Showing posts with label solar battery charger circuit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label solar battery charger circuit. Show all posts

CyberPower CPTUC01 Mobile Power USB Charger for Home, Office, and Auto (Black)

CyberPower CPTUC01 Mobile Power USB Charger for Home, Office, and Auto
  • Travel USB Charger
  • Home and auto compatible
  • Compact design
  • 1 USB charging port
  • 1 Year warranty

I purchased mine from WalMart about 2 1/2 years ago, and it is still going strong. I love it because I only need two pieces car/home and the cord. When I need to purchase another, this is definitely the one I'm going with.

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I love this little device! The larger power inverter devices I've used in the past were all short-lived and had noisy cooling fans. This little device just powers my cell phone, but it's quiet and reliable. I've had it for months now and won't take a car trip without it!

Recoton ADF1650 50/1600W Dual Wattage Travel Converter

Recoton ADF1650 50/1600W Dual Wattage Travel Converter
  • Dual voltage converter for use with 50 watt and 1600 watt devices
  • Converts foreign voltage (220-240V AC) to USA voltage (110-120V AC)
  • For use with hair dryers, irons, coffee makers, clothes steamers, hair stylers, radios, CD players, camcorder chargers, etc.

This item offered here (Recoton ADF1650 50/1600W Dual Wattage Travel Converter) is actually two different converters built into one package. At LOW setting (up to 50W), it uses a small AC transformer to convert 220V sinusoidal waveform into a 110V sinusoidal waveform. This is the preferred approach which works well for any low power appliance.

To handle higher power, however, the AC transformer must be made bulkier and heavier (around 20 pounds just for 1000W). This makes it impractical as a travel voltage converter for large-wattage appliance. Therefore another method is used by this converter...

At HIGH setting (50-1600W), this convert simply uses a solid-state switch inside to chop off part of the 220V sinusoidal waveform. The resulted waveform, as seen by the appliance, is highly distorted and is far from an 110V sinusoidal AC voltage.

For a purely resistive appliance (such as travel iron or water heater) it works just fine irregardless of different voltage waveform. But if you ever try to power an electronic appliance (such as TV, computer or battery charger) with this distorted 220V waveform, it will probably be fried in an instant!

The product manual did warn against using the HIGH setting for any electronic appliance exceeding 50W. So legally the company is covered. My advice is to stay away from this potentially destructive product unless you are really, REALLY careful about what to plug in. Chances are, sooner or later somebody will forget about this warning and plug a Xbox into this "converter" only to get a big BOOM!

If you must bring electronic appliances with your oversea trips, make sure they are rated for universal voltage of 100-240V AC. That way, you can safely use them in other countries without the need for a volatge converter. Power supplies for most portable electronics (laptop, camcorder, cell-phone, electric shavers, etc.) are already designed for universal voltage, although some of them may require you to physically flip a switch.

But don't forget, even if you don't need a voltage converter, you still must bring a set of plug adapters for foreign countries. For example, consider the Travel Smart Polarized Adapter Plug 5 Piece Set for this purpose.

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This kit is well made, contains all the plug adapters you'll need to travel to 6 continents, and unlike some, has switchable wattage to allow the use of both low voltage (eg. battery rechargers) and high voltage (eg. hair dryers) appliances.

Read Best Reviews of Recoton ADF1650 50/1600W Dual Wattage Travel Converter Here

I bought this converter for a trip to Spain. Each time I used it, I smelled a plastic burning odor and the unit was too hot to handle. I had to unplug whatever device was connected to it and wait about 10 minutes before removing it from the wall outlet. When I took it to Peru four months later, I had the same experience, only this time it "exploded" while using my electric shaver. I immediately unplugged the shaver and grabbed a towel to remove the converter from the outlet. The room smelled strongly of burning plastic. Unfortunately, I burned out the motor of the shaver. I also noticed that the cell phone I had tried to charge earlier in the day had not charged. The charger was burned out and obviously no longer works back home in the states.

To add insult to injury, I've been bounced around from service rep to service rep trying to contact the company. I've been issued four "case numbers" each time I call in. Now they've got me waiting for a call from the legal department. Do they smell a lawsuit?

My recommendation is to NOT buy this device. Another review talks of how heavy the unit is and how the user had to prop it up. That's definitely been my experience. In Spain, I had to use the two prong accessory to plug it into the recessed outlet in the bathroom. I actually had to hold the unit to keep it from falling out. (Yes, I know, not smart, holding an electrical device while in the bathroom!)

Spend a few extra bucks and get a better converter.

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I took this converter to a very long European trip. It worked just fine. My family members were using it for both high-wattage and low-wattage appliances. It was very handy to have a single converter for all cases. What can I say it worked as supposed and didn't break. The set of 5 different adapters (all types used on the planet) was very handy too.

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I purchased two of the Recoton ADF 1650 sets for a recent trip to Italy. They worked flawlessly, with both high and low-voltage devices. We tried them with hair dryers, digital camera battery rechargers, etc. and no problems. They are quite large and heavy, though, and we ditched the carrying case, etc., and just threw the converter into our suitcases..

One important thing to remember is that you only need a voltage CONVERTER if the devices you wish to power are incapable of operating at the voltage being provided in the country you're visting. I found that my cell phone charger AND my Nikon digital camera battery recharger were both designed for BOTH 110 and 220 Volt operation (read the fine print stamped on the charger) so all I needed was the "plug adaptor" (and NOT a voltage converter) for these two chargers... The plug adaptors are about $2-$3 each...

GTMax Brand New AC Wall Charger + In-Car Adapter NP-FC10 FC11 for Sony CyberShot DSC-P10, DSC-P2, DS

GTMax Brand New AC Wall Charger + In-Car Adapter NP-FC10 FC11 for Sony CyberShot DSC-P10, DSC-P2, DSC-P3, DSC-P5, DSC-P7, DSC-P8, DSC-P9, DSC-V1I lost my charger and couldn't believe how much it cost at stores to buy a replacement. This one is a bit slow, but it does the job. It was worth it to me to just buy a cheap one because I don't use my camera that often.

No complaints!

With this charger, I can take pictures whenever I want without being tied up with the OEM bulky charger. Excellent delivery. A great buy!

Buy GTMax Brand New AC Wall Charger + In-Car Adapter NP-FC10 FC11 for Sony CyberShot DSC-P10, DSC-P2, DS Now

The charger works great and I have no complaints to write about it. I would buy again if I needed another charger

Read Best Reviews of GTMax Brand New AC Wall Charger + In-Car Adapter NP-FC10 FC11 for Sony CyberShot DSC-P10, DSC-P2, DS Here

The Sony batter doesn't fit into the cradle. The car adapter doesn't work. The home plug in burnt out within 4 hours of use.

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Lost my original camera charger so I bought this as a replacement because Sony's was too expensive. This gets the job done and is cheap so I highly recommend it.

Yuasa Automatic 12 Volt Battery Charger

Yuasa Automatic 12 Volt Battery Charger
  • Outperforms any wall plug charger
  • Fully charges battery automatically
  • Maintains full charge indefinitely
  • Spark proof and reverse polarity protected providing mistake proof technology

This charger/maintainer is easy to use and works just fine. I can find nothing to complain about and it just does what it is supposed to. A very good product.

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Save A Battery Weather Proof 24 Volt 50 Watt Battery Charger Maintainer Desulfator 2365-24-W

Save A Battery Weather Proof 24 Volt 50 Watt Battery Charger Maintainer Desulfator 2365-24-WIt was installed on a 24 volt system in a bulldozer with older batteries and it restored the batteries to full stregnth. It now starts even in the coldest Pa. weather.

Whistler Pro-200W 200 Watt Power Inverter

Whistler Pro-200W 200 Watt Power InverterI am really surprised that there are no reviews for this great power inverter, I have seen it in Radioshack some time ago for 39.99$ and almost bought it there. Amazon offered much better price so I went for it. I have used it once in the camping trip last week and it performed great, we used it to power up the laptop computer and the drop light with 20Wat neon light in the tent. It is surprisingly well made for 20 bucks, solid aluminum convenient size casing, fan is quiet and it comes on and off intermittently as needed, it gives you a signal if your battery is getting low so you not drain it completely.I would reccomend this nice piece of equipment for a friend. I have no I idea how long it will last but for now it made my wife and kids happy :)

Thanks For Reading.

This inverter provides a "Modified sine wave," not a true sine wave (if you hook this up to an oscilloscope, the waveform will be boxy instead of smooth). This isn't advertised on Amazon's page, nor on other websites. It is in the user manual. Some applications may be very finicky, so do some research on your particular device before you buy.

Also in the manual was that this inverter will automatically shut off if the load is too much. It will source more than 200 watts for 10 seconds for start up applications (e.g. motors). The manual said it will draw

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Jawbone Car Charger

Jawbone Car Charger
  • Compatible with Jawbone PRIME and Jawbone II Bluetooth headset: To charge your headset while you're on the go.
  • Vehicle DC adapter: For charging your headset while driving.
  • USB charging cable: Allows you to charge your headset through your laptop's USB port.
  • Includes: Jawbone Vehicle Power Charger for Jawbone Bluetooth Wireless Headsets. USB charging cable. Owner's manual.
  • The USB Cable included in this package is only compatible with the new Jawbone headset.

Fits and works fine in car. Was a little concerned at first glance I might have trouble getting it back out of my plugin.

USB cable connector it ships with is for older models of Jawbones, not the Icon. Have to use the teeny-tiny USB that came with the actual earpiece. Not that it doesn't work well, but would have appreciated another USB that fits and not have to take from place to place.

Could not find one for the Icon on Jawbone's website, called them and they said this one works. Didn't bother to say it came with a non-compatible USB cord.

UPDATE: After time it fits too loose to stay connected. Is only a 1 amp, so not useful for any other device such as a phone.

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This charger has worked well, I cannot says the same thing for the bluetooth headset which isnt very durable and the battery life is a lot less than an old motorolla I have.

Read Best Reviews of Jawbone Car Charger Here

I'd lost the charger for my Jawbone bluetooth and needed a replacement. So glad I decided to go with the car charger adapter. Great product at a great price.

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This is perfect. Works just like the original. I'm a trucker and need to keep my Jawbone charged. This works great! I bought in conjunction with a Travel Charger cable purchased here on Amazon, they work together great.

This is not a good jawbone. It is staticy and loses charge and reception quickly. Very disappointing. It's a shame.

CTEK Multi US 4.3 Battery Charger

CTEK Multi US 4.3 Battery ChargerI bought this charger to maintain my car's battery and it does a good job of maintaining battery health if you have a healthy battery that is. The charger has a series of LEDs that show what stage of charging/maintenance it's currently in, which makes it easy to track the charge status of the battery. The only downside is that my battery had a bad cell, but the charger didn't detect this. When I came to start the car, it wouldn't turn over. Since the charger only monitors voltage, it can't detect failures of this type. So, I'm deducting one star from my rating it would be great if a failed cell triggered an error condition in the charger.

Best $60 I spent this year, works very well, saved me from buying new batteries for two of my Cars.

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This is the best charger I have ever used to maintain the Battery in my play vehicle (Corvette). Some times this car is not driven for a few months and I have gone through sevral cheap trickle chargers and even a "Battery Tender" but none of them have the technology to properly test and maintain the Optima in my Corvette. I would highly recommend this Item to anyone who wants the best.

Read Best Reviews of CTEK Multi US 4.3 Battery Charger Here

This battery charger worked great. It is much smaller and lighter than my old one and does several additional functions, like testing tht the battery is good before attempting to charge it

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Charger is simple to use, with a very logical display, showing progress of the reconditioning/charging.

I'd recommend it to anyone with a car that does not get driven every day.

ESI 710 500 Amp Carbon Pile Load Tester

ESI 710 500 Amp Carbon Pile Load Tester
  • 500 amperes adjustable load carbon pile, tests batteries rated as high as 1000 CCA or 160 amperes hour
  • Can also test alternators, regulators and starters
  • 500 amp side terminal clamps and heavy duty stranded copper cables
  • Meters are color coded for simple pass or fail diagnostics
  • 15 second test with audible tone

Ease of use is low. It arrived with the knob loose so I simply tightened it with a allen wrench. Serves it's purpose.

I wonder what copper stand cables are??

UPDATE: After a few years, it started making a rattling noise inside. I opened it up, and found 4 loose nuts, one fell off and was the rattler. The cheezy box protects it well, but is falling apart.

After using it several times, I finally memorized the instructions. It always does a very good job of telling me the battery's condition. Hook it up, load to half the cca, 15 seconds to test, fairly simple. Just make sure the load knob is all the way off when attaching and detaching or it will spark like mad.

I tried to change from 3 to 4 stars, but it won't let me.

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For the cheap price, it may be good to do the odd battery load test, but adjustment was finicky and it started sparking inside sometimes.

Read Best Reviews of ESI 710 500 Amp Carbon Pile Load Tester Here

The pro's of this tester are the ability to adjust amperage load. Accurate testing of a wide range of CCA are possible with this tester.

The cons: The tester performs it's functions; however, it seems cheaply built. I haven't had it long, but the "carbon piles" seem very fragile and destined to break. I run a mobile mechanic service, and I was afraid to put it in my truck. I move it around real softly afraid I'm going to break it. The adjustment knob seems really cheaply made also. It doesn't seem to adjust real accurately either. After you stop turning the knob, the needle will continue to rise sometimes.

All in all, it seems to be a very capable tester although cheaply manufactured.

HQRP 12 Watt (6W + 6W) Solar Panel 12W Power 12V Monocrystalline 12 Volt PV Module w/ Solid Aluminiu

HQRP 12 Watt Solar Panel 12W Power 12V Monocrystalline 12 Volt PV Module w/ Solid Aluminium Frame DC Battery Charger RV Marine Yacht Boat 5 Years Limited Power WarrantyThese solar panels work as advertised. Test results in nominally full (Arizona) sunlight are: (panel #1) 17.80V at 0.303A, (panel 2) 17.65V at 0.301A. This is actually a little higher than the panel rating of 17.50V at 0.290A. Mechanically they are well constructed and sealed against moisture. Shipment from Osprey-Talon was very quick (same day) and the packaging was sufficient even though it was shipped in an envelope instead of a box (the panels are individually boxed and well protected).

The free "mouse pad", on the other hand, is pretty much a joke since it is only 6.75" in diameter. But it'll make a good coaster for my coffee cup, so I'm completely satisfied with this purchase.

Cobra Marine VHF Hand-Held Transceiver

Cobra Marine VHF Hand-Held TransceiverOut of the box, I was very pleased with the performance of this radio. It made a couple of trips with me to the coast, never getting wet, just exposed to the salty air. After each trip, I completely wiped the unit down. After about 7 months of fairly light use, the spring-loaded battery terminals corroded and stuck inside the unit. I contacted Cobra customer service and received very poor customer service. They wanted $48 to repair the radio that was supposed to have a 3-year warranty on it (with me paying shipping both ways). Buyer beware, you are taking a chance by buying a product with poor warranty and customer service backing it.

Even better than I expected. Great receptiom and transmitting range and truly waterproof. So much in such a small unit.

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The spring loaded post/terminal in the battery compartment rusted and stayed compressed. This rendered the radio dead even though the battery is fully charged. The only way to fix this was to put some aluminum foil to fill the gap. Customer service gave me the same runaround another person experienced in another review. Warranty not honored at all. Rude customer service. That is just unacceptable for an emergency device. If I had an emergency and was unable to call for help, even though the battery is fully charged, you know there would be a nice lawsuit launched after the rescue. Yes... I rinse the unit with fresh water each time I made a trip at sea... Followed by drying completely.

Read Best Reviews of Cobra Marine VHF Hand-Held Transceiver Here

Easy to program, easy to use. Transmits and receives loud and clear. AC/DC charging capabilities. unbeatable price. winner winner winner!

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the radio works great and in my opinion was a great value it exceeded my expections in all areas except for water proofness. but i also relize that it's not waterproofness that lead me to buy this radio. i've always been satisfied with cobra radios. i'm completely satsified with my purchase!

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Eton Soulra XL Solar Powered for iPod and iPhone - (NSP500B)

Eton Soulra XL Solar Powered for iPod and iPhone -
  • Power: 72 square inch enhanced monocrystal solar panel, rechargeable lithium ion battery pack, charges iPod and iPhone
  • Protect with: Rubberized end caps and anti-glare tinted iPod chamber
  • 8 speaker drivers (2x tweeter, 2x woofer, 4x passive radiator)
  • 22W output with bass boost
  • Remote control storage and removable gel-cushioned carrying strap

I have owned other Eton products, (They manufacture crank radios for emergency, weather and shortwave radios etc..) Even so, when I got this from Amazon I was impressed at how the box that this comes in is is constructed, you can store the radio back into the box when not in use.. neat!

It comes with an AC charger, a carry strap and a remote.

I tried the solar panel right off to see how it charges, I put it out in the sun and the "o" in the "Soulra" lights up red to show that it is charging. After 5 hours I brought it in and it was pretty much fully charged.

**** Yes.. as others has said, the inside of the docking station does get warm-to-hot. It was in the full sun at about 85-90 degrees for about 5 hours so maybe putting it out in the blazing sun WITH the iPod in it and the dock port door closed to charge is not a good idea.

However; the cover for the docking port does open up, If in the sun I would leave that open, to let air get to the Ipod (They have it that you can close it to make it splash resistant. )****

I have used this with both an iPhone 3 and an older Nano iPod. They both worked great with the unit! The remote is pretty basic Power, Volume, tracks, pause etc..

The size is about the size of a pocketbook, (matter of fact they show the strap and a woman carrying it LIKE a pocketbook) and it weighs 7 pounds.

Ok.. what about the sound?? One word AMAZING ! 8 speakers, 20 watts and base boost really work perfect, I TRIED to overload the speakers with bass boost on.. nope didn't distort!

Don't you hate when you get a system that you CAN'T turn all the way up because the amp is too strong (or the speakers too weak) for their own system. But not with this! Crisp clear and loud!

I wanted to wait and try this for a while and they really try it out for a full run before doing the review.

I had this playing all day today (Labor Day) I had it outside in a partly sunny day and turned it off about an our ago, so it was going about 11AM to about 10PM and I never plugged it in so yeah, this can hold a charge and the sun can KEEP it charged!

As a side note, you can also have this charge the iPod or iPhone while it is docked so that doesn't die either! (You can also turn this off)

I really think this is a Extremely nice docking station that really delivers!

(The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that there is no storage area except a holder for the remote. so a carry bag for the radio and AC charge and to protect the panels would of made this 5 stars )

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I bought this for a two week camping trip and overall was very happy with it. The sound is really good, can get loud without distortion and I only had the battery die once in two weeks. There are only two things that I would comment on that were slightly negative. There is an on/off switch on the side labeled "Charge". It's really just an annoyance because you should always turn it off after you turn the power button off or it will drain the battery to charge the ipod. If you turn the "Charge" to off you can not play music. I even called Eton as this sounded like a defect but they told me that it was how it works? Personally I'd rather have a half charged iPod then a dead boom box so what should be a simple push button to turn it off became a three step process (you need to remove a rubber plug to get to the other switch). The other thing was the buttons on the top are covered with rubber, the rubber came off after the first week and I tore it trying to push it back in, not a problem as they are replacing it but I am a bit annoyed that it's looking like I will be out of a boom box for 2 weeks. Seems to me like they should have sent the new one out ASAP instead of making the customer wait so long. Shipping UPS less then 20miles should be like next day so wondering why the wait...

Read Best Reviews of Eton Soulra XL Solar Powered for iPod and iPhone - (NSP500B) Here

I use the Eton sound system with my i-phone. I teach elementary PE and play music inside/outside. The students enjoy the music and it motivates them to work harder. It's solar and I don't need an electrical outlet (it can be plugged in) or batteries (cost saving). This system is compact and the sound is loud and clear. It was recommended by another teacher and it's the best investment I made for my profession and personal use.

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I simply love this speaker! it recharges and plays great!! only problem is this is the second one to break on me. Both only lasted about 3 months. The first one I purchased in December of 2010, this one would recharge but the connecter to the ipod lost connection and would not read. We remedied this by leaving an ipod in and not taking it out for other uses when we replaced our Soulra just in June of 2011!! The second one just stopped recharging!?! Come on! Okay guys get your product marketable to last a few years and you have a best seller!! Thanks

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I bought this to last during my 5 day camping trip on a Vermont island. I have been trying it out at home and so far it is great quality, only problem is, the skip track button hasn't been working with any of my ipods (all 4 nano generations) I will be trying it with a brand new ipod classic. I like it, great product, I would buy it again, although I wonder if skip track is broken?

Motorola Talkabout T280 2-Mile 14-Channel Two-Way Radio (Baltic Purple)

Motorola Talkabout T280 2-Mile 14-Channel Two-Way Radio
  • Up to two-mile range
  • Channel lock, scan, and call alert
  • Enhanced backlight display
  • Advanced voice activation
  • NiMH rechargeable battery pack

I purchased two of these because they had the most features of all the Motorola models. Having NOW read the reviews of some of the competitors I am certain that I would have been just as happy with cheaper models. These are the "cutest" and smallest, but the feature of different sounds to identify different callers is a disappointment. The SENDING radio makes five different noises to identify five different senders, but the noise is made out loud on the sender's radio and the noise is transmitted the same as one's voice would be. I find it annoying and not worth any extra cost over the model 250. The only advantage that I can see of the Motorola 250 and 280 over the competition is the number of channels and sub-channels they make available. This would be a useful feature when there are lots of other radios being used in the area, such as at a crowded theme park but, in the circumstances that I find myself, there are never other radios around and I am not certain that we will be able to communicate with radios with less channels.

My wife and I use the radios when we are caravaning on drives with our car club and they have been very useful. One member missed a turnoff when he didn't see us turn and we were able to re-direct him, otherwise we probably would not have seen him until the end of the day.

Another consideration in making a purchase of a two-way radio is the number and type of accessories, we wound up spending as much on accessories as we did on the radios: arm holsters, earphone/ microphone combination for easier hands free operation when driving a car and rechargeable batteries and chargers.

Buy Motorola Talkabout T280 2-Mile 14-Channel Two-Way Radio (Baltic Purple) Now

I have a set of these 2 way radios and they are excellant. My wife and I use these when we go to the mall,or when we go on a trip with another couple using 2 cars. My dad and I also use these on our 120 acre farm.

When driving in cars reception is good up to a mile.

When using outside around hills reception range seems to be around .7 to a mile.

When using outside in ideal conditions (flat land, a way from power lines) reception seems to be around 1.8 to 2.2 miles.

This unit is small and fits in the palm of your hand. These units uses AA batteries which lasts up to 30 hours.

Read Best Reviews of Motorola Talkabout T280 2-Mile 14-Channel Two-Way Radio (Baltic Purple) Here

I am currently in Bosnia, as part of a peacekeeping mission here in the Balkans. I purchased two Talkabouts to play around with while here, and was so impressed with their performance that my unit has purchased several more. We currently use them in the majority of our missions, as we have found that, with a two mile PLUS range, these radios are ten times more practical than the military-bought bulky radios, which, in average, are not as dependable as the Talkabout. We have enough to carry around with us, and know a convenient product when we see it. A great buy.

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I've been very happy with my older talkabouts for skiing & backpacking. With this newer radio, it works just as well, I'm saving 2 ounces, and it fits better in a parka pocket. The review signed by "Dissapointed" which says that the radios are buzzy at short range fails to note that these radios aren't supposed to be used at close range (the manual does note that there is excessive interference within 5 feet, but I've found that there's extra noise within up to 50 feet), so for fun-with-kidz type uses, a cheap Radio Shack radio might well be a better choice. This Talkabout is the best choice for outdoor rec uses though. The only problem is that too many people are using them at ski areas now, so sometimes we've had to switch channels/codes.

I bought a pair of motorola FR50's recently and the range is great. These work just as great as a pair of Talkabout's can, but they were much cheaper. They are very small, lightweight, and have just as many channels. The only difference between the FR50's and the Talkabout's are minor extras like VOX and scan feature. Most people don't need those. Do yourself a favor and save yourself some money.

Black & Decker VEC010BD Start It 300 Amp Jump Starter

Black & Decker VEC010BD Start It 300 Amp Jump Starter
  • 300 instant amps for jump starting your vehicle in emergencies
  • Power safety switch and reverse hook-up warning system for added safety
  • LED battery status indicators
  • This item is not for sale in Catalina Island

This is a nice unit for starting cars, as noted below. But it may be too small for some other 12-volt applications. The lighter-socket outlet will shut off if you exceed 5 amps of continuous draw. At 12 volts, that would be 60 watts, and as luck would have it, my laptop PC requires 90 watts (7.5 amps) when plugged directly into a 12 volt source.

Also, in terms of total amp/hours, it would not be able to power something like a CPAP machine for a full night's use, which some people might like to do on a camping trip or the like. The description touts the unit's non-automotive power uses, but they are really somewhat modest. Charging a cell phone is not much of a challenge!

It works fine for starting cars, though. This appears to be identical to the Vector VEC010S, which is the unit I have. ("BD" at the end of this product ID is obviously just for Black and Decker's labeling on the front).

My car battery went dead in mid-winter, and I thought it was shot. A neighbor had this same unit, and in the spring I borrowed it twice to start the car, which went fine, even though his unit wasn't even fully charged when I borrowed it.

Finally I bought my own, charged it overnight as per the instructions, three hours past the blinking green. When I went to jump the car, for some reason it would not start right up as it had the other times. On the first attempt, the car turned over and over, but wouldn't kick in, and the effort drew down the jump starter's cranking power to zilch. Everything stopped.

The car had not cranked long enough to become flooded, so that was not the problem. I suspected that I might not have set the clamps correctly to get a "clean" grip, and that this reduced the power available for cranking.

The instructions tell you to wait a little after long cranking, so I did. I also reset the clamps (which are perfectly strong and fine, by the way!)After a few minutes, the unit had regained some of its cranking power, and it got the car going easily.

Back inside, I plugged the starter back in to charge up, and it took several hours to get back to full (blinking green light). Apparently, getting the car going had used quite a bit of juice.

The next time I needed to jump the car, it was instantaneous, and I performed multiple jumps without needing a new charge. So, unless there is something unusual about the first usage, I suspect that my placement of the clamps was to blame. The well-written instructions are clear about the need for a good connection, after all.

If you do want it mostly for jump starts, and do not expect to need it as an "emergency power" source for long hours, or to run any kind of serious appliance, it is a fine choice.

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Unit appears to be solidly constructed. Maybe I lucked out and got an upgraded version, but there have been a couple of reviewers that said the the plastic clamps snapped. The unit I have (manufactured 11/06) has ALL METAL clamps, very much nicer than many regular standard jumper cables.

This unit will hold a charge but needs to be maintained (recharged) at least every 60 days or so.

NEVER charge via the cigarette lighter adapter in your vehicle longer than 3-4 hours. It may be left on AC charge indefinately. It is better to keep it fully charged, discharging this unit will result in shorted cells.

All in all, a very small price to pay for peace of mind, at home and on the road. With a power inverter (less than $20.00) you can have silent power source for lights, cell phones, small tv's, laptops, flourescent lights, etc.

Read Best Reviews of Black & Decker VEC010BD Start It 300 Amp Jump Starter Here

Several people here have mentioned that the clips are made of cheap plastic. I'm happy to report that mine received march 2 2007 has all-metal clips that seem to be quite sturdy! They have definately updated the design.

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I have a Honda, which I love, but since I do not drive her on a daily basis now, the battery is tempermental. I bought this product and have had to use it several times. I've found it easy to use and, even when the car battery has been completely dead, this jumpstarter has had more than enough power to get her started. I comparison shopped and the price of this Black & Decker was the best bargain, too. Recommend it highly.

T. Dorau -when properly stored, what you complain about will never happen. A battery should -neverbe stored in sub-zero or near-freezing temperatures. Don't leave it in the garage!

This unit offers "quick" recharging (4 to 5 hours) from a 12V source or gradual recharging (12 to 24 hours) from an AC source.

The AC source may be left connected indefinitely (true "float" charging) which is a plus for a standby power source. The inclusion of the LED light source is very thoughtful on the part of the designer(s).

In addition to jump starting a car, this is a good choice for small household items (TV, Radio, Weather Alert Radio) or emergency communications equipment (CB, Ham Radio).

This product also appears in some stores under the "Husky" and "Vector" brand-names.

Peak PKC0AO 300 Amp Jump Starter

Peak PKC0AO 300 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 item is not for sale in Catalina Island

This charger works exactly as designed. It's an incredibly compact unit, and it has built-in cables which can be wrapped right onto the chassis, which saves an incredible amount of space and makes it very easy to carry/move/store.

I had a riding lawnmower that was draining batteries and constandly needed to be jumped off of my truck battery, which was incredibly cumbersome. Carrying this starter out to the lawnmower, jumping it, and then mowing the lawn was 100 times easier than backing out my truck, popping the hood, untangling the cables, pulling the mower out in front of the truck, and then jump-starting it. I've since repaired the lawnmower, but am keeping this handy little charger around for my wife's car, just in case she needs it. It barely takews up any room at all, and it holds quite a charge. I've jump-started my riding lawnmower twice and the battery indicator didn't even drop (I would imagine a car would take a much higher charge and therefore drain the battery more), but it still shows how much this charger is capable of holding.

If you're looking for a portable jump-starter, this is the one for you.

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My Mazda3 would not start, battery cells dried out or just getting old.

Had to call AAA twice and at the same time ordered this unit.

Sure enough, battery weak again, car would not start, a fully charged up Peak to the rescue, INSTANT success.

Drove the car on the highway for a while and it now seems OK.

With the Peak in the back, no longer a need to worry about getting stuck or calling AAA.

Its best features:

low cost

small size

recharges in home via AC or in car via DC, all cables included.

Two things to pay attention to:

When charging (and this is true of any such unit) make SURE ground is NOT touching painted surface, it MUST make contact with raw metal.

If ground is touching a painted surface, the units contact indicator can give a false reading of contact.

Use the battery terminal ground at your own risk, if you do so for whatever reason, be sure there is NO fluid or fumes coming from battery.

The built-in indicator showing the units strength must be used when unit is ACTUALLY charging, otherwise false reading may occur.

Highly recommended!

Read Best Reviews of Peak PKC0AO 300 Amp Jump Starter Here

I have an remote starter on my car and after work I figured I'll start my car as I walk to it. The car didn't start but the headlights were on. I went inside the car and tried to start it with the key and nada. No noise or anything. My automatic starter must've glitched. I kept trying to turn the key to start my car in hopes by magic it'll turn over. NO luck. I stopped to think for a second and then figured I'll put the car in valet mode (it's for the auto starter) to see if I could bypass the remote starter. I did and nothing. My last option was to see if i killed the battery by trying to start it so many times. I took this out of my trunk that hasn't been charged in 4 months and connected the red to the red battery terminal and the black to a nut some where on the engine. The green light turned on telling me I had a correct circuit. I then turned the knob to power on the jumper. I ran to the driver's seat and tried to start it. A sign of life! It's trying to turn over. I counted to 4 and then tried it a second time and it turned right on. The scream i let out could have been heard in China (where it was most likely made). I can't tell you how awesome this unit is. I used it several times for my DC accessories and it last a very long time. This product has yet to disappoint me. 5 STARS! Thanks for reading.

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I suggest anyone owning or considering buying this product read the post by Robert on 11/28/2010, esp. this part:

"The built-in indicator showing the units strength must be used when unit is ACTUALLY charging, otherwise false reading may occur."

I can confirm that to be true. The indicator may show the unit at full strength when it is actually 50% discharged. It appears that you only get a true indication when it is charging that is not made clear in the manual.

I tested the amperage on the AC charger and got a reading of about 150 ma. At that rate it would take about 27 hours to re-charge the unit's 8 ah battery if it were 50% discharged. So if you use this as a 12 volt power source, you may need to charge it a while to get it fully recharged.

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My car battery was discharged due to the frigid East coast weather and a week of no movement.

After this jump starter was completely charged I followed the instructions and the car started flawlessly.

Faster and safer than the traditional car to car jump start, gotta have one.

JR Products JFE12-A Polar White Key Lock Gravity Water Hatch

JR Products JFE12-A Polar White Key Lock Gravity Water Hatch
  • Cut out dimension: 4-3/4-inch high x 5-7/8-inch wide
  • Outside dimension: 6-1/2-inch high x 7-5/8-inch wide
  • Key lock

I replaced the original which had been poorly installed by the factory. Factory had cut the hole too large. This one was just enough larger to work fine. Only had to enlarge cutout a little.

The only disappointment was it came with only 1 key.