NOCO BLSOLAR2 Battery Life+ Black 2.5W Solar Battery Charger and Maintainer

• Rated at 2.5 Watt (180 milliampere); for 12 Volt lead-acid batteries
• Waterproof; weather resistant solar charger for outdoor rated at IP65
• Thin film technology; works well in low-light, cloudy and overcast conditions
• Designed for safety; short circuit, open circuit, overheat and overcurrent
• Multiple battery chemistries; safely charges wet, Gel, MF and AGM batteries

I have been looking for a cheap and easy way to keep a charge in my Jeep Cherokee's battery since it is a secondary vehicle and not driven very often. The NOCO 5W Solar Battery charger seems to have fit that bill. The battery charger seems to keep the battery charged even on these cloudy wintery days in Michigan. The instructions for use were pretty straight forward. So far the charger seems to be doing a very good job.

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Reading some of the other reviews, I'm not sure if people realize how little power this solar charger puts out. If you look at a standard plug-in battery charger, they typically have a "high" setting of 8 or 10 amps, often a "trickle charge" setting of 2 amps, and sometimes a short-term "boost" setting of 50 amps. This solar panel is claimed to put out 180 milliamps, which is 0.18 amps, or about 1/6th of one amp. You are not going to be jump-starting your car on the spot, or lighting your cabin all night off this solar charger.

The manufacturer intends it just as a battery maintainer, to counter the gradual loss of charge that batteries experience when sitting unused. So long as you understand that limitation, it appears to be a fine product. The housing seems sturdy, and the wires or cables provided are decent quality. I'm thinking to mount mine somehow on my garage wall to maintain my motorcycle battery since that is something I do not drive every day. Perhaps by maintaining the charge in this fashion I can get away without bringing the battery indoors during the winter, since it is normally only discharged batteries that are in danger of freezing -which can cause internal shorts.

I remember how much tiny solar cells cost at Radio Shack back in the 1970's... although this is too small to provide primary power for more than maybe a single low-drain device, it sure is cool to get something like this to play around with.

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I was very pleasantly surprised how high quality this solar panel and all of the included accessories were. I have had a few other solar panels in the past and they don't even come close to comparing to the quality and design of this one. I put this panel in the windshield of my old truck using the included suction cups and it feels very secure. I love how slim the panel is and how the cable runs cleanly out the back. In addition, the quick connect cables are awesome and make attaching the right accessory easy.

This panel is the perfect size to keep a standard automotive battery topped off. In the past I have left my truck un-driven for a few months at a time and come back to dead battery. This panel provides enough current to counteract the natural drain of a battery, which is all I really need. I will buying more for some of my other equipment and I highly recommend this solar charger.

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I purchased this device a while back and waited to write a review so I could test this and see how well it works. I have to say that the Noco solar battery charger is the perfect solution for my motorcycle and buddies jet skis. We both don't ride that often but when we actually want to it seems we always have issues with the batteries. Not anymore, since using Noco's solar panel we have yet to have a dead battery. We don't have room to put these in the garage so running an extension cord out to them is a real hassle. That's where the convenience of having this solar panel comes in, not only can you place the panel in a wide arrangement of places but the long extension cord makes it even more portable. No more long extension cords and mess, Noco's solar panel is the answer for anyone looking an easy and portable way to recharge your battery.

The clamps and wires of the unit are high quality (much better than expected) as well as the construction of the solar panel itself. I could not have found a more perfect solution to charging my batteries.

I just recently bought the Noco's smaller solar panel for my brother who is an avid camper and has been searching for something to keep his gadgets charged while he is away.

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I've been using this for a couple weeks now in conjunction with my bikes. I don't always get to ride them and one of them has a battery that is trying to quit on me and I don't want to replace it just yet as it's not bad enough to need complete replacing. This has been my solution in the mean time.

If I leave that bike alone the batter wants to go out after 2 weeks of no use. This has solved that problem. I keep that bike in the shed next to house as there isn't enough room in the garage so after mounting a simple 12v socket to the battery all I have to do is plug this device in and let it do it's think. Luckily I have a window on the roof of the shed to get light in there during the day and after a good cleaning of it I just placed this panel right up against it and mounted it to a piece of 1x1 to hold it in place. So far it's worked perfect. Hooking my meter to it I've come up with about 1.5W output early in the day and it climbs to 2.3-4 in the high sun angle portions of the day.

This really is making life easier for me and the easy cable system that it comes with is awesome. I can quickly swap cables around for whatever application I want to use it for.

Certainly a must if you have 12 devices that you don't get to use that often and don't want to add another plug in device that will just sit there and such power all the time. This eliminates that problem and keeps the battery topped off for when you really need it to be ready to go.

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Sunforce 37126 260W Crystalline Solar Kit

• High efficiency crystalline solar panels
• Ideal for 12 volt battery charging and use in remote location
• Completely weatherproof for added durability
• Connect multiple kits for more power
• Includes: 2 x 130 watt solar panels, 30 A digital charger contoller, 200 W inverter, wiring, brackets, screws, and a voltage tester

I bought this kit about 3 months ago. Took some time to peace everything together required to install it. First off,the instructions are useless. The power inverter that comes with the kit is useless. It's made to use in your car for a laptop or some other small electronic equipment like a small TV and a light? (maybe) I purchased a Xantrex Prowatt SW1000 and the remote switch from Amazon, WORKS GREAT! The battery tester is another useless piece of junk included in the kit. It's just two diods that light up.(YOU WILL NOT GET WHAT IS PICTURED IN THE KIT). The mounting brackets for the solar panels are really not practical but could be used if you have nothing else and plan on mounting your panels nearly flat on the surface of your roof. But I would not recommend that unless your roof points due South and is at the right pitch for your location. I made a frame out of angle iron that works very well. The charge contoller works,(at least mine did) but it's not the best. (MINIMAL PROFROMACE AT BEST) I would suggest a MPPT charge controller like a Morningstar, Tristar TS-MPPT-45. The panels seem to work very well so far. They do work in low light conditions. I have been able to fully charge four T105 batteries everyday that have 60%-65% of their charge left. But with the Sunforce charge controller it takes all day long in full sun. I have ordered the Tristar 45 and I'm sure I will be able to charge the battery bank in much less time. Just do your homework and you'll find the same answers. Also note that Sunforce customer service is a joke. Simon will tell you all kinds of silly things before he will give you an RMA to return product. My friend bought two kits when I bought mine and he had to return both of the charge controllers as defective right out of the box. It's been over 6 weeks now and nothing. Simon does not answer his emails and they have not returned his charge controllers to date! Also please note that the solar panels IN THIS KIT ARE Polycrystalline and not MONOCRYSTALINE. The discription is really not accurate. It reads "The Sunforce 260 watt crystalline solar kit". It does not tell you anywhere in the add or on their website if the product is Poly or Mono???? Buyer beware.

Bottom line: Amazon is awesome and very easy to do business with and their customer service is very good. SUNFORCE is not straight forward with their discription in the ad, you will not get what is pictured and customer sevice is terrible!!

I really hope my feedback helps and good luck with your solar project.

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Panels worked like a charm. It would have been easier if it had any REAL instructions to build a frame or mounting system.. Had to get my 8 grade geometry books out to figure out how to build a sold frame from angle iron purchased separately.. the tester was not what was displayed in the ad.. just a diod on two wires. But after 5 days of struggles and an additional $200 in parts (and another $200 for batteries), it works like a charm and powers my electric fence and work shed lights. Hopeing to get a larger setup next year to 'grid tie' into our electricity. But for now, it's still working after 2 months of straight use.

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I was surprised by the quality of the panels upon arrival. Very well built. The ease of installation and overall performance are great!! Makes supplementing grid power a breeze. My only gripe(s) are the picture on Amazon shows a digital test meter for checking solar performance. But it actually came with a dinky LED light with a wire attached for testing! Also read the operation manual for the charge controller at least TWICE. This unit can be a little confusing to understand the display if you don't. Overall I am very pleased with its performance but its very pricey.

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This Solar Kit had most everything I needed to get started with an off-grid solar application. In my case, the application is powering a DC freezer. The panels themselves met/exceeded expectations; the label on the panel and the instructions say "Monocrystalline" so I believe them and not another reviewer, but don't know for certain.

First thing I did was take a panel into the sun, and it showed strong voltage on the little LED meter included in the Kit. I built a frame for the first panel and put it up on the roof, connected it using one of the two included 20' sections of 10-gauge wire (2.5mm) to the included Sunforce charge controller, and then connected that to two marine batteries. The single panel is supplying over 8 Amps peak and in one full day it filled the batteries to the point where the Controller shifted to Float mode exactly what I'd expect.

I also connected the included 200W Inverter to the batteries and it worked as expected powered a coffee grinder because even off-grid I gotta have coffee.

I haven't put up the second panel yet, but plan to soon. When I do I will replace the included 10-gauge wire with 6-gauge bought from Napa Auto; I believe the included 10-gauge wire is undersized.

Bottom line the system works as expected for home use. I'm very satisfied.

I bought these panels to add a little solar backup when power is out and to learn a little. The produce power for 2 Batteries now and I will be adding more later on. I have a Woodworking building and it powers my TV/DVD and a drill and chop saw through a 2000 watt inverter. So far no problems.

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Peak PKC0AN 700 Amp Jump Starter

• Exclusive Low Charge Alert (LCA) Alarm signals owner when jumper needs charging
• High impact resistant housing with rubberized sure-grip bottom and handle
• Reverse polarity LED and alarm
• 5 LED battery power indicator

This is definately a heavy duty unit all around. No wimpy cables, clamps or switches here. I expect to get good use from this unit for many years. It is great to add to my emergency road & vacation gear, so often handy in these New England winters. Especially nice are the extra long cables that allow maximum applications with ease. It would have been thoughtful to have included a ball/mattress inflator needle as one fits on the compressor connection perfectly. I had a spare & added it. The tire inflator screws onto the tire stem so no match-up problems are encountered. This definately is not a wanna-be, its a real tool & it could save your life (or at least possible frostbite).

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I was excited! Got my battery charger in about five (5) days; I plugged in the unit, according to the instruction manual, to charge-up for 72 hours. You can't imagine my disappointment after waiting so long only to find-out that the units' "charged" light wouldn't light up. So now I'm stuck with this thing and have to initiate a fix for this thing. What compicates this process is that it's a. heavy b. hazardous material protcol c. by the time I get any re-solution on this it will be Spring! Should have gone to Sears!! Can't blame Amazon really...just the manufacter.

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Bought this unit 13 months ago. Followed the initial charging instructions exactly, and recharged periodically as directed in the manual. Used the unit twice, once to start my car and the other time to add some air to my tires. After only 13 months the unit won't hold a charge. It came with only a 90 day warranty so it's going in the trash. Stay away from this charger.

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I purchased this unit 3 months ago. From day 1, the door that holds the air hose will not stay closed which is annoying, but not a deal-breaker. Next, when charging, the 12V charger melted inside the unit which I had to remove with needle nose pliers. The battery also dies quickly just sitting in the back of my trunk and the alarm is annoying if you're driving on the highway with nowhere to pull over every couple of weeks.

Finally, I tried to use the unit for it's intended purpose, jump starting a car with a dead battery. The unit was completely charged, connected and switched on, cranked the ignition and not even a peep. Checked the unit again and it was dead.

Amazon won't let you return the unit, so we'll see if Peak will send a replacement unit and if there will be a charge.

For the price of this unit, it should be much better made. Knowing what I do now, I would have purchased a different product.

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I bought one of these in april 2011.

I tryed to use it about 6 months ago to start my diesel truck. It would not do it, I figured that was because the truck takes 2 batteries to start it.

I tried to start a 2004 Grand Pre yesterday with this and it would not work well enough to start the car. I called AAA and they came out with their unit ( slightly smaller ) and thiers had no problem starting the car. I had all but one of the battery charge indicator lights lite. When I tried it on the truck it was freshly / fully charged.

I will have it tested but for now I fell it is NOT RELIABLE.

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Universal Multi USB Charger Cable for Garmin, Google, i-mate, Nextel & MANY MORE!

• NEW! Universal USB Mulit-Charger Cable For iPhone Cell Phone
• Unique compact design, Conveniently portable and lightweight, minimize working space, Compact size for traveling convenience, no worry about tangled cable mess.
• Never run out of battery power.
• Accessory ONLY. Cellphone NOT Included.
• This item is 100% brand new!! 3 months Warranty.

Hi,

Its a nice multi pin charger. But for me, Garmin mini cable provided in this was not working, others were working perfectly fine.

I would also say, their customer support is awesome, they'll reply asap.

thanks.

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200 amp 10 gauge No Tangle Battery Booster cables 12 feet with FREE travel case Jumper Cables Extra

• 10 ft, 150 amp, 10 gauges
• No Tangle
• Dual construction
• Color-coded clamps
• Free travel bag so it doesnt get tangled your truck

Not long after buying these I had to use them to jump my sons car. They worked fine. Even though they are one of the cheaper sets on here the quality seems pretty good.

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Ok lets be honest if it jumps cars effectively then the product is a winner... and this does. What helps this stand out from the crowd is the 12 foot reach. The build quality feels good and the product works... and I can jump cars even when I cannot pull right up next to them due to immovable obstacles.

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Of course I mean hot LITERALLY, the cables are too small and they heat up like crazy when used. Get a bigger gauge wire.

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Havent used them yet but I am pretty sure it will do the job. Never know when that battery just gives out.

Product comes in a nice clear bag. Have not actually used but the clips are wide and should easily fit over battery terminals.

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GSI Super Quality Upgraded Mini Universal in-Car USB to Cigarette Lighter Port Rapid Charger Adapter

• Charge Up Your iPod, iPhone, Camera Or Any Electronic USB Device
• Plug USB Cable Into One End, And Adapter Into Cigarette Lighter Plug
• Small And Compact, Great For Traveling Without Computer
• Constructed With Quality And Precision, A Notch Above Standard Aftermarket Devices
• Note: USB Cable NOT Included - Use Your Own Cable

This product didn't work. I am not sure why it didn't work, but it fit loosely in the cigarette lighter socket, that could be why? It simply was not worth my time or money to try to send it back!

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First, it's not exactly the way it's pictured. Two phillips-head screws in front. The white one glows red.

Second, there's no way to choose black or white and I got a white one.

And finally, it's made in China (it says so) and doesn't have a built-in fuse or breaker. It scares me that a power surge could fry my device. I won't be starting my car with this thing plugged into my phone, that's for sure. Better products available.

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Not the same as shown in pictures. Still, good quality and great price. It is very small and portable. Not too noticeable in the power outlet.

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If you're looking for additional inexpensive charging products for your iPod, I highly recommend this item. This item is lightweight yet very functional. I must be honest; I was a little wary of the quality of the product, given how very low the price was. But at this price I figured there wasn't much to lose. And quite to the contrary, this product has been great! I'm glad I wasn't suckered into paying two or three times as much for the same thing somewhere else. :) I have been using this charger for a week now and I am very pleased. I am not sure which IPod models it doesn't work on, I know it works on mine.

Yeah. Plugged it in, doesn't work on Apple product. Good thing I bought it to take it apart for a different project.

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Tripp Lite PV150 Portable Auto Inverter 150W 12V DC to AC 120V 5-15R 1 Outlet

• PowerVerter Ultra-Compact Inverter, portable power for all applications
• 150 watts continuous output power; up to 300 watts instantaneous power
• 1 AC outlet; convenient cigarette lighter plug
• Rugged all-metal housing
• 1-year warranty

I am a truck driver and purchased this three years ago. I have used it four or five days a week, six or eight hours per day, on average to use a heating pad on my back, run a large boom box to play cassette tapes, recharge cell phones and PDAs at various times. The fan noise that others mention was never a problem because the truck is quite loud, but I never had trouble with overheating or overloading like I did with smaller inverters with no fan. This is a real workhorse, one of the best gadgets I ever purchased for use at work.

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Seems to work just fine -have only used it for cell phone and small game units. The advantage of this smaller unit is no fan quiet. Some devices will require the power of the larger (noisy fan) model. Low cost inverters such as this produce electric power that is an approximate sine wave as opposed the perfect sine wave that come out of a wall outlet -as far I know this isn't a problem for typical consumer electronic equipment, laptops etc -but it's probably worth checking the user manual of the device to be powered just to make sure there are no precautions about using it with an inverter. However, the AC motors in things like power tools and appliances may run a bit lest efficiently when connected to an (inexpensive) inverter.

*** Update ***

We've used this with a variety of cell phone/ipod/handheld game chargers and so far haven't experienced any problems.

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Excellent design! After much research, I purchased this item and have used it extensively for the past couple months. So far, nothing negative to report. Many reviews commented on how loud the fan was but I barely heard it at all. Nor did it get too warm. It's pretty basic mechanically, so I assume it's as dependable as any other inverter. If you're not sure what size to get, always be on the safe side and GO LARGE! Tripp Lite makes them in various sizes.

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I have used this inverter in my work van for 3 years. I use it daily (yes, daily!!) to power my DeWatt, Hitashi, Ryobi, 18 volt battery chargers and occasionally my drill doctor, etc. I plan to buy another inverter to run my bedroom 42" lcd tv (200 watts) in an emergency and I will buy this exact same product again. It is slightly noisy(mild whine at best) but that is not a factor for emergencey power. I blew the fuse only once when I overloaded the device and I knew better, but I had to push the limit to learn. Do buy this product, but do plan on spending another well spent $45 dollars on battery cables and clamps, etc. The cig lighter connector is just a convenience and not able to pull the full 375 watts. I spent plenty for twin copper #10 wire and pricy connectors to mount this bad boy inside my van. But it remains the best bang for the buck device. You must pay the extra for heavy amp wireing to your truck battery. Get wise, buy this, then spend again for 12 volt supply wireing and you will never be sorry, and always have power!

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I bought this item for putting in our minivan in case we needed it on long trips to recharge a laptop, provide power to a DVD player, among other things. It has always worked with no issues. When the car battery starts to get low, it shuts off thus saving us a jumpstart. You can hear it, but not above any road or radio noise. All around a decent product.

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Instapark® Mercury 4S Ultra-slim Portable Solar USB Cell Phone Charger with Built-in 2,000 mAh Rech

This thing won't even take a charge. The instructions say when you place it in direct sunlight a red light will come on, and it'll turn green when it's fully charged. I've tried for days, having outside under direct sunlight, and also placed under a daylight-spectrum bulb, but it will not take a charge. Very disappointed, and now have to go throught the return process, what a pain in the neck.

First off, let me say that this company has it right with sourcing great materials. Like using high grade mono crystalline solar panels and then having a nice non scratch/anti reflective coating.(this is a huge help when getting it to pick up even low levels of light)

Then it has a 2000 maH lithium ion battery on board that can charge my phone (which has a 1000mah battery) in the same time it takes a wall outlet. The time it normally takes from the wall is around an hour or so give or take 30 min.

For portability, it is the size of a 7" tablet or a paperback novel, so it is the smallest and most powerful charger to date for its size . This is due to using efficient materials and a methodology of keeping it simple.

User note: It has a lithium ion battery on board. So when it is a 100F out you need to cover the battery so it will not swell and blow up, or just fold the flap behind the panels.

If there is no sunlight, you still have the ability to charge the on board battery using a nokia charger that has a very thin barrel type connection. There is a rubber seal that peels off the usb and charger port to ensure it is protected from the elements. It is not water proof(submerge it in water), but it is water resistant(a light rain) and this is an awesome feature.

It has eye loops on each corner to strap this to a backpack or whatever you want to make your mobile charging platform. It is very light, robust and is half the price of similar brunton and sunlinq products(who use the lowest grade materials ie amorphous or polycrystalline solar panels). Mono-crystalline is the absolute best. Then there is nasa stuff, which is gallium Nitride, but me and you can not afford that stuff.

There is a charge indicator led on the battery pack to show the user if the battery is below 80%(Solid red LED will show) or above 80%(Solid green LED will show).

To ensure maximum life expectancy, the user should charge this manually using the nokia style charger for at least four hours. I did it over night as i do not want to sit and wait for it to be done. Then go ahead and use it as you would normally. This is not vital but will ensure you get a good base charge.

I live in Arizona so the charging results may vary slightly. As for performance, I made sure the device was completely dead by charging my phone and other usb devices. It took under 2 hours to fully charge the battery(from red led to green led)

My quick checklist:

1) High efficiency mono crystalline solar panels CHECK!

2) 2000maH battery ( twice the size of my phones current battery) CHECK!

3) Materials and workmanship is of the best CHECK!

4) If there is no sunlight, there is a backup method of charging CHECK!

5) It actually charges the on board battery and the external usb device at the same time(while exposed to the sun) CHECK! (Note: do not have your phone out in direct sunlight as it will ruin it if it is a 100F out and above)

This will fit into a purse or a glove box to ensure that you will always have a usb reserve to keep your vital electronics up and running and having to no longer rely on the wall plug(a wall wart).

Another main reason I chose this product is that I had purchased their larger 10W panel setup and love it. It is the bigger version of this and has no battery on board, two usb ports and is three times this size. To sum it up, the main reason I love this device is that this tool actually does what it supposed to and then some!. I would recommend this to family and friends and I feel that every dollar was well spent, even in this economy.

Very Important:

1) To ensure a quicker charge, make sure the solar panels are exposed to direct sunlight. For example: if the sun is directly above you at noon, lay the panel flat on the ground. This is perpendicular to the sun and means the best charging conditions.

2) Make sure it does not get exposed to anything hotter than 140F as the lithium battery will explode, just like your phone.

3)Wipe off the panels lightly to get the dust off before you fold it up again to further eliminate scratches.

4) Buy the bestek usb cable kit for like $6 on here to ensure you have all the right connections to charge this device or charge any device off this.

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Dometic 3308046.014 Polar White Penguin Shroud Assembly

There is nothing wrong with this shroud except the vent and the AC on a Chinook motorhome were too close together by about 2" for it to fit. I laid it back intending to return it but never did because of the cost of return shipping. I had forgotten about it until asked to write this review. The reason for three stars only is I think the listing should have told me how much clearance was needed around the vent to install it. It is headed for Craigslist one of these days. Don't let this review stop you from purchasing it as it looks well made. Just measure your clearance carefully.

Charles

Lost the A/C cover while on a trip to the desert. Being that this was an older RV, I couldn't find an exact one like the one I lost. Had to go to Dometic to find the new part number. Different RV's come with different color covers and each color is a different part number. Once I figured that out, I went with the cheapest one and it fits perfect. Instructions were easy to follow and I saved about $150 doing it myself.

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