a sweet spot. What an ordeal, already.

Second, the FM modulator was very weak. I tried to tune in my home stereo to the freq on the sirius and found that the sirius tuner had to be within one foot of my receiver to get any signal, and then it was weak. With the hard wires--the RCA plugs into AUX on the home stereo--sound was clear and loud. Music at last!

I tried the car kit, and found that the satellite reception was weak there too (here a signal, there a signal and in between... silence). It changed dramatically as I drove across town. The placement of the sirius unit in the car was critical. I tried it on the front of the dash, on the console, in the passenger seat, and all over the windshield. There was only one position in the car where the sirius could talk to the receiver, and that was low-center of the wind shield. Everywhere else was nothing but static. Even in this "sweet spot" I got a poor, static filled signal. Changing freq was easy, but didn't help. No problems with interference from other stations, since there are few in my area.

I was even disappointed with the display. The blue was nice, but the station info was more than could fit and the scrolling was distracting. Changing the setting for display size didn't help: there are two settings for the screen: big and really big. (Audiovox screen for example shows more info on one screen without the need to scroll).

My wife experienced how wonderful and trouble-free Sirius can be with an "older" Streamer, so I'm going to stick with this service and try a different tuner.

The Kenwood is going back.

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Nice setup for the sale price. At full price I'd try something else first. I have the home kit as well as the car kit.

The good:

The unit itself is a nice piece of hardware and the suction cup for car mounting is excellent. The extra 12VDC power cord to hard wire into your car is a nice touch as well. I have had no reception problems at all and the receiver stays relatively cool compared to others.

The bad:

I have a hard time reading the display due to the blue light. I thought it would be easy to see but I cannot see it well, there is just not enough contrast. ( Yes, I have 20/20 vision) The scrolling display is also not easy to read in either size. I would prefer good old amber or green.

More importantly the FM transmitter is weak as a kitten. I literally have to have the sirius unit on top of the radio to work. That goes for my real stereo and for boomboxes I have tried. This is a big weakness for me as it is supposed to be a "here to everywhere" unit, but only if it sits on top of your current stereo, and that stereo is within sattelite antenna distance to a window. I borrowed an older audiovox and tried it in the same place and the FM transmitter worked across the whole room and into the next.

Overall a nice unit, but the weak FM transmitter kills it for me.

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I love my sirius radio, i really really do. I do not listen to regular radio anymore. The setup of this radio was simple, and works well in my Tahoe. The only issue i have is the car kit has broken and i've had it less than a year. I need to replace it but i cannot locate a place to buy just the mounting kit sans radio. I had it professionally installed into my SUV so that i don't have the wires all over the place, and it looks great, and i don't experience the sound issues the others that posted here did.

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The Kenwood System-H2EC is a nice little unit however I've experienced plenty of short comings.

1) The FM modulator can't even broadcast it's way out of a paper bag. I pick up so many SIRIUS signals around me now on FM (thank-you Mr Stern) I don't even think I need a unit in the car.

2) The cigarette lighter plug is too big for the socket and pops out constantly.

3) The unit throws out so much heat you have to leave it out in the open or use it as a handwarmer.

4) The buttons are so touchy, the slightest touch will activate one.

5) Programming with the scrolling is a pain in the ....

6) The window mount is so big, I'd swear you could crack the windshield if you don't release the suction cup properly.

After having been a subscriber to Sirius for 3 years and having used 3 different tuners in my cars, this one is the best I've used. I live in the West and sometimes travel 10 to 15 hours at a time, through cities and remote areas. I've had zero trouble with reception in all areas, even with a luggage carrier on the car. The receiver is mounted on the windshield at eye level and is easy to read, compared to the others I've had (my Audiovox lasted 12 months and 1 day just in time for no warranty coverage). The FM modulator works fine in the car but I've always used my iRock FM modulator in the house which broadcasts just great. I also have the other Kenwood "Here2Anywhere" plug and play and, while it works fine, it does not have the FM modulator and the screen is very small, the latter making it harder to glance at the screen and read what it says while you're on the road. That and the fact that it isn't as easy to mount in the car causes me to rate the H2EC much higher.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Mini 10W Car / Auto DC Charger for the Navigon 7200T with Gomadic Brand Power Sleep technology - De

Mini 10W Car / Auto DC Charger for the Navigon 7200T with Gomadic Brand Power Sleep technology - Designed to last with TipExchange Technology
  • Gomadic TipExchange Technology protects your investment by providing a means to change/upgrade your charger by simply swapping the physical charging tip. (Charging tip for Navigon 7200T) included with additional tips sold separately)
  • Charger provides a full 10W (2,000mAh) of available current in a small form factor a little over 1 inch long. Flexible, straight cable measure 50 inches in total length.
  • Intelligent circuit provides precise output voltage and resistor configuration specific to the Navigon 7200T. This ensures battery is safely and efficiently charged without affecting battery longevity.
  • Uses latest state of the art advancements in charging and surge suppression technologies to deliver a unique product in an unbelievably micro-sized form factor.
  • Built using high quality capacitors and circuit components to ensure that charging current does not interfere with FM radio transmissions. Rigorous Q&A process.

I am no expert and I am also technologically impaired, overall it's pretty good with one exception. The voice command gets kinda garbled and doesn't recorgnize what you are saying sometimes. You have to repeat yourself a couple of times. Especially when it comes to saying the number of your destination. Other than that it's good to go...

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Energizer 84022 12V 350 Ca Jump-Start System

Energizer 84022 12V 350 Ca Jump-Start SystemThis unit is much more useable for jump starting, and, tire inflation in adverse weather conditions, than the more elaborate jump/inverter/inflator packages available. It is compact and stores in the trunk more easily than the larger units. This unit is also half the price of the other units. I highly recommend it if you live in cold weather climates in which jump starting is inevitable most winters.

I have a tractor, an ATV, a Range Rover and a VW that must start when I need them, or, I am in trouble (sometimes could be stranded). This unit fills the need for starting any of these vehicles in a pinch.

The large dial might look cartoonish, but, when you are in the middle of a blizzard, with gloves on, and heavy clothing, it is easy to locate the switch (even in the dark) as you fumble around to get a vehicle started in deep snow.

At 20 pounds, I find that I can carry it from the garage to the vehicles more easily than the larger units, and, it's easier to find some stable place to put it when you are jumping a vehicle than the larger, heavier packages.

I bought this to replace a Duracell jump/inverter package. Duracell DPP-600HD Powerpack 600 Jump Starter & Emergency Power Source with Radio

I would have bought another Duracell package except for three things: (1) 600 amps is nice, but, you don't really have to have it for most jumps; (2) the inverters are nice, but, I found that I almost never used them; (3) the price has doubled on these units in the past couple of years, and, the benefits they offer are not worth the extra money; (4) it was very fragile I had it on the side of my pickup truck and it dropped a distance of only a few feet, once, and the case was irreparably damaged from the modest fall. I had to throw it out. (The designers who invent these things on computers aren't the ones who have to use it in 4 feet of snow, with 50 mph of driving wind, and a 45 year old tractor that has a tired battery under the seat).

This unit isn't built much better than the Duracell, but, the smaller size makes it easier to find a safe, stable place to put it while you are jumping another vehicle.

I find that this little unit meets 99% of my emergency battery needs, and, the cost savings make it a worthy alternative to the larger, more elaborate packages.

I recently received this product, but have not yet tried to use it. So why four stars? The unit seems well made, and I am fairly confident it will do the job. The reason I am writing this review now, and the reason I took off one star, is that I wanted to share something I read in the user manual, which might have changed my mind about purchasing the unit.

Your intended use might be different, but the reason I bought this unit was to keep it in the car all the time (charging it periodically) in case the car's battery went dead without warning. (It does happen.) Now that I have read the instructions (which I could not find on-line prior to purchase), I see that this is not a good idea. Here are quotes from the user manual...

"All batteries are affected by temperature changes. Jumpstart 400's small size, lightweight battery is more sensitive to storage temperature than a typical automotive battery. The ideal storage temperature is at 70 degrees." ... "Jumpstart 400 must be kept in an environment with temperatures around 70 degrees." ... "Do not keep Jumpstart 400 in your vehicle in extremely hot or cold temperatures." ... "If you have a concern about your vehicle starting, and you are going to work, take Jumpstart 400 into your office. Then you can be confident the Jumpstart 400 battery will provide the power you need."

Where I live, it seems that all we have are extremely hot or cold temperatures, especially in a parked car. So to me, the temperature issues severly limits the usefulness of the product. To be fair, I would expect that all small-ish jump start units, including those from other manufacturers, would probably have the same temperature issue.

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I bought the Energizer 84022 jumpstarter, and even though it arrived a day later than originally estimated by Amazon, I am extremely satisfied with my purchase. My car had been sitting in the cold for 2 weeks, battery was totally gone -the lights and alarm wouldn't even work. I plugged in the jumpstarter and let it charge overnight. In the morning the green 'charged' indicator was shining and I decided to give it a shot. Hooking the jumpstarter up to my car was easy -the cables have a nice long reach, it beeped when everything was hooked up properly, and then I flipped the switch to 'Jump' and turned my key. Less than a second later my engine started without a hitch.

Read Best Reviews of Energizer 84022 12V 350 Ca Jump-Start System Here

I had to get a skid-loader started in -10 degree weather that of course had a totally dead battery.

I was amazed that this device could even turn over the frozen motor let alone spin it fast enough to start but it did.

The quality of the plastic parts, clamps and switches are fantastic.

I do keep it in the house and fully charged which helps greatly.

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I would recommend this product to anyone that is looking for a jumpstart. It is easy to use and has enough power to jumpstart your everyday vehicels (cars, trucks, 4-wheelers) I use it on all the above. Charging it is what I like the most. No adaptors to keep up with just plug it in a drop cord and let go. It's a winner in my book.

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Monday, June 24, 2013

PowerMax PM3-45-MBA Smart Battery Charger Built-In 3 Stage Charging

PowerMax PM3-45-MBA Smart Battery Charger Built-In 3 Stage ChargingThis unit was a direct replacement for my broken original WF-8945 charger/converter combo.

It installed into the existing opening and used the same mounting points as the original.

It charged several nearly dead batteries ,all while powering the lights and furnace in my camper, with no problems.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Philips USA PH-62050 CD/MP3/MD-To-Cassette Adapter

Philips USA PH-62050 CD/MP3/MD-To-Cassette Adapter
  • Allows you to play CD, MP3 or MD players through your car's cassette deck
  • Inexpensive way to listen to your digital music through your car speakers
  • Plugs directly into your portable player
  • Powered by your car's electrical system
  • If you have auto-reverse on your cassette player and there is no way to disable it, this product will not work. There is a warning on the back of the package that says you have to disable auto-reverse.

There are basically 4 ways to play your iPod in your car:

1) Newer cars (typically 2006+) have an aux input which you connect your iPod to with the right cable. A direction connection like this is the simplest, lowest cost, and best sounding option but you need a newer car.

2) On most cars without a dedicated aux input, you can hard wire a connection in the back of the head units with kits from several manufacturers (USA Spec for example). This provides sound quality as good as item #1 but can get a little messy as the hardware needs to be mounted (usually under the dash) and can be fairly expensive (approx $200 hardware, $50 to $100 install)

3) You can use a FM modulator with any car that has an FM receiver. This is low cost simple option, but the drawbacks are well known: OK sound quality at best, issues with static and noise from nearby radio channels.

4) For cars that have a cassette tape deck (remember those?!) you can use a cassette adapter like the Phillips here. My older Lexus has a cassette deck and I chose this option before I invest in adding a hard wire connection (#2) as described above. I figured I would least try it for $11 and I am very impressed with the sound quality! I would call it near CD sound quality. There is no hissing or mechanical clicking of the gears in the adapter. I also purchased the Maxell cassette adapter since they used to make the best cassettes back in the day and to my surprise it sounded much worse and had a loud humming noise. So I am keeping the Phillips and returning the Maxell and just ordered another Philips unit as a backup for long trips!

Buy Philips USA PH-62050 CD/MP3/MD-To-Cassette Adapter Now

I have two of these devices. The sony that I have cost $20 and clicks when I play it in my one car. In my other car, it always sounds like the dolby sound filtering is on. This one works and sounds better and was half the cost.

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I got the Philips Cassette Converter to run my iPod Shuffle in my '96 Saab 900 with factory equiped stereo and it works beautifully. Yes, it is true that the signal is not very strong, so you have to turn the volume up a bit, but even the little Shuffle can compensate for it and by no means do you need to fear forgetting to turn the volume down when you switch to Radio or CD. The sound quality is as good as the iPod delivers and you have no disturbing background noise. I also had no problems that the deck would eject the tape. I can recommend this product and it's good value for money (I didn't try similar one)

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...for solving a new tech problem. Cassette tapes are almost as extinct as the 8-track ...but the cassette deck lives on in many factory installed car stereos ...pretty much lying dormant as the CD player gets all the use. Wanna play that new fangled iPod or MP3 player in your car but don't have a modern, high zoot car stereo you can just plug it into? Problem solved if you're lucky enough to have a cassette player as part of your setup. Turn on your radio (volume down) and simply slip this cassette adapter into the slot. Connect the mini-plug into the headset jack on your pocket-sized player and...voi-la! ...put that puppy on "Shuffle" and enjoy a just about endless supply of tunes. It's that simple.

I have two of these Phillips units; they work great and sound great. The Phillips is also one of the least expensive of the lot. All the adapters work the same and they will all probably sound the same ...so why pay more? The audio cable can be routed in one of three ways making it adaptable to just about any cassette deck made. You can route the cable out the left or right side and out the center of the back edge of the cassette shell. There are two large screws allowing you to use a dime to open the slot and realign the audio lead.

One thing you need to be aware of as you use this cassette. Many cassette players came with some type of noise reduction system (Dolby and others). When using this adapter you want to make sure the noise reduction circuitry is turned *off* ...otherwise the music will sound dull and have a slightly weird effect to it. Some factory cassette decks, like the one in my 2000 Jeep Cherokee, default the noise reduction circuit to the "on" position so you have to turn it off each time you insert the adapter. Or you can just leave the adapter in the player with no harm.

Another point for getting good sound is to make sure the volume level of the MP3/iPod player is not greater than about 75% of max ...there's a good chance you'll get distortion if the player is at full volume.

The only downside I've experienced so far has been the top label peeling up in the hot weather. The ends will curl up and the sticky side will attach to the cassette door as you try to eject it. Simply peel off the label, problem fixed. So fire up that old tech cassette deck and enjoy your new tech using some low tech.

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This adapter works fine with my mp3 player, at top volume there's slight background noise that can be taken care of with noise reduction if your car stereo has it. Sound quality is excellent and very consistent. It's much better and less expensive than a radio transmitter. I'm extremely satisfied with this purchase.