Monday, October 6, 2014
Wagan EL2548 Solar e Case 450
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Rando HD Mini Car DVR Video Camera Recorder 2-inch LCD w/ HDMI Cable built-in Microphone
Took it for a stroll during the day. I think the reflection of my radar detector & car made most of everything out of focus, i will need to retest this again and hopefully, it would be clearer.
The so called "Night Mode" is BS. They just added 2 super bright LEDs and it doesnt really do much of anything. On well lite roads, it records pretty well, but on dark roads, u can only see what ur headlights are shining, its not bad though. Wide Angle? It doesnt look to wide to me.
As for most ppl ask, i actually saw license plates better at night than day. Need to be at least 1-2 car lengths to read the plates clearly though. Not sure if theres a way to make it clearer.
watching it on screen also shows this pixalated video, but im watching it no a 27" monitor was i cant blame the camera.
Overall, i like it, though i think my iPhone4 with the same megapixel can probably record a lot better...I received a package with the camera very quickly in less than a week.
For comparison, a colleague of mine got the same camera from another seller about a month.
For its price the camera is very good clear images during day, and night is quite acceptable.
At the highest resolution of the video is approximately 95mb/min.
Mounting the camera on the windshield is very reliable.
The only negative the complexity of placing the camera behind the rearview mirror on a jeep.
PS. Jelly watch to trash!
Buy Rando HD Mini Car DVR Video Camera Recorder 2-inch LCD w/ HDMI Cable built-in Microphone Now
I bought this camera to keep me covered legal wise while I was on the job driving. It works fine but it doesnt want to stay on. Out of no where, it will turn itself off for no reason. It also freezes up and stops recording for no reason. That results in me having to constantly take my eyes off the road and make sure it is still recording. This is a cheap product. I suggest spending a little more money and buying something more reliable.The camera worked for about two days then the micro video card stopped working so I got another video card and the same thing happened. For some reason the cards will not work at all now. I had to return the camera. Camera was returned and money was refunded.This car cam works great, even after it slipped from my hand and dove straight into my large cup of orange juice I had in the car. After a good drying off in front of a space heater, I'm completely amazed it still works, 2 months later. Initially it took about a month before it arrived in the mail (coming from Hong Kong) and required a signature, which were not ideal, but I'm thrilled with the product. The camera records in 2-minute segments and saves them as separate files. An 8GB mini SD card (separate purchase) holds about 7 hours' worth of driving, then the camera starts overwriting what's there until it says it's full. You don't want to get stuck with a long commute and a full card, so just buy 2 of them. Also, the cards get lost easily because they're so tiny. I've already captured several near-miss roadway incidents, which are exciting to watch later on.Sunday, September 28, 2014
BestDealUSA Portable Mini Digital Speaker Music MP3 Player Micro SD/TF Card USB FM
- 100% brand new and high quality
- Audio Formats: MP3
- With Micro SD and USB Disk slot, USB connect
- Output: RMS 6W(3W+3W) THD=10%
- Frequency response: 150-18000HZ (±3DB)
Buy BestDealUSA Portable Mini Digital Speaker Music MP3 Player Micro SD/TF Card USB FM Now
Only reason id didn't get 5 stars is because when playing from SD card it can be cumbersome to get to the song you want. It has really great sound from such a small device.Monday, September 8, 2014
Schumacher PST-900X DSR ProSeries Battery Tester with Printer
Buy Schumacher PST-900X DSR ProSeries Battery Tester with Printer Now
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Outdoor Tech ADAPT Bluetooth Adapter for 3.5mm Devices (Black)
- Bluetooth adapter for 3.5mm devices
- Wirelessly connects headphones and stereos to Bluetooth-enabled devices
- Includes a built-in mic
- 9 hours of talk/listen time; 30-Feet distance
- Measures 1.25 x 0.63 x 1.75 Inches
Now, I'm listening to audio from the phone via bluetooth, and when a call comes in, I tap the button on the ADAPT and answer the call. Much cheaper than buying a new pair of dedicated bluetooth headphones.
My one concern is how the battery holds up over time.
-----
Update: Still think the audio quality is great and that this is a good product. My only issue after a few weeks with it is that sometimes callers complain about audio quality of my voice when I'm using it.
Buy Outdoor Tech ADAPT Bluetooth Adapter for 3.5mm Devices (Black) Now
Just got it yesterday and tried it for 7 hours non-stop on 3 different devices. So far, I'm very happy with it. The OT Adaptor does exactly what it said on paper. Suddenly, all my old speakers and headsets became alive again.The package only contain the adaptor, USB power cable and instruction manual. There's no power charger but that's not a problem since the USB cable can be used with any standard charger that came with phones, tablets or other bluetooth devices. If there's nothing available, you still can plug it into a computer's standard USB ports.
The instruction is very straight forward and in English only. But this is a very simple device. The forward, backward, volume+/are very basic. The only thing to learn is how to use the center button (they called it multi functional button which is quite accurate). Hold it for couple seconds to turn on/off with blue/red light indicators (blue is on, red is off). Hold it longer than that and the adaptor will go into pairing mode with blue/red indicators flashing simultaneously. To take calls/hang up, tab the center button once. To pause music/movie, tab the same button once while the music/movie was playing. Very very simple to the point of no learning curve at all.
The design of the device is ok. It doesn't get all futuristic or head turner gorgeous but It feels really nice and solid in the hand despise the very compact size. However, it would be better to have more color to choose from.
My only complains are 1. There's no way to check battery level. Most of my bluetooth devices has a way or two to check the battery level either by pressing a button on the device or use another software to show battery level on my phones. This problem can be fix via software upgrade so I hope OT will come up with a solution in the future. 2. What's with a proprietary USB power cable. All my other devices including phones, headsets, tablets, speakers even my portable router use micro USB so I only need to carry one cable and a charger. I was very disappointed when I saw the OT adaptor came with their own design USB cable. Shouldn't be that hard to replace the port on the device and use micro USB instead. I saw other companies did this before but finally realize their mistake and switch to micro USB. Hopefully OT would do the same.
The battery last long. much longer than my bluetooth headsets. I was wondering at first if I had to clip the adaptor on my shirt when making a call so the microphone will pickup my voice better but designed to clip it on my pants' pocket like they did on their website and it still works great.
Hopes this help
More: After been using it for about a week, I still found new ways to use this adaptor. First, I connected it to my car's aux port using an aux cable. The adaptor turned the car stereo into a bluetooth which was nice. Second, I connected the adaptor to my office stereo and control all the musics using my phone. The battery actually last 7 hours.
Two more complain is that it's a little hard to turn it on. Sometime I had to hold the center button a little longer and it still wasn't turn on. Another complain is the microphone quality. I've got complain from the other end said that my voice wasn't clear. Still happy with overall performance.
Read Best Reviews of Outdoor Tech ADAPT Bluetooth Adapter for 3.5mm Devices (Black) Here
It is an awsome concept. I love being able to have this free me from direct connection to the handset, plus to be able to use my own high quality buds! with that said Outdoor Tech please note:-The device has volume limitations so you cannot truly 'jam'
-takes a loooong time to pair even after initial paring...
-there are consistent 'breaks' in songs/video sound even though the iphone/ipad is right next to the ADAPT and fully charged as is the iphone/iPad
-people on calls were consistently complaining that the reception on my end was poor. again the phone was 3 feet away on my desk
Have others had similar experiences?
Want Outdoor Tech ADAPT Bluetooth Adapter for 3.5mm Devices (Black) Discount?
For its tiny size and weight, this adapter is amazing. Clip it to your pocket or shirt and use any set of headphones or ear buds you wish. Use the supplied audio cable to connect to your nearby stereo system from your smart phone, and do other flexible things with it. Easy, fast charge (2 hours or so) from any USB port, and the charge has so far lasted about 12 hours of intermittent play time for me through the last few weeks, and still going strong. Read the brief instruction sheet carefully regarding on/off, pairing, answering a phone call (if you're using a smart phone), etc. All of it is done with the one multi-function button in the middle (and its little green and red lights). That is not a criticism, but a comment that reflects today's trend toward master control buttons that have to do "everything" to save space. You just have to get used to it. I have already recommended this thing to others. It's great, and the price is cheap for all its capabilities.I've just tested this bluetooth gadget for two days on my ski helmet. It works great. The challenge with getting tunes into your helmet is finding a good set of earphone inserts AND a good way to control the music device, while also allowing you to get to the controller easily. The earphone inserts aren't that hard to locate. I used both the Skullcandy dropins and the Red_Phones from Burton. They have essentially the same audio quality in the helmet, and also have standard 3.5mm jacks and cables to connect to your device.Controlling your music device, in my case an iPhone 4s, is a little more difficult. The Red_Phones only allow you to control volume and have a simple mute button, so you can't move tracks forward or back, and can't pause a song. The Skullcandy controller lets you change volume and tracks, but the button on the controller is very sensitive, and I found it a real pain to use accurately. And with both units you still have a wire from your helmet snaking somewhere inside your coat to the player. Not a big problem, but I'd rather have nothing connecting the helmet to the jacket.
So after way too much research, I began looking into bluetooth devices that would be small enough to attach to my helmet, and still allow easy controls for the phone. I stumbled across the ADAPT adapter, and for $40 thought I'd give it a try.
I spent two full days with the adapter, and clipped it to a variety of places on my jacket collar, goggle headband, and finally on the earpad of the helmet itself. Mounted there, the unit is always easy to find. The buttons are still a bit too small to operate when I have gloves on, but it was really easy to slip off my glove and adjust volume, tracks, even answer my phone with the built-in microphone.
The real beauty, in my opinion, is how clean the connection between the headphone inserts and the adapter becomes. The thing weighs practically nothing, and now I'm free of wires. I'm very happy.
The sound quality seems the same as when I had the wired versions working, perhaps a bit less loud at full volume. The adapter paired with the iPhone pretty easily, and the connection didn't drop once in my weekend of use. Also, I had read that the buttons might freeze up in the cold, but today was 8 degrees and windy. No problem with the buttons at all.
I'll try to post photographs of this elegant hookup on the product page somewhere. It's a simple and lovely installation.
Friday, August 22, 2014
4 Buttons Key Case Shell for Nissan 350z Altima Maxima Infiniti Ex35 Fx35 Fx45 Qx56 Remote No Chips
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
GTMax 3.5mm LED FM Transmitter Car Kit - All Channels for Boost Mobile Samsung Galaxy Prevail
Good quality signals
easy to use
Cons:
cheap plastic
no users manual
Worth 9 bucks.... I didn't need user manual to setup up this radio transmitter. "Buy with Comfort" :P (makes me look like sales man"I purchase this order with 2 of these things no instructions came with this product. I thought maybe it got lost in the mail. So I purchase 3 more hoping that I would get some instructions on how to work this thing, I could make copies for the other two. I brought these things for my kids and nephews. It would have been great if we knew how to work these things. I even sent a email asking about the instructions and never recieved any at all. If you already know how to make these things work it would be a great gift. If not I won't buy it. Looking at it in the picture following that doesn't work. This was a waste of money for me. I thought maybe the kids might know how to work these things by them being teenages. they didn't know how so I just wasted my money.
Friday, June 6, 2014
3.5 Inch LCD Screen Rearview Mirror DVR Car black box with Dual Swivel Camera, TV OUT, Night Vision
- Dual lens, surveillance the outside and inside together.
- 3. 5 inch TFT LCD monitor.
- Support 32GB card.
- Cycle recording.
- Night Vision Function.
Does what it says
Cheap
Cons:
Does not record while charging
Instruction manual is worthless
I don't understand why this product will not record while plugged in charging. What is the point of cycle recording with a huge 32GB SD card if you are limited by the battery that does not charge while in use? Perhaps I am doing something wrong, but the instruction manual offers no help.I have had the dash cam a few days now. The picture is good during the day but not very good at night. I live in a more rule area with not many street lights, so it would most likely be better in town. But I wish that the camera was better at low light.It works when it is on battery only. It takes 32GB of use in about 2 minits. If you get in a wreck remember to pull it out as soon as you can, or turn it off.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Samsung Captivate i897 Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger + USB Data Charge Sync Cable for
Monday, June 2, 2014
Goal Zero 19010 Guide 10 Plus Small Adventure Kit
(Pros and Cons are tagged with "Kit" if the observation is for the whole kit, "N7" if it pertains to just the Nomad 7 solar panels, and "G10+" if the comment pertains to just the Guide 10+ battery pack/recharger.
Pros:
N7 Cool Design: The 2 solar panels fold like a book, and a wraparound Velcro tab secures the panels closed. The panels are inside the closed case, and the outside contains a zippered mesh pouch that contains the solar converter and port panel, and lets you store the accessory cables, AAA adapter, instructions, and the Guide10+ battery charger. It's a brilliant design that puts everything you need right there in a fairly compact package weighing around 1.5 lbs.
G10+ Multiple Recharge Options: You can recharge the batteries from solar energy with the N7 or N3.5 panels or from USB (8-10 hours per spec.).
G10+ Charger Has a Flashlight: Pretty cool, and pretty bright too (100 mW).
Kit Multiple Accessories Included: A solar cable lets you charge the battery pack most quickly. Other accessory cables let you charge electronics that use a 12v car charger, and a standard USB type mini-B cable. Also included is a AAA battery adapter that lets you charge them in the G10+ charger. If you want to charge phones or Bluetooth headsets, you'll need to get a microUSB cable ... I purchased one separately from the auction web site for just a couple of dollars for several 1 ft cables.
Kit Having a Power Source Wherever/Whenever: This is the usefulness of the N7 solar panel: you have a power source wherever you are, whenever you need it. When the power goes out after a storm, you can recharge batteries as long *as the sun is out*. If you're on the beach, or camping or backpacking, you've got juice. Just realize, it's not really going to save you money using the sun to recharge your batteries.
Cons:
G10+ Battery Charge Doesn't Last: The rechargeable batteries appear to be good quality, but they do not seem to hold up under use. The AA batteries are rated at 2300 milliamp hours. Using a pair in a Logitech cordless mouse, a pair depleted in less than a week. Other AA rechargeable batteries of similar mAh ratings have lasted 3+ weeks. In addition, multiple times that I tried to use a fully charged set of these with the G10+ to recharge my phone; it could not even complete one full phone charge. It seems like my set of batteries must be defective.
Kit Takes Longer than Expected to Charge: Unless you live in a super-sunny place, you'd be surprised how rarely you get a full sunny day. I was. During my testing period of this product, I was confined to weekend solar charging (I'm in an office cubicle during the week with no sun). I rarely had a full sunny day to use the panels for charging. When those puffy white clouds come along, you're not getting much if any charge action. So the recharge times are extended each time a cloud comes by. Overcast day? Fuggedaboutit. This isn't a *product* weakness per se, it is a product class weakness ... today's solar panels just aren't hugely efficient, and smaller panels are even less so. I'm in the mid-Atlantic area, which generally has lots of partly/mostly sunny days, and I found charge times to take at least the maximum time the manufacturer suggests, and usually much more time. They say 2-4 hrs to charge with the N7 panels, real life charging took typically 6-8 hrs for most of the batteries to get to 80-100%. Once I got a 4-hour charge time. It's also harder than you think to be able to lay the panels flat to get the best angle. On the beach, sure that works. In your house or workplace? Mmmmm, not so much. Lay it on the floor, and the cat/dog/child may step on it, besides which you need to keep the G10+ charger out of the direct sun, so that's going to be underneath. Cool idea, but harder to achieve the best setup to get the stated charge times.
G10+ Battery Charger Has No Status Lights for Individual Stations: Batteries rarely discharge evenly, and so recharging occurs unevenly too. Without individual status lights, the batteries that finish first continue to receive charge, and those that aren't finished are likely unplugged too soon since there is one general status light. And the range for the indicator lights is too broad: 0-50%, 50-80%, 80-100%. Not very precise.
G10+ Less Recharge Power than Expected: See results below for phone charging. The first number represents the mAh rating of the batteries used. 2300 are the Guide10+ batteries. The others are other brands of rechargeable batteries. The phone being charged is a GSM Samsung Galaxy Nexus, battery rating of 1750 mAh.
2300: Phone charge: 22% G10+ charge: 9200 maH Time to shutoff: 2 hours Ending charge: 39%
2300: Phone charge: 10% G10+ charge: 9200 maH Time to shutoff: 1.3 hours Ending charge: 29%
2400: Phone charge: 25% G10+ charge: 8280 maH Time to shutoff: 2.5 hours Ending charge: 64%
2400: Phone charge: 26% G10+ charge: 9200 maH Time to shutoff: 2.5 hours Ending charge: 74%
2150: Phone charge: 20% G10+ charge: 6880 maH Time to shutoff: 3.5 hours Ending charge: 91%
What the figures mean are: what the phone's initial charge was, what the aggregated charge of 4 AA batteries in the G10+ was, how long until the G10+ stopped charging the phone, and the phone's ending charge. Basically, I never even achieved 1 full charge from any battery pack, so the claim of 1-3 phone charges per G10+ charge did not bear fruit. Maybe with a feature phone with a tiny battery, eh?
Kit Tablet charging? Not likely to happen. Most have proprietary chargers with molded cables. Besides which, their batteries often have 2-3 times the capacity of my phone, which wouldn't even charge once from the battery pack.
N7 Direct Charging from Panels Not Successful: I tried charging a couple of different phones directly from the solar panels. None would go into charging mode. Their circuitry evidently has a minimum voltage it has to receive to start charging. This might work if you're in full sun, with optimum panel angle, but many, if not most of us, are going to find perfect conditions nearly impossible to achieve. In this case, the manufacturer recommends connecting the Guide10+ pack to the Nomad7 and the device to the Guide10+. That's fine, but don't mislead folks into thinking that direct charging from the panels is likely, because it really isn't.
Kit Using Solar Charging Isn't a Money Saver: Using rechargeable batteries sure IS a money saver, but charging with solar panels really isn't. It takes mere pennies to use a conventional charger to recharge 4 AA batteries.
Bottom Line:
The usefulness of this product is in having a power source at hand wherever you are, provided there is sunlight. The amount of sunlight directly correlates to the amount of charge power the Nomad panels provide, and consequently, the ability of the product to charge batteries. It is important to understand that this is the product's strength. Saving money on charging batteries is not its strength. Being able to charge a lot of devices -or even one smartphone one time -is not a strength of this product. You may be able to boost a depleted phone's battery enough to make some calls after fully depleting the Guide10+ batteries, but that takes several hours.
I recommend the product within those parameters described above. However, I would suggest buying more powerful, more reliable rechargeable batteries to use with it. I found Immedion batteries rated at 2400 mAh to be the best performers in my testing. If you are just looking for backup power to tote around to recharge some devices that run out of power, then I recommend a rechargeable Li-Ion power pack rated around 7500 mAh. I have used such a product to successfully recharge the same phone 3 times on a single charge. Just something to consider.I made the mistake of buying the Goal Zero 19006 Guide 10 Adventure Kit with 4 Goal Zero AA Batteries, not this one, which is the Guide 10 PLUS Adventure Kit. The Guide 10 Plus is iPad compatible, whereas, the Guide 10 is not.
I bought this kit mainly for camping. I find myself needing to charge my iPhone and iPad and knew this company made a good product. In April 2011, I went to Overland Expo in Amado, AZ and the Goal 0 reps had a big booth and gave away some small solar powered led flashlights. I was very impressed with their presentation of the products. This kit fits perfect in my bug out/backpacking/camping bag. I weighed the item, as I do with all items that go in my pack, it weighs 1 lbs 6 oz with: the solar panel, all cables, battery pack and batteries. EVERY OUNCE COUNTS when backpacking. So, for me, this was a good option compared to having to pack batteries and then maybe having to worry about scavenging more, if in a survival/bugout/zombie/post-apocalyptic situation, lol.
NOTE!!!!
I can charge my iPhone(4) directly from the Nomad 7 solar panels or with the Guide 10 Plus battery pack. But I can ONLY charge my iPad (1st Gen) with the Guide 10 Plus battery pack, I CANNOT get the iPad to charge when directly plugged into the Nomad 7 solar panels...this was disappointing for me, but I'll make do. Furthermore, I plan on buying 2 additional Guide 10 Plus battery packs with 4x AA batteries and 3 packs of 4x AAA batteries. I plan to use the AAA's in my flashlight, lantern and head lamp, and to use the AA's in the Guide 10 Plus packs to charge my electronics.
Buy Goal Zero 19010 Guide 10 Plus Small Adventure Kit Now
The Guide 10 plus adventure kit is a nice, compact solution for battery and device charging. It includes the solar panel, the battery pack, a few cables, and a AAA battery insert (so you can charge those). Note that the unit I received was a little different than depicted in the stock Amazon photos (single mesh pocket on reverse of panel rather than on the flap as shown). See my video for more.
Read Best Reviews of Goal Zero 19010 Guide 10 Plus Small Adventure Kit Here
This solar charger works great as a way to charge my AA batteries when away from home. Now I can recharge my AA's and even AAA's when on the trail. There are loops you can strap to your backpack while hiking if you need every minute of sun to keep your batteries topped off. To charge AAA's you'll need to buy a small adapter that snaps into the Guide 10 Plus. The required adapter is now packed with all Goal Zero AAA's. There are combo packs available that include the Nomad 7, Guide10Plus, 4-AA's, AAA adapter, 4-AAA's and a Luna light as bonus features.First I'll discuss the Guide10Plus unit:
The Guide 10 Plus battery holder has a 3 position switch. Off, On and Light.
Off = USB Output disabled
On = USB Output is ON (1.0a max)
Light = LED Light is on, USB output is disabled.
Store in the Off position, charges in any switch position.
The Guide 10 Plus must be in the On position to charge your phone or whatever you have plugged into the USB. The LED light is very handy in camp for finding things in the dark, plugging things and so forth. I wouldn't consider it my primary light but it is a very useful feature, and a rather easy way to make sure your batteries are charged up too.
There is a red/green LED that lights when charging. It blinks slow red when the batteries are 0-50% charged. It blinks slow green from 50-80% charged and fast green blinking from 80-100% charged. When the power Output is enabled, the status LED shows Solid green when power is available, solid orange when running low and solid red when no power is available.
There is a dedicated plug for charging the Guide10 unit from the solar panels. Thus, you can be charging the batteries while they are also in use. There is an additional mini USB port for charging the batteries from a USB power source. This is handy for topping off your batteries before leaving on a hike or trip where you'll be using the solar charger.
Goal Zero AA batteries:
I've cycled my Goal Zero AA's and they came in at 2400mah, pretty nice. I also use Eneloop batteries in my Guide10Plus with no problem.
Nomad 7 Solar panels:
You can use the special Guide 10 Plus charging cable and charge the batteries directly from the solar panels. There's a handy pocket for storing the Guide 10 Plus right next to the solar panels too. It includes an opening to easily feed the charging cable right to the battery holder. The Nomad 7 panels are nicely made, fold nicely and fit easily in a backpack.
The rating information on the solar panels shows:
USB output: 5v, 5watt max
12v output: 13-15v, 4 watt max
Guide 10 output: 6-6.5v 7 watt max
Monocrystalline solar technology.
There are 3 outputs from the solar panels. 1 for charging the Guide 10, next to that a USB port, and on the opposite side a 12v output. My setup came with a 12v cig type adapter that plugs into the Nomad 7 so that I can take the 12v directly from the panels and use it.
My Nomad 7 panels weight in at 14.9 oz. With the Guide 10 Plus and Goal Zero AA's installed I have an all up weight of 21.2oz.
Since I own several other Goal Zero systems, I want to point out that mixing the systems does work in a slightly indirect fashion. Let me explain. Due to the different plug sizes used (which is intentional I believe) the systems don't plug into each other. I believe this is due to the abilities of the charge controllers in the different devices, to avoid overloading things. If you want to use the larger panels to charge the Guide10Plus, you can connect it up by using the USB output options. The Nomad 27 Panels have a USB output, which you can then plug the Guide10Plus into directly using it's included cable. It's nice to know that via the USB output options and in some cases the 12v Cig adapters you can mix the Goal Zero systems. The USB cross connections aren't full power and are thus slower but hey it works!
When comparing these units, there is an older Guide 10, and now the Guide 10 Plus. Make sure you get the Guide 10 Plus. The plus version supports 1.0a output at the USB port so you can charge newer iPhones and iPads. A few very early Guide 10 systems had an overheating issue, my Guide10Plus works fine with no problems.
Wow, this is getting long, but these are the nice details to know when choosing between systems. I rate this 5 stars for working to charge my AA's and AAA's on the trail. Feels like a required purchase for any Grab-n-Go kit.
Want Goal Zero 19010 Guide 10 Plus Small Adventure Kit Discount?
The first thing I did when I received this product was to label all the cords with id that they belong to this kit. The USB cord looks like every other one you own, but is for charging the battery pack and I did not want to confuse it with my zillion other cords. There is a nice zippered pouch for storing all these bits and pieces.I could not find any way to remove the "protective film", I believe that these panels did not actually have any film on them. If they do, then they are working fine with the film on them.
We live in New Mexico at 7300 feet altitude, and that that altitude we get some serious solar energy. In fact the GoalZero Guide 10 Plus adventure kit was able to charge 4 Eneloop 1900mAh AA batteries from drained to full in 1.75 hours. The slow green light (50 -80% was actually lit after 50 minutes) It charged 900mAh batteries AAA from drained to full in about 45 minutes at midday, when laid flat on a cloudless day.
Some devices will complain if they sense the charge is too low (notably Apple products), in that case you run the charge through the battery pack (while still being able to charge the batteries).
We were able to charge (without sending the power through the battery pack) the following items on a sunny day in New Mexico.
Kindle Keyboard
2 kinds of Samsung phones
Sansa clip
Battery pack for a TI Inspire
Creative Zen mp3 player
Tom Tom GPS
Using the battery pack we were able to charge an Ipod 4G. I tried charging my ASUS laptop (one can dream, right?) by using the cigarette adapter and a plug I have for the car. That was not successful.
I also accidentally left the solar charging panels out in a rainstorm, and they still worked fine after drying out. (I had the panels outside the patio door with the Kindle inside the house). You do need to think about this, your device you are charging may not stand up to the rain as well. The battery pack instructions state that you should "shield it from direct sunlight" and that "unexpected rain storms probably won't harm it". I do wish the charging cable were a little longer so that shielding it would be easier.
Overall, I love this product. I love knowing I will be able to charge my cell phone, the batteries for my nieces insulin pump and necessary items (like my Kindle!) even if the power is out for an extended amount of time.
I am going to type up some info from the instructions, that might be useful in making a purchase decision and is not listed above in the Amazon page. Everything below this is from the manuals.
Nomad 7 (the solar panels)
USB output port: Accepts any standard USB cable for charging USB devices.
Solar Output Port: Charges Guide 10 battery pack faster than USB.
Car adapter and 12V output port: Connect the car adapter (included) to charge small 12 V devices.
*FAQ from Nomad 7 (solar panel)
What will my NOMAD 7 charge?
The NOMAD 7 will directly charge most USB and 12 V devices (not tablets).
Can I use the USB and 12V ports to charge devices simultaneously?
Yes. The Nomad 7 will split the incoming solar power between the two ports to charge devices simultaneously. Some devices may not be compatible.
Why am I having trouble charging my smart phone?
Smart phones require very specific, consistent input. If your NOMAD 7 is angle perfectly, there should'nt be an issue. However, most charging issues with a smart phone are made simpler by incorporating a Goal Zero power pack as an intermediary (such as Guide 10 Plus) (*note, this is the battery pack).
Is the Nomad 7 waterproof?
The nomad 7 is weather resistant and will not be harmed if exposed to rain or snow.
What kind of solar cells do you use in the Nomad 7?
We use state of the art monocrystalline technology in the Nomad 7 because it delivers more power per square inch than any other solar technology on the market.
Can the Nomad 7 be chained with other devices?
No.
*FROM THE FAQ for the Guide 10 plus (the battery pack)
What batteries can be used?
Any AA or AAA NiMH can be sued and recharged, we do not recommend other types of batteries. 4 same sized batteries MUST be charged at once, but not all batteries need to be empty.
How do I charge?
From solar: use GOAL ZERO Nomad 3.5 or Nomad 7 with solar charge cable for fast charging.
From USB: Use any USB power source, such as computer or and GOAL ZERO power pack.
Is it waterproof?
No, but it is weather resistant. Care should be taken to shield it from direct sunlight and the elements. Unexpected rain storms probably won't harm it.
How is it protected? Usage is plug and play. The built in battery management system prevents overcharge and over discharging of batteries. The USB output will only supply the amount of power needed.
Friday, April 11, 2014
HELLA HLA-H83140171 H4 12V 100/80W Halogen Bulb Off Road Use
Please check the comments I might post either pictures or a video of the bike with the bulb installed.
This review focuses on using the Hella H4 bulb in my motorcycle. Basically most of the information in this review applies to any brand of bulb. However, the price on amazon is good and the opportunity to read and write product reviews is probably second to none. The shipping was kind of high in my opinion so I recommend you consider buying two bulbs in different wattages (stay with white uncolored bulbs if your goal is to light up the road at night).
Here's my situation, I have a 1992 BMW K75S with almost 60K miles on it. The alternator was rebuilt a few years ago and upgraded to 600W (Watt) / 46 Amp max output. This is important because many cruiser typ motorcycles only produce 280W max and may not have enough power to run a 100W bulb and add on fog or driving lights.
Recently I had performed a major mechanical renovation including installing some aftermarket products to improve the motorcycle.
Headlight was never very good at night. Especially on Southern California's 4 lane highways where speeds can reach 70 to 80mph at night. I don't like to go that fast but I like to move with the general flow of traffic.
Focus not just power: a few years ago I added incredibly powerful generic "driving lights" from the autostore. These lights were 110W each! The light seemed to go everywhere except the road in front of me. If you buy driving / fog lights take one and run wires from your car's battery to the light at night and hold the light at the height it will mount at on your bike and see if you like the beam pattern. I had the same experience with the last fog? light kit light I bought for my honda shadow. This is why this bulb is such a nice / cheap easy upgrade. Your head light enclousure is designed to focus light in two places near/far low/high. The wattage between hi and low is only 5w's on stock bulbs it is the focus that lets you see farther (at the expense of seeing closer if you have only one bulb / head light and not a dedicated hi only and low only like some cars and motorcycles provide.
First, I bought a sylvania Silver star 60/55W bulb for $20 at autozone. It was virtually no better than stock and so I returned it. Keep in mind there are "plus" bulbs that can be brighter or whiter while using the same wattage but they are expensive ~ 40 to 60 for one bulb! But if they really work and you have a motorcycle that has little or no surplus power to run a more powerful bulb then I recommend it. For everyone else it is much cheaper and easier to throw more power at the road.
I bought two bulbs:
1. "Hella HLA-H83140161: H4 12V 80/70W Yellow Star Bulb Off Road Use"
2. "Hella HLA-H83140171 H4 12V 100/80W Halogen Bulb Off Road Use"
The first bulb 80/70W "Yellow" was aweful it was noticibly dimmer then the stock 60/55W bulb! I could barely see the road a night as though my head light was off! Not sure what the purpose of that bulb is. I ordered it accidently because I was focused on the wattage and didn't pay attention to the color. If you want to see better order "white" or "clear" etc not yellow, and maybe not even blue.
Next, I installed this bulb and I really liked it. I don't give it 5 stars because it lights better but I still feel I need to add powerful "Driving lights" to see farther. Don't confuse that with "Fog lights" which brighten the low beam area on the pavement and add nothing to distance viewing.
I think the 100/80W is an excellent first step to improving motorcycle lighting. As a bonus I meant to order 100/55W figuring I would use the lower power and heat during the day (motorcycle lights are come on when the ignition is turned on and can't be shut off). But I noticed the biggest improvement in the low beam at night. Super bright beam pattern and that is the advantage of using 80 watts on low.
Also, I have only one light. Other motorcycles have two bulbs so both high and low are on at the same time and this provides much better lighting over single bulb setups like mine.
For motorcycles like a yamaha virago 1100 with weak alternators they should use 100/55W and only use the 100 on the highway when the motor is spinning fast and is closer to its maximum electrical output vs idling at lights which could easily drain the battery. Finally, wires should be in good condition and dielectric grease should be applied to contacts to avoid melting wires from too much power and / or resistance from corroded connections.
Glass vs plastic: my motorcycle and my friend, Joe Monzo's 1993 virago 1100 have glase head lights. If yours is plastic (car or motorcycle) it could melt! So find out from others that own the same thing what is safe to use.
Note: if your headlight is off and someone shines a flash light at the bulb while it is mounted in the headlight and looks at the base the words "off road use only" and 100/55W will be visible. So if questions were to arise don't say how do you know my bulb isn't stock prepare to honestly explain the upgrade and why. So far no one has flashed high beams at me and I pointed my headlight down as much as possible to avoid blinding people and concentrate the light on the road. It is still not nearly as bright or clear as HID.
Compared to cars with stock oem bulbs on the highway at night and at red lights etc my bulb provides as much and usually more light than most or all cars except those running HID. I would say the HID are lit about 30% or 40% better.
I considered HID but those bulbs use a special ballast to generate 20,000 volts to start the bulb then 85v to run but consume only 35 watts. They take 1 minute to reach full power. The claim to have 3X the light of regular bulbs which is quite possible. And the quality / usability of the lights is much better than hallogen which was first used in europe in the 1970's.
Bulb Life: longetivity is shortned if the bulb gets too hot because the enclosure does not accomadate the extra heat well. Seems to be no problem on my bmw but some riders using other high power bulbs need a new one every year! My friends virago probably has only half the interior volume for the bulb to cool in and might need a "plus" bulb solution. If you monitor your wiring and the switch it costs very little to try the 100/xx W solution and gives you something to compare the "plus" or any other solution(s) too.
I ordered a pair of Hella FF50 "driving lights" from amazon with a concentrated beam pattern of ~ 25 degrees ( not quite "pencil beam" like the fameous but discontinued PIAA 910 driving lights). The enclosures are plastic which won't rust but would probably melt if higher wattage bulbs were used.
I rated 4 not 5 stars NOT because of any failing on part of the product but rather to emphasis that high power bulbs help alot but still may need to be suplemented with driving lights. My goal is to see farther so I still plan to install driving lights. I am fine with stock lights on my car but my life depends on seeing objects at night in the road. I prefere to ride in the day but this time of year it is hard to avoid night riding.
The Future: HID and LED lights. Both use less power. HID driving light kits are probably better for motorcycles and cars rather than trying to retrofit the stock bulbs. HID's have only one filament so they can't provide Hi and low from the same bulb like H4 bulbs do. There are gimics to simulate hi/low but I read that they don't work well. Currently, an HID driving / fog light kits runs about $400 (2007 prices).
Conclusion:
Before buying check your charging systems output (motorcycles only, cars have plenty), wiring & Hi/Low switch, relay(s), glass? head light enclosure (heat). Internet forums for your brand of motorcycle will give you results of other owners. Finally, buy with confidence that this product will deliver much better light at night for your motorcycle.
My TAGS: bmw, k75, k75rt, k75s, H4, 9003, HID, motorcycle, watts, alternator, stator, wires, melt, heat beam, patternREGARDLESS of color, HELLA bulbs are a choice that wil make your life safer.
Want more light with a factory harnesses, buy HELLA CLEAR bulbs.
HELLA makes the most reliable and brightest bulbs available. I prefer the HELLA CLEAR 100/80w over the 130/90w (power needs), some friends like the 100/55w for city use (DOT/POLICE issues). They last longer than bulbs costing much more and have saved my life many times due to seeing life-threatening obstacles before it was to late.
30 years of experimenting with bulbs, many burned wiring harnesses, colored bulbs, PIAA, Sylvania, JDM, etc. HELLA is MY choice and PORSCHE applications add to my arguement.
If you want BLUE bulbs buy the HELLA OPTILUX or XENON SERIES. I prefer the CLEAR due to the increased light over factory standards and SEEING better in the dark.
Buy HELLA HLA-H83140171 H4 12V 100/80W Halogen Bulb Off Road Use Now
I've upgraded headlights on most of the vehicles I've owned.This was on my BMW R1100R motorcycle, which uses one H4 bulb in a separate headlight shell.
Stock (55/60W) was poor. I added a relay harness (I usually do this first), this brought the light from the stock bulb up to 'adequate'. But it'd still only one bulb unlike a car's two, and I need to see just as much or more on a bike as on a car. So I went looking for an uprated H4 bulb...
Man, some people want crazy prices for a bulb that cost no more to make! I've seen $40 and up. I found a Hella 80/100W for a sensible pricw, and a Hella 100/130W for about the same price. I happen to know that 100/130W can melt the stock connectors sometimes. So I got the 80/100W. This now provides about the same light output as a decent pair of car headlights, does not exceed the connector's rating, and attracts no undue attention (it's technically illegal), and I can see just fine now. :) Hella make excellent quality bulbs.
Still going strong well over a year later, with daily use....
Update: Low beam finally went out in January 2011... Still with daily use.
I just ordered another. :)
Read Best Reviews of HELLA HLA-H83140171 H4 12V 100/80W Halogen Bulb Off Road Use Here
Looks like management at Hella is drinking American outsourcing Cool-Aid! Received a pair of Hella 100/80W bulbs (still putting harness together). To my surprise the box says that bulbs were made India. Aghh So what happened to parts made in WG?? Disappointing.Want HELLA HLA-H83140171 H4 12V 100/80W Halogen Bulb Off Road Use Discount?
I have been using these bulbs for decades, and love them. Trouble is, they are difficult to find, and often very expensive. Here, they are cheap, easy to find, easy to get, and while they don't last as long as regular halogen H4 bulbs, they are so much better at illuminating the road that I believe they add a huge safety margin.Sunday, November 24, 2013
Maximal Power DC AC 200S 200 Watts DC 12V to AC 110V Continous Car/Vechicle Power Inverter Car Char
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Roadpro 12V Battery Clip-On and Cigarette Lighter Adapter
Buy Roadpro 12V Battery Clip-On and Cigarette Lighter Adapter Now
I bought this cable to go along with the viair 85P portable air compressor, that way I didn't blow fuses.As soon as I opened the cable, I noticed it was only a couple feet long, which is not very long, but I was happy anyway.. The clamps also don't open up far enough to connect to a battery terminal securely.
I took it outside and plugged it up to my compressor, popped the hood of my car and as soon as I opened the clamp the positive wire fell out of the clamp.
Once I inspected the wire and the clamp, you could clearly see there was almost NO solder on the wire, and what little bit was on it was a "cold joint". The cable was also not crimped to the clamp like it was suppose to be (it looks like someone forgot to crimp it) , which is another reason it came apart.
I went ahead and pulled the sleeve off the negative clamp and noticed it WAS crimped (unlike the positive clamp), but the solder was also very little and cold-jointed.
Both clamps were also forming rust around the solder connections where the wire goes.
LUCKY FOR ME, I own a soldering station, so I disassembled both clamps, cleaned up the rust, re-soldered them on PROPERLY and THEN crimped them. They work perfect now and should never come loose again.
This is the first time I've ever rated a product 1 star, but when it literally falls apart as soon as you remove it from the box , it deserves 1 star.
I'm just glad I wasn't stuck somewhere on the road with a flat when it fell apart on me. Luckily I ALWAYS test my equipment before I rely on it for emergency use.
I wouldn't recommend this product unless you own a soldering iron and want to take the gamble of fixing it yourself or returning it to amazon.
EDIT: I bought another set of these cables, and they were properly crimped and soldered, I will upgrade my rating from 1 star to 2 stars, but RoadPro needs to improve their Quality Control.
Read Best Reviews of Roadpro 12V Battery Clip-On and Cigarette Lighter Adapter Here
Works as advertised. The little clamps should be much bigger the same size as what you have on light duty jumper cables. This way they would connect securely. Also, the short wire supplied should be a tad thicker. Main concern and 4 stars is b/c of the clamps being small and not very secure on battery terminals.Want Roadpro 12V Battery Clip-On and Cigarette Lighter Adapter Discount?
Very handy to toss in the trunk. Using this will protect your ciggy lighter socket that could get overloaded. Every car should have one. I use it for an air pump and a very powerful camp light.Note, most lighter plugs are limited to around 10 amps by fuse or circuit breaker in addition they have long run of small (higher resistance) wire to the jack which 'may' cause a voltage drop to your equipment.
Short of 'hard wiring directly' this is the next best thing.
This has none of that and of course it's the same as hooking directly to the battery so know what you are doing (sparks, load, polarity, fingers)...
You might also want to pick up a heavy duty male to female ciggy plug extension cord...
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
iLuv IAD710WHT RockWall, Dual USB Wall Charger for iPad/iPhone/iPod - Retail Packaging - White
- Two USB ports to fast charge your iPad and iPhone simultaneously
- USB port placement allows easy access to plug in iPad/iPhone cables
- Interchangeable adapter accommodates various international plugs
- Swiveling plug base allows flexibility
- Input AC: AC 100-240V, 50/60Hz
I have this device connected with a couple of long USB cables I got from Amazon RND Apple Certified Lightning to USB cable (6 feet/white) made for iPhone, iPad, iPod. After using this charger for a couple of days it seems to do the job as well as the original power adapters from Apple. I have seen no degradation of time it takes to change and IPAD mini or an Iphone 4S. Also it doesn't seem to get very hot since it is out in the open, and is great for tight spaces since it folds flat.
I would recommend this adapter for tight spaces like out couch or for usage when you travel, it is small and multiple people can charge at the same time.Often, we tech folks (and even those who would not use that term to describe themselves) tend to associate white accessories with Apple products. Years ago, this was actually nearly always the case but now, other companies make their products in white in a probably deliberate effort to trigger that association for iUsers. iLuv has done it here and in a way that is, in fact, worthy and functional.
It performs exactly as advertised. I charge my iPhone5 and iPad2 at the same time and both charge as fully and as quickly as they do with the Apple-branded charging plugs. It surprises me that Apple has yet to produce on of its own multi-device AC chargers and has left the entire market of growing need to the growing range of 'after market' product manufacturers. Kensington, Belkin along with iLuv and several others have stepped up to meet this crying iConsumer need.
The international adapter (for European use) is helpful for world travelers. I just use the good ol' US-AC plug. As has been pointed out by another reviewed, the user needs to be deliberate about the placing of this device because it CAN block access to adjoining outlets. Often, though, this issue can be easily mitigated by selecting the plug position for the device more carefully. I especially like the narrower profile and use it behind a couch that no longer needs to be conspicuously pulled out from the wall.
There are other dual USB-port AC wall chargers out there and at least a few others offer enough amperage to charge two iDevices concurrently. This one is at least as good as the others and the narrow profile makes it a favored choice for both travel and home use.I travel a lot, with an iPad, an iPhone and other USB-powered devices, so a portable charger that has two outlets, one of which will supply the 2.1A for an iPad, is a good thing. Functionally, the iLuv RockWall charger serves that purpose, but it is much larger than it needs to be and is awkwardly designed so that it tends to block other outlets and is difficult to safely remove from an outlet.
I've uploaded two photos comparing the iLuv charger to the PowerGen Dual Port USB 2.1A 10W AC Travel Wall Charger which I've had for about six months. Both have a 2.1A and .5A USB port, but the PowerGen is much smaller and doesn't block outlets the way the iLuv does. Removing the iLuv from an outlet is problematic if you follow the instructions on the charger by grasping it above the buttons (that need to be pushed in to release the swivel), you're pulling at an angle and putting strain on the hinge and prongs. If you do the natural thing and grasp closer to the prongs, you put yourself at risk of shock.
I don't know why iLuv makes a big deal about the interchangeable plug, since they provide only one and I see no offer to sell additional plugs. It doesn't help that the iLuv's price is much higher than the PowerGen's either. I see that PowerGen now has a 15W version with a swivel plug, if that's what you want. It is still smaller and cheaper than the iLuv. The iLuv says it is a 15W charger (the PowerGen I have claims to be 10W), yet the iLuv's power consumption rating is lower.
Lastly, I want to gripe about the overpackaging of the iLuv. There are three plastic pieces inside the cardboard box, none of which are coded for recycling (two of them appear to be PET.) The package could have been half the size and still adequate.This is a pretty simple product, and while some manufacturers seem to mess them up from time to time, this one packs a little punch to it as you get a charger with 15.5 watts of charging capacity in comparison to the PowerGen model so popular here on Amazon that does 10 watts. It charged up my 8.9" Kindle Fire from a fully-drained battery to 100% in 2.5 hours, all while simultaneously charging my phone.
While pricey at $24.95 in comparison to other dual chargers here on Amazon, if speed of charge is one of your considerations, as well as having enough power to charge a Kindle or iPad, while simultaneously charging say a phone or other USB-charging device, I would recommend this one. I like this one so much I'm getting an extra one for a travel charger for my laptop bag.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Husky Liners 98191 WeatherBeater Black Front and 2nd Seat Floor Liner
I paid around $100 for my excellent quality ones for my 2011 Malibu and paid $124 for these new ones. Price went up, quality went down. I will still keep them as they still work, just not as happy with these as I was from the old ones

