VELLEMAN K7300 UNIVERSAL BATTERY CHARGER/DISCHARGER KIT

• charge current: from 15mA to 750mA (selectable)
• charges both NiCd and NiMH batteries
• usable battery voltages: 1.2V, 2.8V, 3.6V, 4.6V, 6V, 7.2V, 8.4V and 9.6V
• quick charge in 52 minutes / normal charge in 14 hours
• automatic discharge and charge cycle
• dimensions: 3.4 x 3.1"
• THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC KIT AND REQUIRES ASSEMBLY.

Bottom Line: Skip it and buy a far superior ready-made "smart charger" for half the price.

First, the charger is good for single cell NiCad batteries, because it will discharge the battery before charging, thereby overcoming the memory effect. (NiCads tend to develop reduced capacity if they are recharged before being fully discharged repeatedly.) But for a battery (2 or more cells), doing this runs the risk of one cell discharging a little before the others, in which case their discharge ends up reverse charging the early discharger, which ruins the cell and hence drops the battery voltage (by 1.2 volts for every dead cell). So this function is of limited value, applying only to single-cell NiCad batteries.

But there isn't much call for NiCad single cells anymore; they have given way to NiMH cells, which are superior for nearly all applications (and are much kinder as well) to the environment, as they don't spread toxic cadmium when tossed in the trash). Moreover, NiMH cells don't have the memory effect problem, and in fact unnecessary discharge tends to shorten their life. Only a few stores still carry NiCad cells.

So is the charger good for NiMH cells? Alas, it lacks the sophistication of off-the-shelf "smart chargers" that sell for half the price, often with 2 or 4 of the newer pre-charged NiMH cells. (The older NIMH cells self-discharged at a rate of about 1% a day, which meant that even if they topped them off at the factory, there was a good chance they would be dead by the time they ended up in your radio at home. The new ones don't have this problem.)

What is special about the smart chargers is they use a microprocessor and sensors that monitor the battery temperature and voltage in order to avoid overcharging them. Charging too fast and too long are (after letting them discharge completely), the major causes of early loss of cell capacity. The program looks for the "reverse delta" in the cell voltage (after steadily rising while charging, it briefly drops back a wee bit), which is the endpoint for healthy charging. They generally monitor the charging time as well, shutting down even without the reverse delta if it goes on too long.

The Velleman unit does use a timer, but it is the only method of stopping the charge. It is better than nothing, but cannot take into account the amount of charge actually needed; it's like going to the gas station to fill up your tank, and pumping gas for 4 minutes and 32 seconds because that's the average time it takes to fill a tank. You are likely to end up with gas on the ground or with a tank that is empty again too soon. One more thing: if the power to the charger is interrupted, the timer starts all over again.

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20 Watt Silver Frame Mono-crystalline Solar Panel and battery Charger

This panel appears to work as advertised. The frame is fairly rugged and has six holes drilled for mounting. Ratings stamped on back of unit are: Rated Power: 20W +/5%, Isc: 1.24 Amps, Vcc: 21.5V, Im: 1.15 A, Vm: 17.2V, Test Condition: AM1.5, 100mW/cm squared, 25 degrees Centigrade. Inside the junction box on the back, there is a diode in line with one conductor to prevent reverse current flow. The plastic corner protectors are a bit thin, and two of them were cracked when I received the unit, but this was not an important enough feature to me to cause me to return the unit. Would I buy more ? I intend to buy a second unit as soon as one is available.

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Digitl Robust 360° Motorola XOOM MZ601 Adjustable Seat Bolt Car Mount Vehicle Hands-Free Tablet Hol

• New innovative, adjustable tablet holder fits your Motorola XOOM MZ601 with or without a case or skin
• 18 inch flexible aluminum seat bolt floor mount with optional floor or dash drill in bracket
• Swivel ball connection for 360° rotation with tilt for portrait or landscape viewing
• Lightweight and strong
• Super Easy Installation!

After less than three weeks of use with my new Xoom 2 tablet the seat bolt base where the arm attaches split in half.

The little 'arms' that hold the phone or tablet slide into the holder. Half the arms are so loose that I had to use Superglue to keep them from falling out every time I removed my tablet.

The overall design is ok, but the quality is horrible. It might last for a couple months with a phone which is still unacceptable , but considering that this is made for tablets there is no excuse.

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I purchased this mount for my Motorola Xoom and needed something that did not affix to the upper dash because I have a gauge pod up there. I also didn't want something that required me to drill holes or adhere any kind of double-sided tape to any of my interior pieces. This mount is a perfect solution since it mounts to your passenger seat bolt. The arm is flexible yet stiff so it doesn't wobble too much while driving, and the spring-loaded mechanism that holds the tablet seems secure and is easy enough to remove the tablet when leaving your vehicle. I would recommend this to anyone with a 7-10 inch tablet that doesn't want to worry about drilling holes or putting anything sticky on/in your interior.

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Solar Battery Charger for iPhones, iPods, and USB Devices

The solar aspect of this NEVER worked. At first, I could charge it by hooking it up to my laptop. However, even that stopped working after a couple of months. I wouldn't pay $2 for this product. Also, it didn't come with any instructions or anything.

I bought this for my son and his ipod touch. He feels that it is a great product. It charges fine, is easy to use with various electronics, ie, cell phones, MP3 etc. I am very happy with this product!

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I am all about new technologies but this one does not work. The seller offered to refund my money however i do not have the original packaging so i am stuck with it.

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Neewer 2.5" TFT LCD Screen Portable Car Vehicle DVR Recorder Camera HD 720P

• Portable HD 720p DVR with 2.5" TFT LCD Screen
• High Speed recording and quick light response provides for optimal performance in any condition
• Three recording resolutions: WXGA (1280 x 720), WVGA (848 x 480), VGA (640 x 480) all at 30fps
• Supports external SD/MMC Memory Cards up to 64GB
• Built-in Microphone included so you can provide the sound and audio for your videos

First let me say the play back on this is wonderful. However. The battery would never charge. Has to be kept plugged in tho the cig, lighter. Also because of the no charge you will have to reset the date (not a easy task) each time you go for a drive. For the price of the camera I can live with it. However not to sure what the legal aspect will be if something happens and the date on the playback is always Jan 1 2010. For me the price is not worth the effort packing and sending back. I will be putting out the extra money and buy a more sturdier camera. Also the battery costs as much as the camera did. That is why I did not replace

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Reasons for my rating:

inadequate build quality: LCD flip screen flexed a lot under normal touch while opening as result, LCD itself fell out and hung by the wires, had to be taped in temporarily; status LED's, hidden in the same pinhole (no lens), are hard to see and interpret; power cord falls out of the unit easily; I felt that there were too many quality shortcuts.

battery was not charging the unit still worked when plugged into 12V outlet, however, any changes in settings were not memorized by the unit. As result, every time on startup all settings were back to default: time stamp was the same 1/1/2010 (or so), video length set to 2 minutes, and so on; recorder could not be used without 12V source.

manual is not the worst one I've seen, however, print is too small for example, it was impossible to discern the numbers on diagram, even with magnifier.

video quality: not up to 720p standards, as far as I can see. Wasn't able to read license plates, at any distance, under any lighting conditions. The unit is essentially useless at night, producing dark screen with lights moving around, and not much else. Otherwise, picture quality seems to be on par with other cheap cameras on Amazon, as far as user videos show. Sound recording is OK, however, there were some strange pitches recorded that I would not even recognize.

Overall, in my experience, this unit is simply not worth the trouble of trying. Yes, it kind of works in a pinch, if you desperately need a basic car recorder however, there are even cheaper alternatives of seemingly similar quality here, on Amazon. Cannot recommend.

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This little camera/recorder is small but packs a punch for the price. Records perfectly..

I use it everywhere I drive..it's simple to operate and works as advertised.Perfect..

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Griffin PowerBlock/AC Charger for USB Devices (White)

• Power and charge almost any iPod from a wall outlet
• Compact and ideal for business and other travel
• Type-A, flat-blade plug design for international use and multi-outlet configurations
• Included USB to dock cable can be disconnected for use with a computer
• Compatibility: iPod nano (1G and 2G), iPod mini, 4G iPod with click wheel, iPod Color, iPod Video, iPod shuffle (1G only)

Another accessory in the line of products for the iPod from Griffin Technology. I am the owner of a few of their previous products and like them for the usefulness, quality and value for the dollar. The PowerBlock is no different. This products purpose is to provide AC power to your iPod. This is useful for me when I am at work and my battery dies. The PowerBlock also comes with a usb to dock connector cable so you can leave the one that comes with the iPod at home connected either to the dock or the computer. Nice bonus because I always seem to leave it at the place I don't need it. I am kind of an iPod junkie by owning a 30G 3G, 512MB shuffle and my newest edition the 60 gb iPod with video. So needless to say I can use a charger at some point. I think it was with the 4G that Apple decided to stop including an AC adapter cause I have the one that came with my 3G. It has a Firewire connector on it. Apple now sells the USB AC Adapter as an accessory to chagrin of many iPod owners myself included. The size of the AC adapter is nice and compact and is similar to Apple's product with the foldable AC plug. This makes it nice for transporting to and from home.

So with those words we move on to the testing of the Powerblock.

Test #1 iPod Shuffle

You don't need the cable (included) to charge the shuffle. You just plug the Shuffle into the PowerBlock and the PowerBlock into the receptacle and away you go. The fit of the Shuffle is tight and this test worked just as one could expect.

Test #2 iPod 3G

As I noted above , my 3G came with a Firewire cable and AC charger. The 3G normally resides in my truck via a Kenwood adapter. Occasionally I will use this at work as well. Well the 3G needed charging and I thought I'd give the PowerBock a whirl. Using the included cable I crawled under my desk (not an easy feat) and plugged it it. The Apple icon appeared on the iPod but it would not charge. I thought I might have something wrong but how could I, it was so easy with shuffle. I did not have the packaging instructions with me at work but a quick trip to the company website put me in touch with reality ... the 3G is not compatible. So I was a bit disappointed but it was clearly documented on their website. This was confirmed by an email to tech support. It could have been more timely as it took nine days to receive an answer from Technical support. I do have to give a kudos to Griffin Technology. They have a compatibility chart on their website that references the various iPod models with their products so you can be sure the product you buy will be compatible. And I might add if you are in doubt, please feel free to email them. I think it is in the iPod's firmware but am not completely sure of that so don't quote me on it. There are reviews on the Apple website stating a Firewire cable will not charge a 4G iPod. A dock connector is not a always a dock connector I guess !!

Test #3 -iPod 5G

My pristine 5G iPod was the final test for the PowerBlock. Still new enough to be cycling the battery it was at work where it finally ran out of juice. I plugged the PowerBlock into the powerbar and using the included cable connected my iPod. No surprises here, the adapter worked as planned. During charging the adapter ran warm to the touch but not hot.

Value:

If you have a need for an AC adapter and your iPod is compatible, I highly recommend the PowerBlock. Compared to the Apple product you get the Adapter and dock connector cable for $29.99, the two separate products from Apple total $48.

Requirements:

* 5th Generation iPod with Video

* iPod nano

* iPod shuffle

* iPod mini

* iPod Photo

* 4th Generation iPod with Click Wheel

Griffin Technology iPod Compatibility Chart for reference

http://griffintechnology.com/ipod/

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Ipods are power-hungry electronic devices and sometimes it's just unconvenient to charge your Ipod through your PC when you aren't even going to use your computer while it is charging. Thankfully, Griffin made this USB power adaptor for your Ipod that you can just take with you anywhere there isn't a computer to be found. Just plug it into any wall outlet and you're set.

At about $30, it is a bit expensive once you realize that it's such a simple device, but that will pay off once you see how convenient it is. It is also small enough to fit in your pocket and the plug folds for easy storage.

To charge my Ipod through my computer it took nearly 4 hours, and for me thats a bit too long especially when I'm not even going to use my computer. With this it only took about 2 and a half hours and it seems the Ipod battery lasts alot longer when it is charged using this rather than the USB port on my computer. I don't know much about electricity and battery power but I believe it charges faster probably because it is directly in an outlet rather than the electricity having to travel all the way to the USB port of your computer and then to your Ipod.

The Griffin Power Block also comes with a USB cable. This is such a nice bonus considering the Apple USB power adaptor doesn't include one and their's costs about $10 more. I believe the Apple power adaptor is also larger.

If you want the best USB power adaptor for your Ipod 4th and 5th gen., Nano, or Shuffle then this is the one to go to.

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The box states "AC charger for USB devices". I knew this was made specifically for Ipod, but I was hoping that it would charge other USB devices too (USB devices that I know can be charged through USB, that is). No luck, though, it only worked on the ipod. Worse, however, whenever I plugged a different USB device into this charger, the device would say "charging", but not actually BE charging. I had my phone plugged in all night thinking it was charging, but instead it wore down the battery more than just leaving the phone in standby mode.

So, if you're planning on getting this only for ipod, then yes, it works great. It is small, lightweight, and I love the way the plug folds in for easy travel. If you're hoping to be able to charge other usb devices, forget it... try something else.

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I had some initial reservations before purchasing this product, since the description did not mention compatibility with the iPod touch 2G. However, Griffin Technology's site indicated that it was indeed compatible and I went with that.

Another concern was whether or not the cable would support syncing as well as charging, since other products I researched did not offer this capability.

I'm happy to report that this product meets my needs perfectly. I'm able to charge my iPod touch 2G via USB or with the adapter, and the detachable USB cable also works to sync my iPod. I'm very pleased with the product.

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Although this product accomplishes its end goal of charging your Ipods, there are simpler an cheaper methods for accomplishing this. First let me review the product:

Strengths:

It's Apple white (like anybody cares any more)

The charger itself allows the prongs that insert into the outlet to be folded away for convenience, protection, etc.

You get a spare communications cable that attaches to your Ipod and the computer; so you have a spare

The connector for the charger unit is a basic USB connector so you can use this to charge other USB devices such as those that you connect with a mini-USB connection (cameras, Nintendo DS-Lite, etc.)

Weaknesses:

The charger is only the basic USB 2.0 standard amperage. This is a shame because although this may be fine for the Ipod if you wanted to charge other USB devices, this may only represent a trickle amperage and you device will charge slowly.

Essentially, it works and its convenient but not perfect.

Recommendation:

Go to Walmart, go to the Electronics section, find one of the many multi-plug universal chargers with USB charging capability, get the one with the largest amperage capacity, save at least $10, and enjoy the fact that you came out ahead AND can charge / power multiple devices when needed.

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Icom IC-A24 Handheld Nav/Comm

• 200 memory channels (20 Ch × 10 banks) with 6 character names
• Dedicated 121.5MHz emergency key
• Side tone function allows you to hear your own voice via an external aviation headset
• Optional Ni-Cd and Li-Ion battery packs
• Supplied Accessories Battery pack, BP-266 Battery charger, BC-199S Belt clip, MB-124 Antenna, FA-SC58V Hand strap

The Icom IC-24 is an excellent handheld unit to communicate either G/G or A/G. The additional VOR functions are also great and provide a pilot or ground operator azimuth and ID of the dialed in VOR. My use (installation of VOR systems) had one drawback in that I was located too close (in the building) to the VOR for good communications to occur due to de-sense of the receiver front end. This was corrected by use of a high pass filter in the antenna line. For most users this would not be a problem.

Update 2/1/2013: I still love this unit, but I should state that the ICOM battery management is not the best possibly due to the software power up circuitry which draws power even with the unit off. If you are not going to use the unit on a daily basis (off for long periods of time) as mine is, then you should remove the battery to prevent overcharging and damaging the battery. Mine may sit for months between uses and I find that this practice has kept me from overcharging and getting out in the field with a useless battery.

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It made my CFI jealous. Great for checking the weather and monitoring ground frequencies. I will be carrying it as a backup radio once I get my license.

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Haven't had to use this yet but will be good for monitoring solo students and as a backup radio. It did come with the headset cable in the box which I saw no mention of but sells for $30 $50 so I'm glad I held off on buying the headset adapter until I got the A24. It can pick up the VOR on the ground at my house about 8 miles north.

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Very nice radio works great use it to get clearance and call ground before starting up plane saves a bit of money on the hobbs meter

This is a very nice radio. I have not yet used all of the features. Maybe I will write an update when i use the glide slope indicator.

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Stanley Simple Start Battery Booster

• 12V vehicle battery booster
• LCD display screen
• Ultra-bright LED light for increased visibility
• Lithium-ion battery technology holds its charge for up to 1 year
• Plugs directly into vehicle's 12V/DC outlet

I charged the unit fully when it arrived. It did become slightly warm to the touch, but it did not get hot at all.

When my 2007 Honda CRV's car battery was sufficiently discharged to a level when it would not start, I followed the instructions on the unit's 12V cable tag. After about 15 minutes being plugged-in and attached to my vehicle's 12V outlet, the unit's display informed me that I could now attempt starting-up the car. I tried it and it started-up successfully!

The next month, my 2001 Volvo V70 station wagon's car battery was now sufficiently discharged that it would not start the engine. This time the unit took the maximum 30 minutes to boost the Volvo's battery. I guess the Volvo has a larger but older battery as compared to the CRV. But the engine was able to start-up too.

I am no expert on car batteries and boosting, but it seems to me that this unit is not half bad!

my two cents

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My unit didn't work right out of the box. When I called tech support to make sure I was doing everything right, I was greeted by a very rude operator who tried to tell me the unit had been discontinued for a number of years and was out of warranty. When I confronted him with the copyright on the manual being just 1 year old, I was told that I should deal with the retailer. I had higher expectations of Stanley and they will be getting a letter from me. This company they have sold their name to (so has Black & Decker and another big name I forget) is destroying their reputation.

Save your money and your frustration.

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Amazing product I bought two, one for each child who both work into the early morning hours at their jobs. My son used it immediately, before he had even charged it as I instructed. The battery booster charged his battery and he was on his way in less than 10 minutes.

This is my new favorite gift and I will be buying this for years to come!

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It looks like a solid unit, with pretty clear instructions. I had difficulty trying to "revive" a battery in a mercedes S500. This unit simply did not detect that a battery was there, either because the battery was dead or because the accessory outlet isn't hot at all times.

Long story short, I just ended up jump-starting the S500 with my 2nd vehicle. Just for fun, I tried charging my 2nd vehicle (a Chevy van) and it did work, but after the charge cycle the unit's battery almost depleted. So, if this thing doesn't work on the first try I'm not sure if you'll get a full shot at a second go.

This would be ultimate last resort. It comes built in with a flash-light, which I feel would come more in handy in an emergency. Like some of the other reviews state, this is more just to "keep your battery topped off" rather than trying to bring it back from the dead. Just my two cents.

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This is the best purchase I have ever made. I have used it 2 times since I bought it...both times, car started in less than 5 minutes !! Easy to store and easy to use !!

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CRAFTSMAN 19 PIECE 3/8 in. DRIVE RATCHET AND SOCKET SET

• UNIVERSAL DESIGN WORKS WITH 6 FASTENER TYPES
• 1 3/8 RATCHET, 18 SOCKETS SAE AND METRIC
• BONUS CARRYHANDLE
• FULL LIFETIME CRAFTSMAN WARRANTY
• BRAND NEW ITEM, VERY NICE

My hubby liked the set! he hasn't used it yet but it was exactly what we ordered. and I loved that we got it earlier than expected becasue he was christmas time when we ordered

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I bought this set for my husband for Christmas. It was shipped quickly and I'm excellent condition. My husband uses it on a daily basis and seems very happy, there are no complaints.

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Sunforce 50013 1-Watt Motorcycle and Powersports Solar Battery Charger

• Helps charge 12V batteries with the power of the sun
• Works with motorcycles, personal water crafts,ATVs, snowmobiles and tractors
• Amorphous panel works in all daylight conditions and is weatherproof for added durability
• Built-in overcharge/discharge protection
• Complete kit includes 8 ft of wire connected to the solar panel, 8 ft of extra wire, battery clamps, O ring connector, fuse, and Quick Connect Technology for simple installation

This unit is a must for any vehicle that sits for an extended period of time. As long as the battery has a full charge this will maintain the battery and it will keep the charge topped off. Over the winter my bike sits for long periods and with solar maintainer the battery fires the bike up every time. A weather proof unit is what I needed since it is mounted outside of my garage. It also has a 15' extension for it. Beware that the positive and negative terminals are reversed on this unit as compared to most other battery chargers and maintainers so you will have to pay attention to that if you are swapping cables or you are integrating it will another charging device.

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I purchased this array to charge an accessory battery on my golf cart. It seems to be well made and is water proof, which is why I bought it. It comes with ample cords and is small in size.

I would have given it 4 or 5 stars, but, it has no LED or any way to know if and when it is working. Some of these arrays ( some cheaper) have at least an LED to let you know the thing is functioning. A serious draw back IMHO!

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I had my motorcycle battery in my room dead hooked it all up to the panel and 3 days later went out and started my bike.

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Sunforce 50013 1 Watt Motorcycle & Powersports Solar Battery Charger

I have a 1972 Moto Guzzi motorcycle with a Fiat car starter that draws a lot from the motorcycle's battery. My commute to work is only 4 miles at 30 MPH (all in town) so the battery does not get a chance to regain its charge. When I got out of work before obtaining the Sunforce 50013 1 Watt Motorcycle & Powersports Solar Battery Charger, the only way that I could start the motorcycle was to roll it down a hill & "pop" it into second gear & get it started. Now with the Sunforce 50013 1 Watt Motorcycle & Powersports Solar Battery Charger, I just hook it up upon arriving at work and I have not had a problem starting the motorcycle since. The one discrepancy (exception) that I note is that I have mounted the supplied wiring that has the metal "O rings" permanently onto the battery but there were no insulated terminal end caps provided so the positive side of the wiring connector could possibly "ground" out & leave you with a discharged battery while riding I had to make an end cap cover out of a piece of wire insulation to prevent this. My son's trickle charge "Battery Tender" has insulated caps attached to every wiring connection point it would have been nice if the Sunforce 50013 1 Watt Motorcycle & Powersports Solar Battery Charger had the same. Other than this, my battery charging problem has been eliminated and the Sunforce 50013 1 Watt Motorcycle & Powersports Solar Battery Charger works great.

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Last year once the spring rolled around and it was time to start mowing grass again, I found out the battery to my riding lawnmower was dead. I also recently bought a Harley and feared that the same thing would happen. I store both of these items in my shed where there is no electricity run to it. The cheapest option I found was to use two of these solar power battery maintainers to keep the charge in my batteries fresh. So far I have been using them for several weeks and have had no discharging issues with my batteries or starting either pieces of equipment. I used a multimeter to check the voltage on the solar panels to ensured both worked prior to placing them on my shed. The true test will come this winter to see if the batteries stay charged. This kit comes with clamps as well as cables to permanently install a quick connect. I chose to use the permanent connects directly connected to the batteries. The only reason I give this four stars is that the positive connect on the quick connect is not covered. I'm not an electrical professional but I do believe that the bodies of lawnmowers and motorcycles are grounded to the negative terminal. Therefore if you disconnect the quick disconnect and it touches the body of the vehicle it will be like connecting the positive and negative terminals. I've been careful enough not to let that happen, I'm assuming it would blow the fuse. The solution for this is before you disconnect the solar charger quick connect, remove the inline fuse from the cable. If someone knows electricity better please correct me.

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Garmin aera 500 Color Touchscreen Aviation GPS (Americas)

• Easy-to-use touchscreen interface
• Bright 4.3" diagonal, color display
• Lithium-ion battery - lasts up to five hours, depending on usage and settings
• Flight log: At least 30 most recent flights
• High-sensitivity GPS receiver with WAAS position accuracy for improved performance and reception

The adjustable back lighting is great. One of the brightest displays seen in full sun. Found it to be very easy and intuitive to use. Although there were some changes buried deep withing that were a surprise. Love the yoke mount and car mounts. Both worked great for me. Love the single power cord. Very clean setuup. The unit is packed with features and can manupulate many of the fuctions to your liking. The size is just about right for the way it will be used. Has a good decent manual. Super easy to unclip from the mounts so you can prevent theft. Bluetooth available for vehicle use (but not why flying).

This device uses the inferior resistive touchscreen technology with a too-large bezel that makes it impossible to touch anything near the sides of the screen. The effect is that the touchable area of the buttons that hug the right side of the screen in map view are significantly reduced. Even after a calibration, I would regularly miss these buttons. The cursor simply wouldn't go as far to the right as my finger asked it to. Another problem related to the touch screen is with dragging the map in any direction. It was a frustrating experience, as the device would detect my finger at times and ignore it at other times. The touchscreen's lack of sensitivity is frustrating when entering numbers, letters etc. I wish they would using capacitive touchscreen (like the iPhone). Using the flight planner for me was cumbersome. And it is difficult to enter your own waypoints accurately due to the small screen size and lack of terrian detail. But the task can be accomplished. Battery life is an issue, but that was known before hand. I always use the plug-in power. I think this product should come with a means to plug it into 110v for charging purposes. It is an after purchase option. The vehicle mode was a little disappointing. I really liked the idea to have dual GPS capabilities, flying and vehicle travel. But the sophistication level for driving just isn't any better than whats been out there for years now. Two features I immediately found lacking were a nearest airport function in case of engine loss, and the ability to navigate to a point I touched on the map screen. To perform either function, you must exit the moving map and enter the Direct to menu.

Overall other than the unresponsive touchscreen, I am very pleased with what I mainly purchased this unit for: Flying. Haven't had it long enough to comment on durability, but so far (Knock on wood), I haven't had any issues with it at all after about 30 hours of flying with this unit.

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I've had this for over 6 months and still find it difficult to use. It's not intuitive and seems designed by someone with little aviation background ie, must exit the map screen and press several buttons to make a waypoint and then fly to it. Garmin makes better GPS's that are installed in the helicopters I fly than this one. In the Auto mode if you enter some place to go then discover you have to change a setting in tools DON'T hold down the BACK key too long as the Stop navigation button is right under the BACK key and you will have to reenter your destination if the BACK key is held down too long.

This GPS is better used by a passenger who has the time during a flight to use it rather than a pilot who has to fly the aircraft (the warning on the automotive side against use while driving should be on the aviation side as well). Battery life is poor. I agree with Timothy Lam on touchscreen problems but i also have problems dragging the map around in the auto mode when i lift my finger the map scrolls some distance away on it's own. The Bluetooth on my old ear piece from Motorola is better and easier to use (but not setup) than this Bluetooth. I'm disappointed and expected a lot better from Garmin. I would NOT recommend this GPS.

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great G P S totally r e c c o m m e n d to a l l b u y e r s

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I have two of these units.

They are the best you can get at the 700 usd price range but they are not perfect.

I've had one of my units going off during the flight a couple of times so If you can afford, get two as they can become inoperative during flight.

I don't like the touchscreen very much. It doesn't have great resolution and it is hard touch exactly where you want and with turbulence you may have a hard time typing a waypoint or airport name.

A good thing is that it can be attached to a Zaon XRX and provide traffic information.

It gets 3 stars on my review for the bad resolution touchscreen and the eventual freeze or black screen that requires a hard reset.

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Overall, I'm very impressed with this unit. It is exactly what I expected it to be. The Garmin Aera is great unit. The touch screen works great, just a matter of acostumbrace. Pros Highly interactive, Pretty easy to navigate through screens It's everything I ever wanted in an inexpensive GPS. MP3 player. Cons: The main criticism is the length of the battery Lack of carrying case Lack of external battery charger.

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IOTA DLS-27-15 24 VOLT 15 AMP AUTOMATIC BATTERY CHARGER / POWER SUPPLY

• CONVERTS NOMINAL 108 - 132 AC VOLTAGE TO 27.2 DC VOLTAGE FOR BOTH DC LOAD OPERATION AND 24V BATTERY CHARGING
• IDEAL FOR CHARGING ALL TYPES OF 24 VOLT LEAD ACID BATTERIES INCLUDING FLOODED, ABSORBED GLASS MAT (AGM) AND GEL CELL
• AS A POWER SUPPLY THE UNIT'S TIGHTLY CONTROLLED REGULATION ALLOWS THE USER TO OPERATE A NOMINAL 24VDC LOAD UP TO 15 AMPS
• AS A BATTERY CHARGER THE UNIT WILL MAINTAIN THE BATTERY DELIVERING ITS FULL RATED CURRENT WHEN THE BATTERY CAPACITY FALLS SUFFICIENTLY LOW
• VOLTAGE IS SET TO DELIVER ITS MAXIMUM CURRENT FOR THE NECESSARY PERIOD OF TIME TO MINIMIZE UNDUE STRESS TO THE BATTERY CAUSED BY HEATING OF ITS CELLS

Here in South Central Alaska (Anchorage region) there is not enough sunlight in winter for solar panels to generate sufficient electrical power; I cannot deliver enough water when I need it via the Shurflo 9300 24 VDC pump down in the well. The simplest solution to distribute power from my 12-volt battery bank is to use an existing 115 VAC cable from the Prosine true sine inverter to the well area, and convert to 27 VDC at the well head using the DLS-27-15 as a power supply to run the pump directly. While admittedly not the most efficient use of energy due to 10% and 20% losses converting from DC to AC and back to DC, it is a practical way to double the battery DC voltage and obtain a decent flow rate. It works great at zero degrees F!

The pump is painfully slow if run directly on 12 VDC and I would have to run a separate DC cable across the yard to do it that way. A bonus is that since my inverter runs in "Power Save" mode, it will automatically turn on when there is a demand for power and shut off again when the well is shut off (by switching off the AC input to the DLS-30-15). This eliminates a "phantom load" and conserves battery charge (often supplied by a generator during cloudy weather). Another bonus is that the two panels originally purchased to run the well have been moved to increase the capacity of the main solar array for battery charging.

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