- After market replacement car adapter
- save money on batteries
- 100% compatible to orginal manufacturer equipment
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Dc Car Power Adapter for Axion Lmd3428r Axn 6050 Axn 6072 Axn 6070a Axn 6075 Axn 6079 Axn 6090a Axn
12 Volt 7 ah Rechargeable Battery with F1 (.187") Terminals
I have an older Minuteman Pro 520 UPS which is insufficient to run a big computer tower with multiple hard drives but which is perfect for keeping the cable modem, VoIP line, and wifi router alive for an extended period during a power outage. That way, if you're doing something important when the power fails, you can keep working for a little while before shutting everything down. This is particularly important if you have a wireless backup hard drive. The last thing you want is to lose power in the midst of a hard drive backing up, so a smaller UPS on that equipment is a great investment.These batteries last anywhere from 5-7 years in my experience. The battery here is precisely as described; my rating is based upon my last purchase of the same model, which was almost 8 years ago. The UPS red light went on indicating that the battery was no longer up to spec and I bought the new one. The price point here makes it a no-brainer to replace the battery rather than the entire UPS. One screw to remove the access panel and the battery terminals are designed to allow the wires to be slipped off easily. Just make sure you don't reverse the polarity straightforward with the colorcodes on the terminals.
Buy 12 Volt 7 ah Rechargeable Battery with F1 (.187") Terminals Now
The battery received is not the same model as shown in the photos it is a UB1272 universal battery so is has a slightly higher 7.2 Ah rating (larger capacity) than the unit shown on the web site page. I have attached a photo of the unit supplied. It is installed as a replacement for a power failure backup system for a home alarm system.The battery as delivered was packaged very poorly. It was in a USPS bubble envelope, wrapped twice and taped with clear packing tape. I am shocked it arrived not leaking or broken but it arrived quickly and it appeared to work and was not damaged. One of the terminal protection covers (+) was loose in the package and smashed from the shipping handling. Its voltage level was 12.79 VDC and after only an hour of charging it was at 13.26 VDC.
This product is fairly priced and the vendor I received it from is eComElectronics. Aside from the packaging, which seems to be a common comment from the reviewers, the battery is installed and if anything changes I will update my review. Based on the price and delivery time this is a good buy.
Please look at my photos for the model and packaging.
Read Best Reviews of 12 Volt 7 ah Rechargeable Battery with F1 (.187") Terminals Here
Real good item !Works fine on my kids car With no problem ,
And has one of The best price on the market !
I will recomend it ,
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The 12 Volt 7 ah Rechargeable Battery with F1 (.187") Terminals sells for $65 via ADT, but i no longer need to worry about replacement because from the recommendation of a friend I keep this battery maintained with a NOCO Genius G750 6V/12V 750mA Fully Automatic Battery Charger and Maintainer (Grey)
Cobra PR 3000VP 6-Mile 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (Pair)
- UHF/FM X2 Power Technology
- Switchable power output/up to 6 mile range
- Vox/VibrAlert
- 22 Channels/38 Privacy codes
- Earbud Microphone
Rally 7471 Portable 8 in 1 Power Source and Jumpstart Unit with Hand Generator
Just received the Rally 7471 in the mail today, it is charging as we speak. First impressions of this is a great American product. I can't believe no one else has already thought of this. The packaging was great, the instructions are very clearly written and easy to understand. I purchased this to be able to use while camping / documentary out in nature. The pros for me with this product is the portability (light weight), power inverter for charging laptops and camera gear, and the ability to hand charge the whole unit when not near outlets or vehicle.The manual says that after pulling the charging handle for approx. 3 mins there will be enough power to jump start a vehicle battery, and that powering a laptop will last around an hour and a half. I am going to take it through it's paces and update this review.
Thanks alot Rally!
***UPDATE***
actually got around to testing the unit out downgraded my initial 5 stars to 3 stars, and here's why. After fully charging I plugged in my laptop and watched a movie. The laptop draws at max 60 watts, the battery lasted about an hour and a half (what the manual says). The recharge from the wall outlet takes about 26 hours (has red, amber and green color changing LED for battery status). After draining I used the pull handle, pulls like a normal gasoline lawnmower engine. The manuals says that after pulling for 3 mins there will be enough power to jump start your car battery. I don't know about that, but it ran my laptop for another 5 mins.
Pretty weak battery performance, but overall good little product, light weight and has all the accessories.
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Decided to pick this up based on the positive reviews (which I suspect could be from company employees, perhaps). I charged the unit for 48 hours continuously. Then, I plugged in my laptop and used it as normal. This draws between just 40-50 watts using my watt meter. At the 45 minute mark, the unit was dead. The packaging estimated 1hr and 6 minutes of run time with a 90 watt draw, which is twice the wattage that I consumed. So, I figured that I'll just go ahead and see how much juice I get out of pull starting it for 3 minutes, and do another run test.Well, on the second pull, the pull cord became fully extended and will not return back to it's retracted position. I couldn't help but notice on the bottom where it says MADE IN CHINA. Well, that explains that. Hopefully I can return this piece of junk for a refund.I just received this unit today. It is charging as I type. I like the hand generator feature and that's the main reason I bought this Unit. I don't expect too much from this power pack since it's only 140 watt inverter. I have a 600 watt inverter power pack from MotoMaster Eiminator. It works good but no hand generator. Will update this review if there's any problem or something worth mentioning.
EDIT: The Rally powered my 7" portable TV for 5 1/2 hours.
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I want to second what others have said. The unit looks great, but it doesn't hold much of a charge. It might be fine for jumps and pumps, but as an AC power source, it's very poor. I charged the unit fully (24 hours) and ran a laptop off it that pulls about 60 watts. As others have reported, I was able to run the laptop for about an hour before the Rally ran out of juice.If you want it only for an emergency jump/pump or two, I'm sure it's fine. Also for *briefly* powering an AC device that has no batteries.
As a backup for a laptop (or any device that has batteries) it's terrible: you'll get far more juice out of a spare battery for a tiny fraction of the weight.
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Sunforce 50048 60W Solar Charging Kit
I purchased two of these kits (8 panels) and mounted them on the top of my RV. I have had them on the top of my RV now for approximately 8 months.When I received the units, I tested each of them for the open voltage measurement noted in the instructions with a digital meter and found each to be producing 21 volts unloaded. Encouraged that the panels were working properly, I went ahead and took the time and expense to mount them to the top of my RV.
After 8 months, here's what I found:
First of all, the 15 watt, 1 amp peak output rating that Sunforce advertises is not correct. The peak output rating for each of these panels should have been advertised at approximately 750 milliamps per panel. The total peak output that one could typically expect from the 4 panels in this kit would be around 3 amps. 3 amps under perfect conditions.
I have noticed that the boards are extremely prone to large drops (upwards of 45%) in current output when they begin to heat up. In other words, the boards are VERY intolerant to high temperatures. But even under perfect conditions, the 8 panels that I have mounted on my RV only produced 6 amps, and I am in Hawaii.
Another problem: The boards shut down in lower light situations. In other words, early morning and later afternoon lighting, significant cloud cover, or other low light situation will be cause for either a total shut down of output, or the boards will be very poor performers in the low milliamps for 8 panels in parallel.
Within a very short period of time (about 4 months) the output from the panels gradually decreased by nearly 50%. And right now I am getting about 40% of the advertised peak output in perfect conditions.
The plastic construction is very cheap, in my opinion, and I am now worried that the plastic may break away around the screws that hold down the panels and fly off the vehicle. Needless to say, I am removing the panels.
I'm out some money, a lot of time and effort, but I've learned a lot about solar panel technology over the past 8 months.
For just a few bucks more, I will purchase a decent monocrystilline, 36 cell panel that will far and away outproduce the 8 panels that I have on my RV now, and take up far less space and be much safer on top of the vehicle.
Don't waste your time or money on this kind of solar panel technology. You will be very sorry.
Meanwhile Amazon got their hands on some obsolete & discontinued Sharp panels (12.5% efficiency vs the new 13.1% efficiency) if you are serious about needing lots of solar power in a small space, this is a big kit you can view it here: Sunforce 39126 246-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit
My only concern about the kit is that due to the new panels being higher efficiency means it will be difficult to match panels if you find you still need more power later on. The other con on that system is it's price -$1300+ but you get the wattage, along with a cheap charge controller and inverter, both of which could be upgraded for better system performance. It's just another solar system to consider in the $5/watt or less pricepoint for DIYers.
Update 9-18-2008 Still going strong. I am very pleased with the summer power output of these panels. I wash them with a hose 1x/mo to keep the output current up. Measured before washing and after washing the panel efficiency is clearly a factor of how much dirt is on them. No problems long term on a roof though!
Update 2-20-2008 goes with graph "photograph" #3 above pink line is power and blue line is amps from the panel x 10 to share the graph. The X axis is panel voltage. Data was acquired using an Agilent dummy load with programmable voltage in 1V steps from 1V to 22V (open circuit voltage on the panel) on a partially cloudy day in winter sun. Expectations are for 2-3 times performace in summer sun provided the panels don't get too hot. These are on my house roof laying flat on a 3/12 pitch facing due south which is suboptimal but easy for me to do. Be sure to read the photo notes. Sorry about the colors excel defaulted to!
This is a MPPT chart (maximum power point tracking) you can see that the panels are optimized for charging a 12V wet cell right out of the box. Charge current turns on when battery voltage drops down to 13.0 VDC and turns off at 14.2 VDC with the supplied charge controller in the kit.
The only other interesting fact in 2 months is to keep your panels clean. My maximum current was 5.0 A on a cold morning with bright sun until it rained hard and washed the panels clean. The current went up to 7.0 A maximum right after the rainstorm. Below is the original review these panels have been running constant for 2 months now into 3 parallel deep cycle marine cells (315 AH) connected to the prosine inverter below to drain the energy made.
When reading the power/current chart you should keep in mind the amps have been multiplied by 10 so they use the same Y axis (so 20A on the chart corresponds to 2.0 A panel current) Watts are actual volts*amps. This was taken in the winter with partial clouds expectations are for a X3 improvement during summertime but its still february and I'm in the northern hemisphere so we'll have to wait and see. Basically an MPPT charger won't gain but a few watts with this panel so it's not a good investment unless you already have one laying around.
(Begin original review after buying panels)
I never seem to be overwhelmed by the latest shipment of product from China, but this one seems to show some promise and shows signs of good cost engineering and a complete design that can be set up quickly by one person with very little effort. I'd give it 5 stars if it were well packed, but my purchase turned into a shipping fiasco.
Most ALL solar installations are rated in $/watt much like new homes are rated in $/sq ft. We'll get to the sq ft bit later. Here you are getting 60W for 320 dollars or about 5.33 $/watt. Compared to a similar wattage panel, the BP solar 365U rated at 65W and priced (street) at 399 or 6.13 $/watt the amazon package seems to be a good deal when you consider it comes complete less battery (we'll hit that one later too)
In fact, the amazon package deal includes a xantrex 175 watt inverter with a .15A "idle" current designed for solar systems where current consumption must be minimized. It even includes a simple diode/switch "charge regulator" with 2 leds to indicate panel voltage and battery is full but lacks the ability to tell it what type of battery you are using (full is defined at 14.2 volts give or take so it's for wet/flooded cells). Neither of these are big buck items, but they do set you up for a complete small scale solar kit minus the battery out of the box, which is impressive.
Oh yes, the battery. I also ordered the duracell 480W inverter+28AH battery with this panel so I'd have a battery. Also made by Xantrex, it's a nice piece to complete the system. I made the mistake of ordering it with the solar panels (read on)
So how does China produce a complete kit for a lower $/watt price than professional solar companies like BP solar, GE, Kyocera, etc? Well it's the sq ft part we forgot about for a while. This uses 4 panels @ 15W each to get up to 60 watts with a simple parallel adapter included in the kit. The BP solar is one panel about the size of 1 of these 15W panels, or put another way, is 1/4 the sq footage. So if you are planning on covering your roof with these, think again because you'd need a really big house and have lots of 7A charge diodes and 175W inverters kicking around when you are done. The reason for the 4:1 size difference is the China panels are made using a silicon deposition on glass technique with a very thin film and correspondingly thin output, while other manufacturers use a silicon wafer production method that is roughly 4x more efficient in area, and somewhat more expensive as a result.
Ok now onto packaging. We need to get this from China to Amazon and finally to the consumer. On the first attempt FEDX carefully placed my fragile glass solar panels on the concrete then put 2ea 60lb batteries on top of them, cracking the glass on all 4 panels. After returning that to amazon, we tried again, this time without the batteries and shipping the system by itself. FEDX again noted shipment damage which wrecked 1 of the 4 panels, but running on 3/4 panels it does work, just not with full output. Amazon has given up because they will only ship and ruin something twice instead of making fedx pay up for piling 120 lbs of batteries on top of the glass panels and poking through the box & styrofoam the second time so I am still in negotiation with them about the shipment, however the product does deserve mention while I have it.
PERFORMANCE:
The design is actually quite well done. You can make (with 4 panels) a 12V (actually 15V) x 4A system, or a 30V x 2A or a 60V x 1A configuration depending on your power inverter and battery collection. For me, this will always be tied into a 12VDC bus so it is fine as shipped, but the flexibility is there if you have other voltages in use. There is no skimping on wire with 16 foot cords on each panel which helps to minimize power lost in the wire since each panel has its own cordset going to the combiner, after which runs are kept short. On a cloudy day I was able to get 2 amps from 3 panels (30 W) in full sun it peaked at 5.91A with 3 panels, so the Chinese manufacturing has under-rated their output as 90W from a 1/4 dead 60W panel in winter sun is doing very good I'd like to know how it performs in the summer!
As for mounting, a very clever system was designed to support the panels out of 1" PVC tubing with elbows and T's all of this is assembled with a singular bolt/wingnut style and the pipes have slots milled into them to ensure that the panels will line up one way or another without breaking after you get them. It has a prop-up leg system for use on the ground or can lay flat if placed on a roof that is already angled towards the sun. There isn't a provision for connecting multiple systems together, however you could make one out of sprinkler pipes you probably have.
All this really needs to be a well designed solar kit is 1) better packaging and 2) a battery. Even with 25% of my panels broken and removed from the system, it still managed to charge a car battery in under 1 cloudy winter day.
I'm impressed with the product, however disappointed with the shipper. I've also run up against Amazon's policy of two strikes and they are out meaning they won't negotiate for repair or replacement as the shipper on my behalf. I can return it alltogether or pay 100% for 75% of a system so it's probably going back tomorrow (monday) but my testing this weekend has shown that the product warrants consideration for people who
A) Need to keep their starting batteries charged year round (2nd cars, generators, etc) outside where AC power is not convenient.
B) People lacking A/C power somewhere and would like to run a small refrigerator (purchase a Xantrex Technologies Prosine 1,000 to 1,500-Watt Power Inverter #1000 TRUE SINEWAVE power inverter to run any motor load without damage) for 12V refrigeration needs its best to AVOID both inverters and peltier effect coolers ($40-80) and spend the money ($427 ouch) to get one of the Danfoss 12VDC real compressor refrigerators. The peltier coolers are just that coolers in a car they can keep something from your fridge cool, but the power draw of 8A x 12V (96 watts!) running continuously just to cool a 6 pack is insane. The danfoss iceless iceboxes can MAKE ICE if their compressor runs 80% duty cycle at 3A or about 24 watts. If you just want to keep 3 ea. 12 packs ice-cold and have a 2nd cool box inside for stuff you don't want to freeze they run 20-25% duty cycle on the 3 Amp compressor depending on temperature difference. Because I am on the road alot I keep one of these iceboxes with me attached to its own 80AH battery which will run it 3 days w/o charge. The same battery would run a peltier cooler less than 8 hours till dead. The battery is isolated from my engine but charges when I drive.
C) Or people who have *lots* of roof space and are looking at the lowest cost/watt installation complete with mounting hardware.
Don't forget the battery and don't have it delivered with your solar panels. As for emergency power, 60 watts won't do much for you but keep your generator battery charged and ready to go when the power fails. My natural gas genset is rated for 12,000 watts or 200 of these 60 watt 4-panel kits (800 panels) which would cost $64,000 and still not provide power at night, like the quiet genset does. With 12,000 watts I can comfortably run my whole house. Considering these natural gas gensets can be had for under $3000 they are clearly a great solution for whole house power backup systems so long as the gas stays on (most do propane or natural gas). I still like my friend's earthquake backup solution his house is heated by diesel and also has a diesel genset + diesel vehicle, so he is quite well prepared.
My use was to keep my seldom used 12VDC batteries all charged in the back yard. I kept the solar system for long term statistics and measurement and now have 2 of these in parallel. I bought a grid powered battery tender CTEK CTK7002 MULTI US 7002 Battery Charger to best charge my genset starting battery.
One last reliability issue having seen 5 broken panels now I can see an advantage to the professional panel systems these use the glass just as a cover & weatherproofing plate. The cells underneath are not damaged if the glass breaks provided the break is superficial. On the amazon system, the cells are deposited on the back of the glass, so if it breaks, by default so does the entire cell. A hailstorm could easily wipe out your backup power if using these monolithic inexpensive panels.
Buy Sunforce 50048 60W Solar Charging Kit Now
The panels are installed on my garage roof, wired in to a battery bank and inverter which primarily functions as a very large (4KW) uninterruptible power supply for the house. So far, everything is working fine. They keep the batteries topped off without using power from the grid.Like most manufacturer's specs, the 60 watt claim is hard to realize. The panels' current output is about 3.2 amps under bright sun, which yields only about 45 watts into a 12 volt gel cell battery at 14.2 volts. The panels can output about 20 volts which would indeed yield 60 watts, but not while connected with the included charge controller. A MPPT controller would achieve 60 watts, however.
The included controller is acceptable in that it works as advertised. One good thing about it is that it does not shunt the panels when the battery is charged, it actually opens the circuit, which means the excess panel output would be available for other uses. I intend to build another device for charging another set of batteries after the primary set is charged.
The included inverter works, but I did not use it in the system. Instead, I'll just keep it around for a portable inverter.
Also, I did not use the PVC pipe stand included with the system, instead mounting the panels directly to the roof.
The kit did include a variety of connectors allowing use with cigarette lighter plugs and jacks, alligator clips, and hardwire, but the charge controller is only usable if hardwired. I strongly recommend the charge controller be used, as the panels can easily overcharge most any 12 volt battery if a charge controller is not wired in.
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We bought this a few months ago. We live in Phoenix, AZ ("Valley of the Sun"), so this has plenty of opportunity to work. We have it plugged into 2 marine batteries (like car batteries, but bigger), and we have an inverter connected to those. The inverter is in the house, and the batteries are outside. The wire goes through the wall. We plug things into the inverter.This was easy to put together. You have to buy the batteries, but this came with everything else.
I can run my laptop all day, as well as recharge the cell phones and Wii remotes. My husband can also run his laptop. If we only get on the laptops after work, we can run them well into the night. I've had to switch to grid power a couple of times if I've used my laptop all day, but I've never had to switch over if I've only used it during the evening. (This doesn't count the few rainy days we've had. Yes, once in a while it rains in Phoenix.)
This is not the most efficient solar panel set, but it's very good for starting out and learning about solar power. It's inexpensive enough to set up and charge all your rechargeable stuff whenever you need it, as long as you live in a fairly sunny area.
Oh, as an experiment, I plugged the vacuum cleaner into the inverter, which promptly started screaming for help. (The inverter has an alarm, apparently.) This whole set-up CANNOT handle this kind of power draw. You have to unplug everything and turn the inverter off and let it just sit a while and reset before plugging in your lower power things again.
You're not going off the grid with this set-up, but you'll save yourself a few bucks a month. And you get to be smug whenever anyone talks about going green. "Well of course, our solar array has lowered our carbon footprint considerabley. Shall we go for an organic smoothie now?"
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I am pourya, a PhD in power electronics and I design renewable energy systems.You might not know how much 60W panel is.
A normal car battery is 100Ah which means for 100 hours it can provide 1 A. The voltage is 12V so it can provide 12*100=1200Wh of energy.
This panel is 60 W. reaching the nominal values for renewable sources are very rare. So we call this a 50W panel. After 1 hour it delivers 50Wh energy.
Now to charge our battery you need 1200/50=24hours of charging. Each day will give you 8 hours of good energy in texas. So you need 3 days to charge 1 car battery. ( but since you never fully discharge your battery, it might be 2 days ).
Now you should consider the rate of your consumption. If you want to use the battery simultaneously, it becomes very important that you consumption rate is below 60W which is basically a lamp in a car. So you are just discharging your battery and the panel is reducing the rate.
I don't have this unit. But I know the price is high. With 200-250$ you can get 200W panel not a 60W one.
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Whistler Pro-3000W 3,000 Watt Power Inverter
I have purchased many inverters for my service truck, RV, boat, and emergency home backup, and this is what I have learned...Buying a large inverter is confusing. Most people want their inverter to run the "continuous" loads that they have, plus have enough surge power to start air conditioners, microwaves, sump pumps, etc. Seems simple enough, but when they purchase an inverter, usually it can't handle the startup surge they were hoping. Herein is the problem: most people don't understand "Surge Duration".
Most inverters can put out more than their rated "continuous" output for surge. But the question is: How long can the inverter provide that surge? The vast majority of consumer inverters can only provide surge for 2 seconds with most less than 1 second! This is totally inadequate for hard starting appliances. I have measured the surge on my 2 hp air compressor, and it lasted about 5 seconds before it settled out to its "continuous" wattage. My 1000 watt microwave settles down at about the 3 second mark.
So what to do? Always look for an inverter with a long surge duration. The bigger inverter companies sell them, but they are usually labeled "Industrial" or "Commercial", and are much more expensive.
Which brings me to the Whistler Pro Inverters. Whistler Pro's have something they call "Smart Surge Control" that provides the surge wattage for close to 10 seconds. That is the longest I have found of any low priced consumer based inverter. I gave several a shot, and they work as advertised! They have more than enough surge duration to start my hard starting appliances like A/C, microwave, air compressor, large power tools, sump pump, etc. My 3000 watt Whistler (5000 watt surge) can start my hard starting RV air conditioner with no problem while also running my microwave!
...So add up your continuous wattage needs. Then find the wattage of your most surge hungry appliance (here is a great chart w w w.g e n e r a t o r s a l e s.c o m/w a t t a g e-c a l c u l a t o r.a s p ) and size your inverter based on those calculations.
Example:
Rated running watts ("continuous") of my lights + fridge + sump pump = 1440 running watts
Largest Surge wattage appliance is my big sump pump = 2700 surge watts
Pick the inverter that is above both ratings, in this case I would get a Whistler Pro 1600. It is rated at 1600 watts running continuous, 3200 surge.
Remember: inverters require VERY HIGH current, so the 12v cables have to be VERY large to work correctly. For larger inverters (1500 watt+) the cables need to be LARGER than the cables you see on your car battery. Large cables are expensive, stiff and heavy, but are a MUST! Your inverter will NOT run correctly without them! Follow the cable sizing guides, and don't skimp or you will be disappointed with your inverter's performance! I cannot stress this enough. Also, keep the 12v connectors clean and tight for reliable power.
Lastly, let's talk about your batteries:
Home backup, off grid or RV (large) inverter use requires more than one deep cycle battery, usually many more. Check with an inverter pro to size your battery bank correctly BEFORE you purchase your inverter.
For those of you that are running an inverter in an idling single battery vehicle, the vehicle alternator makes your battery look bigger than it is. In my truck I have a 165 amp alternator with a 1600 watt continuous inverter. It works terrific with the engine idling. I just don't use the inverter with the engine off. The continuous large current draw on an ordinary car battery will shorten its life considerably if the engine is not running. I could install a battery isolator with a second battery, but if I leave the truck idling, that isn't necessary. Remember, BIG cables, TIGHT clean connectors!
I hope this helps you with your inverter buying quest... Good shopping ;-)
Added on Jan 2 2013...
Just to clear up some confusion about using an inverter in a running vehicle:
If you draw more amps than the alternator can produce at idle, you will drain your battery. Once the battery voltage drops below about 10.5 volts, the inverter will shut itself down. Most alternators produce about 30%-40% of their output at idle. High output replacement alternators are readily available. Just Google "high output alternator". Be sure to increase the size of the alternator hot wire if necessary to support the higher amps of the replacement alternator...
BACKGROUND STORY:
Living in the NJ/NY area, we don't see a lot of hurricanes or even tropical storms. Once in a while, Mother Nature decides to give us a taste of what one can do. Originally being from MA and also living several years in eastern NC, I've seen what damage they can do. I knew some type of backup power may be necessary. Without operation sump pumps in my basement, it would certainly flood. As Hurricane Irene came bearing down on NY/NJ expecting to arrive on Saturday night, early Thursday I frantically looked for a generator. Home Depot, Lowes, Sears were already sold out across the northeastern seaboard. As you can imagine, they don't stock a lot here. Then I had an idea. A POWER INVERTER! I quickly logged on to Amazon and looked for a 3000W that could handle my two sump pumps. I paid the extra shipping fee to guarantee arrival by Saturday morning. Sure enough it arrived when promised. THANKS, AMAZON!
Well, needless to say Irene hit my area with a massive amount of rain. Eventually our local substation flooded and I had no power. The sump pump wells started to fill quickly. Thanks to my power inverter, I was able to react! I hooked it up and got those pumps running saving my basement. I saved my neighbors basement too!
So what does this inverter do? Basically it inverts power from DC (i.e. a car battery, marine battery or deep cycle battery) to AC (110V) which your appliances need to run. In the case of the car battery hook up, your car acts as a generator (recharging batter via alternator when your car is running).
THE SET UP
I knew very little about this type of equipment, but it was surprisingly easy to set-up. I followed the instructions as listed in the manual. I have replaced car batteries in the past, so maybe that's why this seemed fairly straightforward to me. If you're not familiar with car batteries, you may want someone to assist you. Be safe!
MAKE SURE YOU PURCHASE WIRES! I am referring to the cables/wires that lead from the inverter to your car battery. I didn't purchase them when I bought the inverter. I had to go to the local auto parts store and beg them to build me two about an hour before the storm arrived. This included purchasing the wire and having the proper ends added and crimped which requires a special tool. See manual for gauge required. It depends on the length of wire you need.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE GROUND WIRE (see manual for specs)
THE USE
Once hooked up to your car battery, follow the proper procedure for start-up. Then you just need to plug in your appliances into the 3 outlets provided.
Insure all connections are good!
Turn on inverter and your appliances should be powered!
Fairly simple, right?
TIPS
Purchase Whistler power cables when you purchase the inverter. If you don't, then bring the inverter and manual to a local auto parts or auto electrician to build the wires for you.
If using your car battery, one obviously doesn't want your car running in an attached garage/area without proper airflow AND ventilation. I unfortunately (?) have a detached garage which was a blessing in this case. I had my car half way in with it's tail end sticking out. Kept everything dry and no worries about asphyxiation.
You don't need the car running all the time. However, depending on the appliances you're using and how much you're using them will determine the amount of drain you'll be pulling on your car's battery. If the voltage from your car battery gets too low, the inverter will shut down and an alarm will sound. Nothing will be getting powered once this happens. You'll need to turn off the inverter, start your car engine and turn inverter back on.
Keep an eye on the voltage usage and wattage usage frequently. The alarm is not that loud, so if your neighbor is running a generator you may not hear it.
If running several appliances at once, you may need to some "power management". I was switching in and out pumps in order to avoid any overload (I was also helping a neighbor drain his basement).
Do some homework on the appliances that you're planning to run. Make sure you understand the wattage each needs to run. Remember, certain appliances like sump pumps and refrigerators need a lot more wattage to start-up than run continuously. For example, when my sump pump would start up it would pull close to 2000 Watts. Once it was running, it was only use 700 watts. So imagine your refrigerator and 2 sump pumps happen to start at the same time. You'll probably set off the auto shutdown. So just be aware of those situations.
When turning your inverter on after a shutdown, unplug all cords. Then plug one in, wait a bit, then plug in another...etc. Again, you don't want all appliances starting at same time (even though the 3000W has something like a 5000W peak...why push it???)
BOTTOM LINE:
I would recommend this item!
Buy Whistler Pro-3000W 3,000 Watt Power Inverter Now
This unit does what it promised it would do and more.Very quiet operation and I like the way it turns off when not in use.
The fans do not run all the time, make in it even quieter.
Fast delivery service, By the way order the remote star. It is very useful if you install the unit out of the way.
Read Best Reviews of Whistler Pro-3000W 3,000 Watt Power Inverter Here
The inverter workes as advertise. I am very happy with it. However I all so got the remote for it and I am sorry to say it did not work. If you buy this inverter do not buy this remote.Want Whistler Pro-3000W 3,000 Watt Power Inverter Discount?
Works great! Had no problems with it and seems to be very good.was well packaged and delivered on time.
Have not had any problems at all. Seller is 100% good in my book.
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Kenwood Excelon DNX6960 6.1" In-Dash Double-DIN Navigation DVD Receiver
- AM/FM radio, DVD, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, VCD, MP3/WMA/AAC, MPEG1, JPEG, iPod, USB, Bluetooth receiver with built-in Garmin navigation
- 4 x 50 Watts maximum power with three 5V preamp outputs (front/rear/sub) and crossover system
- 6.1-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display with WVGA 800 x 480 pixel resolution
- Includes built-in Garmin navigation, Bluetooth,iPod connection, USB music streaming, front panel A/V input,output; add Kenwood adapters
- One-year limited warranty
I got this unit yesterday at Mickey Shorr (Canton, MI). They installed it in my 2006 Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer in about an hour and I was off and running. The iPod integration is top notch. Using the touchscreen controls I instantaneously scroll back and forth between songs. So for the guy who installed this unit in his F-150, I'm not sure why you're experiencing the latency issue of 10-15 seconds to scroll to the next song, or go back one track. I feel bad for him because I'm thrilled with the speed and ease of use. The GPS is from Garmin who I believe to be the best. GPS in the unit is very accurate and could NOT be easier to use. Overall, with 15-20 minutes of fooling around I was able to master all the controls of the DNX6960 and same with my wife (since it's in her car).
I formerly had an issue with the unit in which it couldn't download the address book from my iPhone 3G (software version 4.1). The phone paired with the unit instantly (AWESOME!) but would not download my address book. The letters "DL" would show up at the top of the telephone screen for 3-4 seconds and disappear. This told me the address was being downloaded, but the address book touch screen icon was still greyed out. Low and behold, by mistake I found where the installer hid the bypass switch and it was set to "ON." So I figured this meant the unit was in bypass mode, meaning the parking break IS BYPASSED from having to be engaged to watch videos and download the address book. Apparently not because when I flipped it to the "OFF" position just for the hell of it, the address book touch screen icon became active. I said if I was able to figure this out I would let everyone know and rate the unit 5 stars. So here we are. I figured it out and I have no reluctance giving the Kenwood DNX6960 5/5 stars. I hope this helped someone out who was experiencing the same issue.
AC
Buy Kenwood Excelon DNX6960 6.1" In-Dash Double-DIN Navigation DVD Receiver Now
I was looking at the DNX9960 and this unit to replace the Pioneer F90BT that started to give trouble. I ended up going with this unit because it was much more affordable, the features I were interested in were more or less the same, and the form and screen size were very similar to the F90BT. It is not as modifiable as the pioneer but performance-wise it surpasses the F90BT by far. The interface is easy to learn, however setting the configuration for the optimum sound took a little work. The garmin navigation is my preference I am familiar with the interface and maps are easily available for any area (I am not using this unit in the US). The pre-outs are 5volt as compared to the 3volts on the pioneer. I am using this with an infinity 5350A multichannel amplifier and infinity components with a pioneer low-profile subwoofer, and the sound I am getting now as compared to the pioneer seems to be packing a little more juice. All in all, I am very satisfied with this head unit and would recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade. GO GET ONE.Read Best Reviews of Kenwood Excelon DNX6960 6.1" In-Dash Double-DIN Navigation DVD Receiver Here
After installing this head unit in my 2008 Ford F150 I got very excited. This really is a classy head unit in most respects. I've got my phone paired with the Bluetooth, the navigation seems very nice, Sirius radio sounds very good, even my steering wheel controls seem to work decently with the PAC SWIJACK, but... I used the Kennwood KCA-IP301V adapter to control my 120 GB iPod Classic. Immediately I noticed that it takes anywhere from 5 to 10 seconds (more often closer to 10) to switch forward or backward between songs, or to choose the songs from the list menu. Basically whenever you switch songs the unit freezes for the 10 seconds or whatever, and then resumes. Album artwork loads just as slowly too, which I really wouldn't mind being quicker, but would sacrifice in a heartbeat if it meant I could navigate between songs quicker. Also, when trying to navigate through my music using the A-Z menu, only about half of the letters actually brings up music that starts with that letter (M gets you O, P gets you R, but L might actually get you L, etc.) In essence, it's nearly impossible to listen to your music without going crazy. It can literally take you up to a full minute to try and skip ahead 6 songs!!! Try to press track advance twice (which you WILL unconsciously do when the unit doesn't respond after the first press} and then it freezes up for the 10 seconds, then skips ahead twice which is fine if that's what you want, but often I only wanted one song skipped, so you have to press the back button, which starts the 10 second clock all over again! I called Kenwood tech support and was told that this particular new line of head units (2010 I assume) does indeed process iPod functions slower that past year's models. I was not able to confirm that a software fix might be coming later on, only that the current slow operation is "normal" for this particular lineup. Maybe a software update is coming, maybe not. Who knows?In closing, if you intend to use your iPod like I do (my CDs never even leave the house any more), then this head unit isn't even worth the trivial price you'd pay to have it shipped to you. If you don't use iPod, then I can't imagine you being unhappy with it.
I would give this product less than one star, but I think if you leave the iPod issues out of the picture, it's a GREAT player. But if you're like me and your entire music collection is on your iPod, AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Shame on you, Kenwood.
UPDATE I purchased a brand new 64GB iPod Touch and it had the same issues with this head unit as my older iPod Classic. I have returned the unit. An awful first experience owing a Kenwood product.
Want Kenwood Excelon DNX6960 6.1" In-Dash Double-DIN Navigation DVD Receiver Discount?
I placed an order through Amazon.com with Car Toys for the DNX6960 on 14 February 2011. Wanted to buy from Car Toys as Kenwood's web site lists them as an authorized internet retailer, this ensures that I will be able to receive Kenwood's Direct Warranty Service. Car Toys shipped the unit quickly and it arrived in excellent condition.I easily installed the unit on 03/10/2011 in addition to these Kenwood Accessories; KTC-HR300 HD Radio Tuner and a Kenwood KCA-iP302 iPhone/iPod Hi-Speed Audio and Video Cable (latest model). The accessories connected easily and interfaced flawlessly with the unit. The most difficult part of the install was finding a concealed location in my Harley Truck to mount the HD Tuner Box, its 6 ½" x 1 3/8" x 4 5/16" size proved a bit challenging. The Navi's GPS Antenna was mounted under the plastic wiper cowl, and to my surprise the unit immediately began acquiring satellites inside my garage after the ignition was keyed on. I've just begun to adjust the audio and radio settings, will move on to customizing the display and then setting up the Navi and Bluetooth Systems. A 4th Gen iPod Touch will be added in a couple of weeks.
Bottom Line: Although I've had very little actual hands-on time using the actual features and functions of the DNX6960. I'm VERY optimistic that I will enjoy this unit very much once I've completed the setup of its Navi and Bluetooth Systems, and finally installed an ipod Touch for MP3/video play. The unit is basically plug and play if you use the correct harness adapter to connect it to your stock wiring harness. Just make sure you plan ahead for a good location if you're adding any sizeable additional accessory.
UPDATE: (03/14/11) The Hands-Free setup for the Bluetooth connection with my Motorola Cell Phone was a breeze, and my phones address book was automatically transfered to the DNX6960. After listening to how well the DNX6960 played HD Radio and CD's, I quickly decided that I would not wait two weeks to get a MP3 player, I purchased a 32GB iPod Touch 4th Gen the weekend following the units install. WOW! I'm very impressed with the way it interfaces with the Kenwood. The sound is VERY good and using the playlists I setup on the iPod Touch makes selecting and listing to artists and tracks a breeze, that also makes it much safer to do while driving too. Boot up time is a tad slow, but I have remote start, so the unit can be fully operational and playing by the time I reach the vehicle. I recommend to anyone planning to connect an iPod or iPhone to this or any Kenwood HU, make sure that you buy an actual Kenwood iPod/iPhone Audio and Video Adapter Cable. It's possible that some who get lousy iPod/iPhone performance, do so because they are actually using a Kenwood Compatible Cable, not a Kenwood Sourced Cable. For me, the addition of the iPod Touch ups the audio ante and makes listening to the DNX6960 an even more enjoyable audio treat!
Wanted my Bluetooth Microphone in an unobtrusive location, so I slid its little stand behind the top of the A-Pillar Cover and the cable is routed behind the pillar cover down and out behind the driver's side kick panel, then underneath the dash to the unit. The microphone is barely visible, even from inside the vehicle. It has just enough cable exposed to allow it to be swiveled forward or rearward depending on the drivers height. So with my GPS Antenna concealed and the Bluetooth Microphone almost invisible, I feel I'm a less conspicuous target to thieves.
I purchased the DNX 6960 unit and had it professionally installed in my Lincoln MKZ. I also purchased the iPod cable and pac swijack...off subject, but both of THOSE items were excellent.
Back to the DNX 6960:
I decided that this was a great "inexpensive" Excelon unit. Kenwood is a phenomenal brand and Excelon is their flagship model. Unfortunaeltly, after having the system installed for a week, I put my first cd in the unit. It proceeded to play, and it sounded extraordinary (after tweaking the sound previously). It wasnt until I decided to eject the CD that I had an issue...."MECHA ERROR". It just sits there and all you hear is a bunch of internal movement. The CD is stuck and now it won't play anything the CD anymore! :P
Although that is a definite turn off...especially because the same slot for the cd player also hosts the dvd player, I can still use the other features.
I was thoroughly pleased with the GPS of this unit Dead on accurate! Screen is beautiful! Touch is responsive! Sound is amazing! Phone feature awesome! EVERYTHING but the CD/DVD player issue has kept me extremely pleased. I am giving this review a 4 out of 5 because I really don't listen to CD's all too often since I have my ipod, and you can't watch a DVD and drive. It deserves a good rating on absolutely EVERYTHING else! I know not very many people will have an issue like mine. If you are looking for a great all around unit, this is the one. I just wish you all better luck than I had.
Update: 5 star rating!
Eject button is now working every time that it is pressed. CD's/DVD's play and eject with absolutely no issue. I live in MI, and we had a some pretty cold weather (possibly too cold for the unit to function properly...?) It works fine now. No complaints still! The DVD playback looks crystal clear. This is a great unit.
Opti-Solar 12 Watt Green Energy Solar Charger Kit for iPhone, iPad, and Other Mobile Devices
We use this to charge cell phones and GPS while boating, so we do not have to run the generator for such a small load. The battery pack charges quickly with the solar panels set out in the sun. We looked at other solar charges but chose this one for its high output of 12 watts.Save 19% Off
2gb Headset Sunglasses Mp3 Player + Bluetooth + Fm Radio
- Supports MP1/2/3, WMA, WMV ASF and WAV music formats
- Capacity: 2GB
- 100% Brand new, high quality
- Comply with Bluetooth protocol V1.1/V1.2 mode
- Continuous talking time: 3~5 hours
Retractable Car Charger for Motorola i1
Bought this retractable car charger as a gift, and it was just what they wanted...and I couldn't beat the price. Thanks!
Retractable Car Charger with IC Chip for T-Mobile RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 Smartphone
Well as the subject explains....it works very well with no long messy cables all over the car trying to charge your Blackberry....and my young boys finds the retractable cable a cool toy....
Buy Retractable Car Charger with IC Chip for T-Mobile RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 Smartphone Now
Works for what I need it to do, retracts easily and allows me to charge my BB while I drive. Great price, definetly worth it!The item was exactly as the description said, was cheap, and received in a fair time. Love the product.. super small and convenient.. great for my road trips! Thanks again!!it works fine for the BB 8900 and the long cord means the BB can rest easily in its cradle or on the seat. retraction works ok.Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Red Battery Cable Firewall Feed-Thru Panel Terminal Connector
This is another product I got for my husband, he truly likes this alone with the Black Battery Cable. I would recommend this also
Buy Red Battery Cable Firewall Feed-Thru Panel Terminal Connector Now
These appear to be quality units. They allow a convenient method of passing heavy cables through the firewall, or any panel. The one issue I have is the lack of availability of a properly shaped panel punch. I have cut the flat sided mounting holes the old fashioned way with hand tools which is time intensive and only approximate in shape. I have yet to locate the right punch for this job.All in all, these provide a good way to pass heavy electrical (battery) cables through the firewall, or any panel. I would purchase again.
Read Best Reviews of Red Battery Cable Firewall Feed-Thru Panel Terminal Connector Here
Husky Liners Custom Fit Heavy Duty Back Seat Floor Mat (Black)
I ordered these for our 79 jeep with the front mats. unfortunately the front didnt fit but these rear ones did so we are using them and they are great! would recommend them!
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These are trim to fit mats. I tried them but still didn't like the fit. Went with Weathertechs instead for more custom fit. Quality is good, just not happy with trim to fit style.Read Best Reviews of Husky Liners Custom Fit Heavy Duty Back Seat Floor Mat (Black) Here
I think the greatest frustration in shopping for this type of product is verifying a custom fit design. I was lead to believe this was a custom fitted product NOT SO! While this is well made of heavy rubber, it is a generic design that requires trimming to get an OK but not perfect fit.Want Husky Liners Custom Fit Heavy Duty Back Seat Floor Mat (Black) Discount?
As others have stated these are NOT custom fit, they are trim to fit and even then they didn't fit my application well and had to be trimmed into the mats themselves. I bought them specifically because they were supposed to be custom and I was looking for a better fit than the Weathercraft ones they replaced.Save 34% Off
DigiPower JS1-IP Instant Charger for iPhone & iPod - Charger - Retail Packaging - Black
- Works with iPod, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS
- Gives you an extra hour of talk time, two hours of video, and seven hours of audio playback
- 400 mAh rechargeable battery
- Pass-through mode for iPhone charge and sync to computer with built in flashlight function
- Ready to call within minutes
- Plug directly to power up your iPhone or iPod
- 400mAh - emergency charger provides an extra hour of 3G talk time
- Single LED charge status
- Built-in USB cable for ultimate portability
- Single button for flashlight and charge/sync operation
Buy DigiPower JS1-IP Instant Charger for iPhone & iPod - Charger - Retail Packaging - Black Now
DONT GET THIS PIECE OF S***... IT BROKE JUST USING IT THE FIRST TIME AND IT DOES NOT CHARGE THE PHONE AS DESCRIBELovely little device, enables Sandie to take her iPod Touch along for extended trips around town with no battery problems. Her only niggle is that the hinge on the cap covering the connector is on the "wrong side" for the way she holds the iPod ... trivial by comparison with having something that Just Works.GSI Super Quality Desktop 3-In-1 Rapid Charger/Cradle/Data-Sync Docking Station For Motorola A955 D
I bought this and an extra battery for my daughter, because she bought a droid phone used on craigslist and it did not come with the right charger. Works great & she loves it. It charges the extra battery & phone no problem. It's a perfect fit in this docking station.
Digitl Robust 360° Amazon Kindle Fire Adjustable Seat Bolt Car Mount Vehicle Hands-Free Tablet Hol
- New innovative, adjustable tablet holder fits your Amazon Kindle Fire with or without a case or skin
- 18 inch flexible aluminum seat bolt floor mount with optional floor or dash drill in bracket
- Swivel ball connection for 360° rotation with tilt for portrait or landscape viewing
- Lightweight and strong
- Super Easy Installation!
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Premium Car Charger For Samsung Focus
- Micro USB Car Charger Vehicle Power Adapter
- Vehicle Lighter Adaptor.
- Short circuit protection.
- Plug never heats or overcharges the battery.
- Intelligent IC chip inside recognizes a full battery and automatically switch to a saver.
Official High Performance OEM Car Charger for Motorola Q Micro USB Versions Phone! Original Equipme
BOUGHT THIS FOR MY SPRING EVO. WORKS GREAT! ONE OF THE BEST CAR CHARGES THAT I'VE BOUGHT FOR MY CELL PHONE. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS CHARGER FOR ANYONE WHO HAS AND EVO AND ANY OTHER CELL PHONE USERS WHO HAVE THE SAME CONNECTIONS. A+ MOTOROLA. LOVE HOW THE LITTLE GLASS/PLASTIC MOTOROLA LIGHTS UP BLUE WHEN PLUGGED IN.KHOMO: PINK Color USB Travel Kit with a 6ft SUPER Long USB cord + Car Charger + Wall Charger Adapte
- Nice Pink Color chargers and a Super Long 6ft USB SYNC cable
- Compatible with iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch & iPhone (All models)
- Charge your iPhone or iPod at home, on the road, or whenever it's not connected to a computer
- Intelligent IC chip
- Brand: KHOMO Accessories.
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