Yaesu FT-60R DualBand Handheld 5W VHF/UHF Amateur Radio Transceiver - Dual Band

This is a great radio. It is dual VHF/UHF (2M and 70cm bands) receive and transmit but it will scan many more including the NOAA radio weather channels. Plenty of memories and the ability to break memories into banks such as local repeaters or local fire/rescue.

It's true that the microphone connection is a phono plug however, the Yaesu external microphone/speaker plug goes in at a right angle so I don't know how anyone has pulled it out accidentally. I never have.

The one negative I have found is that the "0" (zero) key on the keypad activates a function to prefix transmissions with DTMF tones for Yaesu's "WIRES" repeater function. This is of course,very easy to activate accidentally and will send a DTMF prefix whether you meant to or not, reducing your audio to next to nothing so other stations don't hear your call sign or the call sign of the station you are calling. There's a way to disable this but why this feature was not assigned to a function key I don't know.

I purchased this radio just over a year ago from a major ham radio retailer. At that time, the price was about what it is on Amazon now, and has since decreased a decent amount. The radio itself, however is outstanding. As a new ham, all of the acronyms and features had me pretty confused, but within a week or two of use, the radio was much simpler to program and operate.

The build quality of the unit is notable, and definitely a step above other cheap knockoff radios that exist. My radio has held up very well to moderate use, and even survived a couple of spills with no real notable damage. As another review noted, the design of the accessory port leaves something to be desired, although I have found that routing your speaker mic cable under the belt clip aids in keeping the plug seated properly.

Programming the radio by hand is not something I would want to attempt with 50+ channels, but is doable. Get yourself a cable and search around for the software, and it goes much smoother.

Most of my club members have purchased the FT-60R, and the club owns an additional 10. Altogether we have had no real issues with any of them.

I would definitely recommended this HT as a solid performer for any ham looking to pickup an HT.

73's!

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This is a great radio. Easy to use and lots of features. The only thing I don't like about it is the external microphone port doesn't have threads to secure the cable.

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I am new to amatuer radio. I bought this radio to start working on my amateur license. Radio has a lot of useful features. Although I am not totally familiar with all of the feautres I am learning as I go along. I have already tested its transmission/receiving at 430.000mhz Hi setting power using basic communication, no repeater or extended antenna. Got a little over 1.5 miles in the city. Great radio bought it when my friend showed me a similar model which works fine.

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This may not come to anyone's surprise in the amateur radio community, but the radio itself it great base unit with good battery life and sturdy belt clip. The only downside I expereinced was the quality of the included antenna with the radio. It's not of the same quality as the radio. It will last a good long time, but the performance characteristics warrant buying an aftermarket antenna to replace it, especially with its dual band capabilities. I chose to marry it to a Diamond SRH77CA which uses the SMA connector and screws directly onto the radio The weather skirt is an unfortunate casualty as the Diamond antenna doesn't have one. I have used it extensively with RACES operations in Fort Worth, TX as well as Weather Spotter ops as well. A well recommended starter HT for new licensees.

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Yamaha EF2000iS 2,000 Watt 79cc OHV 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator (CARB Complian

This is a very high quality unit, nicely designed. I chose it over the Honda Eu2000i because it has a fuel gage and is a hair lighter (2 pounds), and liked the styling better. Specs are so close it's a tie... the Yamaha unit specs a bit quieter in "eco" throttle but the Honda specs a bit quieter at full power. Prior to this purchase I had bought a Honeywell inverter generator (a much less expensive Chinese-made knock-off) from Costco which I returned, because I was unimpressed with the Honeywell unit's quality and noise level. While the price difference is major, you get what you pay for in this case. Anyone looking at the cheaper knock-offs should really consider that a 5db increase in noise level is a major difference, the way humans perceive it.

The most impressive thing about this unit is how quiet it is. Even at full engine speed you can stand about 6 feet away and have a normal conversation without raising your voice, or talk on a cell phone without undue distraction. It features an "eco" setting which tapers down the engine throttle and noise when full load isn't required. At half-throttle or less, from about 6 feet away it is about half as loud and amazingly quiet. I used it to run a 50-amp 12v battery charger and at full charge level the charger only required the generator to operate at about half-speed, and when the charger tapered down the charge level to under 30-amps the generator became so quiet I literally forgot about it. It is MUCH quieter than my boat's inboard diesel engine, and more efficient than running the main engine just to top off the batteries. I also used it to power a heavy duty 120v grinder and it had no problems supplying the needed power, even on electric motor start-up.

I got this mainly for charging our boat's batteries at anchor but I also wanted the ability to run power tools. The lighter 1000-watt inverter generators could easily handle the charging application but not the more power-hungry tools. Having the extra power also means the eco-throttle will likely kick in earlier and the unit will operate quieter. The number-1 purchase criteria was "quiet" because I don't want to be distracted by incessant noise or be a bad neighbor in anchorages. The Honeywell was not quiet enough in my opinion.

If generators are abused it will lead to regulations banning them, so an appeal to other boaters and to campers: Please don't settle for "cheap". Get a better quality inverter-generator unit that's quieter so you minimize noise pollution in get-away places. (Leave your "contractors generator" at home!!!) Also, please be considerate of neighbors and limit running it to times/places you aren't as likely to disturb others... and don't leave your boat or campsite while it runs and runs. We all like our electric conveniences, but if you really need 120v power more or less constantly you should either stay home or get a dock/parking space where you can plug into "the grid". It's rude to disturb others who are trying to get away to find some peace and quiet.

Negative: The unit ships without engine oil, so you need to buy a quart of standard 4-stroke engine oil and fill it. You will also need a funnel, and a pan to catch excess oil. There is no dipstick; you need to fill to the level of the bottom of the filler hole until any more runs out. It uses less than 3/4 quart. I think they should have included the required amount of oil, and a plastic filler container with a spout, marked to show the proper amount of oil to use.

Update 2/22/2012: In general still very happy with the unit, but checking oil level is inconvenient (you need to open the case with several screws) and changing the oil is a messy operation involving rags and clean-up because there is no neat way to capture the waste oil or overflow directly into a container. I think the next generation of this product should improve on that design issue and provide a dip stick or oil level indicator that's either externally accessible or located behind a quick-access panel.

Update 8/29/11:

Having owned this for almost 2 years now I would add the following:

1) I have found that it has enough power to run the charger AND the hot water heater's 120v heating element at the same time. It is near-max (running full speed) but doesn't light the overload light when doing that and the charger is in bulk phase. Nice when you're in an anchorage for a few days and haven't run the engine. Why run a 57hp diesel just to heat water and charge the house bank?

2) If I shut off the fuel and let the carburetor run dry before putting it away, it does not smell of gas with the fuel vent and fuel valve both closed. The maker advocates storing in a well ventilated area or garage, but odor from fumes is not a problem.

3) It's also useful at home during power outages. I have a larger much louder 5500w contractors generator that plugs into a 12-circuit transfer switch wired by an electrician, but as a courtesy to neighbors I shut that off overnight. I can use this Yamaha unit with an extension cord to keep just the refrigerator running overnight and it stays in 'eco mode' so it practically purrs. Also the fuel burn rate is extremely low so it uses a fraction of what the larger generator would use.

Have had zero problems with this unit so far.

This generator is super quiet and the engine runs really smoothly. It instantly changes it's operating speed just as fast as I can move the speed switch on a 1850 watt hair dryer I used to test it. It doesn't include oil and the angle of the oil fill hole is nearly horizontal, making it a little difficult to fill even with a funnel, but they did put a nice little drip tray right below the opening so it doesn't go everywhere. The gas gauge is really nice. Made in Japan. Their competitor (Honda) has some nice videos on their website demonstrating the sound level of actual generators running and the equivalent size Honda generator is very close in noise level to this one. Yamaha should do the same but until then, check out the Honda website.

Yamaha says this is CARB compliant on their website so I'm not sure why Amazon says it isn't. The label on the generator says it is a 3 on the 10 point California emission scale. Yamaha simply isn't making a big deal of it like some others do I suppose. This is a new model as of summer 2009. The starter cord is really easy to pull unlike any other engine I've ever started by hand.

Buy Yamaha EF2000iS 2,000 Watt 79cc OHV 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator (CARB Complian Now

This little gem arrived to me in perfect condition. Kudos to Amazon for their quick delivery time. The genny itself is bigger than the pictures let on, but for 2000watts, this isn't bad at all. THESE UNITS DO NOT COME WITH OIL IN THEM. Go buy some 4 stroke 10w30 oil at home depot or lowes. Follow the instructions to put the oil in, fill it gas, and turn it on. The pull cord is very easy. Just practice a couple of times. You will love this generator, I promise. I will use it for my travel trailer for camping/fishing during the colder months.

Edit: I've had two EFYamaha 2000is generators since the beginning of Sept, 2010 and have mainly used them for camping. The first workout for both of these units was tailgating. I also have a cord that connects the 2 of them to make 4000 watts, more than enough to power your camper A/C (13,000-15,000btu) and everything else in the RV. However, it was colder on this outing and I didn't need to use both hooked together yet. I did bring both of them though and I'm glad I didhere's why:

The guy next to me brought his 6000watt Champion generator, which is construction grade, and told me he was sorry, but would be running it in the mornings. We were about 15 feet away from him. I said no problem, it couldn't be that loud. He then turned it on for me so I could see. WOW! That thing was LOUD. I told him I brought a spare Yamaha inverter and he was welcome to use mine because I told him it would be much quieter. He came over and heard mine running and couldn't believe it. The next morning we were both sleeping soundly, both of us running these awesome Yamaha units.

Here are some tips for those considering this generator:

1) Get some fuel stabilizer. This is not needed, but is nice because it stabilizes stagnant fuel that sits around during the winter monthsor just longer periods where the generator is not in use. I use Stabil, and its sold here on Amazon. Put some in your gas can(s).

2) If a generator has been sitting around awhile, you need to run it periodically ( I will run mine about once a month for at least 10 minutes) to 'exercise' the unit. This will ensure that when you REALLY need it, it will start no problem.

3) Tie these units down when in transport. They tip over easy and if they do, when you start them up you will be greeted with a mess of white smoke (oil burn) until it burns off. Buy some ratchet tie downs. Bungee cords won't cut it.

4) Realize the limitations of a 2000 watt generator. I don't know how this got started, but someone somewhere said his 2000 watt genny was powering everything they needed without being specific. Then folks just assumed that they would get the same results. You HAVE to do a power audit for YOUR specific needs. What will you be powering? What is the main purpose of the unit? If you have an RV with a 15k A/C, one 2000watt will NOT power it on. Remember, air conditioners, microwaves, etc take pull a lot of AMPS to cycle on. Once they are on, the AMPS are reduced during the rest of the run time. The trick is, what will power these appliances THROUGH the higher amperage cycle? Thats why I bought 2 of them.

5) Buy a cable lock! Generators tend to grow legs and walk away when they are not locked down. This is more true when you camp with them or tailgate. A lock is not totally foolproof, but will deter the 'honest' thief enough to make it not worth it.

Yep, they are pricey. I paid about 2K for both of them. Inverters are always going to cost more money for several critical reasons.

A) They are labor-intensively constructed. That is, they are built to insulate and are very tightly arranged in their cases. The insulation provides a lot of the lower decibels you will be hearing. Good things just take time to make, and part of the cost is wrapped up in that.

B) Portability: This goes back to the tightly constructed package they come in. The 2000is model weighs about 45 pounds minus the gas. Try going to a Home Depot and lifting a construction grade generator. Not fun.

Read Best Reviews of Yamaha EF2000iS 2,000 Watt 79cc OHV 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator (CARB Complian Here

I purchased the EF2000iS 2,000 watt inverter-generator for extended fishing trips for charging 12 volt marine batteries and for running corded power tools in remote areas. At first I wasn't sure if the 2,000 watt model would be enough power to meet my needs, but I decieded to take a chance with it because of the price, and boy am I glad I did.

It easily powers drills, grinders, skill saws, table saws, sawzalls, and portable cement mixers pretty much anything that draws under 16.7 Amps. Most power tools draw up to and under 15 Amps. My industrial right-angle concrete drill only draws 8 Amps, and that thing is rugged. It's more than enough for my needs for working in the woods where I can't just "Plug In."

Another thing that's slick about it is it also charges marine batteries and has its own special DC receptical and comes with the included cable. You just fire it up, hook up the terminals to your battery, then plug in the cord. It doesn't have a charge meter built in, so I purchased a hand held battery tester and check the charge level once an hour. I think the battery tester was under $30 (a good investment).

With that in mind, I used it last Memorial Day weekend during our Men's Family Fishing Trip out at Johnston Pond camp here in Maine, out in the woods roughing it with tents. The area is surrounded with small-ish ponds, so my dad and I brought our little skiff and trolling motor with us (too small ponds for our larger, 2-stroke boat). We brought two 12 volt marine batteries with us to make sure we could spend the whole day out each day, then that evening charge one or the other up so it was ready for the next day. It worked great, we didn't have to worry about running our batteries low and having to paddle all the way back to the landing. Peace of mind is nice.

This unit really is really quiet. There were five of us on the fishing trip, two younin's my friend and I, and three old farts my dad, uncle, and elderly cousin. They complain about everything (old people tend to do that, haha). I figured someone was going to say something about the generator being noisey and I'd catch hell for it or something, but actually, everyone did nothing but praise how quiet it was. After it's been running for 15 minutes or so, you kind of forget that it's even there. Unlike our neighbors at a site a ways away from us, who had an old style generator that they ran at night, we could hear them having to hollar at each other in order to talk.

On top of all that goodness, since it's an Inverter as well, you can also safely power computers, charge cell phones and iPods, run a tv and DVD player, and plenty of other things, if that's what you're into while camping, or in an emergency situation.

It starts up really easy. Mine started first pull right out of the box (make sure to put oil in it first, it's not included), and still does every time. If you run it on Eco Mode (tv's, appliances, ect.) I'm not sure how long the tank will last you hour-wise, I haven't used it for that application yet, but in full power mode, meaning you're constantly getting the amped up rpms for more amperage, the one gallon tank lasts for about 6 hours or so. I'd figure that it'd almost double that in Eco mode, and it's twice as quiet. You can stand right next to it and it's like a little humm.

I give the Yamaha EF2000iS five stars hands down for the price and performance. I'm really happy I didn't go ahead and go with a knock off lesser brand. It was well worth the extra money for something that's going to be reliable and dependable. There's no sense in paying $500 or less for something that's just going to be junk in a few months.

If you need a medium duty Inverter-Generator, I highly recomend it. You will enjoy it. It's also very light and compact. Transporting it isn't a problem at all.

Want Yamaha EF2000iS 2,000 Watt 79cc OHV 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator (CARB Complian Discount?

Received this product and filled with oil and gas and it started on the third pull. All subsequent times it has started on the first pull of the starter cord. More money than a comparable Honda 2000 but it has a number of advantages.

1. All controls are on one side on an integrated simple control panel including the starter pull. Honda controls are scattered on both sides.

Much easier operation in confined spaces.

2. Has a very visible fuel gage. Not supplied on the Honda

3. Has a carb fuel shut-off which allow you run the fuel system dry for storage. No such system on the Honda

4. The carb bowl has a drain screw and drain tube to remove all remaining fuel-if any. No easy carb drain on Honda.

5. Unit weighs over 50 lbs with a full fuel tank and oil but lighter than a Honda and every pound is important when carrying this weight.

6. Overall service and maintenance is very easy.

7. Low pollution total operating hours are twice the Honda

8. Larger carry handle.

9. Very quiet at all speeds extremely quiet at the eco throttle or low speeds/low loads.

Researched the low cost Chinese knock-offs and there really is no comparison from a noise and weight factor. The comparable Honeywell and Kipor etc are about ten pounds heavier for comparable output specs. Ten pounds additional is about 60 lbs wet and 20% difference but a huge amount when carrying any distance.

Overall well worth the money for an extremely well designed quality product that is Yamaha's reputation. Amazon service and delivery was spot on as usual.

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OTC 3181 130 Amp Heavy-Duty Battery Load Tester

I wanted a 130-amp load tester because--at least per the manufacturers' claims--these units are more accurate than 100-amp models. The OTC 3181 looks exactly like the Actron CP7614 (except for brand markings on the front), but is far less expensive.

The OTC 3182 is a digital 130-amp load tester for just a bit more money than this OTC 3181, and it has a couple more features (an alternator test lead and a ripple detection light), but I tend to have better luck with analog products over digital products, in terms of reliability. Also, when you use the OTC 3182, it shows you just a number (the voltage reading), and you're on your own to interpret it. The OTC 3181, on the other hand, has "replace/weak/good" markings (in red/yellow/green), which make it very easy to interpret the results, without having to remember or think about what voltage range is acceptable during testing.

I was a little surprised at the size of the unit when I opened the box. It's a bit large! The clamps are large and strong. The overall feel is quality.

When testing a battery (unless it's a totally dead battery), the unit will heat up very significantly. Through the vent holes in the unit, you can actually see metal coils getting red hot, like little heater elements. That's how the load is applied--in the form of heat.

Testing is easy: With the vehicle and the key both off, attach the negative clamp to the negative post of the battery, then attach the positive clamp to the positive post of the battery. (People with mechanical experience may think this is backwards, since you normally attach the positive clamp first. I assure you, I am quoting the manufacturer here on the order advised.) Press and hold the rocker switch for 10 seconds, and then quickly look at the needle while still holding the switch down. (They advise against holding the rocker switch for more than 15 seconds.) To test the charging system, begin with the clamps attached as described above, then start the car and run it at 1,200 1,500 RPM, and read the needle. Remove the positive clamp, and then the negative.

When I was choosing a load tester, I kept reading about "zero adjust" features. I didn't know what that meant. Now that I have a unit in hand, I can see that it refers to a little screw in the face of the unit; turning this screw one way or the other (with the clamps not connected to anything!) allows you to adjust the needle so that it is accurately zeroed. That's all.

Easy to use and seems to work well. It appears to be a very well made tool. Seems heavy duty as the title says. If stored in a dry/safe place, see no reason why this wouldn't last for many years to come. The results it said, was verified with my multi-meter and my bosses "LED only" battery testing multi-meter.

Only negative thing is it don't give you the approximate CCA of a battery. (as the ones at the Walmart garage do). It basically takes off the surface charge of the battery (by running a built in heater), then you measure the output of the battery. Then you start the car/truck, and see if the charger is adding the correct amount of charge to the battery.

But since it don't say it gives you the CCA in the description, not taking off any stars. It does what it says it will do, and seems very well made.

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My first battery load tester and I like it so far. It's clear and precise with the voltage, load and charging readings.

The only problem is that I feel that the cables are far too short as you have to bend downwards with the tester when it's connected to the car battery for testing.

One last thing, do not touch the back part of this testing when you're doing a load test. It get's freaking hot! It get's so hard that one might get 2nd degree burns if you aren't too careful.

Read Best Reviews of OTC 3181 130 Amp Heavy-Duty Battery Load Tester Here

I have used this tester twice now and it seems to function well. I agree with some reviewers that perhaps the cable length could be slightly longer, but I had no problem attaching them to the battery terminals. Be aware that the unit gets hot at the back, where it is vented, as it draws current during the test. I only drive my car every other week or so and only for a few miles, so I am constantly having to trickle charge my battery. This at least gives me an idea of its state of charge. I note that it can also be used to test the charging system but I have not tried that feature as yet.

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Excellent load tester. Easy to read and use. You can't go wrong with this one. Will last a long time.

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Optima Batteries 8004-003 34/78 RedTop Starting Battery

I'll try to get this right, but some of the background info regarding Optima history may be off by a year or two.

First: 4 star rather than a 5 star rating. The warranty would need to match the longer warranties offered by others, and quality control tightened to earn five stars. Performance is normally excellent, so why not offer a longer warranty?

Gates Tire and Rubber invented/ designed/ developed the Optima and Genesis AGM batteries in the '80's/ early '90's. As I understand things, the Optima was intended for rugged/ abusive applications requiring the highest starting current, while the Genesis was intended for more sedentary uses and maximized charge/ volume by using flat plates. Both minimized venting and maintenance requirements.

The Optima brand was spun off to a Swedish company but the batteries continued to be manufactured in Aurora, CO. Johnson Controls purchased the Optima brand in ~2000 and continues to own the brand. All mfg was moved from Aurora to a suburb of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, around late 2007. Genesis was spun off to Enersys, which used YAUSA to mfg these in China, Mexico and who knows where; I believe their premium Genesis EP series are made in Warrensburg, MO.

Optima Red Top battery design changed sometime in 2007. Apparently the glass mat was often pinched/ crimped leading to premature shorting and failure. Ratings of the 34/78 Red Top was reduced from 55 Ah to 50 Ah, the CCA rating remained at 800, and curiously, the warranty was reduced from 3 yr free replacement + 3 yr prorated, to 3 yr free replacement + 0 yr prorated. This roughly corresponded with moving the production to the Monterrey suburb, although a number of the newer style batteries were still made in Aurora in 2007. From my experience with a number of both batteries, the older Red Top 34/78, 55 Ah batteries were either the very best or very worst depending on the luck of the draw. All seem to lose Voltage faster than the newer design, but they were still much better than conventional flooded lead acid batteries, and generally tested above 10.5 V 2.5 years after mfg. If allowed to run down while on the pallet and then charged, these frequently would experience thermal runaway unless charged at a low rate, and if that problem was not incurred, they would frequently charge up only to fail open after, say 15 seconds at a 400 or 500 A draw. Optima apparently was aware of the problem yet did not tell customers. Optima sold a number of these for military applications, too, but it seems did nothing to correct the problem; nice to know when someone is shooting at you. But those that sat on the pallet for a long time of the older-design and that passed the high current load test seemed to surpass the performance of the newer design. Some batteries that failed early or lost Voltage quickly were found to be missing a vent cap. (Missing caps are rare, but they sometimes aren't there and are not noticed unless the cover is pried off. Optima may not even believe this.) Great quality control for a premium product.

All but about 5 or 50 batteries of the newer design left on the pallet for 4 years tested at 11.0 V or higher, so those claiming leakage should look for a electric system parasitic draw rather than blaming the battery; newer design charged Optimas just don't normally lose Voltage in a couple of months.

Because of their lower internal resistance, Optimas can accept a higher rate of charge and require less energy to fully charge.

Normal operation

Keep the battery at or above 12.5 V as much as possible to minimize sulfation. Spiral wound AGM batteries, while more resistant to sulfation, will sulfate and reversing it is tougher than with flooded lead acid batteries. NEVER allow the battery to fall below 10.5 V; recovery will be tough if below that and irreversible damage may result if left below that Voltage for long. Red Tops are not meant for deep cycling, which means these are intended to be charged soon after starting the engine.

A major cause of warranty claims for AGM batteries, not just Optimas, is early sulfation due to failure to fully charge the battery, which many charging system in late model vehicles fail to due in order to improve fuel economy so ever little. GM vehicles may be more likely to fully charge AGM batteries because their charging systems are reportedly set to a Voltage higher than other vehicle manufacturers; their OEM Delco batteries have larger spacing requiring higher Voltage to fully charge. Many battery chargers also fail to adequately overcharge the battery whereby the battery undergoes the full recombinant reactions restoring full performance. But it is also important not to overcharge the battery such that loss of electrolyte and overheating occur.

Best non-commercial battery charger for Optimas I have used so far: Interacter Inc. (and mfg in the USA), seems to give better end performance than CTEK 7002's. Both gave better results than Vector chargers, which performed okay on Optimas 11.5 V or higher, but the Interacter and CTEK would charge Optimas that had fallen to just a few Volts without having to resort to wiring the Optima battery in parallel with a battery already at 12+ Volts to fool the charger into charging, (Optima's recommended procedure for charging a depleted battery). Also, Interacter seemed to give about the right amount of overcharging. (Many smart chargers see the low Voltage/ low internal resistance as a failed battery and thus refuse to start charging.) Please do not try charging a battery less than 12 V below freezing; warm the battery to above freezing first, and do not forget a discharged battery allowed to freeze will likely suffer irreparable damage. If hot spots develop or venting occurs while charging, stop charging. Resume at a low rate after the battery has cooled. A battery that has been left setting for a long time at a low Voltage should be charged at a very low rate for the majority of charging. This can be followed by a high rate charge, say 50 A, for several minutes while ensuring no over heating or venting, to help restore performance. High-rate charging may open additional surface area that had been heavily sulfated and reduce grid point discharging (?).

All Optimas are not created equal. When performing high current load tests to evaluate the CCA ratings, I have seen 5 of 7 fully charged batteries from the same layer on a pallet fail open within seconds, and 13 of 44 on that pallet fail open, only to see none fail from other pallets of the same lot. Some batteries left uncharged on the pallet for several years perform as well as a factory fresh battery, and batteries left on the pallet for less than a year fail open during testing. Why? Do not expect an answer from Optima.

Charging Yellow Top(deep cycle/ starting) Optima batteries

Surprisingly, the Yellow Top batteries seem to lose Voltage a little more quickly than Red Top, but still both are less than flooded lead acid batteries. Now for charging, it is assumed the Voltage is at or above 10.5 V and that the battery has been in recent use. (Remember, never allow the Voltage to drop below this or expect the worst.) For a 50 Ah Yellow Top, charging can be fast, say 30 to 50 A, until reaching the Zero dV/dt, (Zereo Delta), point, at which reduce charging to 1 to 5 A and continue, charging an additional 3 to 5 Ah after reaching Zero Delta. New batteries may take 30 minutes for this last stage, while older batteries, 2 or 3 hours. This may extend battery life from 200 deep cycles to deep 500 cycles. NOTE: This is a general charging guideline and it is the responsibility of the reader/ user to ensure safe operation at all times. If using this charging technique, first review research articles found by Googling "national renewable energy lab, Optima battery, charging".

I hope this will help those who already have an Optima battery or thinking about purchasing one. Please share your experience if you have some better ideas and techniques.

I bought this battery from a local Optima dealer on January 2008. It died on August 2009.

Since it comes with a three year warranty, I tried to get it serviced under the warranty by calling the Optima 1-800 number. Customer service agent was very rude and kept telling me I'd have to pay a fee in order to get my battery serviced.

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Perhaps I just haven't had a new battery in a while and I've forgotten how they all work when new, but this battery seems to throw a LOT more power than I expected to the engine to start it up on even the coldest days so far this year. If this battery can perform at this level for a couple years, it'll have been the best battery I've ever bought. At this point though, expensive compared to the "el cheapo" brands you may find at walmart, but worth it knowing it's got the juice to get it done.

Read Best Reviews of Optima Batteries 8004-003 34/78 RedTop Starting Battery Here

I bought this battery in May 2009. It just suddenly failed Dec 2010. Just over 1 1/2 years. I originally bought the battery for my Mustang because of the early reviews and the 800 amp capacity. Perfect for my car. Now, researching why the battery died so suddenly and quickly I read on another site that it really is a good, powerful battery just you have to disconnect it when you're not driving so the trickle doesn't drain the battery. The stock battery that was with my car when I bought it lasted over 3 years (plugged in the whole time.) I read enough about Optima's poor customer service and not honoring their warranty that I'm not even going to bother trying to get warranty service thru them. I checked with the local Ford dealership, a mechanic friend and a rep at Advanced Auto Parts and they all agreed that it sounded like the battery was the issue ("a short inside the battery.") In fact, after I described what happened to the Advanced Auto Parts rep and he recommended getting a new battery, I told him the problem battery was an Optima and he called across the store to another worker, "Hey, Carl! I got another customer here with your favorite battery!"

I highly recommend that anyone avoid the Optima batteries. They will give you great starting power in your car, but they appear to have a habit of dying suddenly and without warning about 18 months in. Mine was great the last time I drove, then after not driving for 2 days, I got in the car and the battery was totally dead. (And I'd gotten back at night the last time, so I'm sure the lights were off they shine right on my garage door.)

I'd only recommend this battery to someone who just needed a battery to connect to as needed. The rest of the time, it could just sit there. Or if you live in a cold climate and are okay with changing car batteries out every year.

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I bought my first Optima battery for my '96 GMC C1500 with a vortec 5700 in 1998. This battery has been through all kinds of weather from New Mexico to 4 years in Germany, a couple years in Seattle, and the last 4 years in TX. I have drained this battery dead at least 4 times and it recovered/recharged every time except for this last weekend. My truck has been parked for most of the last month since the a/c is out and the temps her in TX have been 100+ for the last 2 months. I finally killed it for good... after 13 "short" years of life. I have replaced the batteries in all 3 of my vehicles with Optima's since then and will be buying another Optima for my truck. I'm sure this battery will outlast the truck this time. I'm SOLD!!!!

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Retractable Car Charger for Nokia Lumia 710, Lumia 800, Lumia 900

I love the convenience of not having a cord hanging out all the time. Keeps the interior of my car neat and tidy.

Love this Nokia Lumia charger, don't have to worry about the cord being all over the place. It is so convenient!

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Rapid Car Charger with IC Chip for Alltel LG AX155

I find this product to be very useful. As with most car chargers, I'm not really sure the charge lasts as long as your regular AC charger will. But the fact remains, we all forget to charge our phones once in a while. Being stuck on the road with no phone, in an emergency is just not a good thing. Especially when its just because your battery went dead. If you have an LG Phone this chareger works with, you have no worries mate. Ha, Ha, I just had to put that in there. But seriously everyone should have a car charger for a little back-up, and this one works great! For all of you Laugh-In fans, "And thats the truth, phthhh".

Universal Fits For SUVs Cars Black Fender Air Intake Side Hood Vents Set 2Pcs Highly Durable ABS Pl

When I recieved this product I was excited until I opened the package and the vents were entirely bigger than what I expected, and to top it off the vents were so scratched up it was ridiculous. I will not be sending them back because I do not have the patience for the whole return process, so I will just suck it up and just go to a local store and buy them there.

I have this on my black scion.

It's a cheap piece of plastic but the painting looks really good. I wish it was more glossier but a simple spray paint can fix that; hence the 4 stars.

Easy installation, just peel the tape off. Be sure you mark the placement for these vents before taking off the tape. The tape is extremely sticky and will leave a residue taking it off.

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Multi-Use Vehicle Charger with Dual USB Ports and Dual 12 Volt Sockets - Magnadyne

This is a compact unit that I use to charge my cell phone and Garmin Nuvi 660 GPS using the two DC outlets, and to charge my Ipod Nano and Palm TX using the two USB outlets. I purchased a DC outlet extension cord at Radio Shack, and plug the charger into this so that I can position the charger right next to my seat.

I have tried various other chargers, and this is the most convenient one that I have found. In addition, the charger's capacity is sufficient to handle all of my gadgets being charged simultaneously.

Update July 22, 2009: Some months ago I replaced my Palm TX with an iPod Touch 2G. This unit charges it just fine using the same USB cable that I use to charge the Touch on my laptop.

Update August 23, 2009: I now charge my new BlackBerry Tour on this unit.

Update October 10, 2010: I just ordered my third unit--not because I had a problem with the other two, but because I wanted one for each car. Three years later my original unit is working just fine, as is the secind unit that I purchased a year after that. This is definitely a quality product that has performed well and held up well.

Update December 3, 2010: I just received my fourth unit that I am giving to one of my children to use in their car. This is a quality unit, and I have not had any problems with any of the units that I have bought.

Update August 1, 2012: Still using all four units without any problems. I have inserted a Powergen USB car charger into one of the 12V sockets, so now I have 4 USB ports--which I need for an iPad 3, two iPhones 4S, and a Kindle 3.

This device is really helpful not just for road warriors, but the average person who may have quite a number of devices that can be powered/charged by USB. It can handle and is fused at 20 amps.

I have two. On is 8 months old, the other about four months. You do not need to direct wire, but it is easy and in both my vehicles they are directly wired. One went to the front cigarette lighter wiring (about a 10 minute install) meaning I have a net of three cigarette lighter 12v outlets, plus two USB limited to 15 amps of the supporting OEM cigarette lighter fuse. In my second vehicle I have it direct wired to the battery main bus with an inline fuse (from an inexpensive $20 car amplifier power supply wiring kit). That was about 40 minute install. They can support a high powered laptop, treo, navigation unit, dvd player for the kids in back, and also charge an ipod or bluetooth set -all concurrently. It is also not difficult to open up the device and and use the 5v leg to run a direct 5v usb for hardwiring nav units.

The USB 5 volts is pretty clean and accurate checking with load on car start I am getting 5.1v and it settles at 4.95v, all well within tolerances for any usb device.

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this is exactly what any blackberry, ipodding tuning road-warrior needs. dual 12v and 5v usb...genius.

my only hitch is that it takes a few seconds to buffer the power to the USB ports. My blackberry 7130e didnt start charging until a few seconds after the charger was plugged in. It works so im not concerned.

the usb ports have enough power to charge any USB device you can throw at it. I used this to supplement a high-speed portable hard drive that needed more power than my ultra portable laptop could supply it. so one plug went to PC usb for data and the other went to this baby and i was mint.

Love the mounting equipment. velcro or screw mount..your choice!

Cables and construction are solid and wire is heavy guage so it wont over heat under high load.

BUY IT NOW

Read Best Reviews of Multi-Use Vehicle Charger with Dual USB Ports and Dual 12 Volt Sockets - Magnadyne Here

This unit would not charge my Nokia n900 using its USB outputs, until I modified it. But then, neither would at least three other dumb USB chargers I had on hand. Finally, I searched the net for n900 charging issues, and found that the n900 expects the charger to behave as the USB specification for dumb chargers reads, and many don't. Specifically, it expects to see 200 ohms resistance between the D+ and Dpins (the two center pins) and this unit appears to have an open circuit there. It seems that many phones, specifically some iPhone and Blackberry units, do not conform to the USB spec either, and expect to see around 2 volts on D+ which this unit provides.

So, if your phone will charge when connected to a computer, but not when connected to a dumb charger, this is why.

Using a magnifier to see the pins adequately, I connected D+ and Dtogether with a little solder bridge on the printed circuit board. Although this isn't a 200 ohm resistor, it's sufficient to inform the n900 that it's connected to a dumb charger, and it starts to charge.

The power is nicely filtered and regulated, no noise on the audio output while charging, so this plays fine in the car while charging while some other dumb chargers contributed so much buzzing from their switching regulators that it wasn't possible to listen to music.

I guess manufacturers of dumb chargers are between a rock and a hard place, as not every phone expects the same thing. The ultimate unit would offer a switch on each USB port to fix this. Those who don't want to open their charger can also make a USB cable with a short or 200 ohm resistor between D+ and Dto solve this problem.

Want Multi-Use Vehicle Charger with Dual USB Ports and Dual 12 Volt Sockets - Magnadyne Discount?

This works and it comes with the hardware to mount it somewhere so it won't slide around. As an extension and socket splitter it is OK.

However they missed an essential trick on the USB power supply. If a device wants a smart USB powered device like an iPhone or iPod to see it as a high power source, and not as a data connection, it needs to short the data interface pins with a resistor not more than 200k ohms. That is in the USB spec. You can tell this hasn't been done because when you plug in an Android phone it asks if you want to mount as a media device or a hard drive.

So if you are looking for a neat way to power and charge a modern smart device then this isn't it. For the 2c it would cost them for the resistors the manufacturers really should have done this. I may even try it myself since it looks like there is room to work in there and I have an electronics lab to play in.

Advanced Creative Zen Rapid Wall AC Charger - Amazingly powerful home charge design built with Goma

• Power Sleep"" feature reduces vampire power draw 99%. Charger will consume less than 0.1W of power when in ""dormant state"" (e.g. not connected to the Creative Zen).
• Advanced state-of-the-art internal circuitry protects the Creative Zen from power surges, overcharging, and short-circuiting, to significantly extend the internal battery lifecycle.
• Gomadic Powerful High Wattage wall charger for home or travel use. Customized circuit design is based on the latest in power regulation and is tailored to the precise output voltage and resistor ID requirements of the Creative Zen (accurate to 0.1v!)
• Specification: Input Voltage (100 - 240vAC), Cable length (50 inches), Transformer Dimensions (2.0 X 1.75 inches), Foldable Adapter (Yes), Circuit Design (Creative Zen Specific)
• Foldable wall outlet plug makes for a very compact, portable design. Advancements in power circuit miniaturization now gives you an amazingly powerful charger for its size.

It isa good charger that works. Comes in handy if your zen runs out of power and you are out. Just find a outlet and plug it in.

Buy Advanced Creative Zen Rapid Wall AC Charger - Amazingly powerful home charge design built with Goma Now

Not worth it. Barely worked right for a month and then *POOF* the magic was over. Not a very reliable charger.

IPX4 Waterproof Quick Fix Galaxy S3 Tough Case Motorcycle Bike Mount

The item is of good quality and I use it for MTN biking, kayaking, and hiking in the rain. The good is it works and I can touch the screen. The o.k. is the attachment clap for the tube of the handlebars or poles. Not as strong of a grip as I would like. The "thing to work on" is the ability to touch the side button. You can not touch the side buttons, so turning the screen off or volume up or down has to be done by additional on-screen touches, instead of the quick button keys.

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.

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Gomadic High Output Home Wall AC Charger for the Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen with Power Sleep techno

• Gomadic Powerful High Wattage wall charger for home or travel use. Customized circuit design is based on the latest in power regulation and is tailored to the precise output voltage and resistor ID requirements of the Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen (accurate to 0.1v!)
• Power Sleep"" feature reduces vampire power draw 99%. Charger will consume less than 0.1W of power when in ""dormant state"" (e.g. not connected to the Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen).
• Advanced state-of-the-art internal circuitry protects the Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen from power surges, overcharging, and short-circuiting, to significantly extend the internal battery lifecycle.
• TipExchange Technology protects your investment, by providing a means to change/upgrade your charger by simply swapping the physical charging tip. (Charging tip for Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen) included with additional tips sold separately)
• Charger works on power voltage levels worldwide by supporting a wide input range of 100-240v AC / 50-60 Hz.

I've had the Nomad for a number of years but rarely used it recently because I've moved to a smaller more compact unit for day to day use (Also Creative which I think is the best). The Jukebox has my entire music collection on it so when I went to use it for Christmas Music, I realized I had no idea where the charger was. Priced a comparable replacement and realized I couldn't justify the cost. Found this one on Amazon and what can I say. Fits and runs perfectly; arrived in a couple of days and now I have the Jukebox hooked up to my main stereo for a real Jukebox experience. Thanks again Amazon

Buy Gomadic High Output Home Wall AC Charger for the Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen with Power Sleep techno Now

Charger works great! No problem. Delivery was quick and came just in time as I had run out of tunes to hum. Now I can continue working on my screenplay while listening to the appropiate music. Don't worry Spielberg, it's almost done... or Cameron.

GTMax Mini-USB 2000mah LED Car Vehicle Charger for GPS Navigation TomTom 540 WTE, EASE, 2435, 2535,

Fit perfectly with my TomTom GPS. Somehow misplaced my charger and this was a great replacementw ith a good price. Light up blue when plugged in. Keeper!

LG Octane VN530 Cell Phone Car Charger

it works for my LG phone. How can you go wrong for this price!! buy it, dont buy it at verizon where it is $20 or at the shack where it was $28!! this one doesnt say LG on it, but I use it every 3 days or so, and it works great.

Hint, let your battery drain, or your batery will suck!!

Great product at a great price. I wasn't sure it would work because the price was incredible but it works perfect. The cord isn't long but it would be long enough to use if needed while driving but I try not to use the phone when driving.

Buy LG Octane VN530 Cell Phone Car Charger Now

For the price I wasn't expecting OEM quality but with a little McGyver ingenuity it's serviceable. Unit wouldn't stay plugged in to the 12VDC outlet. Stretched a thin "O" ring over the end, that tightened up the fit enough to allow the charger to stay in the receptacle.

Read Best Reviews of LG Octane VN530 Cell Phone Car Charger Here

Charger works fine and the price was right! Has been reliable and would recommend to others. No problems thus far!

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I bought this for my dad and he loved it. It doesn't only work when it feels like it like other companies.

Rapid Retractable Car Charger (CLA) for Samsung Captivate i897

I love this car charger! I can adjust the cord to just the length I need, and then retract it when I'm not in the car for easier storage. The tip will fit most smartphones, as I purchased this for my old Samsung Captivate and it works on my new Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket.

It worked great until.....

It has a powerful spring and when you push the retract button the cord shoots in at near light speed. One day I lost control over the cord and when it retracted it jumped the spool and wouldn't re-deploy. I took it apart and got the cord fixed but broke a wire trying to put it together due to needing at least 3 hands to hold everything in place. Needless to say its cheap price quickly made it a candidate for the round file.

Pros: its a cheap car charger

Cons: its a cheap car charger

Buy Rapid Retractable Car Charger (CLA) for Samsung Captivate i897 Now

**Update** (7 Sep 10) Reported defect to supplier and they sent a replacement charger for free. New charger works perfect. Very happy with product. Thank you Amazon.

Bought this version due to the retractable aspect. Fast delivery time. But this product is flawed. The charger works fine, it's the input end to the phone, input is not a solid connection, falls out, the input is fatter than the standard Samsung wall charger. (WHY?) Returning this charger.

Read Best Reviews of Rapid Retractable Car Charger (CLA) for Samsung Captivate i897 Here

White Rapid Car Charger with IC Chip for Apple Iphone 3G 2nd Generation, Ipod...

• Brand new non-OEM. Vehicle Lighter Adaptor. (12~24v DC)
• Short circuit protection. LED charging indication.
• Plug never heats or overcharges the battery.
• Can Charge Ni-Mh, Ni-cd and Li-Ion Battery.
• Intelligent IC chip inside recognizes a full battery and automatically switch to a saver.

Received unit in timely fashion, plugged it into my vehicle and the battery was displayed on my iPhone indicating it was charging. There was a red light in the plug also indicating that the juices were flowing. Don't know about reliability because I just received the unit. If I have any problems in that regard I will update the review. When I bought the iPhone AT&T wanted $29.95 for a vehicle charger and obviously this unit is much less expensive. Of course there is always the chance with these inexpensive units that they could damage the component that they are charging, but we each have to make our choices in that regard!

Buy White Rapid Car Charger with IC Chip for Apple Iphone 3G 2nd Generation, Ipod... Now

I bought this charger for my Ipod Nano (3rd generation). I plugged it right in to charge and (so far) everything looks great!

Read Best Reviews of White Rapid Car Charger with IC Chip for Apple Iphone 3G 2nd Generation, Ipod... Here

Maybe I got a dud, but this charger has an odd habit of cycling between charging and not charging my iPhone, with no consistency. It will show the charging icon for about 2 minutes, then switch back to the regular icon like it's not plugged in. At first I thought it might be the car, but I have tested it in a VW Jetta, Mazda 3, Honda Fit, and Toyota Prius. The best case I had was in the Jetta, where it did not do the on/off cycling, but after driving for an hour and a half, my battery was almost totally run down even though it was plugged in the entire time.

Because it does not constantly charge, my battery will never actually die while plugged in, but after a long drive I'll have a 20-25% charge. I suspect this kind of on/off charging is not doing wonders for the health of my battery. I guess you get what you pay for lesson learned! I just placed an order for a name-brand charger that listed on the Apple store website.

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nice little cheap item, does what its made to and needs to do, nothing more nothing less.

Great product at a great price and they ship to APO military with no hassles!!

BestDealUSA Nice Pink USB Data Sync Charger cable For Apple iPod iPhone

• Update your iPhone, iPod at high speed with the latest music and data.
• Dock Connector to USB Cable offers 400mbs throughput for quick transfer of your data.
• Compatible with the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPod 3rd&4th Generation, iPod Video and iPod Mini.
• Cable can charge or hotsync while being used.
• Color: Pink

Cool gift to buy to your girlfriend (if she likes pink)! It comes handy especially when people steal your iphone cable. This time you will notice it!

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I bought this a little less than a month ago... It lasted till about now and the charger cord is starting to fall apart and not work well. Guess you get what you pay for :)

Read Best Reviews of BestDealUSA Nice Pink USB Data Sync Charger cable For Apple iPod iPhone Here

i was very pleased with the product it really fits the purpose no complaints about this product at all thanks

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It works fine, I love the color, It is different from all the other WHITE USB cables in my house,not only is pink my favorite color, but since my USB is the only pink UBS if somebody in the family borrow it I know that it is mine, they cannot say "that's not yours"

It may not be as high quality as a real ipod charger but it's going the job and for the price it's tough to beat.

GTMax Retractable Rapid Car Charger with IC Chip for Verizon LG Accolade VX-5600 CDMA Cell Phone

I got these a few days ago, and my main complaint is that the cord is extremely thin. I've used them a couple of times, and in the short term, they are ok. However, I'm worried about the long term issues that the thinness will have on the connection between the USB part of the tip and the cable. Only time will tell.

It is a DC charger. It charges my phone. It is inexpensive. What more could you ask for? It shipped quickly. It retracts nicely. This is what you want. I bought 7 of them for all my cars and boats. They all work perfectly. I have only had them for a month, so I can not speak for the longevity of this product. I can't think of anything negative to say about this.

Buy GTMax Retractable Rapid Car Charger with IC Chip for Verizon LG Accolade VX-5600 CDMA Cell Phone Now

While this charger fits your phone properly, it does not fit the car charger port properly. It appears to be too small for the socket and therefore does not stay engaged. After second, the charger pops our of the socket and no longer charges the phone.

Read Best Reviews of GTMax Retractable Rapid Car Charger with IC Chip for Verizon LG Accolade VX-5600 CDMA Cell Phone Here

This car charger is very poor quality. After waiting what seemed forever for it to arrive, I was very disappointed. It feels like cheap brittle plastic and, it turns out, it IS cheap brittle plastic. After using it about 5 or 6 times in the mont I've had it the casing on the mini-usb plug broke making the unit unusable.

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Space saving, and nice for whenever you leave the house, then find out you have only 1 bar left on the indicator. Handy to have...I get a charge out of it. :)

Coleman Cable 08566 6-Gauge Heavy-Duty Booster Cables (16 Feet)

These are well-made and manufactured in USA!! There is not much to say about jumper cables, but some of the ones you see at automotive parts stores are pretty flimsy and the conductors look like they are significantly smaller than the gauge marked on the packages. These 6-gauge are suitable for cars with medium size batteries such as compacts or older models. For a new sophisticated car with lots of electronics and a big battery (BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, etc.), I suggest 4-gauge cables instead.

These cables are a good value. They work well enough if you're attaching them to automotive battery terminals; however, the jaws don't close together far enough to bite onto motorcycle/powersports type terminals, which limits their versatility.

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After accidentally including my last set of jumper cables with the sale of my last car, I was in need of new ones!

These are long and heavy duty probably overkill for my 1.4L engine, but if you needed to jump a truck, they would be great. The whole assembly is well put together, with good, solid connections from the handles to the cables. They have worked great on a hybrid Highlander and Chrysler 300 (co-worker left the dome light on in the company car...).

If you don't have a lot of space though, skip this set since they are not small.

Read Best Reviews of Coleman Cable 08566 6-Gauge Heavy-Duty Booster Cables (16 Feet) Here

Mine just arrived. I pulled it out of the box and am concerned that the cable crimp looks weak. I expect eventually I will have to fix it if it gets used much. Other than that it looks like it will do the job.

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I have not actually used these yet. I purchased them after having had need of them and not having any. The clamps are tight and cord is a good length. The only thing I don't like is that there is an opening under where you hold the clamps that has a bear wire on the other side. I am not sure if you would be able to touch it through the very small slit but it is something that I have kept in my mind. Over all pretty good quality. Not the kind you would use everyday.

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Apple iPod Battery Pack for shuffle 1st Generation

• Extend the battery life of your iPod shuffle with this battery pack
• Two AAA batteries keep music playing up to 20 hours after the internal battery is drained
• Signature Apple design and quality construction ensure years of use
• A perfect companion for long plane rides, hikes, or any time you're away from the computer for a while
• Compatibility: iPod shuffle (1G only)

This battery pack from Apple is just the right companion for you shuffle on trips with no access to USB ports. Plug in the shuffle into this pack and you are ready to go. And as with any Apple product it just works, you don't have to worry about buying an unknown brand accessory.

Also I suspect this should keep working with future generation of Shuffle, since its normal USB based. And possibly other devices like Treo 650, Tungsten E etc which can be charged from its USB port.

In short this is perfect and elegant solution to recharge battery on the go for your mobile device and almost certainly future proof.

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Nice back up to the rechargable battery. Of course, the built in battery does not have unlimited recharges. This is the answer extended playback time plus no worries when the rechargable battery fails to hold a charge.

Read Best Reviews of Apple iPod Battery Pack for shuffle 1st Generation Here

I tried out my friends battery pack with my own iPod Shuffle and I have to say that it does indeed increase the battery life. I usually get around 10 hours of playback and the battery pack gives it an extra 15-16 hours. But again, even though the battery pack isn't that bulky itself, the concept of having a light weight flash player with an attached battery pack is odd. Looks and feels slightly big. I don't use my Shuffle for long drives, since it isn't made for that. Get the regular iPod instead. If you are not satisfied with the normal battery life(which is quite good), then go ahead and get this. But you might just lose the iPod Shuffle touch; lightweight and compact.

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The iPod battery accessory was a cheap knock off. It was poorly constructed and was warped on arrival making battery installation difficult. The batteries were corroded and were leaking acid into the package. Overall the product was not usable.

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I purchased this in the hopes that is would help keep a longer battery life for my iPhone 3GS. Unfortunately when you plug in the device into the phone a pop up appears that reads, "Charging is not supported with this accessory". Given you can't fault the product for not supporting something that it wasn't designed for (as it charges my shuffle and other iPods great). However I have seen this same product work on earlier versions of the iPhone so that is why I am faulting the company more than the product. If it works on another version of the iPhone why did the company have to change how the device charges? So basically, if you are purchasing this for the iPhone 3GS it will NOT work.