Showing posts with label battery chargers for boats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label battery chargers for boats. Show all posts

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Battery Tender 021-1163 5W Solar Maintainer

Battery Tender 021-1163 5W Solar MaintainerCharges battery to full, then trickle charges to maintain. My 2005 GTO sits for weeks without being used. I hooked it up and it told me my battery voltage was to low. My battery was junk and needed to be replaced. This will happen to you if you don't start it weekly and let it run for a while,or hook it up to a trickle charger. I installed a new battery and charger keeps it at full charge. This is a very nice product. I don't have to worry about using an extention cord.

I bought this to use as a battery tender for our boat which doesn't get enough use. I built a mount out of ABS pipe so I could mount it above the boat lift. It works very well, it charges even when the sun is hidden behind clouds and I have not had any dead battery probems since. Having a visible indicator that it is working is a nice feature. It is a good quality product that doesn't seem to be bothered by the weather.

My only complaint is that they (the mfg) doesn't tell you which model to use for a given purpose. That would be helpful.

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I purchased a Deltran Battery Tender JR 5 years ago as well as a motorcycle battery. Both the battery tender and the battery are still going strong 5 years later, this is not a typo! Yes, I said 5 years! Anyone who owns a motorcycle (especially a Harley) knows that you typically replace batteries every 2 years. Because of the performance of my battery tender Jr I decided to pick up this Deltran Solar Panel. I recently had to move my bike to a garage with no electricity and had to install the solar panel on the outside of the garage fully exposed to the elements. I've only had it about 2 months but I must say that this solar panel has performed above expectations. We have had some of the craziest weather on record in New Jersey. Warm days, cold days, heavy rains, 50 mph winds, 3 and 4 days at a time without sunlight. Yeah, Mother Nature has been sending us all kinds of craziness. So today I decided to go to my garage and see what kind of mess this solar panel was in. At the very least I expected to find the panel damaged by all the rain we've had. To my amazement it was working perfectly! It was 2 in the afternoon and cloudy due to all the rain and the solar panel LED was green indicating a fully charged battery. The panel has not been hit with any sunlight for 2 days yet it has been able to fully maintain my 5 year old battery. Another great product by Deltran.

UPDATE 3/28/2013: Here we are over a year after purchasing this Solar Panel and it continues to work great. It has been through some of the worst storms on record here in the East Coast without sustaining damage. My "very old" motorcycle battery continues to be maintained. The bike started easily even after 6 months of sitting in storage.

Read Best Reviews of Battery Tender 021-1163 5W Solar Maintainer Here

I bought this item to keep the battery on my car in shape. The car has sat since December and had a dead battery. The battery was fully charged in a day and I am very happy with how well it works. I would give it 5 stars but the cables are very short. I have a Mini Cooper with the battery in the trunk and the cable could not reach the front seat, if I had to connect in the engine bay I would be forced to buy the extension.

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This unit was utilized outdoors to keep my collector car's battery charged. The car is temporarily stored outside under a heavy-duty car cover. I installed the Battery Tender 021-1163 5-Watt solar unit and placed it *outside* the vehicle on the car's windshield, then connected it to the battery.

I will say this: While it worked, it *did* keep the battery fully charged.

I had the unit for less than three months when I noticed the LED indicator had stopped working. When I inspected the unit, the small black plastic soldered connector (on the center of the back of the panel) had separated and fallen off. It was only held in place by some cheap glue and epoxy filler. When it fell off, that caused one of the delicate foil wires coming directly out of the solar panel to separate and break. The unit was no longer operational.

It's a cheap, poor design (manufactured in China). I paid $65 for this SINGLE unit, and it's NOT weatherproof at all. I inspected the instructions that came with it, and NOWHERE does it say that it's not weatherproof. One would assume the unit was weatherproof since it's designed for SOLAR power, but... you'd be wrong. It's not weatherproof. Apparently, it's made to be placed INSIDE the vehicle, on the car's dash... but for those of us who cover our cars outdoors, that doesn't work.

I disassembled and repaired the unit myself. It *DOES* work again, and now it's mounted inside my work truck out of the weather.

This is the second Battery Tender product that has failed on me. I have a Tender Jr. that stopped working for no apparent reason (and I couldn't fix that one, despite the fact that it never left my garage).

I will no longer be using or recommending their products.

I have since replaced this ONE unit with TWO Sunforce 5-watt panels (for the same $65 price). They are FULLY WEATHERPROOF and thus far, have not failed. I own a Sunforce 1-watt weatherproof unit that's been outdoors, hooked to my ATV battery. It has kept the battery charged and performs flawlessly since the day I received it, about a year ago. I suggest you try Sunforce brand chargers.

I'm giving it two stars only because it does still function and I was able to salvage it. But... no one should have to do that for a new product you've paid for. Epic battery charging failure here. Avoid this unit unless you want to mount it directly inside your vehicle, and I don't know anyone who's got the space in their car to mount something this size. My truck is a crew cab, so I have interior space for it. Most other's won't.

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Monday, October 6, 2014

12V 2A Car Charger for Acer Iconia A500 A501 A100 Tab Tablet PC Power Supply

12V 2A Car Charger for Acer Iconia A500 A501 A100 Tab Tablet PC Power SupplyWorks sometimes but not enough times. Think it is because barrel power connector does not fit Acer pwr jack correctly. Caught it acting intermently a few times on trip then Tab Batt drained down gradually.

Not worth hassle even if free.

UPDATE TO REVIEW: After more experience with this charger, I have discovered the barrel connector is not the problem. It is reliable. It is either the charger cannot supply the needed current to both power and charge the Acer A500. Although the Tab battery indicator shows Tab is being powered, it never chargers and final drains existing Tab charge when Tab is powered.

Since the original Acer AC Power Adapter for A500 is infamously too short, I used the extra cord length and barrel connector on this China car charger to double the length of my AC power adapter by splicing Car DC Chargers cord to end of my Acer AC Adapter cord. With more than a week experience, results have been reliable....and great finally having a useable double length AC Adapter without dishing out $30 for an AC replacement adapter.

After one week failed and would not charge acer

tablet very disapointed brought a replacement from walmart which works fine

Buy 12V 2A Car Charger for Acer Iconia A500 A501 A100 Tab Tablet PC Power Supply Now

The product claims that it charges acer a500 it dosnt at all. U get the flash to much amp.

This is false advertising. Please do yourself a favor and dont buy. I am a real person who bought it not a person who works for tthe seller posting bogus reviews just so u buy. Dont beleve me email me shawn_maloney9182@yahoo.com and ille tell u the truth.

Shawn

P.s. i would give it no stars if it let me but i had to choose 1 star

Read Best Reviews of 12V 2A Car Charger for Acer Iconia A500 A501 A100 Tab Tablet PC Power Supply Here

Worked well for 2 rides with Acer A100 as GPS, during 3rd ride tablet showed that charger switching on/off every second... so I consider charger as dead and waist of money.

BTW: I thought that it should be straight forward to get 12V, 1500 mA from 12V car's power network... but for a some reason this simple device is VERY unreliable :-(

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Ran this thing for several hours in the car and it seemed to drain the tablet battery rather than charge it. I'd call it a TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY. DON'T BUY IT!!

Friday, August 29, 2014

Garmin 12V Adapter Cable

Garmin 12V Adapter Cable
  • 12V Adapter Cable
  • Specifically compatible with Garmin Rino 110, 120, and 130
  • Plugs into cigarette lighter for quick, easy power
  • Conserves batteries

I don't know why amazon has this listed for the Rino 5xx series radios they require more power and use a lithium ion recharable pack to get it. This adapter is for the 1xx series radios designed around disposable batteries. YOU NEED A DIFFERENT ADAPTER FOR THE 5XX SERIES THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY FOR THOSE RADIOS. Amazon should know better.

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Item is advertised as working with all rino series but it does not work with the rino 530

Read Best Reviews of Garmin 12V Adapter Cable Here

The item is fine. It was the wrong DC adaptor for the Garmin unit purchased. It was listed along the Garmin unit as the correct one for the unit. It was for another Garmin line of products. I'm sure it worked well on the correct product.

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It has the straight cord just like the picture, not a coiled cord as description states. Works great.

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have had this charger for Rino 130 about 2 mos. Mud, snow, ice and it performs well. No power losses & no shorts. Must have item considering short batt life on GPS's....

Thursday, August 21, 2014

3 Piece Value Combo Accessory Bundle Kit: USB Car Charger + USB Travel Charger + USB Data Sync Cabl

3 Piece Value Combo Accessory Bundle Kit: USB Car Charger + USB Travel Charger + USB Data Sync Cable for Microsoft Zune 4GB, 8GB, 80GB and 120GB modelsThe data sync cable does not workthe pins are simply not there to sync data at all; if you are looking for a replacement for your Zune cable do not use this. the pins are there for power, so if you're just looking for a wall charger, this'd probably work. I guess you get what you pay fornow I have to go and get an actual data sync cable. woot.

Also, apparently this company sucks as far as returning products if you look at their ratingsI'm in the process of trying to get a refund, I'll edit if/when I get a response.

Edit: see my comments on this post, but I just got a refund processed, decent response time-

THIS PRODUCT DOEST WORK THE ZUNE DOSENT CHARGE AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICES AINT WORTH A DAMN SO I DONT KNOW WHAt I going to do but i going to pay 30 dollars at walmart so my damn zune will work

Buy 3 Piece Value Combo Accessory Bundle Kit: USB Car Charger + USB Travel Charger + USB Data Sync Cabl Now

This is a great product for a charge, but unfortunately the actual plug in wire backed out on me only a couple weeks in. I would recommend getting a quality fire wire for your Zune device.

Read Best Reviews of 3 Piece Value Combo Accessory Bundle Kit: USB Car Charger + USB Travel Charger + USB Data Sync Cabl Here

I was originally stoked about this purchase, but I find that that has come to an end. The charger for the house first stopped locking once you pulled the cord and then it stopped charging my Zune entirely. Have not even had it long enough for it to mess up, but unfortunately it has.

Want 3 Piece Value Combo Accessory Bundle Kit: USB Car Charger + USB Travel Charger + USB Data Sync Cabl Discount?

The car charger is too big for my 120GB Zune. Ripoff. If you want your cable to fit, buy from Zune, as bad as I hate to say it. I was toodling along in my car, went to charge, and the cable doesn't fit.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Kawasaki 840889 4-Volt Dual Angle Li-Ion Screwdriver

Kawasaki 840889 4-Volt Dual Angle Li-Ion ScrewdriverLots of things to like about this driver, but sadly it's going to have to go back...

Nice:clutch, swivel handle, sleeved bit holder, reasonably compact, lightbut not empty-feelingweight, independent LED light switch.

Not so nice:(unsurprising, really) NOT variable speed as mentioned in a previous review; reversing switch awkward to access; awful font for clutch setting numeralsas often found in Chinese instruction manuals; barely visible clutch setting marker arrow moulding; nasty cheap clear plastic over charge level LEDs; plug-in, rather than cradle, charger (though at least that avoids the problem of poor contacts); not terribly torque-y; "Kawasaki" branding sticker, while nice, is going to fall off in short orderand it is just a licensed use of the name, not like Hitachi or Panasonic...

The unacceptable:basically, you can't use it more than once or twice in a given direction before it will cease to respond to the triggerthe LED, if on, extinguishes, as if the battery was flat, but the charge indicators show good charge. And if you try to go the reverse directionit's fineone time...! Inspection shows the drill has an open metal leaf contact behind the trigger, not a microswitch. I'm guessing the odd behavior is due to some electrolytic action as the contacts arcat least that might be some sort of explanation! I wonder if this is the case for the whole slew of drivers that are getting bad reviews for their triggers...??

So, it's going back, and I'm going to get my Bosch IXO II sent over from the UKit'll be interesting to see how its battery is after 3 years rest...!

I purchased this item to replace a worn out Ryobi of about the same demensions and features. Unlike the Ryobi, this tool does not 'lock' once you've reached the twisting limit you've selected. It wasn't described as a feature, so I tried to adapt. Then the on button switch began to get intermittent. Without the lock feature, it made the tool unusable. Unfortunately, I didn't bother to look into returning it until after the return window expired. I couldn't find a Kawasaki tool website to seek manufacturer support. Bottom line, I would not recommend this tool.

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Definitely my favorite tool. It's a work horse and it has saved me hours of work. This is my third one, they seem to last about 2 years under very hard labor but for the price it can't be beat. Everyone who sees it wants one.

Read Best Reviews of Kawasaki 840889 4-Volt Dual Angle Li-Ion Screwdriver Here

poor switch design after using a few times this is what happens: first depress of trigger spindle rotates continuously release trigger and then depress trigger a second time spindle rotates 1/4 of a revolution and stops. I should have read the other reviews before purchasing this tool dis-assembly reveals a cheap leaf contact switch which when closed arcs causing the the spindle to stop expected higher quality -we'll see if Alltrade honors the warranty ( this is not a Kawasaki product! )

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This is a bit bulky compared to some other brands i have used, otherwise it does the job for a cheap price

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Friday, May 30, 2014

LG CU405 Cell Phone Car Charger / Vehicle Charger

LG CU405 Cell Phone Car Charger / Vehicle Charger
  • Input voltage: AC 12-24v
  • Charges Ni-MH and Li-ion cell phone batteries
  • Equivalent to LG #SGCC0002909
  • Charges your LG cell phone in your car while driving

Exactly what I needed; recently received an unlocked phone with no extras, needed the car charger first.

Works great.

Thanks.

Buy LG CU405 Cell Phone Car Charger / Vehicle Charger Now

Item received promptly and functions as described. Charges cell phone more rapidly than charging with 110v. I am completely satisfied with the product.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

HTC Inspire Travel Charger

HTC Inspire Travel ChargerI purchased a charger for my HTC Inspire 4G to have as a spare for work and the charger would not even go in all the way but I kept it anyway and it stopped charging a few days later. The company did replace it at no charge, but the second charger stopped working as well and when I contacted them through Amazon they were unable to be reached. I found their website and contacted them through their site. They did reply asking me for my order number, but that was it, no further contact or replacement. I will NOT buy from this company again. Prices are cheap, but you get exactly what you pay for-CHEAP products!

The phone charger works great, especially for the price I paid. The only problem I have with it is that when the phone is plugged in and charging, none of the buttons work on the phone!! I can't answer calls, shut my alarm off....nothing! But I guess that's what I get for a 4 cent charger?

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I got my charger in just a few days and it works great. I wish it didn't have a bright green light on it when its plugged in, but it works so I'm happy.

Read Best Reviews of HTC Inspire Travel Charger Here

I keep this charger at work so that I can get my phone charged up -if I have forgotten the night before. It works just like the one that came with the phone. I am getting another one, too, to keep in my suitcase. Nothing worse than forgetting a charger when you are traveling! I love getting stuff like this on Amazon. Otherwise I would have to take the time to go to a store, see if it was in stock, and then probably pay more. This saves me time AND money.

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I bought this charger so that I could have a couple of options around the house to plug in my phone. When i got it i was excited but soon that excitement turned to horror. Soon as i plugged my phone in it froze up and didn't do anything.. the phone started to charge but was useless. Not even sure if i could receive calls due to the screen being froze. So i guess if you don't plan to use the phone at night then this product is for you. other wise look elsewhere.

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Friday, April 25, 2014

Kensington Windshield /Vent Car Mount with Quick-Release Cradle for iPhone/iPod touch

Kensington Windshield /Vent Car Mount with Quick-Release Cradle for iPhone/iPod touchI went ahead and bought this naively believing a few other reviewers say it was perfect for the iPhone 4. Simply, it aint. The iPhone 4's square edges come nowhere close to fitting into the rounded clasps "perfectly", forcing the iPhone to sit awkwardly in the cradle. It's not a terrible fit, but definitely not perfect as other reviewers would lead you to believe. Without a case on the iPhone, the fit is a little better, but still not ideal. If you have a hard plastic outer body case for the iPhone 4, the iPhone slowly slips out of the clasps becasue of the imperfect fit and the suface of the clasps are also hard plastic, which does not create the friction needed to hold the phone. My temporary fix for this was to apply a couple of small strips of electrical tape to the inside edges of the clasps, which has done the trick. If you have a soft body silicone case, the friction will be fine and you won't need to do anything.

Keep in mind that the featured "one-handed operation" of this mount is not so functional with the iPhone 4 because of the imperfect fit. IF you are planning to use this with the iPhone 3G(s) phones, I'm sure this mount is wunderbar. But my advice, wait for Kensington to come out with this model built specifically for the iPhone 4.

I ordered this to use with my iPhone 3GS, which has a Speck Seethru Case on it, so it doesn't fit in some mounts that aren't adjustable or flexible to fit cases. (That obviously leaves out the Tomtom mount for me.) I was seriously considering the Magellan mount, but as it's just as expensive as the Tomtom I decided to look for something cheaperI don't need the GPS enhancement.

Now, let's be realisticthis is a rather inexpensive window mount. I expect it to securely hold my iPhone without dropping it, be adjustable, and swivel so that I can use my iPhone in a horizontal position. It does all this very well. Is is rock-hard solid? NO. It shakes a little, but it's not going anywhere! You shouldn't be staring at your phone while you're driving anyhow! It's easy to pop your phone in and out and I love it. Would I love it at twice the price? Maybe not, I'd probably keep looking some more. But at this pricenot even as much as the Speck Case I have on my iPhoneheck yes, I like it. BTW, The vent mount holds the iPhone a bit more securely, less vibration, but in my car using the vent mount isn't terribly practical.

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I got this car mount prior to a trip, because I didn't want to have to pack the old Magellan standalone GPS unit and its charger. Especially with an iPhone 4, I preferred to just use the phone as my only GPS unit if possible. I purchased the car mount and Navigon's GPS app, and I was ready to go.

The mount worked exactly as expected. We preferred to use the suction cup/gooseneck mount, rather than the vent mount, as it is more versatile (some car vents have trouble fitting the vent mount). The two mounts are packed in the box along with a single cradle that holds the phone. You can attach the cradle to either mount. Using the gooseneck, the iPhone was easily inserted and removed from the mount, yet did not slip or slide within the mount at all. The gooseneck is very stiff, which is a good thing, as it keeps the phone from bouncing around. Admittedly, we were driving on pavement rather than bumpy roads, but the mount and phone seemed rock solid.

The Navigon GPS app also controls and is integrated with the iPhone's iPod functions, so it's easy to play music while the GPS app is running. When the navigation voice needs to give directions, the music fades smoothly to the background. An addition of a (separately purchased, of course) 1/8" male-male audio cable plugged into the front AUX jack of the car stereo and the phone's headphone jack allowed the music and nav voice output of the phone to play through the car stereo's speakers, which is good because the iPhone's speaker isn't well-suited to stand up to road noise.

Having the audio cable in the headphone jack, and an iPhone car power adapter cable in the dock connector both attached did not cause the gooseneck to perceptibly droop.

I highly recommend this car mount (and the Navigon GPS app, too).

Read Best Reviews of Kensington Windshield /Vent Car Mount with Quick-Release Cradle for iPhone/iPod touch Here

Bought this for my HTC EVO and it has been working great. Really solid feel and you can definitely tell it is a high quality piece.

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After using the Griffin Window Seat for several years for both my iPhone 3G and then the 3GS, I didn't think it'd get much better than that. Then I got an iPhone 4, and discovered there was no way to use the Griffin Window Seat with the newest iPhone model. So the search began. I became friends with a guy who works for Griffin via Twitter, and after some exchanges he made it rather clear that Griffin would NOT be releasing just the black plastic piece to attach the iPhone 4 to the "old" suction cup assembly already on my windshield; instead, I would have to spend *another* $30-$35 dollars for a completely new Window Seat.

Why? Is it that difficult for Griffin to make just the piece that would connect the iPhone 4 to the Window Seat and sell it separately?

Apparently.

So my hunt began, here on Amazon.com. Saw this item, then did some shopping around. Got lucky; Fry's had this unit on sale with a rebate, so my total cost ended up being $14.99 (plus tax). What a deal. The suction cup is just as good, if not maybe a little easier to secure, than the Window Seat. This unit fits my iPhone 4 either naked, with an Apple Bumper "case," or with my new iFrogz Luxe Lean Gunmetal case. It's a win all around. Free access to the headphone jack, the 30-pin connector on the bottom, and even though the roads where I live are AWFUL and very bumpy, my iPhone 4 has never "slid out" of the grasping teeth or scratched any part of my iPhone.

If you can find this unit cheaply, I highly recommend it. It also does work with an iPhone 3GS, as well as an older white 5G iPod + video I have also.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Griffin iTrip Auto FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod (Black)

Griffin iTrip Auto FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod
  • Combines a powerful FM transmitter with an integrated charger in order to recharge your iPod
  • Transmits clear music through your car stereo
  • Features selectable LX and DX modes for best-quality audio under real-world conditions
  • Can operate anywhere from the 88.1 to 107.9 MHz frequencies; range of 10 to 30 feet
  • Compatibility: iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod mini; iPod 3G, 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G. Not compatible with: iPod Nano 4G and 5G and iPod Touch 2G and 3G

I just got this a in Nov 2008. I will tell you the three secrets to getting the best results. First, over the years I have purchased a HUGE number of these type devices and they all sucked. Only the iTrip (both the version with the iPod connector and the one with the standard headphone jack) have this secret that makes them the BEST. Secret #1) because these devices are limited in power, make sure the transmitter part is close to the radio. Secret #2) Unless you need stereo, use the LX mode. Secret #3 ... and this is the biggie ... switch to International Mode. Here's how.

Before you buy, go to your car and make sure you can set your radio to 87.9 frequency or lower. If you can, they you can use this UNused setting. No US radio station is allowed to transmit on this frequency. If you can set your car radio to this, then BUY either the product on this page or the other Griffin iTrip (with the standard headphone connector). I have both, and they BOTH use the SAME instructions.

First, plug in the iTrip. You Have two buttons a larger +/button and a smaller button that will either have "Select" or "Preset" written on it.

Hold down the smaller button for 10-15 sec. At first the display will flash "2" or some other number. Ignore that. Just keep waiting. Then the display will flash "DX" or "LX". Use the +/to change to LX (non stereo mode). Press the smaller button and the selection is saved.

Now for International Mode (to get the stations below 88.1).

Hold down the smaller button for 10-15 sec. At first the display will flash "2" or some other number. Ignore that. Just keep waiting. Then the display will flash "DX" or "LX". IGNORE THIS ALSO, JUST KEEP HOLDING DOWN THE SMALL BUTTON. The display will change to "US" Use the +/to change to INTL mode. Press the smaller button and the selection is saved.

With my iTrip set to LX and INTL I now set both the car and the iTrip to 87.9. I use the iTrip instructions to save this as a preset. I also set one of the buttons on my car radio to the same.

When I use my iPod, the sound is crystal clear, I do NOT need to adjust the car radio to super-high volume. It is perfect. However, iTrip no longer comes with instructions to set to INTL mode, nor could I find these instructions on their website or on the web. So ... print this, get this and you will have a five star experience!

Buy Griffin iTrip Auto FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod (Black) Now

Griffin has made a ton of these little FM transmitters for various generations of iPod, and this is the best one to date. It is still not perfect, though.

Using a FM transmitter is the method of last resort. If your car has a tape deck, use a cassette adapter! The very newest car stereos have Bluetooth or even a line-in jack, even better. Save yourself a lot of frustration by using a direct connection, if possible. If you're considering a FM transmitter for home use, perhaps to connect to your stereo, don't. You'll be much happier with a real docking station.

That said, Griffin has made 3 huge improvements over their previous FM transmitters:

1) Plugs into the dock connector! No more volume hassles! The dock connector has a constant line-out volume level, and isn't affected by the volume dial setting of your iPod.

2) Instant on when car started, and auto-pause of iPod when car stopped. Other Griffin adapters had the nasty problem of needing to "warm up" before they would start working, but it seems Griffin has finally solved the problem here. And, as a nice bonus, it automatically pauses your iPod when powered off, so it remembers your place for next time!

3) Charges your iPod while in use! Another advantage of the dock connector is that it can charge your iPod from the unit's cigarette lighter connection. A real disadvantage of earlier FM transmitters is that they drained your iPod's battery like crazy, but this is solved by using your car's power instead.

The flipside of this is that the connector is wired to the LCD unit and then to the cigarette lighter plug. It isn't a standalone wireless unit. If you like to set up your iPod somewhere in your car where wires would get in the way, this could be a problem.

Now, some disadvantages:

1) FM transmitter power is very, very weak. It's a game of inches. Griffin claims they are hamstrung by FCC regulations, but even legal Part 15 devices are allowed to transmit for a few dozen feet or so! Griffin really needs to crank up the power to the maximum allowed by law. Now that they are powered by cigarette lighter power, instead of iPod battery power, there's no excuse anymore to use an underpowered transmitter.

2) Transmitted volume is very, very soft. You have to crank up your car radio up all the way, causing hiss in the background, and blown speakers if you forget to turn it back down before changing the radio channel! Griffin doesn't modulate the FM signal enough. Compared to other stations on the FM dial, the iPod volume is much too low.

This is an especially bad double whammy: not only is the transmitted FM signal too weak, it's also too quiet!

Don't forget about the 87.9 frequency. Contrary to Griffin's belief, this is still a legal frequency in the USA, even though it's right on the edge of the dial. Griffin doesn't allow you to use this frequency, though, unless you put the unit in "International" mode! So, remember to do this first, before you throw away the manual and forget how to do it. 87.9 is clear in many areas that don't have a TV channel 6, so this is usually the best choice for these FM transmitters!

Now, if only Griffin would boost their radio power, they'd have the perfect device....

Read Best Reviews of Griffin iTrip Auto FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod (Black) Here

This is one of three Griffin iTrip adapters I have, it is probably the most convenient to use. The FCC requirements on these things limit the transmit power to something that is barely able to reach the car radio, but if you don't set this one to the higher power mode you'll be lucky to hear anything at all. I find more variation between vehicles than you might expect, I travel quite a bit and have used this in rental cars all over the US, Canada and the UK. It is especially useful that this can tune by 0.1MHz intervals which helps find a vacant frequency in other countries (where these may be illegal, as they are in the UK). Sound quality is usually OK, but if you find the noise level increasing you are probably conflicting with a local FM station and it's time to retune. The cassette interfaces provide much cleaner audio, but with more wires and sometimes with mechanical noise. This is in my travel kit now and I don't think there is a reasonable alternative.

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This device works exactly as advertised: it charges your iPod and broadcasts the audio on an FM frequency at low power. If you have no other way to use your iPod in your car (cassette adapter, line in, etc) this is a good choice, especially at Amazon's price. The sound quality isn't fabulous, but it's as good as normal FM reception.

However, you need to be aware that this product works inconsistently between cars. I've had good luck with the iTrip in some cars (mostly American made rental cars), but couldn't get it to work in some other cars (like my Infiniti). Before you buy, I suggest that you take a look at the Griffin Technology web site to see if other users have gotten this to work in your car.

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It's hard to understand how so many can find the iTrip so wonderful and some of us can find it so terrible. Either there is some significant variability in the manufacturing of the product or the location and design of the FM radio antenna in some cars is the problem. In any case, the signal from the unit I received was so weak that there was noticeable static regardless of where I placed the transmitter and how I positioned the cable. It didn't matter which station I chose they were all bad. Worse, even when it was stationary the static hiss would increase, decrease, increase and so on. Also, as others have mentioned in reviews, the audio was considerably quieter than the car's built-in components.

Nice idea, but I second the review that voted for a stronger transmission signal. With Amazon's easy return process, and given the ratio of positive to negative reviews, you may want to give it a shot. But it's a shot in the dark.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

ReadyAmerica MRV-100BK Black TV Grip

ReadyAmerica MRV-100BK Black TV GripThis a repeat order. We love the Grips and use them in our motorhome to keep the TV in the correct position. We upgraded the TV to a flat screen HD.

It holds a TV in place in my 5th wheel RV going down the road. We have traveled from VA to FL two times and to CA and back once.

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So far we are very happy with our selection of this product. Would purchase this again. Do your homework so you get what you need for your application.

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I use these strips to hold down the printer in my RV home office. They might not be pretty, but they are a ridiculously way to secure heavy electronics for travel.

I am on my second printer and second set of these grips. Two grips (one set) would be more than enough, but I travel a lot, so I use four grips (two sets) just to be on the safe side.

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Have used these TV grips in the past and they hold great. Use them to secure electrical equipment when going down the road in an RV.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

AccuMate 6-12 ChargeMatic advanced

AccuMate 6-12 ChargeMatic advancedI like the size of this charger and its functions work as advertised, well built and quality materials used on leads.

I bought a second one for my parents seldom used car. I like the rubber cap feature that covers the fittings when not in use. Adapter for cigar lighter makes it easy for someone to plug in without lifting the hood.

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I have owned this charger for 9 years now. I still have the same battery in my motorcycle when i purchased the charger. I always plug the charger to the bike during the winter. This little charger has kept me from having to purchase batteries every two or three years like my friends have had to do. Highly recommended for anyone owning a vehicle that sits for 3 or 4 months without being used.

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I bought this to keep the battery in a little used car alive. I was a little upset when I read that it could take >50 hours to charge a smaller car battery, but in my case it had the battery fully charged in 10 hours ... I guess the battery wasn't as discharged as I expected. My only comment is that while they supply a ring terminal wiring set to leave permanently connected it is pretty useless for side connection batteries, as the rings are too small for the bolts :(

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Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Vmaxtanks VMAXSLR175 AGM deep cycle 12V 175AH Rechargeable battery for Use with PV Solar Panel wind

Vmaxtanks VMAXSLR175 AGM deep cycle 12V 175AH Rechargeable battery for Use with PV Solar Panel wind turbine gas or electric power backup generator or smart charger for off grid sump pump lift winch pallet jack and any other heavy duty applicationI bought this battery as the power source for my solar generator. It got it hooked up to a 60 watt/4amp solar panels, a 10 amp sun force solar Charge controller and the sun force 1000 watt power inverter. So far so good. I was able to run my stand alone freezer for over 5 hours with little impact on the battery.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

PowerEx Stealth Two Hour 4 Bank 9.6V Charger w/3-9.6V Batteries

PowerEx Stealth Two Hour 4 Bank 9.6V Charger w/3-9.6V BatteriesI bought the Powerex Stealth charger with the 3 Powerex batteries plus 1 single battery so I would have 4 batteries for my wife's Shure dual mic system she uses at home to sing karaoke. After a little less than a year all four batteries have bit the dust. One at a time the batteries refused to recharge and now all are bad, red lights on the charger flash and no recharging takes place. The batteries probably have less than 50 charge cycles on them, advertisement claims "hundreds" of charge cycles.

I work with audio production and needed rechargeable 9V batteries for my wireless transmitters and receivers. Those batteries didn't work at all with my Seinheiser transmitters and worked only for a short time with my receivers. I just called Maha Energy (the manufacturer) who told me they'd replace the charger and batteries. But since the charger seems to be working fine, I'm having doubts that I got 4 malfunctioning batteries. What are the odds of that happening? Anyway, just thought I'd let you know so you don't go through the same hassle I did. I guess I should stick with the renown brands even if they cost more.

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I first bought this system for use with wireless microphones that eat 9vdc batteries and do not perform well with the 7.2 volt rechargable nicad cells. The problem has always been that with the same number of cells inside the 9v stack at 1.2 V instead of 1.5V you loose .3 V x 6 cells or 1.8 volts which drops the typical rechargable cell from 9V to 7.2 V.

Transmitters don't work well on 7.2 volts of typical rechargable "9v" batteries. You also tend to want a fresh charge on your battery before use which is where this product comes in.

It adds an extra cell to get you 9.5 volts which is typical of normal batteries.

The con: The batteries are only about 230-250 mah instead of the alkaline 500 mah so you do not get the same runtime. The charger is well made and indicates when the cells are charged.

These are recommended for use when you know that you want a charged battery and don't mind recharging it when done (example using it for a wireless mic). The higher voltage will make the product work well and you won't be wondering if the battery is fully charged or not you will know it is full every time. For people who use alot of 9V batteries, this will pay for itself in a short amount of time.

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Really not a lot to say. It's reliable, does what it's supposed to, and continues to work after extended period of ownership. Doesn't overheat, doesn't seem to overcharge. Overall, does as promised.

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The product is built very good, the charger give you red and green lights to let you know the batteries are depleted or charged, I would give this product 5 stars if the batteries would power the security camera for about 4 hours, they last about 2-3 hours, but the camera signal is stable until the end of the charge. I hope this is helpful.

Friday, January 24, 2014

WennoW Aftermarket Car Adapter for Philips Portable DVD Player

WennoW Aftermarket Car Adapter for Philips Portable DVD PlayerThis product broke the first time I used it. Getting ready for vacation plugged it in and it broke right off the bat. Do not buy this product.

We purchased a Philips portable DVD player for my 2 year old to keep him entertained on long car trips (sometimes long shopping trips, too). A year & a half later, the wiring on the car adapter started to fray. Unfortunately, this particular DVD player doesn't have the best battery life, so an adapter for the car is a MUST.

This no-name adapter didn't work for us. For some reason, it just wouldn't maintain a connection to charge the DVD player. I could adjust it just so in order to get the power light to come on the player, but any jostling would cause it to lose the connection. For use in a moving car by a three year-old, it was worthless. I called Philips directly & they sent me a new one. The cost was a bit higher, but far worth is since it works. I wish I hadn't gambled on this one.

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this is the second replacement for my granddaughter's dvd player for the car.It seems to work fine a she is pretty hard on things and it is holding up.

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The origonal cable for my portable DVD player stopped working. I was very excited to find this replacement. Was reasonably priced and works perfectly.

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The plug in for the dvd player worked and was easy to install. The plug in enabled my children to watch movies.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

NEW! 4 PAIR COBRA CXR725 27 Mile 22 Channel FRS/GMRS Walkie Talkie 2-Way Radios

NEW! 4 PAIR COBRA CXR725 27 Mile 22 Channel FRS/GMRS Walkie Talkie 2-Way Radios
  • 4 Pairs of Brand New Cobra CXR725 Microtalk 30-Mile Radios!
  • Up to 27 Mile Range: Extended range capacity provides up to 27 mile range.
  • Selectable Power Output: Choose between High Power to maximize range or Low Power to conserve battery life
  • 3124 Channel Combinations: Available when the 22 channels are combined with the 142 privacy codes
  • VOX: The user's voice is detected and the radio transmits without the need to press any buttons, freeing hands for other tasks. 5 VOX sensitivity levels allow the user to select at which point the radio will detect their voice.

Works great in our 23 acres campus. I'm getting eight more for Maintenance and security personnel. I wish the chargers where individual instead of doubles.

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Nice Product. The product provides a Long Range Communication across our campus and the product matches its description. 5 Star

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the product is great, friendly use.

i have a problem with the charging, i can't charge it,even tho i bought the car charger as well.

it is not getting charged.

i bought the 230v to 120v converter thinking it might help as we have different voltage out here in Oman.

am disappointed big time about this charging issue.

:(

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Portable Solar Power USB Battery Charger for MP3 Phone Black

Portable Solar Power USB Battery Charger for MP3 Phone Black
  • Solar converts energy, compact and lightweight
  • Compatible with iPhone, iPod most digital devices
  • 0.5W Panel, 1250mAh battery
  • USB cord included
  • Battery type: Lithium-polymer

Purchased this product and followed the instructions, it takes 4 hours to charge and only charges my iphone 40%. The worst part is the solar powered part does not seem to even be powerful enough to charge the battery let alone my phone so its almost useless.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

PowerSmith MLSD12C Mag lithium 12-Volt Lithium Ion Compact Pistol Screwdriver with LED Light and 21

PowerSmith MLSD12C Mag lithium 12-Volt Lithium Ion Compact Pistol Screwdriver with LED Light and 21 Bit AssortmentFirst, it doen't come with the battery & charger. For the price of the $80 after you have bought the battery and charger, it's just not worth it. The build quality is very poor. The bits fit loosly in the chuck and are always greasy when you remove them. Spend the extra few bucks and buy a well known brand. Not recommended at all. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because it does work as advertised, but for how long?????

I can't comment on the performance of this item because they didn't include a battery for it, this was a christmas present for my son and needless to say this ruined the effect for him and me. Nobody sells something like this without including a battery, and shame on Amazon for not noting this in the item description itself. I have always been satified with Amazon in the past so I will give them the benefit of the doubt on this one, maybe they too were unaware that a battery was not included. I don't know how much extra the battery and charger are going to cost me but what ever it is it will bring the price up to way more than I would have been willing to pay had they been include in the first place.

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I received this as a gift from my mother. She is new to Amazon and saw it in the "promos" they send out. I am sure she had no idea it came without a battery (I won't tell her). It will cost me more for the battery and charger ($42) than the gift cost her. I agree with the last post, it should have been made very clear to the purchaser that it did not include a battery/charger.

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Most if not all the Lithium powered tools are coming as a kit with either a drill with two batteries and a charger and carrying case or the tool alone. In the Product Description it states . . . "One battery powers all Maglithion tools. Battery and Charger sold separately." Northern Tool does make it more clear however that the battery is not included with the phrase "Tool Only". I have the Drill "KIT" which comes with TWO batteries and the drill which by the way works GREAT for driving 4 inch dry wall screws into 2x4's the long way without even going to the highest torque setting. Looking forward to having this tool which looks to have the same power (without the extra keyless chuck length) for driving screws.

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Beware! This screwdriver does NOT include the battery and charger; they are more expensive than the screwdriver. There is no return; mine is still in the original box.

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Friday, November 22, 2013

OEM LG Home/Travel Charger (SSAD0027601)

OEM LG Home/Travel ChargerI purchased this charger for my LG Accolade phone a few weeks ago. It appears to be an LG product, it works with my phone, the price was right, and it was delivered on time. So far, I am happy with my purchase.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Leviton EVK02-M Evr-Green Installation Kit for Home Charging Station (EVB22 - 16A, 240V)

Leviton EVK02-M Evr-Green Installation Kit for Home Charging StationThis mounting bracket makes hte installation of EVB22-3PM easy and also allows me to move it with ease. A little pricey for what it is but would not recommend installing the EVB22-3PM without it.

The Leviton EVK02-M Evr-Green Installation Kit is very well-documented and easy to install. The template included with the documentation makes it very easy to mark the appropriate spots on the wall and get the installation correct without rework. You can also search for "Evr-Green" on YouTube for an exceptional video. I'm very satisfied with this product.

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Love it. Easy to set up and wire with normal electrical wiring skills. Works flawlessly. Cable could be a little longer. The price for all 240 volt electric car chargers still too expensive. However, this charger charges up my Chevy Volt in 3-4 hours, while the stock 120 volt charger takes 8-10 hours. Makes a big difference if you, like me, use your car a lot and prefer using electric over the gasoline backup engine. Would recommend.

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The kit makes it very easy to install charging station. Outside of this kit, you still needed to bring a 220v line 40A line to the garage. Get a licensed electrician to do this. After this, it took less than 30 minutes to install using this kit.

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This worked well with the Leviton EVK02 charger that I installed in my garage, my only complaint is that, it is so necessary (the kit) it should be included in the charger itself. I was thinking of just buying the charger and saving the 75 or so on this installation kit but trust me it is almost needed to do a quality installation.

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