Schumacher SC-10030A SpeedCharge Automatic Charger and Maintainer

Some years back, I began using deep cycle AGM batteries in a few of my vehicles. Why use such expensive batteries that need specially regulated chargers? Well, let's just say you already know if you've ever had a standard lead-acid battery die and leak acid that ate the battery compartment and fender wall away of a stored vehicle (I had a brand new battery do this to one of my cars in less than six months storage) or you might know if you don't keep the batteries pulled out of stored vehicles.

Recently, I found one of my expensive AGM batteries to be severely discharged (at 20% charge) from disuse. Normally this would not be a problem as I have always owned an industrial battery charger over the last 40 years that will quicky build a battery or boost start even an 18-wheel tractor. I've had the current one since the late 1970's and it (a NAPA charger) still runs flawlessly although it will soon need a new AC power cord due to worn insulation.

Okay, therein lies the hidden problem that made me need a new charger. Most chargers including my old NAPA were/are not designed for properly charging newer type batteries such as deep cycle AGM and gelled types. Using the wrong charger on an AGM or gelled type battery can quickly destroy them. These newer battery types require voltage limiting system regulation as they recharge. The old wet-cell un-sealed lead acid batteries are much more forgiving when it comes to higher charging voltages and amperage rates.

While my older charger was able to place a regulated 10 Amp charge rate at under the specified maximum voltage rate for an AGM battery, the best it could charge my Odyssey batteries was 80% before the voltage began to gradually creep up over the recommended AGM type maximum of 15 volts (an even lower voltage is required for gelled types). Sure, I could have just used the vehicle charging system as its voltage is regulated below 15 volts, but that would have meant many hours driving time not very cost effective at the price of gas today. Plus, my vehicles with AGM batteries are antiques and show vehicles I don't want to drive far.

Using my old charger to bring back that one AGM battery to only 80% was a royal pain in the rear, as I had to monitor the voltage as the battery charged and it took hours of watching for it to safely build the Odyssey battery back to 80%. The ten ampere charge rate stayed at around 14.5 volts until it neared 80% where it then began climbing above 15 volts if I didn't remove the charger. Any higher an ampere rate using this older charger would have resulted in an AGM battery destroying voltage of 18 volts on the old charger's 12 volt battery ampere switch positions. Oh, and for those wondering, I kid you not as my old industrial charger has always been a loud unit due to it's large internal fan. My ears were ringing from sitting there nearby with it running.

After spending a weekend day of that, I decided it was time to wait for the arrival of this new charger I had already decided I needed and ordered from the Amazon store. Okay, I read the manual before and after purchase pretty much standard stuff except you need to always connect the AC power cord after first connecting the charge cables, and to disconnect the AC power cord before removing the charging cables. It doesn't have a manual on/off switch. As they say on the DirecTV commercial, the rest was a "no-brainer".

I have a few years of electrical engineering experience (okay, many more than a few), so I decided to test a few things when I began using the Schumacher SC-10030A. First, I turned the vehicle headlights on for ten seconds to reduce any surface charge on the Odyssey battery I wanted to charge, and used an Amprobe digital meter to find the battery voltage was more or less stable at 12.54 volts just above 75%. I then connected the SC-10030A battery cables, and noted it showed 12.5 volts on its display after connecting the unit AC power cord. The display can also be changed by a simple left button press to show the approximate percentage of charge according to voltage. The center switch button controls battery type (default is AGM). The right hand button controls amperage per battery size, and the 100 Amp boost start. I pressed it once to get to the large battery setting (12-30 Amp automatic operation), from the default small battery setting (low 2 Amp amperage setting).

After connecting the SC-10030A, I checked it several times as it charged the AGM battery. The fan gives a low whine and comes on and off automatically as the unit heats and cools. There is nothing loud about this by any stretch of the imagination the fan on a 500 watt computer power supply is about the same. Once the unit read 13.5 volts for a short time, it soon cycled out of the automatic variable ampere charge rate and went into maintain mode. Using my digital amprobe again, I watched the amps of the maintain charge as they fluctuated from .17 to .28. That's an average of less than a quarter of an amp in maintain mode, and definitely not anything that could damage any AGM battery. An hour later, I looked again and saw those maintain mode amps were fluctuating from .15 to .22 Amps. Seeing these figures, I would have no problem leaving this charger connected and un-attended for a day or two as I know it would only build a battery back to its full remaining capacity (all batteries permanently lose capacity over time).

The case on this unit is hard plastic and fairly thick. The case handle has a nice strong feel and the charger appears sturdy. I found the cables were completely adequate but, while sturdy, the battery clamp handles are cheaply insulated and not what I would call heavy duty unlike the clamps on my old professional NAPA charger which can easily take the abuse of a truck driving over them. Still, they appear to be completely adequate for a charger of this unit's capabilities. Looking at the size of this unit out of the box, I was actually surprised to find it had more weight than I expected looking at it. I also saw the cable storage on the back of the unit was adequate as well. The LED display and other LEDs on the unit are also bright and easily seen. Overall, I'm quite pleased with this SC-10030A. Provided with reasonable care, I see no reason this unit shouldn't work reliably for many years. It does exactly what Schumacher has represented it to do, and the five year warranty reinforces how much faith they have in this product. One thing, follow the instruction manual especially if you intend to use it for boost starting.

At my age, there's yet another reason I like this charger so well other than its easy operation. It only weighs a little over 10 lbs. My old NAPA charger probably weighs 75 lbs. hard to move even if it is on wheels. One other notable thing this charger is about half the price of the comparable Odyssey recommended Odyssey charger also sold at Amazon. It has fewer features than the SC-10030A. It still makes sense to save a dollar where it counts especially when you get a much better product for the price!

Now on to the de-sulfate mode!

The Shumacher SC 10030A has a de-sulfation mode, but it is not continuous. Any interruption of power or unit settings will switch off this automatic mode as it only comes on by the sensing ability of the unit. Once a battery has a fairly good charge, this unit will not "sense" the need for further de-sulfation, and it then goes directly from "charge mode" into "maintain mode" skipping "desulfation mode". De-sulfation mode is noted by a flashing yellow "charging" LED instead of it staying solid during normal charging. Just don't expect to see it very often at all. De-sulfation mode can run up to 10 hours just don't interupt it or it probably won't re-initialize. BatteryMinder has better solutions for desulfation if you are more interested in this recovery type feature. The BatteryMinder 12151 and 12117 do full-time desulfation and can be left connected indefinitely to a good battery they also recover battery capacity very well.

CAUTION:

Do not operate loads such as car stereo equipment, etc., with this charger connected in "maintain mode". This charger will see the load and incorrectly raise voltages above 16 volts even while using the AGM or GEL settings. Chargers are not designed to power equipment even with a battery in the circuit.

Update 5/20/2011:

While I have used the unit a number of times now with zero problems, I noticed the fan became very loud when I used the charger to check a battery this evening. I decided to remove the four Phillips head screws that attach the cover to the rest of the unit and I took a look inside. It was nice to see the large copper wound transformer up close, but I noticed a few of the attached wires were out of place one had been pinched (a blue one) between the cover and the top of the transformer core, and some of the others (attached by female spade connector fittings to the transformer spade terminals) were interfering with the handle movement inside the case. This was an easy fix, but I was also surprised to notice several other of the female spade connection fittings were excessively loose on their transformer spade terminals. I simply crimped the female connectors gently with a pair of pliers and re-attached them to their spade terminal on the transformer, as there was no obvious damage or coloration that any type of heating would have caused that might have loosened them. My conclusion was the unit obviously had these terminals loose from the factory and they just hadn't caused any problem as yet. I also found it odd that the simple wiring position changes, I made, hadn't been made at the factory to eliminate any future use problem as it only required a single gentle looping in each of two of the wires, and slightly bending/positioning others out of the way of the handle area.

I couldn't see anything wrong with the tiny fan, but I used a white silicone spray and lubed it as best I could inside its bearing area after having removed it from the upper case. I couldn't help but notice the three screws holding it seemed overly tight (a fourth was noticeably absent but not present anywhere inside the case or in the factory box I keep my unit stored in), and I wondered why the fourth was obviously missing from the factory. I reinstalled the fan and lightly tightened the three screws evenly (no danger of the these screws coming out). I also made sure not to overtighten the four case screws at reassembly.

Once back together, I hooked the charger back up to the battery and plugged the power cord in. The fan was now back to its normal quieter self and the handle now slides in and extends out without any interference and yes, the unit performed just as well as always. I couldn't say if all units get assembled this shoddy from the factory, but it wouldn't hurt to carefully check inside if your fan suddenly gets louder for no reason or if the handle appears to be interferred with by something inside the case. While in there I would also gently wiggle the transformer connections and carefully tighten any female spades that appear excessively loose. I'm sure I just added years to the life of my unit, but I shouldn't have needed to do these things on what is a brand new unit.

The unit does most everything well as it should and I could have simply returned it for repair. But, it was easier for me to just do this correctly myself than shipping it off and waiting for its return. Who knows, some of the same small problems might still have existed after being sent back and returned. I mean, it did come that way from the factory. Anyway, my look inside showed me the components look well designed for the price and opening the case isn't difficult.

I had another electronic style charger, purchased a few years ago from Sam's Club. Not bad, just not durable and it gave up the ghost...

I was referred to Schumacher by some friends in the auto repair business and wanted a unit that was reliable and was versatile, charging different types and sizes of batteries. We have a vehicle and a motorcycle that doesn't get used regularaly and I needed to be able to top off various batteries.

1st impressions, this thing is HEAVY compared to other brands! Not a big surprise since I have to assume they use a more robust transformer than other brands.

On the flip side, the battery leads are lighter and smaller than I would have expected. They work great and since Schumacher has been doing this for quite a few decades, I'm sure they will work well for the long haulI just expected larger gauge wires and larger clips. As a plus, the smaller clips actually are easier to connect to various batteries, especially if they are still installed (motorcycle).

Other surprise is this thing is loud, with a constant hum when plugged in. It is normal based on the transformer, but it is different than the cheaper chargers out there. This is not a bad thing, just a little different.

I have already used this charger on a truck battery and a couple smaller batteries with no problems. It works as advertised and quickly. I like the fact that it will automatically charge then shift to a float charge mode and includes a desulfide mode if needed. Since some of my stuff sits (bike and lawn mower) the desulfide function is great to recover a battery. Haven't tested the start function and likely won't but it's there if needed...

Overall, pleased and would buy again.

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Have a diesel truck that is setting most all the time. Over a long period of time the alarm system and other gadgets drained the battery. Was probably this way for many weeks. Not good for a battery at all. This truck has a diesel that requires two batteries to start. After recharging the batteries many times with another non-automatic charger and a smaller version of this charger, they would not take a full charge and trip out the smaller charger/maintainer. This charger, Schumacher SC-10030A SpeedCharge Automatic Charger and Maintainer, has a de-sulfation mode for batteries that suffer this type of trauma. Over night, about 12-14 hours later the battery finally accepted a full charge. I verified this by using the same smaller maintenance/ maintainer battery charger that continually tripped out. Once I had a fully charged battery, I installed the smaller maintainer, and it turned green indicating a full charge and now maintains the batteries..

Two problems. 1) this charger in my opinion is too large to be a maintainer / conditioner. It does the job but has a fan that goes on and off. Probably uses too much electricity. 2) When ever the charger goes into maintain mode, it sets off my remote controlled alarm system on the truck. I had to put the truck alarm on valet to prevent this.

lloken

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looked at several products and prices and this prouct gave me the most options that I neeed for the best price. Plus helps to protect my battery from being damaged because I forgot to turn the charger off when it was fully charged and begins to boil. Plus I still have some 6 volt battery systems around. This charger had the most options at the best price and a name you can depend on.

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I put the charger into service the day I got it and was pleased with the speed with which it charged the battery of my car. I like the fact that you can see the on-going charging percentage and thus get a good idea of how long it will take to complete the charge. Another good attribute is the fact that this device doesn't have any air vent slits cut into the top of the case which would otherwise make it susceptible to getting shorted out. This is what in fact happened to my Craftsman charger. While using it one day, it began to snow unexpectedly and by the time I remembered that the charger was sitting alongside the car instead of under the hood, some snow had gotten into the air vents on top of the unit, landed on the open circuit board inside and proceeded to short it out. On a less than positive not but not a critical issue, is the fact that the unit came with the front sticker which displays the information for the various functions out of alignment and was actually causing some of the function lights to be partially covered up. All-in-all, though I'm please with the product and feel that I got a good value for the price and it does meet my expectations.

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Directed Audio Essentials 7254v Viper (r) Responder Le 2-way Led Remote

To All VIPER car alarm owners of model 5701 or whomever has the prior model 7152,

THIS is the answer! Not only did Squidfly deliver it in less than 2 days, but i gazed at the new packaging expecting it to be a little better, but I was wrong!

Not only once I opened it was it new, but it already came with batteries! your ready to program and use instantly right out the box!

I was already impressed, but then I looked at the back cover to dread the prior model's horrible battery door design, FINALLY they took notice and fixed it! the back is flawless and seems to be one piece with the remote as how it should have been! and then the buttons, the great feel of the new buttons, which felt so gratifying compared to the prior model. No more accidental presses and bumps, this remote definetly is better than the OEM by Ten fold easy! It made me think why didnt they include this remote to begin with! the other one felt cheap and flimsy. The finale!, once opened and went to my car, I was able to program the remote within 5 minutes. Then popped onto my keychain and I am extremely satisfied!

BUY IT NOW, because VIPER got it right with this newer refined model because it seemed they actually listened to their consumer feedback and corrected every flaw that caused frustration!. Better than the OEM and will buy again!

I lost the battery cover to my old 7251v a while back and replaced it for a mere $12 plus shipping. Within a week, the outer rim of the remote broke off at the bottom which made the door stick out a bit. Ever since then, the batteries would last about a week so I decided it was time to replace it.

The new remote eliminates the need for a battery door and will not easily come apart like the old one. The buttons are harder to press (which is good considering my old one used to get smashed and make that angry loud buzzing noise). Its rubber/tactile feel is nice -reminds me of the old Nextel phones. Now, you take a small flathead screwdriver to pry the front off which exposes the insides and battery holder.

The instructions on the package to sync with my existing alarm system worked like a charm.

Pros

Harder to press buttons but still very responsive

Feels more solid and sturdy

Battery life so far beats my old remote

No battery door!

Cons

I worry that the plastic clips holding the front on will eventually break after replacing the batteries a few times.

When taking it apart to replace batteries, the innards fall apart and I worry they may break

Overall very happy with the purchase.

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Nice key fob remote for my viper responder le 2 way remote start unit. The buttons are a little harder to push than the original fobs, which i used to press accidentally in my pocket. The battery storage should be nicer too as the battery cover used to come off on my original fobs.

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I have had the previous version (7251V) of this and really disliked it. This is by far improved

Pros:

-rubberized...better resistant to scratches and does not stick to cloths

-back panel is not the same...now it removes by using a thin screwdriver on the front...much improved...thanks

-buttons not prone to accidentally press while in your pocket...perfect in my opinion...thanks

-easily programmable...instructions come included

-Nice key ring slot (I have seen the ones with a possible breakable protrusion on the others, but this design is perfect in my opinion.

Cons:

-likely the battery life (I have not drained it yet...this may change to a pro)

-changing batteries will probably cause this to wear over time. I feel this will outlast the previous version and will add the actual result after a few battery changes. The previous version only lasted 1-2 changes...less than a year; this one may last several years and be worth it.

Bottom line: the 7251V is worth 1 star, this deserves 5 stars. If you hated the 7251V because of the quality...you will love the build of this one. A must buy.

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Easy to install and better constructed than the OEM responder... I would not hesitate to order another one if needed...

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Stinger 4 / 8 Gauge Shoc-Krome Battery Terminal

• Acrylic cover is included with terminal
• Works on Both Positive and Negative Battery Posts
• (1) 4 Gauge + (1) 8 Gauge + (1) Ring Terminal Outputs
• Can Use a Top Mount Set Screw For 0 / 4 / 8 Gauge Ring Terminal
• Stinger Part # SPT55301

When I started to upgrade my car audio, my friends would tell me about Knukonceptz and their products. Now that I found out about Darvex and the Stinger products that they have, I could have saved a lot of money from the start. Compared to the other battery terminals I bought, this one from stinger takes up less space and works better for my application. Hopefully it will work out great for you also if you buy.

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Schumacher XC103 SpeedCharge Battery Charger with Engine Start

The charger works great at charging up my auto car batteries. For a nearly dead battery (0.9 volts), it did not seem to charge as it should for the initial charge (shut down after a while and said it was at 80% charge). I then charged a 2nd time (actual charge at startup was then 40 %), and it charged it correctly. Most batteries charge within 1.5 hours time for autos. The LED yellow lights are very hard to see in the sunlight (they should change the color of these). My only complaint is that the clamps are low quality (cheap) and they should charge a few more dollars and install heavy duty (stronger) clamps.

I really wanted to like this charger: Schumacher XC103 SpeedCharge Battery Charger with Engine Start. On paper it seems to do everything I need. The big problem is that it keeps generating an F06 error code when charging on the Fast Charge Rate setting. The manual says this means "The charger detected that the battery may be getting too hot (thermal runaway)." and that "The charger automatically shuts the current off if it detects the battery may be getting too hot or the battery may have a shorted cell. Have the battery checked or replaced." This means the charging is stopped before the battery is fully charged.

The charger generates the F06 code on two different brand new batteries. Also, if I use the Slow Charge Rate setting the same batteries charge just fine so I do not believe that the batteries are defective. There must be something wrong in the charging logic for the Fast Charge Rate setting.

I tried several times to get Schumacher customer support to help me resolve the problem. The Schumacher support staff is useless. They kept sending me the section from the manual that describes the F06 error code. I already knew this information; which I carefully explained on my initial e-mail to Schumacher and on all subsequent e-mails to Schumacher. They persisted in not answering any of my questions, but just resent the F06 error code section from the manual. When I finally insisted that the charger must be defective Schumacher finally agreed to replace the charger with a new or refurbished charger. Since I just bought the charger a refurbished charger was not an option in my opinion.

Another annoyance is the poorly designed cord storage system. Both the AC and the charging cables are very stiff making them difficult to coil. I'm not sure why the cables need to be this stiff. My old charger had cables that were much easier to coil and stow. In addition the two posts provided for cable storage on the back of the unit are totally inadequate for the task; they simply cannot hold both sets of cables (they barely hold just the AC cable) and it's way too much trouble to try and coil the wires around these posts. The only solution I found was to not use the cable storage posts at all and simply coil the wires. I then used a piece of twine or a velcro strap to keep them coiled (all in all this is a nuisance).

Based on thes problems and the extremely poor customer service, I regretfully decided to return the charger to amazon.com for a full refund.

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I purchased this due to needing to replace an older unit . I have a very short commute and in the winter My car doesnt get driven enough to

mantain a full charge on it's battery. I Used this for the first time the other day and it brought my dead DieHard Gold battery back to life after having left my lights on overnight. total charging time in the fast mode was 1.5 hours. I have used this in trickle mode and starting mode and all work perfectly .

Highly reccomend this item

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Purchased this for all battery charging on my farm and for the trolling batteries for my boat. This charger is super fast. It automatically tells you what voltage the battery is and what is the percentage of charge on the battery.. Could not ask for a better charger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I needed something that could recharge batteries and i did not want to have to worry about over charging. I also wanted something that was automatic so anybody could use it. This products meets that! I hooked it up plugged it in and an hour later my dead battery was charged. I left it connected for about 5 hours to really get a full charge and the charger went into maintenance mode. Love the product.

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Heated Fleece Travel Electric Blanket - 12 Volt - Red Plaid

The main reason that I am writing a review on this item is because it only had 3 stars because some yahoo decided to write the only review and he hadn't even purchased the item!! I almost overlooked this blanket because it had only scored three stars. At any rate, let me just assure you that you can buy this blanket with confidence. I was looking for a heated travel blanket, but absolutely could not find one in stores this winter. I took a chance on this blanket, and am very happy with it.

The blanket is a lovely, soft, snuggly fleece material. It is a cute black and red plaid. It is a larger size than some of the other electric travel blankets. The plug has a green light that shows you when it is plugged in and on. It is nice because it has an automatic shut off timer on the on/off switch. It does not instantly heat up, but most full sized electric blankets do not do this anyhow either. When the blanket gets going, it provides a wonderful noticeable heat.

The only downside is that it is not machine washable only spot clean. I did not find any of the travel electric blankets that were machine washable though, so this is pretty much par for the course. I think that you may be able to hand wash the blanket as long as the 12 volt plug is covered and kept out of the water (my opinion only of course). The only reason I think this is from my prior experience with traditional electric blankets. You can machine wash those blankets, but it is because the electric plug disconnects. These travel blankets don't have a plug that disconnects... therefore the direction to spot clean only.

Love this product. Purchased as a christmas gift for two individuals in wheelchairs. It was the perfect gift. Keeps them warm while traveling without being to big and bulky. Heats up quickly to a comfortable temperature.

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We live in the snow and drive 15 minutes to my kids bus stop. They LOVE these blankets. The only disappointment was that I ordered one in solid blue so the kids could tell theirs apart and it came in the red plaid like the other one I ordered. But it all turned out, my son was very happy to have a plaid one and when it is their turn to ride "shotgun" we don't have to switch blankets!!! Gee, they are learning to share!!!

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So I bought this to use while I sleep in my camper when it is cold. Works great, but can only be ran for 30-45 mins! After that the timer shuts it off. Went back and read the product description says nothing about shutting off after 30-45 mins. Great for a car ride, bad for a sleeping blanket. Using a thermostat instead of a timer would have been better, I'll probably return.

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This takes 10 minutes to heat up, so don't think it's going to get warm quickly. If you have a need for this, like an older parent who gets very cold in the winter even on short drives, heat it up before you pick them up. It would be nice on a long trip, or if your driving partner likes it really cold in the car.

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EGO FLASH Bluetooth Handsfree Car Kit with OLED Display

• Installed Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit
• Voice recognition (no training required)
• Phonebook download and Caller ID
• High definition 1.6 in OLED display
• Advanced DSP technology

Works well with their task of handsfree, but if you plan to use their MP3 capabilities look for other product. It only play music on speakers of one side, left or right, but only one. According to the sound technician explanation, this product has a little amplifier that only has enough power for the speakers of one side of the car. It's ridiculous...

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Poorest customer service I have seen in a while. My unit didn't work, returned it to dealer where I purchased it. Ego had it for 4 MONTHS! Then said its no longer in warranty! The dealer I used doesn't sell EGO products anymore due to their poor customer service. Beware....

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I bought this because it was so inexpensive compared to the Parrot ones, but I really like it! Looks good, sounds good, I don't have to yell anymore to the speakerphone.

F900,DOD,H.264,WIDE LENS 120 DEG,1080P HD CAR BLACK BOX,CAR DRIVING DVR CAMERA,DASHBOARD CAMERA,4X

I bought this cam to use during custody exchanges with the ex because it is sleek and simple and doesn't stand out (we all gota protect ourselves somehow). I received it and laughed at the box since it's written in mostly Russian. Just found out that over 1,000,000 Russians have these in their cars, that's how they caught so many clips of the meteor crashing. Anyway, the camera works well, 1080p ISN'T as clear and defined as I thought it would be... seems more like 480p in a widescreen format but hey, I'm not looking to make home movies with it. In 1080p mode and doing a continuous 10 minute loop recording it records about 2GB per file (2 files needed). So at minimum a 4GB SD memory card should be bought with this.... I recommend just maxing it out to a 32 GB card so you don't ever have to worry.

If your car cigarette lighter olug power turns OFF with the ignition you can set this up to record loops and start the car and have it automatically START recording and turn the car off and have it automatically STOP recording.

The product is made of plastic so don't expect some durable camera or anything... it's made pretty cheaply but with a price at around 50 bucks on Amazon what do you really expect.

Overall it is a very good camera and it serves its purpose well but I don't think that it is actually 1080p or that it should be advertised as 1080p since it is DEFINITELY not clear like a 1080p video should be.

F900 Box arrives quickly with many accessories. Camera weighs next to nothing, has shiny toylike look and feel of cheap plastic. Even so, tiniest screws all around suggest carefully put together. First problem: how to get battery into camera no help from Manual or from examining camera body. Finally figured it goes in fattest part and resorted after much effort or fruitless fumbling to another rough method: use a knife blade to pry open line around case where battery clearly must go, put blade into crack and twisted and lo, cover slid back. This has to account for some misery among buyers. I like this camera, will keep it, now list its faults.

SD CARD a struggle to get into tight area blocked by handle and harder to pull out with not enough room for fingers. Suggest file a groove on card edge so fingernail can grip and yank out.

MANUAL for English section has pictures so tiny as unreadable, even though next section for ?Japanese language shows much larger picture printed with a clear part number. Had to flip back and forth over three sections to follow instruction. Solution: use 3.5X reading glasses. Easier than interpreting Manual, I decided to just fiddle with each button and toggle post to learn how to operate just enough for my purpose to set language to English (why can't they do this before shipping to avoid horror of opening menu to foreign text?), adjust date and time and resolution, and turn off irritating beep.

PHOTOS on computer look fuzzy and distorted from bowing.

VIDEOS look fair, though good for this price, have obvious distortion, such that every straight line has a bow to it.

TESTING. I played with camera at my desk and pointing out window till comfortable with button operation and screen display, then did live field test now in attached video. Press On/Off button on top to turn on, getting blue working light, A second later, upside down display of nifty red automobile quickly righted itself. Press down on slightly raised joystick on top to begin recording, proved by red dot on screen.

For second test, I plugged into car battery for power. Camera did not turn on when engine started. It started recording when On/Off button pressed, eliminating need to again press down on Joystick.

Date and time appear thoughtfully at lower left corner in large white font. Time countdown appears upper right during recording, though oddly not visible on computer playback.

RECORDING, press joystick forward turns on Night Light recording -seems to make no quality difference except to put reflective glare on window. Joy to Left or Right zooms jerkily in or out with significant range on street and closeup desktop images. Zooming from 1X toward 4X got more grainy and fuzzy, obvious in video playback. To start or stop a recording, pressing the Stop Button seems to do same as pressing Joystick. SCREEN goes blank for a second or two at end and at start of recording. Zoom function useful by allowing closeup recording to enlarge detail on any object. [cc see house number and garage lamp in my sample video] In car test plugged into cig lighter bottom right of display showed flashing sign of power plug camera did not turn on or off with engine. I needed to press Power button, and once pressed, it started recording within a couple seconds.

Handheld test: DAYLIGHT recording has faint bluish tint and near objects not sharp. NIGHTTIME recording atest shows camera can record object with light on it and can get some detail within about 18 feet. At night it failed to show green or red or yellow color of street and car lights except as white spots. Moving camera slowly caused light to streak.

Car driving test: DAYLIGHT recording fairly sharp, showing wide view. Later playback confirmed cloudy day recording produces much better video, almost impressive. Street lights distinctly red, yellow or green though on playback appear pulsing or shimmering.

PLAYBACK, press Forward Arrow button on top. Use joystick to navigate thumbnails of combined video and photo images. Down goes forward, Up goes back. Press joystick to play. For still images fullscreen, Up and Down move backward or forward. Recording quality can show distinct letters on license plates when close, even better enlarged during playback on computer monitor. Camera lens makes nearly true sizes, without apparent stretching or squeezing image as do other cheaper cameras tested by me. I left camera in 720P setting for my tests, though maybe better if set to "1080". Camera produced huge AVI file that filled my monitor screen. Camera assigned my 4pm video in afternoon daylight number 164101 and my 4am video in dark night number 0434001, suggesting video naming may relate to time of day (16 as 16 hours on 24-hr clock or 4pm, and 04 as 4am), then 001, 002 for sequence.

BATTERY takes bizarrely long time to charge. After 5 hours mine only charged with 2 bars out of full max 3. Overnight still not full. And it wears down fast.

CONCLUSION? Good carcam for amount money paid and would recommend it as not too hard to use, producing clear enough images and good audio on computer playback. Showed sharp image of other vehicles on street, often making plate readable. Sound loud enough when playback on computer though barely can hear from camera speaker. My audio samples had a frequent grinding noise, not sure if camera or my car. Slight blue tinge to recording. Jerky zoom not a real concern. An important feature for fighting a traffic signal ticket, camera showed show true-enough color of street light during day (though poor color at night), Mount on windshield problematic as would not stay attached, while grip for camera does not allow easy positioning to film and view display at same time.

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i like the camera works good,has a good mount,been using it about three weeks,still working good.for the price it was a good deal.

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All I did was undo two tiny screws to take off the handle (which, presumably, is for a lanyard). Did no setup. Just turned it on and got going ...

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I owned this for literally about 30 days. That's how long the product lasted before it broke.

Something electronic inside prevented the camera from turning on again. It wouldn't work with battery or usb power.

I enjoyed it while I had it. It definitely took some getting used to having a screen on my windshield. You can't close the LCD with the camera on. This will shut the camera off immediately.

The mount broke from over-tightening... which i needed to do to keep it from bouncing on every little bump.

Motorola Professional CLS1410 5-Mile 4-Channel UHF Two-Way Radio

• Keypad lock, audible call tones, VOX--voice activated transmit with select audio accessories (not included)
• Includes Lithium-ion rechargeable battery, drop-in charger, and swivel holster
• Durable, lightweight design. Easy for employees to carry and hold all day, yet built to withstand everyday use
• Quickly copy the settings from radio to radio with the use of the optional #56517 (cloning, charging, storage) accessory
• Requires FCC license. Compatible with Motorola Spirit GT,GT+, and XTN UHF radios.

This radio is used in our warehouse/manufacturing facility. Plant wide we have around 20 in use for ~2+ years with no failures. They are a good radio for heavy use. The CLS1410 has 4 channels which is nice if you have different groups using radios.

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We recently bout a bunch of these for use at our farm, but while they work better than the $20 radios we've been using they are not capable of getting all the way across the 40 acre plot when any obstruction is in the way. They'll have to go back, sorry to say. We need something that deals with steel sided barns better.

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Motorola calls these radios the "CLS" series. Clear, Light, simple. 10 for 10 on all 3 counts. We have tried several brands of CB's and FRS units without the reliability we need or the sound quality we demand. The little radios are very dependable and the sound quality is simply great. They are easy to setup and use, always work and have very good battery life. We have the 4 channel version with a earpiece that has an inline mic. We rely on these little giants without worry.

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I bought these for my company which runs large scale productions and runs a movie festival. They work great with the optional headsets, even in loud environments. I would give 5 stars but I feel like they are too expensive for what they are.

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Got 5 of these with headsets for our host staff as well as chefs. It works very well. Clear and has improved our service.

First-Rate Multiple Angle Dell XPS 10 Non-Skid Robust Table / Desk Tablet PC Portable Stand

I mean what can I say IT IS A STAND and it stands very well shipped quickley love it will buy again not happy with being forced to type 20 words

I bought it to make it easier to browse etc., and ended up keeping it sitting in the stand for last 4 days since I've received it. Love it. Compact and very usable, very stable.

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Custom Accessories 23516 Digital Clock Clear

It's a nice little clock, but with some serious shortcomings. First, it uses a suction cup to attach, it would have really been nice if this was included in the description since for my purpose it will not work. Also and much more important is the fact that it is clear with black letters. If you are attaching it to anything with a black background it is absolutely impossible to see. Was really disappointed since in principle it is a nice little clock.

My husband needed a clock in the bathroom so he can know when he's taking too long to shave before work. It sticks to the mirror just fine and is small enough it doesnt get in the way at all. Exactly what we needed.

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We put them on our bus windshields so the drivers don't have to take their eyes off the road while driving. Keeps them on time and safe. Works great.

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I love this clock. It's great for the winshield because it's see-through. However, you can't see it at night. Still, I like it so much I'm getting another one for my brother's truck.

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I wanted a little clock for my bathroom that wouldn't take up counter space and did not require putting a screw in my wall. This looked like a great option but it wasn't. The suction cup was malformed and would not stick to anything fell within 10 seconds of being put in place (even if I held it in place for 60 seconds, which has always solved my prior issues with suction cups). Also, the fourth time it fell (about 12 inches) the numbers stopped showing up on the readout, even though I went in and made sure the battery was still in place. I should have known better than to expect quality merchandise for $10.

As a side note, this clock is not ideal for sticking to a mirror the screen is entirely clear so you see the reflection of the numbers in the mirror as clearly as the numbers displayed on the readout. This would probably work better (if it would stick to something) on a wall.

Overall, there are better options. Don't waste your money.

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2.5-inch HD Car LED IR Vehicle DVR Road Dash Video Camera Recorder Traffic Dashboard Camcorder - LC

• 2.5 inch TFT LCD: 270° whirl, Recording resolution:1280x960 / 720x480 / 640x480 pixels
• 120 deg View Angle Day Night Video Camera with 6 IR Leds
• Microphone: can record sound
• Interface: USB2.0
• Support SD/MMC Card: up to 32GB (not included)

For less than $25.00 it does a nice job. I don't need a camera that costs so much that I fear that it will be stolen or broken. Has a semi wide fish-eye lens. I'm not looking for wedding photo quality, come on its only 25 bucks. Comes with car charger and suction cup mount, not mentioned in the description. Also comes with a cellphone type rechargeable battery. Plugged into the charger, I get over 9 hours of video (with audio) on a 16GB card. VGA quality is 640x480, so stay with that mode, because the other larger sizes that it records (D1, and SVGA) are actually not different at all. The SVGA 1280x720 is the same as the VGA and D1 680x480, but with thick black edges on the sides, video is not sharper. You may want to buy a different smaller sized window mount that has a "ball hinge". The mount that comes with it is somewhat large, but still fine to use. The charger wire is long enough to tuck under window trim and dashboard trim and reach the car's power socket. Not too bad at night time, so see the attached video sample that I made. The camera comes with infrared lights, but I see no use for them unless you are video recording your hood ornament, or if you use this device as a home security monitor inside of your house. Not a bad idea, just buy one of those 120volt wall adapters to plug your charger into, then attach the camera to a window or wall. If you are not sure you need a DashCam, but still want to give it a try before you go all out and buy a 200 dollar HD broadcast quality one, then this one is just for you. I like the home security idea myself.

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I am a truck driver and recently a man accused me of running over his dog,I did not however it did convince me of trying a dash cam.I bought this one because of price to try as a trial.To my surprise it does a lot more than I imagined.I stuck it on my windshield up in the high middle and plugged it in to the cig lighter.2 weeks went by and a window tinting car cut me off in traffic.If you go to my youtube you can see how awesome this cam is....PLUS the vid on youtube is my phone recording off my laptop...I'm not smart enough and have not the software to edit videos.The programming is a little funky on the cam,like setting the time and date,but if you play with it for awhile you will figure it out.The micro speaker play back is scratchy until you play back on your computer and as you can hear it is very adequate.I put a 2 g mem. card in and carry a spare now in case I need to save something...it's worth it! This cam far and above does what I need.I already have saved vids of 2 more close calls,just in case.Go to youtube and look me up unitruth ,the vid is "cut off by window tinting car 40 mph evansville IN." see for yourself.The audio is crappy on the cam but once plugged in or memory card inserted in laptop you can hear the audio great!

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Excellent place to start with a dashboard (or maybe home security) video camera and DVR. Cheap and reasonably good. Just to be clear, the 270 degrees refers to turning the camera around by hand in the mount; the field of view is 120 degrees. The instructions were so bad that I have regenerated them below.

UPDATE: In response to readers, I'm using the default settings, And am getting about 80 1-minute videos with audio, about 50MB each and they are automatically overwriting the oldest on a 4GB chip. I have not yet filled a 32GB chip (24 hrs)!

Dowson Dashboard Video/DVR Operating Instructions

These instructions are based on the actual menu settings of a device delivered in mid-February, 2013. The included instructions did not match.

Switching Modes

1) Press ON/OFF: (on the back of the DVR this is the international O+I superposed).

2) Default mode is Video Recording; press "OK" (which is a round spot on the back of the DVR which lights up) to begin recording. Press it again to stop recording and save file.

3) Press MODE to switch successively between: Video recording (red cam icon), Audio Recording (blue A), Playback (left arrow icon), in circular fashion.

4) Press to turn OFF

Function Keys

ON/OFF

OKconfirm mode selected

Keys below screen, in left to right order:

MENU choose a menu for settings, detailed below, and also leave a menu

DOWN go down a menu, or 4/3/2/1 x digital zoom while recording

UP go up a menu, or 1/2/3/4 x digital zoom while recording

MODE mode switching video record / audio record / playback

Menu Settings

Video / System Settings

Press ON, press OK, press MENU, press OK, then UP or Down as needed

Video................Output Settings

1. Size..............640x480, 720x980, 1280x720, 1280x960

2. EV................+1/3, +0.0, -1/3, -2/3, -1.0

3. White Bal.........Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent

4. Time Stamp........Off, Date Only, Date & Time

5. Video Time........3, 4, 5, 10, 15 minutes (per file)

6. Motion Det........Off, On (when On saves 2 min files during motion)

7. Record............Off, On

8. Night Mode........Off, On

After each selection press OK to confirm, and press MENU to leave one menu item for another and then again to exit

Video with Audio Settings

Press ON, press OK, press Mode, press MENU, press OK, then UP or Down as needed

Capture.................Setup

1. Size:................12, 8, 5, 3, 2, 1.3 M, or 640x480 (0.3 M)

2. Quality..............Fine / Standard / Economy

3. Scene Mode...........Auto, Sport, Night

4. EV...................+1/3, +0.0, -1/3, -2/3, -1.0 (Exposure luminance adjustment)

5. White Bal............Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent

6. ISO..................Auto, 100, 200

7. Color................Standard, Vivid, Sepia, Monochrome

8. Saturation...........High, Normal, Low

9. Sharpness............Hard, Normal, Soft

10. Time Stamp..........Off, Date Only, Date & Time

11. Burst...............On, Off

After each selection press OK to confirm, and press MENU to leave one menu item for another and then again to exit

Playback Settings

Press ON, press OK, press Mode, press Mode again, press MENU, press OK, then UP or Down as needed

Play....................Setup

1. Delete...............Single, All, Select (came up as Execute)

2. Volume...............1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Press MENU again to get the following:

1. Format...............Cancel, Execute (came up Next Menu)

2. Beep.................On, Off

3. Language.............English, Francais, Deutsch, Italiano, Espanol, +6 others

4. Auto Off.............1 min, 3 min, 5 min, Off

5. Sys Reset............Cancel, Reset (came up Next Menu)

6. Light Freq...........60 Hz, 50 Hz

7. TV Output............NTSC, PAL

8. Data Input...........Off, Set

9. USB..................PC Cam, Disk Drive

10. Screen Set..........Always On, 1 min, 3 min

After each selection press OK to confirm, and press MENU to leave one menu item for another and then again to exit

The rest of the operating instructions provided make some sense, except Loop and Slideshow commands, which may be on another hidden menu. If I find them, I will update.

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For starters you're going to need one of these: Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E You can get the 32 GB size as well but I know the 16 GB one works.

I uploaded a somewhat lengthy video from the unit with a fairly detailed review. Please note I had to shrink the file so it would fit under amazon's 100MB limit. The actual file is almost 500MB for 5 minutes and is 640x480. But what I uploaded should give a decent idea of the video quality. For this item please remember price matters. It is a cheap piece of hardware and it shows. I mention in my video review that I could not even use the power adaptor that came with the DVR because it caused interference on my FM radio. I had to use the adaptor that I had from my Garmin Nuvi 350. But, that worked so I'm less irritated than i would otherwise be.

Despite the problems I gave it 5 stars because of how cheap it is. Frankly I wish they'd double the price and up the build quality. But if you just want to play with something like this I think this is a good way to start.

If you're looking for an inexpensive camera that works good, try this out. I haven't had one problem with this working incorrectly.

Issues I have with it (but for the price, is just fine...):

Picture isn't the greatest. It isn't real clear. If you're using this to read road signs or license plates, forget it. If you're using it to show that there are in fact other cars or large objects, it is just fine.

I've noticed that switching into the 720p mode, it does jump a little bit. It isn't bad though, just slightly noticeable.

The infrared for nighttime use isn't the greatest either. It shows picture great to the front of the hood and then it loses all IR because of the headlights.

It does feel a little cheap, but again, for the price, not bad.

I have used this for a couple of weeks now. If you'd like to watch a few videos of me responding to calls (I'm a volunteer firefighter), go here:

The oldest videos with me responding, are w/out 720p and the newer ones have 720p. I don't notice a huge difference, just the slight jumping of the picture...

Overall, not a bad product for the price.

2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter plus integrated Car Charger for the Samsung Nexus S with Gomadi

• Allows your Samsung Nexus S to transmit clear; rich audio while simultaneously powering/recharging.
• 2nd Generation version incorporates a more powerful charging circuit; better FM signal isolation and higher output for clear; rich sound
• Full FM frequency spectrum selectable (88.1 to 107.9 MHz). Advanced Digital PLL sound coding maintains stable and high quality sound
• FM Transmitter supports an effective range of over 30 feet. Works in virtually every size and shape vehicle
• Buy with confidence! Product is backed by Gomadics comprehensive lifetime warranty

This plug is not compatible with some cigarette lighter sockets. E.g it was not worked with lighter socket in my Toyota Corolla.

I had to replace the positive contact of the plug with longer one (about 2-3 mm).

Plug's positive contact is not reaching positive contact of lighter socket.

I think it happens because there is no ringed groove in front end of the plug -plug's front end a little bit bulky.

The idea is great but plug requires some tuning.

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Power Probe III Ultimate 12 to 24 Volt Automotive Electrical Circuit Tester Kit

The 3rd generation powerprobe includes a number of changes for additional flexibility. In short, it is a vehicle powered DVM with both a 20 foot cable and an additional 20 foot extension giving you a 40 foot working range around either the battery terminals or cigarette lighter outlet, both clips and a plug are included in the kit.

With the series 3 units they use a hard gold plated banana jack to hold the removable probe or cables to extend your reach. If you purchase the accessory kit, it includes piercing probes that self center on a conductor, pierce the insulation, and attach to the jack allowing you to tap a wire at any point to locate intermittant problems.

While the DVM is backlit all the time, it also has 2 bright white LEDs facing forward to aid in finding and probing terminals in dark places. The actual probe is hardgold plated with a sharp tip and removable at the banana jack. Another identical probe is included with a screw-in female banana jack in the accessories kit to retrofit the powerprobe I and II units to accept external cables and probes.

If you need to excite a circuit with a connection to battery ground or to battery positive, the switch allows a momentary connection to bridge the probe tip to either voltage which is useful in testing relay driven circuits, indicator lights, and other small current loads. The prope voltage is always displayed during testing on the meter. The voltage/ground switch is circuit breaker protected in case you accidentally drive 12 volts into a chassis ground. Additionally, since the switch takes abuse it is easily replaced if it fails with just a screwdriver.

Combined with the testlead set, the powerprobe 3 greatly simplifies testing of vehicular wire and big rigs up to a single trailer. The DVM has 5 selectable modes of operation designed for different problems. Reading the manual is important to get the full value from this meter.

Although the price is a little high, the design and construction quality are excellent. Enough wire is provided to check running lights on trailers or to look for blown fuses. All of the wiring is exceptionally flexible and heavily insulated with top quality connectors. Both the tester and accessories come in hard plastic cases that can be stowed in a service box.

Not mentioned in specifications is that although the probe runs from 12-24 VDC, the meter can be used to measure voltages up to 80VDC.

I saw this tool on Speed network on a few different programs and looked it up on Google/You Tube. Found the video and had to have one after one look. I have already used it to find a bad powrer door switch and install a keyless entry system in my 82 vette. The probe/piercing point and voltmeter is worth the money alone. The continuity checker and ability to power up stuff has saved me hours playing with jumpers and my digital voltmeter. You still need a true multimeter, but not for much if you hav e a PP3. I got mine from Etool. I love it.

Phil

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You may be thinking to yourself why do I need this tool when I can already do everything it does already? I have a DMM to measure voltage. I have fused jumper wires to apply power and ground.

The power of this tool comes from stream lining 90% of a mechanics everyday electrical tasks. Using a power probe I can perform an electrical diagnosis task in 5 minutes that would have taken me 30 minutes using a DMM and jumper wires. Radiator fans, melted fuse boxes, ignition coils, fuel pumps, relays, electrical modules, actuator motors, are just some of the the things it has helped me diagnose.

And this model with the voltage display and speaker has many other uses which I have not learned how to use yet.

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this is a great tool for anyone doing electrical work on cars. it lets u test components and circuits and gives u a voltage drop reading. as long as you know how to use it its like have the answers in the back of the book.

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Use this tool constantly in my business. Makes short work of testing circuits and providing a power and ground source all at the tip of my fingers.

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HQRP KIT (85 Watt Solar Panel 85W Power 12V Monocrystalline 12 Volt, Solar 10A Charge Power Control

This is a great panel, it was easy to install on top of my motor home. Once we installed this solar panel on the roof, we had to make a trip down to Home Depot to buy 20 feet of wire to run from the panel down to the controller and then to the batteries. If you purchase this solar panel, you are going to need to also order some solar panel brackets because this one did NOT come with any. I have also ordered another controller so that way I can split the charge, one going to my main batter and one going to my Auxilary batteries.

Product arrived as scheduled but box was damaged. Upon opening found everything to be ok other then a smashed outer corner,

My guess is it happened during manufacturing. Good news was it did not effect performance. I put this panel on a voltmeter and it

Registered all specs as promised. Overall this panel is built well. Now, about the coaster which is advertised in the title description. Folks this is just a blue drink coaster! Why or how a drink coaster would be packaged and advertised in the title is beyond me.

Also , the MC4 connectors are not easy to find and are pricey online but they are water proof, well insulated for long term so I would suggest investing in this concept. If not you could cut these and use comparable stranded copper wire to make your connections which are obviously shielded. As for the charge controller it also worked accordingly. It is nothing fancy but does the

Job. I got a 4.76 amp reading on a clear winter morning here in Florida and I'm sure with a more direct noon angle this thing could put out just under 5 amps! Thanks for reading.

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Notice any connecting cables? You don't see them because you don't get any! It's my one complaint. There is no way to directly connect the solar panel to the charge controller, because the plugs on the solar panel do not plug into the charge controller. You could chop off the special cable ends, or make your own power cord like I did (requires skill/training).

This panel puts out a lot of juice. I just wish that it had been plug-and-play.

Read Best Reviews of HQRP KIT (85 Watt Solar Panel 85W Power 12V Monocrystalline 12 Volt, Solar 10A Charge Power Control Here

Excellent price and well built solar panel and charger. As good as my BP panel. Liked the Led display on charger. Did not like the connectors and cut them off and fed wires direct from panel to charger. Installed on my RV and works perfectly in February in Arizona only used generator a couple of times. Delivered ontime.

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I purchased a relatively large Jayco camping trailer (Pop-up) this year and wanted to be able to dry camp for a week at a time and not need to haul along a generator or be overly worried about conserving electricity. After doing the math I upgraded the stock group 24 battery to a group 29 and found this panel/charge controller combination for a bit of a discount over buying each separately. I did a few "dry-runs" at home by discharging my battery 20-40% and bringing it back up with this panel and controller and my battery was left with the same charge that my Schumacher SC-600A charger left it at so the controller's charging logic seemed sound. Using this in the field I'm happy to have plenty of power to the point that the charge controller is usually indicating a full battery by 9:30-10:00 each morning after a night with a few hours of running about 20 watts of dome/patio lights, the water pump as necessary, two small fans overnight and the furnace induction and blower fans as needed. The system has been reliable and performance has been great so far. While I haven't hooked up a meter to verify output, my back-of-the-envelope calculation based on draining up to 40% of the rated capacity of my battery and then charging it with this panel/charge controller combination it seems to be working as advertised.

I used some 10AWG outdoor rated wire and connectors leftover from my home PV installation I completed about 3 years ago which allows me to place the panel up to 20' from the battery to get it clear of trees or other shade that we like to place our trailer beneath. Worse case I can pull the battery off and move both battery and panel/charge controller to a more favorable charging location during the day and return it to the trailer once charging completes. I crimped some ring terminals on the wires going from the charge controller to the battery for easy installation/removal keeping these wires about 2' long to reduce losses from the charge controller to the battery and keep the charge controller sheltered by the bunk that slides out over the front of the trailer. Being 85 watts this panel isn't small so spend the time to look at the dimensions and make sure it will fit wherever you plan to store and use it. Mine stows beneath the dining table with about 6" to spare.

I did discover that the panel is reasonably tough as my wife mentioned to me one evening that she caught our friends' kid standing on it behind our trailer. Yes, actually STANDING on the glass portion of the panel while it was lying behind our trailer. This panel is build in the same manner as my 200 watt panels on my roof with an aluminum frame and PV cells glued to the back side of a panel of glass. Now I know this panel can support at least 40 pounds of kid without failing. I was prompted to put together a small "A-frame" stand made with leftover aluminum rail and brackets from my home install so now I can do a better job of optimizing the tilt of my panel and hopefully avoid subjecting the panel to a load-bearing stress test!