Showing posts with label marine battery charger reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marine battery charger reviews. Show all posts

Boss Electronics 2191 White Solar Charger for iPhone

Boss Electronics 2191 White Solar Charger for iPhone
  • Compact and convenient way to recharge your iPhone
  • Place the charger's solar panel in the sun or even under a strong artificial light to double your talk time
  • Great when an A/C outlet is not handy

The charger met and exceeded my son's expectations. He uses it on his Boy Scout's trips and it comes in quite handy!!!!

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I am the kind of person who panics when I see that my iPhone's battery is low, so I thought this would be perfect for outdoor events when charging with an outlet is impossible. Unfortunately, this charger doesn't fit the iPhone properly, so you have to physically hold it in place the entire time it's charging. Also, it charges v-e-r-y slowly, and only in direct sunlight. (It does charge when directly plugged into a computer, as well, but doesn't retain the charge--so it's not like you can charge it up at home and then use it at night.) All in all, it's okay if you happen to be standing in direct sunlight, and can hold it in place for an hour...but other than that it's not worth buying.

Read Best Reviews of Boss Electronics 2191 White Solar Charger for iPhone Here

This product does not work. Don't waste your money. It won't charge my iPhone and it has been laying out in the sun for days nows.

Equus 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor

Equus 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor
  • Displays the condition of the battery and charging system
  • Designed for 12-volt negative ground systems
  • Protects the engine computer and 12-volt accessories from surges
  • Easily plugs into a cigarette lighter or power receptacle
  • Head pivots for easy viewing and angle adjustment

The picture on Amazon site is not correct. This battery monitor shows the voltage value with .01 precision (or two digits after decimal point). That is far more then enought to tell the battery status. I put it in the car, it automatically switches between "battery status monitoring" and "charging status monitoring". When the engine is stopped, it is in "battery status monitoring mode", when engine is running, it will be in "charging status monitoring" mode. Amazon's price is even bettern then Walmart. Definitely a great value buy. Will recommend this item to my friends.

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Seemingly just another auto gadget fortunately the Equus 3721 is more sophisticated than its ponderous description. A breeze to connect to any car's 12 Volt electrical system. Simply push into the lighter socket or an auxiliary power outlet now found in many newer vehicles.

With the engine running the instrument constantly displays battery condition with an LED light; amber when marginal, red if the battery is discharging. A green light indicates a correctly functioning electrical system. All is well with both battery and, most importantly, the alternator.

The Equus is also an accurate voltmeter. Digital read-outs give exact voltage in the electrical system. Potential alternator problems or a failing battery will be indicated by below normal voltages, plus an amber or red light. Extra information is a battery icon graphically showing total battery charge. Tending towards erratic read-outs, and therefore unreliability, it is not the unit's best feature.

Equus's instruction card is easy to understand. The unit is well made, sturdy, easy to connect and to transfer to any 12 volt system not having its own voltmeter. Also, as a supplemental monitor in an RV, or a bigger boat with a remote 12 Volt outlet in a sleeping area far from the main instrument panel, overall battery condition condition can be monitored while camping or at anchor.

Good value for money; very useful. From personal use, recommended.

Read Best Reviews of Equus 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor Here

The Honda 2005 civic has a marginal charging system. This meter is ideal for determining when it is time to turn off the radio to reduce load on the alternator. Voltage reading is very accurate, much better than 1% as measured against a small Beckman pocket meter, which in turn has been checked against a Powerex Wizard aa cell charger. Warning lights function well.

Some things to note when using this tester: Standard voltage of a 12 volt battery is 12.6 volts. Some deep cycle absorbed glass mat batteries will read 12.8. This is after loading the battery by turning on the headlights for 10 seconds, to remove surface charge. Note that while the lights are on, the voltage drops quickly at first, then the voltage stabilizes. Turning off the lights causes the voltage to rise again gradually. After a few minutes the voltage will stop rising. If the voltage settles at 12.6 (or 12.8 for AGM battery) battery is charged, assuming that the battery is near 68 degrees F. Lower temps raise the voltage, higher temps lower the voltage. For a standard battery figure about 12.66 volts at 32 F and 12.54 volts at 104 F battery temperature, not air temperature.

After a car has been running for awhile with no lights, radio, wipers, AC, heat or window defroster, the alternator may cycle letting the battery voltage drop for a while before kicking in. This is OK provided the charging is steady shortly after turning on the lights. An intermittant alternator will cause the red light to turn on and off when headlights are on.

The bar graph for battery condition is not very useful as the meter has only voltage information.

The instructions do not state that this tester is for negative ground cars only, a small quibble as positive ground is not common.

Had I bought this device six months ago I could have avoided killing a brand new battery in six months.

UPDATE: Still working fine as of Aug 2, 2012

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I purchasted this unit to use in a small aircraft that has no built in battery monitor.

The unit failed within one hour of use.

It was too cheap to bother to send back so I took it apart.

I found two loose screws holding the circuit board and display in place and a bad solder joint.

I repaired the solder joint and tightened the screws and the unit has been working fine ever since.

Unless you are an Electronic Engineer like me I would not recomend this unit.

Strangely enough, the internal components appeared to be high guality.

It was not assembled correctly.

It's OK if it works.

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just got the monitor from amazon based on the reviews here. the actual device is slightly different from it looks in the picture, with rounder edges. i guess the new product has been revised. also the protective plastic film is extremeply easy to peel off, a bit too easy i would say. or it might have something to do with the weather. here in singapore it's 30C all the time. the device has good build quality. the monitor can show two different tiny icons above voltage reading, under the battery and charging modes. the LCD is clear with bright blue backlight. basically it doesnt cost arm or leg but does all i expected. i will leave it plug in all the time in my car. i am sure i will be alerted by the unusual low voltage one day to realise the time to replace my battery. that will be the time i can recover the cost of this product by saving the expensive recovery service.

Schumacher PSW-2550 DSR ProSeries 250/125/50/10 Amp 6/12 Volt Manual Wheel Battery Charger/Starter

Schumacher PSW-2550 DSR ProSeries 250/125/50/10 Amp 6/12 Volt Manual Wheel Battery Charger/Starter
  • Charges 6 and 12 Volt batteries
  • Starting ampere - 12 Volt- 250A, 6 Volt- 125A
  • Charging ampere - 12 Volt-50/10A, 6 Volt-50A
  • 2.25 hour timer
  • Additional features include, oversized selector switches, clamp holder, rubber grip and an extra long 9 foot AC line cord

need to charge and start old farm equipment both 6 and 12 volt. Works great to have a little more cold cranking amps for things that have been sitting all winter that need a little more turnover umpf to start.

would recommend this product for any one looking for a great deal on 6 and 12volt charger.

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Mine arrived yesterday inside a box that was inside a box that was inside another box. Although the boxes were undamaged during shipping, the cabinet of the charger was dented on four sides. Why? A transformer capable of delivering 50 amps of current continually is a very heavy component of a good battery charger. It is much too heavy for the cheap, flimsy cabinet that Schumacher calls "Heavy Duty". It's a little like having an anvil bouncing around inside a tin barrel. The thing is just too heavy for its container.

Because the Amazon website says that it is "non-returnable" I took it apart and pushed most of the dents out of it. Only one dent required a hammer and a block of wood to fix, the rest I could push out with my fingers! Yes, that's how cheap the cabinet is on a Professional Series Battery Charger from Schumacher! I pushed out the dents with my fingers! No amount of packaging could ever protect the eggshell that was built around this thing.

While I had it apart to fix the dents, I checked the connections (good) and the mountings of all the components. The mounting base of the transformer was bent (due to its weight) but the rivets holding it down were still tight.

Electrically it is a well-designed piece of equipment. Structurally, it is crap.

Schumacher! Wake up! We'd gladly pay twenty bucks extra for some heavier gauge sheet metal! You put quality into the rest of this "Professional" charger -why not the cabinet? I own four of your (smaller) chargers in all. They are all decent and reliable chargers. I was expecting more from your "Professional Series" Chargers than what I got. I really feel like you guys let us all down on this one.

Wagan EL2205 Elite 2000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter

Wagan EL2205 Elite 2000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter
  • 2000 watts continuous power, 4000 watts peak surge power
  • 4 AC outlets, wireless remote control and high output terminal
  • LED display shows DC voltage in and percent maximum load used
  • Overload, overheat and low battery protection
  • Recharge appliances faster and extend life of appliances using pure sine

This is a great inverter for my 11 foot truck camper. My first pure sine inverter was a Xantrex PROwatt 2000. After it failed I returned it on RMA. The replacement also failed and luckily the Xantrex customer service was excellent. I purchased the Xantrex from JTH Electronics and their customer service was also great. Thanks to Tami and the staff at JTH! I really liked the Xantrex because of its size, however for whatever reason it just didn't hold up. Since the majority of my camping is to remote fishing spots, I really wanted an inverter that I could run a microwave and CPAP without having to run a generator. I've used the Wagan EL2205 for two seasons and have had no problems. Typically, I'll arrive at my spot in the evening and use the microwave to heat frozen dinners. Then use it to run the CPAP over-night. My power bank is four 6 volt Interstate golf cart batteries and one 180 watt solar panel. I've easily spent 5 days in the middle of nowhere without the need to run the generator (solar panel in full sun). The only time I run the generator is for the AC. The Wagan EL2205 came with a wireless remote, which I don't really use, but I suppose for some it's an added convenience. The Wagan has a thermostatically controlled fan and does come on under heavy load, but for lighter loads it never comes on. Because of the mounting location in my application, I have noticed that the fan will come on when the unit is powered off when it's in direct sun for a while. The first time this happened I thought it had failed, but I soon figured out what was happening. The four power outlets are close together, so if you have multiple plugs that are larger than what you normally find you may not be able to use all of the outlets. This is not a problem for me since I only use one. It has a digital display that alternates between the supply voltage and percentage of load. Overall I think it's a great inverter and would recommend it for RV use.

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This unit works nicely to power my 15 amp skill saw no problem and operates quietly. It also came with all the basic connections.

Read Best Reviews of Wagan EL2205 Elite 2000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter Here

Inverter works as advertised but only 2 15 amp plugs are available. Do not know about the usb adapter wasn't what I was looking for anyway. This unit 700 sollars at other web sites I looked at so definitly a bargain from heartland.

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I bought this inverter at $399. I have a DSO and test the output wave form. That's true sine wave. Everything is working properly. I am happy with my purchasing

Complete Solar Kit: Portable Battery Box + 15W Solar Panel + Grid Charger + 2 LED Lamps

Complete Solar Kit: Portable Battery Box + 15W Solar Panel + Grid Charger + 2 LED LampsHaving used this product many times on and off the road, I can definitely recommend it for use in remote(and not so remote) locations where getting power is a problem. Its small size solar panel makes it highly portable and allows moving it around at will. The bulbs provided are virtually indestructible and the ample cable length really improves the area of luminescence when operating it in a zero light setting. All in all the product has served me well on numerous road trips and remains my ideal choice as an emergency source of power.

Optima Batteries D27M BlueTop Group 27 Marine Battery

Optima Batteries D27M BlueTop Group 27 Marine Battery
  • Pure lead spiralcell design allows for lead to be used in its purest form
  • Spiralcell technology for superior vibration resistance and extended life
  • Solid cast cell connections for increased durability and maximum plate height
  • Tightly compressed cells for added vibration resistance
  • This item is not for sale in Catalina Island

Battery arrived very quickly. Used it to power the trolling motor for my 5-person Intex inflatable. Took it out on the bay just this one and only time, and the power ran out, leaving me anchored in the middle of the bay. Friends came out in a speed boat to rescue me.

Tried to recharge this battery, but the charger I bought from Amazon with the battery began to overheat. The next day I brought it in to the local Optima dealer. They put the battery on the charger/diagnostic machine for 69 minutes, after which it failed the test. Zero cranking amps and a recommendation to REPLACE. The Optima dealer is unable to order a replacement as this battery is no longer available from their supplier.

Amazon will not accept returns for this battery. Amazon says to return it to the dealer, but the dealer can't do anything about it. I spoke with Optima on the telephone, and they are sorry I am going through this, but since Amazon is not an authorized seller, Optima cannot help me either.

So, Amazon has my $175, and there is no customer service to reason with. I had to spend another $90 at a local warehouse store for a real, working battery with a real working warranty. I wish you all a better experience than I had. After years and years buying from Amazon, I will not be back.

Buy Optima Batteries D27M BlueTop Group 27 Marine Battery Now

My research makes me wonder where Amazon is getting these batteries. Below is the email I got from Optima customer service when I inquired about their warranty. Thought other buyers would find the information helpful. Amazon has a better price but you are taking a chance that nothing goes wrong with the battery. Good luck.

Hello Ted

Below is a link to this battery on Optima Batteries Direct.

http://shop.optimabatteries.com/products/productdetail/Optima+Batteries+8027-127+D27M+27+BlueTop+Marine+Deep+Cycle+Starting/part_number=D27M/1737.0.1.1.62466.0.0.0.0?s=part_number&part_number_d=ASC&part_number_c=part_number&t=1&i=all&

Before purchasing from any other online resource, please ensure the dealer is in compliance with our recommended customer service requirements.

Unfortunately Amazon is not an authorized dealer. Warranties are typically handled by the original retailer however Amazon does not handle warranties after 30 days. You can't just take the battery to any Optima retailer for warranty service because they have their own internal corporate policies that will not allow them to warranty a battery they didn't sell. In cases like this we have to go through a distributor for testing and charging and in some case charging fees apply. This could require some travel on your part. They do require that you leave the battery at least overnight for testing and charging. If they are unable to replace the battery we would have to make arrangements to have one shipped to you.

OPTIMA-authorized online retailer requirements:

§

§ Ship Optima products in approved shipment packaging

§ Answer a toll free service phone number during business hours

§ Adhere to and honor the Optima factory warranty policy [pdf]

§ Provide an in-house warranty program

If

If you are considering an Amazon as your online dealer, they have not agreed to our consumer service requirements.

For same-day purchases and service we recommend visiting your nearest OPTIMA retailer, as online purchases can take multiple days to arrive. Likewise, in the event that product support service is needed, online purchases must be shipped back to the original seller and can take several days to be processed and returned.

Thank you,

Mary Jo

Optima Customer Service

Read Best Reviews of Optima Batteries D27M BlueTop Group 27 Marine Battery Here

These batteries are the best on the market. I like that they are maintenance free, especially the ones that are not easily accessible on my boat. I love Amazon because one battery was delivered dropped by the shipper, box broke. Amazon quickly sent me out another one. I just replaced the two batteries I ordered this past weekend. All worked just fine and easily cranked over my twin Honda 4 Stroke 130s. The sea trial will begin in a few weeks and if all looks good electronically, I will be confident to venture out 25 miles into the Gulf and not worry if my batteries will live or die out there. These batteries replaced my old West Marine Dual Purpose 12 volt batteries. The strength of these are twice as much as my old batteries. This gives me twice as much power and time when out there running stereo FF and GPS etc.

I would highly recommend ordering these Optima Batteries especially for rough outdoor use.

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I purchased two of these 11 months ago. One has failed and surprise, no local dealers will honor the warranty. I am contacting Optima, but am not optomistic given what I've read online about this situation.

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I thought I did a good deal, but unfortunately I was wrong (or perhaps just unlucky?).

I purchased this to use when camping, where I have a 12V Coleman cooler, which I wanted to run on battery power during night time and then recharge battery in the daytime.

Unfortunately this operation seemingly was too hard on the battery, as one cell collapsed after 5 charges.

I'm sure Amazon would have replaced the battery immediately, but unfortunately I have it in Costa Rica.

Monster iCarPlay Wireless Plus for iPod v2 - FM Transmitter/Charger for iPod

Monster iCarPlay Wireless Plus for iPod v2 - FM Transmitter/Charger for iPod
  • Play your iTunes Wirelessly Through Any FM Station*
  • Compatible with all current Apple iPod models.
  • 3 programmable "favorite station" preset buttons and easy-to-read LED display.
  • Full FM tuning capability for clear sound anywhere*.
  • Smart Digital Charger for fast charges; maximizes battery life.

I got this product so my wife could play her Ipod in her car. I was extremely skeptical that it would work "auto sound" retailers had generally bad mouthed this type of product. And, i had tried something like this years ago, when the first generation of Ipods came out. But the alternative for my wife's car (Boxster) was to put in a new and different radio more than $800 in this case! I saw that there were some used/reconditioned versions of the product available on Amazon, and decided to try it.

IT WORKS PERFECTLY. My wife loves it. Ok, so you have some loose wires in the front seat, but my concerns about static and losing the station, blah, blah, have not surfaced. And, it is great that you can program up to 3 empty stations on your FM radio, just in case you travel through an area where the radio loses the signal you're using. But my wife sez that never happens anyway.

So, I give this product 2 thumbs up!!

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Does what I need it to do! Play my music! And Charge my phone! Some stations get static but you have 3 options to change the channel too.

Read Best Reviews of Monster iCarPlay Wireless Plus for iPod v2 - FM Transmitter/Charger for iPod Here

Worked great when it worked. However, after 4 weeks, it just stopped. There is no fuse or anything, so it's impossible to identified what failed. It's too bad, I really like the functionality of this x-mitter.

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I just bought one of these for a car trip, and it turned out to be worthless. I got it to "work", if you can call it that, but only for about 5 minutes. The rest of the time, you couldn't hear it at all. I tried moving the transmitter around, changing the station, the broadcast power is just too weak.

At best there is a light to medium background static. Within a 60 mile drive I usually have to change stations 2 or 3 times to find a better signal. The rest of the time static is so bad I just turn it off. On a rare occasion I can get a decent signal and enjoy it but it never lasts long. Everything seems to interfere with it...hills, airports, military bases, even overpasses and bridges. Time to upgrade to a new stereo which I what I should have done in the first place.

Power Bright APS300-12 Pure Sine Power Inverter 300 Watt 12 Volt DC To 110 Volt AC

Power Bright APS300-12 Pure Sine Power Inverter 300 Watt 12 Volt DC To 110 Volt ACPower Bright APS300-12 Pure Sine Power Inverter 300 Watt 12 Volt DC To 110 Volt AC. This actually states 115vAC on the label. Anyway, I bought it to run my computers and monitors off since they run more efficiently on 110v than 220v. I got two 6 volt 200AH deep cycle "Hoppecke" batteries and they supply enough power for around 11 hours running at an average 110 Watts (yes Watts, not volts) with the series-connected battery voltage falling to just under 11 volts. So far I'm very happy with it. The fan makes a low level purring noise but not too noisy. Time will tell whether it's reliable.

.

October 4, 2011 It lasted exactly a year! Last night it failed and smoke poured out of the inverter. The LED flickered red/green. I switched it off immediately. I was able to repair it myself and I have put instructions on a web site. (You'll have to search.)

I was initially very happy with this inverter. It worked very well when it was working. Now the green led stays lit up but there is no power coming out of the socket. What to do now.

Buy Power Bright APS300-12 Pure Sine Power Inverter 300 Watt 12 Volt DC To 110 Volt AC Now

Power Bright APS300-12 Pure Sine Power Inverter 300 Watt 12 Volt DC To 110 Volt AC

While this item initially worked as expected, I noticed it would overload trip on a while powering on a moderately small audio amplifier. I didn't think much of that at the time, but it was an indication of things to come.

During tests before I traveled I ran at loads up to approximately 120 watts and the inverter worked just fine. It never even got warm enough to turn on the cooling fan.

While camping at an NHRA event the unit failed with no warning while running only 24 watts of LED lighting. There were perhaps 20 hours total of running time on it.

As an engineer, I would say a failure at less than 10% load is an indicator of either poor design or poor quality control.

This is a don't touch item.

Read Best Reviews of Power Bright APS300-12 Pure Sine Power Inverter 300 Watt 12 Volt DC To 110 Volt AC Here

After a miserable failure with the Wagan EL2201 Elite 400 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter, I decided to try this unit.

SUCCESS!

Clean output, very solid construction, fan didn't even come on under moderate loads. Great for sensitive electronics. If you're looking at this inverter because it meets your needs, do not hesitate to purchase as you will not be disappointed.

*Please note* The unit that I received was not yellow, but blue. Didn't bother me at all. In fact, I kinda like the blue color better.

If I had one complaint about this unit, it would be that the 12v lighter cord that comes with the unit is a little short (approximately 18"). The quality of this unit when compared to its competition pretty much makes that gripe a moot point IMO.

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One of the capacitor smoked after 5 times of use. Bought it three-month ago. Barely used. Only plugged in a 65 w laptop. Deeply disappointed.

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Mini Battery Charger Kit for Samsung SB-LSM80, SB-LSM160 & SB-LSM320 Batteries - with fold-in wall p

Mini Battery Charger Kit for Samsung SB-LSM80, SB-LSM160 & SB-LSM320 Batteries - with fold-in wall plug, car & EU adaptersers
  • (110/220v with Car & EU adapters)
  • Replacement Charger for Samsung SB-LSM80, SB-LSM160 & SB-LSM320 Batteries
  • Smart Charging LED indicator
  • Automatically turns to trickle charge after fully charged
  • 3 Year Limited Warranty

Perfect for my needs. I thought I was going to have a decision to make: spend a fortune on a charger or just go ahead and buy a new camera. This charger is the great, and the cost is minimal. Plus it comes with a car adapter.

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Samsung Car / Vehicle Mount for Verizon Samsung Fascinate Galaxy S

Samsung Car / Vehicle Mount for Verizon Samsung Fascinate Galaxy SI picked up one of these from Verizon's on-line store for forty bucks, they shipped it next day for free... in so far as anything is free when you already paid a chunk of change for it.

The construction is rigid, and very good quality. The suction cup is large and holds the mount to the windshield very well. The lever that operates the suction cup is similarly rigid and effective. The phone 'socket' holds the phone well, as you'd expect with an OEM product it is perfectly sized. The USB connector lines up perfectly, the block at the end slides out a little way to make connecting and disconnecting the phone easier.

You can not use this mount with a case, the fit is too close. You can't have it both ways.

I was surprised that when I plugged the phone in it flipped to the car mount screen, which is a clever trick but unfortunately useless as it is linked to Bing and Verizon applications instead of the proper Google apps. But that isn't a fault of the mount, just part of the persistent annoyance with the damage Verizon did to Android.

Why did I mark it down? The power connection to the mount is via a micro USB connector. Since they don't include a car charger with the phone you need to acquire a suitable one. The Samsung charger has quite a tight coil and is really too short to reach anywhere you are likely to want to mount the phone without some strain. So you should really find a straight and reasonably long micro USB car charger. To make this high quality mount perfect they should really have used a more suitable method for supplying power or they should have included a suitable car charger.

Edited to answer comment: The micro USB and aux connectors come straight out of the sliding contact piece which plugs in to the top of the phone. There is no obstruction behind the connectors when the mount is attached to the windshield and in either portrait or landscape mode. I have not had any issues with the USB connector and have not used the aux connector because I don't have an aux-in on my car.

I have a few problems with this mount, which compiled together, gave me enough reasons to return it:

Because i drive a larger vehicle (Durango), mounting it to the dash or windshield puts it out of my reach. I wanted to mount it to the front of my panel, but the adhesive disc that comes with it isn't sticky enough to hold the weight on a vertical mount. A simple adjustment of the phone knocks it off. If you are able to use just the suction cup without the disc, you wouldn't have this problem, as the suction is a nice strong one (but any texture on your dash, and you can forget about it).

-Since the USB port hooks into the phone with a slider, it requires two hands, and a little bit of work to remove the phone from the dock...which is fine unless you're hopping in and out of your car running errands, in which case, it's a bit of an ordeal, and annoying to deal with.

-The cable plug in for the cord connecting the phone to your stereo is useless at this point, because the phone does not play sound out of the USB connection, meaning, if it's docked...you can't use it as an MP3 player because the plastic blocks the direct plug in to the top of the phone.

-It does not charge your phone without an additional car charger attached to it, which is how a lot of docks are, but for the price, that shouldn't be the case.

All in all, I'm sure it works great for some people...those who don't use their phone as their music source, and those who don't like to get in and out of their cars quickly. Part of my harsh critique comes from the fact that I just switched from an iPhone, which has some pretty awesome docks available, so the bar has been set pretty high in my case.

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In response to CAB, the audio out on the mount will work after the Android 2.2 Froyo update (supposedly) if that EVER happens.

Also I bought this to try with my Captivate. The phone does fit in the mount but the micro usb plug is about 1-2 mm to low, so it will not work with the ATT Captivate. Seller is trying to locate the Captivate dock for me. Sent this back for refund. But if you have the Fascinate, this is a well built OEM dock.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung Car / Vehicle Mount for Verizon Samsung Fascinate Galaxy S Here

Even after reading reviews that this was a good product, built well, and seeing that most people posted they could NOT hear the music/navigation etc... through the auto speakers, I thought I would try it. I received it and was very happy with the product itself. Now, I had to test out the audio part for myself. I did, and it did not work at first. I searched around and was able to find instructions on how to make it work. I tested it out and SUCCESS!!! I now have Pandora streaming through my car stereo. So, I recommend you purchase this and follow these instructions I found out there in the Android world.

"In case anyone else has a problem playing your sound through your aux port in your car using your car dock you have to play the app (Say Pandora, pause it). Dock your phone or launch the car dock.Click the audio button (looks like a phone), changes to a speaker.Hold your home button so you can go back to a recently used app and click play on Pandora.

I also found if you use the Voice search command and do a "Listen to: "artist" command it will also launch Pandora and play through your car speakers." ~Author unknown (but it really works).

Thanks!

Want Samsung Car / Vehicle Mount for Verizon Samsung Fascinate Galaxy S Discount?

Careful, do not get carried away by the picture, you see here. This picture does not show the actual product. The product is a Verizon made plastic mount with suction cup. No charger adapter or anything else included. Definitely: no sliding part for USB connection (depicted on the phone's left side) is included.

The picture depicts a different product: Samsung's real car dock. That Samsung mount has usb to audio output and also a charger included. Do not repeat my mistake looking at the picture and ordering without checking the details. It holds the phone ok, however it does not have the full functionality of Samsung's car dock, that is depicted.

To Amazon.com: this picture is misleading, please change it; also: please do not list it as a Samsung product, as it is a "Verizon" mount. The base plate also has a "VERIZON" logo on it.

TomTom Fast Charging Home Dock for 720, 920, 630, 730, 930 GPS Navigators

TomTom Fast Charging Home Dock for 720, 920, 630, 730, 930 GPS Navigators
  • Holds device upright while it charges
  • Neat and tidy storage solution
  • Charges device in two hours
  • Includes world adaptors
  • Transfer music, photos, maps, voices etc from your computer to your device

Cool accessory for the Tom-Tom and it came with plug adaptors that work in the US and Canada, Europe, UK, and Australia.

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This is an item that Tom Tom should have included with the GPS! Having the ability to charge the batteries from a wall outlet without a computer available and an is essential.

Read Best Reviews of TomTom Fast Charging Home Dock for 720, 920, 630, 730, 930 GPS Navigators Here

This is a good product for TOM TOM, I am using this in Europe and I am very content!

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thanks im glad that i found the replacemnt charger for my tom tom i love the unit and didnt want to go out and buy another one this is as good as the original if not better

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This works great! I love having a charger that you can plug into the wall instead of always having to use the car outlet or the computer.

Schumacher IP-1850FL Instant Power Jump Starter With 12 Volt Flex Light

Schumacher IP-1850FL Instant Power Jump Starter With 12 Volt Flex Light
  • Convenient built-in charger for automatic charging of internal battery
  • Audible low-battery alarm sounds when battery is at less than 50% charge
  • Heavy-duty copper jaw and metal clamps for solid connections to top and side post batteries
  • 18 amp-hour battery delivers 950 peak amps and 250 crank assist amps
  • Polyethylene case resists fuels and solvents

I bought this Jump starter in Dec. 2007 and to this day is working like a charm! What you must understand about this jumper is that it may or may not assist to start a bad battery (a battery that will no longer take a charge and you must replace). I say may or may not because it depends on the size of what you are jumping. Unfortunately all my cars are eight cylinder vehicles, so I am not that lucky. Until this winter, this jumper has NEVER failed to jump start my vehicles. This winter (2011), I did not drive my vehicle for over a month, with the temps in the low 20s, I tried to jump start my car only to have it fail. Well, this was a first so I took the battery out and brought it in to have it slow charged over night. In the morning, I discovered that the battery would not take a charge and was defective. So for those of you who think that this will jump start all cars, all the time NO but it will do what it was intended to do as long as the battery is not defective. I still feel that the Shummacher IP-1850 is a handy tool to have around. I highly recommend it.

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Read the description carefully. I didn't realize it won't start a dead battery only a low battery. Tricky!

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It wasn't powerful enough to jump-start my car. I'd been on vacation, hadn't driven the car in a few weeks, came back to find the battery too low to start; the Schumacher did not do the trick. It's hard to say whether this was a fair test. I eventually used, not a jump-starter, but a recharger on the battery, which since then has worked fine. So we'll see how the jump-starter works if there's a next time, but it did not work in the emergency that I had.

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Schumacher IP-1850FL Instant Power Jump Starter With 12 Volt Flex Light

I have used this product twice and am very satisfied. I have an older car that has needed a charge to get started and this product started the car on the first try... Plenty of Power

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I thought that the name brand would mean something with this product,but that was not the case. This unit lasted one year,before the internal battery wouldn't take a charge.

Power Bright VC1500W Voltage Transformer 1500 Watt Step Up/Down 110 Volt - 220 Volt

Power Bright VC1500W Voltage Transformer 1500 Watt Step Up/Down 110 Volt - 220 VoltMy wife moved from Saudi Arabia to New York and she brought a lot of electrical stuff with her like some Rowenta iron, Braun blender, juicer, mixer sets and few other items that she spent a lot of money on. We needed a voltage converter to be able to use these items in New York and after some research I found this item and it works for us. Only drawback is that its heavy and not as portable as we would like it to be. Overall, we are happy with it.

Heavy that's the reason I bought it! For 1500W transformer, it is suppose to b heavy, otherwise it's made by cheap stuff and easy to broke and not good for what ever you plug in.

I plug in a 1200W Soy milk maker, no noise is from the transformer. Not much heat come out from it either. Great product.

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I got this transformer for a Nespresso machine. So every morning and evening, I turn it on, then turn my Nespresso machine on, wait for my coffee to be done, and then turn both devices off. It does the job quietly, right as it should. Very simple to set up, and now I can use any foreign device I want with it.

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Just got this big boy for my wife's Braun 1000watt hair dryer that is only sold in Europe. The transformer works perfectly and can handle the hair dryer without hesitation. I have to agree with another reviewer about the buzzing sound that is emitted from the transformer, but this is not much of an issue since the hair dryer is much louder :) Also please note that this is a large and heavy transformer and not the most aesthetically pleasing to have lying around the house.

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I have a series of Power Bright transformers, and they work wonderfully. I have lived in a number of countries that ran on 220 or 240V electricity. These transformers work well because I can adjust the input or output as needed, and they come with adaptors. Furthermore, the transformers don't get too hot, even when used continuously. I will continue to use Power Bright transformers as long as I live overseas.

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CTEK 56-380 Comfort Indicator Panel

CTEK 56-380 Comfort Indicator Panel
  • Quick connect
  • Popular Mechanic's Editors Choice Product 2008
  • See your battery
  • Shows battery condition also during the summer
  • Traffic light for battery condition

In my other reviews about the ctek chargers I explained WHY they are the best charger on the market today for lead acid 12 VDC batteries. This input jack does 3 things to help you get the most out of your ctek charger:

1 it mounts permanently into a space available on your console and gives you a 24x7 alert as to the state of your battery's charge note this is an EXACT FIT replacement for a factory din switch on many european or asian imports I installed it into an empty spot on my honda dash just by pushing in on it and the grippers held it in place simplest install all day long.

2 it hardwires directly to the battery avoiding the extra resistance from the car's fusebox (say if you used the cigarette lighter plug instead you'd be going through 2 fuses and a fusable link to the battery)

3 it is a dedicated port to plug in your ctek charger that you can locate conveniently anywhere you please in the vehicle, making the process of connecting up any one of the ctek chargers even easier.

Before I bought this I had to lift the hood (bonnet) and clip on the charger when I parked while waiting for my new battery to arrive via the pony express. Now I can just plug in the ctek and top off the charge any time. Admittedly if everything were functioning perfectly or you never had to store your car for a long period, this would not be needed, but we do not yet live in a perfect world, thus it makes life a tad bit easier.

Having used this with the ctek's optima battery setting (I also changed to an optima battery Optima Batteries 8012-021 D34 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery so that I had some deep cycle capability on my honda) it has had a second value.

I installed an escort 9500ix radar detector at the same time Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector (Black). These perform better if their reference oscillator is kept at a constant temperature, so by plugging my car in at night I can keep the radar detector warm so that the next day it's database of nuisance frequencies is dead on and doesn't make any mistakes with police radar because it counts the wrong frequency as it warms up. This is true of all timebases from clocks to caesium beam frequency standards they work better when left on. The gps can also get updates about what satellites are not working well during the night so it is already running with live data when I drive out and not trying to acquire the 4 best satellites. Also if I forget to turn off the 110 VAC inverter in the car I won't have a dead battery from it draining the optima with the radar unit all night long.

I'm discovering many benefits to keeping your car plugged in, and this jack makes it exceptionally easy to do.

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A very nice accompanyment to the CTEK charging system. I purchased one for each of my vehicles and even got one for my cab enclosed tractor. A good feeling always knowing the current status of your battery. My single complaint is that the length of the wire is too short by about a foot at the least. My first went into a 3/4 ton diesel (2 battery) pickup truck. I had to cut the line to thread it through the panel (firewall) separating the engine compartment and the passenger compartment. With the fuse in line, it was impossible to thread it through that space so I cut the line, threaded it through the firewall and was able to customize the install (create/cut into panelling) to the dashboard and very neatly mount the indicator panel.I did have to add at least an additional foot of cable/wire for this to work. Had to do the same for my Toyota Landcruiser. The included 5 feet of cabling is not sufficient for larger vehicles but may be OK for more compact cars..As well, most firewalls are essentially sealed which doesn't allow for the passage of the cable with the built in fuse so be prepared to cut your line and possibly add more length as I had to.. Works great once installed!! Very clean and high quality componentry..Highly recommended!

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I have been a user of C-TEK battery chargers of several different models for several years. I have never had a problem with any of there products. I had seen this product awhile back and finally got around to ordering one when I started my Amazon Prime account. I hardwired it into my vehicle and installed the little panel in an opening in my dash panel in my Chevy Express van. It is working as designed as I have a 3000 Watt Pure SineWave Inverter installed and it will drain the battery sometimes if I am using it without any charger or the engine running. The only thing I am not aware of is it blinks the colors. I was under the assumption that the status lights would be solid. The little manual does not state anything about this. I will contact C-TEK to find out.

I would not hesitate to purchase this item. It acts as a great little indicator of how your charge level is, plus you can just plug the charger right into the opening port on it, which has a rubber cover.

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Works ok, really just a quick adapter as the comfort lights go fom green to amber nearly immediatly

The CTEK 56-380 Comfort Panel Indicator is a nice product. I have a 3300 unit charger and this is a great accessory. Works well and not had any issues.

Schumacher PSW-70300A Manual or Automatic High Performance Charger

Schumacher PSW-70300A Manual or Automatic High Performance Charger
  • For charging 12V battery systems
  • 300 Amp engine start, 70 Amp rapid charge, 40 and 20 Amp fast charge and 4 Amp slow charge
  • Large face, clear-view ampere and volt meters have easy to read graduated scales
  • Chrome-plated handle has a rubber grip and unique non-conductive clamp rest
  • This unit is a durable, heavy-duty steel cabinet with wide-track wheels

I eventually settled on this model because once you get this large the "automatic" feature seems to be harder to find, but this one has it. Otherwise you're setting an amperage (like 40A) and a time, and you need to get it right or risk cooking the battery. This removes that risk (unless you choose to use the manual modes, which are all still there).

Decent quality, but it won't likely be an heirloom you pass down through the generations. My first one arrived caved in (and the box was undamaged). Of course Amazon handled that surperbly, but it still added a few days until I had a properly working unit.

This model has both voltage and amperage gauges, and they're analog.

Keep in mind that bigger is not always better. Even though this is rated at putting out 300A, I can't get a normal car battery to take more than 100 or so at best. I presume that's a function of the internal resistance of the battery, but there is indeed a limit to how fast you can charge a lead acid battery. 300A might be overkill for automotive stuff (but might be handy for large trucks, campers, golf cars, etc).

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Good price on heavy duty quality charger. It is physically heavy which in my experience is components needed for a charger. The cart with long handles make it easy to move around shop and farm.

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This tool offers a range of useful features, which are not available on cheaper devices such as genuine quick charge and starting capabilities. The auto charge feature is better than it was on my last charger because it brings the state of charge close to full. Useful meters indicate what is happening.

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I purchased this charger for a fire house to replace a similar, 20-year-old Snap-On charger that had finally given out.

Pros:

* Durability Not quite as solid as our old Snap-On charger, but acceptable in this day and age when every piece of metal and plastic seems to be thinner than a comparable part from the past. Seems to be built well enough for "fire house" use (and abuse) as well as use in a repair shop and/or home garage. Certainly well above the "made in China" or "Harbor Freight" quality level.

* Microprocessor control, etc. Relatively goof-proof settings mean less chance that people who think they know what they're doing (but don't) will damage batteries or vehicle electronics (or themselves) by setting the controls incorrectly or hooking up the cables backwards. Yellow (charging) and green (charged) indicator lights as well as amperage draw and voltage meters give a good indication of what's actually going on during the charge beyond "oh, the fan in the charger is running, so something must be happening." The timer makes a very subtle "tick" so you know it's not stuck.

* High amperage engine start assist capability Bigger is better when you're dealing with vehicles with two (or more) batteries, and 300 amps is close to the high end of what's available.

* Knobs are solid and easy to grasp I don't expect to need replacements any time soon, and people with big hands or wearing gloves shouldn't have any trouble manipulating them. There's a good, solid, substantial-sounding click when you change the knobs from one position to another.

* Battery desulfation capability, float mode charging capability, and alternator performance testing mode provide additional flexibility and utility.

* Amazon pricing for this unit was the best I could find anywhere on the web or in stores.

Cons:

* Cables are probably adequate, but they don't seem QUITE as hefty as those on our old Snap-On unit or those on some jumper cables I've used (yes, I'm aware that fatter cables aren't always better because sometimes the fat is from extra layers of plastic insulation being wrapped around the cable to give the illusion of heft/quality). The cables are apparently up to the task and do not get hot during the charging process. The clamps also have a stop on them so that they won't slide down a battery post.

* The control panel has the word "Ampers" on it (should be Amps or Amperes). How embarrassing.

Other:

* I used this unit to charge the batteries on a fire truck that has two mammoth batteries that had been discharged from sitting unused for several months, and the charger worked beautifully.

* Other reviewers mentioned packaging issues. The charger I received was packed in a cardboard retail box, which had been slid inside a plain brown packing box, and the brown box had then been placed inside a larger Amazon box that was filled with the usual crumpled paper and inflated plastic air-pillow packing. In other words, it was packed properly for UPS shipping. The unit was in excellent shape when it arrived with no damage whatsoever.

Bottom Line:

* All things considered, I am very pleased with this charger and have no regrets about purchasing it. I recommend it to others with needs similar to mine.

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This unit was received in damaged condition. I read a previous review written about this item and completely agree with that reviewer that person's first unit was also damaged. The unit comes in its own cardboard box with no outer box and the handle is packed tightly against the cabinet of the unit with very little clearance to the cardboard box. Therefore, if it is banged against other packages during shipping, it is very likely to be damaged. Hard to believe the manufacturer doesn't know this or doesn't care, I guess. The unit looks like it will work OK, but the shipping packaging is very poor. Large dents on the sides and top of the unit. With Amazon's return policy, you cannot return this item and must dispose of it as "hazardous material". (Remember, this weighs about 40 pounds). I ended up talking with an Amazon customer service person and she was very helpful. They offered to order a replacement unit or fully refund my purchase price. I opted to try ordering again. She processed an order for another unit for me at no charge so I will see how that one looks/works when it arrives. Good luck if you order one of these! Follow up comment: Amazon sent a replacement unit to me within 5 days. It was triple-packed in cardboard boxes and arrived with no damage. Works great have had to use it to jump an older 5.0 L engine and with a dead battery twice and engine started right up this unit has plenty of power!