OEM AT&T Car Charger w/ USB Port for Pantech Review

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List Price: $29.99
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This is the factory charger for the phone and is certainly the best one. From the soft glow of the indicator light to the two solid connectors, this charger is solid and durable. The small pinch to release jack clamp used on the phone end of the charger for Pantech phones is the best in the industry.

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This was listed as a charger for the Pantech Pursuit which it's not. The charger is larger and will not fit a Pursuit. Kind of misleading. One other reviewer had this happen, as well. Not sure if there was a mix-up with the Amazon page content? Would be great if it worked with my phone!

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Perhaps I missed the description detail, but I was under the impression it was for the Pantech phone I purchased. Unfortunately, it was not a fit. Luckily, I was able to sell it to a friend who could use it.

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I am not sure if this product is a knock-off or not, because it quit working after two months. Oh well, you get what what you pay for.

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After visiting several electronic stores insearch of this charger for my phone I ended up at Amazon. I avoided the "friendly" AT&T store as I did not want to get rirred of on the price. This is the exact item they sell at about a 75% discount and it works great.

Review of Associated Equipment 6024 12/24V 125 Amp Hand Held Analog Battery

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Freaked a little first time I used it since there is a little oil coating or something on the load that smokes initially. But I got this for testing UPS batteries and it worked great. Will make better adapter for the next time, but am very happy.

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Discount Garmin 2460LMT -Nuvi Standard Red LED Wall / AC / Home Charger

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $8.85
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Boo to Garmin for not including it, but cheers to these guys for having a reasonably priced one, so I can be sure I am always charged up. We don't all use these solely in a car.

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We love our Garmin it is the 2nd one we have had and we no longer travel without it We need all the help we can get traveling on the interstates and "Mable 2" gives us all the information we need to be in the correct lane and to take the correct exit Don't leave home without her!! The in home charger lets me set up trips before we go and keep up with map updates although she also chages in the car as we drive. The Garmin system is reliable, pretty intuitive and we would recommend it to anyone.

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Nice to be able to charge my GPS on house current because I don't care to leave GPS plugged in when car is unattended.

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This power supply works well and is small in size. It does not have the fold out pins like some do that give trouble. The connector is very small and seems like it would be easy to break by plugging the wrong way. Having a obvious visual mark on the Garmin and the ps plug would help to get this plugged in the right way.

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The product wouldn't fit my nuvi product. I had a nuvi2595 LMT model . According to a website I visited the 2460 LMT was supposed to fit most all nuvi models including the 2595 model .I called the seller and they informed me I needed a different charger and asked me to send it back . Which I did and they credited me a refund. The sellers were very helpful in telling me which model would fit and refunded my purchase price.

Reviews of Retractable Car Charger for BlackBerry Bold 9780

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I keep this charger plugged into my car lighter at all times so that whenever I drive, all I have to do is pull the retractable cord out and plug in my phone for charging. Very handy!

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GPS Portable Travel USB Plug-in Rapid 12 Volt Car Charger Reviews

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After breaking the power cord for my Magellan GPS, I looked around for a replacement. Magellan was ready to sell me a new one for $25. Same price for a generic one from an electronics store. Then I found another one here at Amazon for $12. And, finally, I came across this one for less than a dollar. The price disparity was so great that I was inclined to be suspicious of its quality, but for less than a dollar I was willing to risk it. It works just fine. As noted by another reviewer, the cord is just a little on the short side, but I have found it long enough to reach over the steering wheel from the cigarette lighter to the lower left corner of the windshield in my 2003 Toyota Rav-4. I've only needed to use it a single time since the purchase but so far, so good.

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Original car charger was destroyed. Tried numerous usb adapters and chargers, all would power the unit but would not charge the internal battery. This charger/adapter did the trick. Although it doesn't have the feel of quality as the original (cord isn't rubberized or as long as the original) it is definitely worth the price. A+

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This device works like it is designed to, however the cord is the coiled type, and seems a little short. If you are needing to span a fairly long distance from the GPS unit to the cigarette lighter plug, then you may consider a non-coiled design.

I have a Jeep Cherokee, and the GPS is mounted on the front windshield. Not a great distance to the lighter socket, but it is a bit of a stretch with this coiled cable.

Otherwise this one works well, with a good solid connection on both ends, and an indicator (red) LED light tells you the plug is operating.

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We had left the original in a rental car and bought this as a replacement....it was actually a better cord than the original because the new cord coiled so there was not so much excess cord and it wasn't so stiff. Very happy, thanks.

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I've used it quite a few times over the past month and a half and have no complaints. At about $20 cheaper than the Magellan replacement charger I am very happy with this purchase.

Review of Whistler Pro-3000W 3,000 Watt Power Inverter

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List Price: $549.95
Sale Price: $245.99
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I have purchased many inverters for my service truck, RV, boat, and emergency home backup, and this is what I have learned...

Buying a large inverter is confusing. Most people want their inverter to run the "continuous" loads that they have, plus have enough surge power to start air conditioners, microwaves, sump pumps, etc. Seems simple enough, but when they purchase an inverter, usually it can't handle the startup surge they were hoping. Herein is the problem: most people don't understand "Surge Duration".

Most inverters can put out more than their rated "continuous" output for surge. But the question is: How long can the inverter provide that surge? The vast majority of consumer inverters can only provide surge for 2 seconds with most less than 1 second! This is totally inadequate for hard starting appliances. I have measured the surge on my 2 hp air compressor, and it lasted about 5 seconds before it settled out to its "continuous" wattage. My 1000 watt microwave settles down at about the 3 second mark.

So what to do? Always look for an inverter with a long surge duration. The bigger inverter companies sell them, but they are usually labeled "Industrial" or "Commercial", and are much more expensive.

Which brings me to the Whistler Pro Inverters. Whistler Pro's have something they call "Smart Surge Control" that provides the surge wattage for close to 10 seconds. That is the longest I have found of any low priced consumer based inverter. I gave several a shot, and they work as advertised! They have more than enough surge duration to start my hard starting appliances like A/C, microwave, air compressor, large power tools, sump pump, etc. My 3000 watt Whistler (5000 watt surge) can start my hard starting RV air conditioner with no problem while also running my microwave!

...So add up your continuous wattage needs. Then find the wattage of your most surge hungry appliance (here is a great chart ) and size your inverter based on those calculations.

Example:

Rated running watts ("continuous") of my lights + fridge + sump pump = 1440 running watts

Largest Surge wattage appliance is my big sump pump = 2700 surge watts

Pick the inverter that is above both ratings, in this case I would get a Whistler Pro 1600. It is rated at 1600 watts running continuous, 3200 surge.

Remember: inverters require VERY HIGH current, so the 12v cables have to be VERY large to work correctly. For larger inverters (1500 watt+) the cables need to be LARGER than the cables you see on your car battery. Large cables are expensive, stiff and heavy, but are a MUST! Your inverter will NOT run correctly without them! Follow the cable sizing guides, and don't skimp or you will be disappointed with your inverter's performance! I cannot stress this enough. Also, keep the 12v connectors clean and tight for reliable power.

Lastly, let's talk about your batteries:

Home backup, off grid or RV (large) inverter use requires more than one deep cycle battery, usually many more. Check with an inverter pro to size your battery bank correctly BEFORE you purchase your inverter.

For those of you that are running an inverter in an idling single battery vehicle, the vehicle alternator makes your battery look bigger than it is. In my truck I have a 165 amp alternator with a 1600 watt continuous inverter. It works terrific with the engine idling. I just don't use the inverter with the engine off. The continuous large current draw on an ordinary car battery will shorten its life considerably if the engine is not running. I could install a battery isolator with a second battery, but if I leave the truck idling, that isn't necessary. Remember, BIG cables, TIGHT clean connectors!

I hope this helps you with your inverter buying quest... Good shopping ;-)

Added on Jan 2 2013...

Just to clear up some confusion about using an inverter in a running vehicle:

If you draw more amps than the alternator can produce at idle, you will drain your battery. Once the battery voltage drops below about 10.5 volts, the inverter will shut itself down. Most alternators produce about 30%-40% of their output at idle. High output replacement alternators are readily available. Just Google "high output alternator". Be sure to increase the size of the alternator hot wire if necessary to support the higher amps of the replacement alternator...

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Before reading, this is meant as a review and not a guide. However, I put some tips that worked for me, but this doesn't mean they'll work in another individual's situation.

BACKGROUND STORY:

Living in the NJ/NY area, we don't see a lot of hurricanes or even tropical storms. Once in a while, Mother Nature decides to give us a taste of what one can do. Originally being from MA and also living several years in eastern NC, I've seen what damage they can do. I knew some type of backup power may be necessary. Without operation sump pumps in my basement, it would certainly flood. As Hurricane Irene came bearing down on NY/NJ expecting to arrive on Saturday night, early Thursday I frantically looked for a generator. Home Depot, Lowes, Sears were already sold out across the northeastern seaboard. As you can imagine, they don't stock a lot here. Then I had an idea. A POWER INVERTER! I quickly logged on to Amazon and looked for a 3000W that could handle my two sump pumps. I paid the extra shipping fee to guarantee arrival by Saturday morning. Sure enough it arrived when promised. THANKS, AMAZON!

Well, needless to say Irene hit my area with a massive amount of rain. Eventually our local substation flooded and I had no power. The sump pump wells started to fill quickly. Thanks to my power inverter, I was able to react! I hooked it up and got those pumps running saving my basement. I saved my neighbors basement too!

So what does this inverter do? Basically it inverts power from DC (i.e. a car battery, marine battery or deep cycle battery) to AC (110V) which your appliances need to run. In the case of the car battery hook up, your car acts as a generator (recharging batter via alternator when your car is running).

THE SET UP

I knew very little about this type of equipment, but it was surprisingly easy to set-up. I followed the instructions as listed in the manual. I have replaced car batteries in the past, so maybe that's why this seemed fairly straightforward to me. If you're not familiar with car batteries, you may want someone to assist you. Be safe!

MAKE SURE YOU PURCHASE WIRES! I am referring to the cables/wires that lead from the inverter to your car battery. I didn't purchase them when I bought the inverter. I had to go to the local auto parts store and beg them to build me two about an hour before the storm arrived. This included purchasing the wire and having the proper ends added and crimped which requires a special tool. See manual for gauge required. It depends on the length of wire you need.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE GROUND WIRE (see manual for specs)

THE USE

Once hooked up to your car battery, follow the proper procedure for start-up. Then you just need to plug in your appliances into the 3 outlets provided.

Insure all connections are good!

Turn on inverter and your appliances should be powered!

Fairly simple, right?

TIPS

Purchase Whistler power cables when you purchase the inverter. If you don't, then bring the inverter and manual to a local auto parts or auto electrician to build the wires for you.

If using your car battery, one obviously doesn't want your car running in an attached garage/area without proper airflow AND ventilation. I unfortunately (?) have a detached garage which was a blessing in this case. I had my car half way in with it's tail end sticking out. Kept everything dry and no worries about asphyxiation.

You don't need the car running all the time. However, depending on the appliances you're using and how much you're using them will determine the amount of drain you'll be pulling on your car's battery. If the voltage from your car battery gets too low, the inverter will shut down and an alarm will sound. Nothing will be getting powered once this happens. You'll need to turn off the inverter, start your car engine and turn inverter back on.

Keep an eye on the voltage usage and wattage usage frequently. The alarm is not that loud, so if your neighbor is running a generator you may not hear it.

If running several appliances at once, you may need to some "power management". I was switching in and out pumps in order to avoid any overload (I was also helping a neighbor drain his basement).

Do some homework on the appliances that you're planning to run. Make sure you understand the wattage each needs to run. Remember, certain appliances like sump pumps and refrigerators need a lot more wattage to start-up than run continuously. For example, when my sump pump would start up it would pull close to 2000 Watts. Once it was running, it was only use 700 watts. So imagine your refrigerator and 2 sump pumps happen to start at the same time. You'll probably set off the auto shutdown. So just be aware of those situations.

When turning your inverter on after a shutdown, unplug all cords. Then plug one in, wait a bit, then plug in another...etc. Again, you don't want all appliances starting at same time (even though the 3000W has something like a 5000W peak...why push it???)

BOTTOM LINE:

I would recommend this item!

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This unit does what it promised it would do and more.

Very quiet operation and I like the way it turns off when not in use.

The fans do not run all the time, make in it even quieter.

Fast delivery service, By the way order the remote star. It is very useful if you install the unit out of the way.

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The inverter workes as advertise. I am very happy with it. However I all so got the remote for it and I am sorry to say it did not work. If you buy this inverter do not buy this remote.

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Works great! Had no problems with it and seems to be very good.

was well packaged and delivered on time.

Have not had any problems at all. Seller is 100% good in my book.

Stanley BC1509 15 Amp Automatic Battery Charger Review

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List Price: $64.99
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Not too much to review here. It works! It charged my marine battery fast from almost dead in less than 30 minutes. Lightweight, easy to carry, nice long leads and easy to read LED.

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I got the BC1509 a few months back for my Odyssey PC1200 (and lower capacity models) and it works great. I primarily use it for non-vehicle use and it is charged with no parasitic drain loading it down. I did not test the alternator-check, pulse-conditioning or jump-start functions. It also is great for my Optimas.

I found that it charged my agm up to about 14.75 volts as measured on a Fluke 87V multimeter in absorb at 15.2 amps as indicated on the display. Then current further tapered off and switched to float charge ending at about 3amps per the display at 13.55 volts. This seems to fall inline with Odyssey specifications, although this charger is not on their officially approved list. I'm not sure if it has full-time temperature compensation, although some form of temp-comp may kick in during extremes.

Like most automobile chargers, it will get to about 95% charge, and expect the alternator to do the final finish if necessary. In my case, I switch over to a Stanley BC209 (or the beefier 6a BC6809) charger/maintainer to do the final top-off if I have the time.

UPDATE ON FLOAT: I was finally patient enough to track the float charge, and no longer need the maintainers to finish the job. Many chargers drop to float too soon, and the 3a change to float left me initially a little disappointed. Once it drops into float "FLO" on the display, the fans will eventually spin down and the unit will maintain at 13.55 volts. About every 45 minutes, the fan will come back on for 10 seconds and then spin down again. After about 6 hours, I noticed that the voltage had jumped up to an even 13.60 volts. (on the multimeter, not on the charger display.)

But did it finish the job in float after 6 hours? YES. Using a Battery-Tender Plus that switches from absorb to float when reaching 100 milliamps, I tested it using the battery tender and within two minutes the tender indicated a solid green which means it reached a 100ma absorb and itself dropped into float.

Cable-management is great and the dc clamp cord wraps neatly around the base inside a small channel. The AC cord tucks in the back near the fan. It is one of the few chargers that you can actually put back inside the original box neatly. The clamps are medium duty with anodized aluminum. The copper teeth have different shapes so you can easily grab onto a fat post, or turn it over for a grip on a flat lug etc. While the aluminum is better than plastic, I wouldn't go dragging or throwing the clamps down in an industrial setting. Be nice.

Yes, there is a fan of course but it is not objectionable. Just don't expect bedroom-quiet where you shouldn't be charging anyway. When using the unit, pull the ac cord all the way out so as not to block the fan. The fan speed slows down to near inaudible during the float-charge stage. During use, you'll hear it beep at the start and finish of the charge. A few minutes after the start of the charge, the unit may beep and stop to do a sanity-check, then ramp back up and continue on if the test passes.

Amazingly, the BC1509 is pretty quiet in the radio rf-spectrum. I expected a lot of broad-band hash from 2-30 mhz, and found only small instances of it across the dial, which were very muted and not broad-band at all. An HF ferrite on the AC cord near the charger dropped what little there was down to near nothing. Not perfectly quiet, but not broad-band either.

In all, this is my go-to charger for my pure-lead Odyssey PC2100 and under, and most Optimas. Not only does it follow voltage recommendations for both during bulk and absorb, it also performs well at the end of charge with a few hours of float and gets the current down to a very low level signaling a very high state of charge.

As you can tell, I'm pretty picky about my gear and this unit gets a big thumbs-up for my agm's!

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This is how a charger should work, why should I have to manually select amperage? I know some people say constant low amps charges better, but that doesn't apply to new automatic smart chargers. They step down the amperage automatically as the battery charges. They also keep it from over charging and boiling the battery. With these new chargers you won't get any more charge from a long 2 amp charge then a quick 15 amp multi stage one. I use it for deep cycle batteries. Just hook up the battery and press charge, that's it, no guess work, no selecting charge speed and amperage. It optimizes everything and is completely automatic. It auto detects the type and condition of the battery, even compensating for the ambient temperature so it doesn't effect charging. It also can recondition old sulfated batteries with some pulse mode. The fan seems quiet enough and shuts off automatically in float mode after unit is cooled down from charging. The unit seems very durable. Back lit LCD screen is convenient. It displays current voltage, amps charging, mode, etc... It also has a alternator check I have never used, and a quick charge mode to start a dead car battery I have never used. When I charged my deep cycles on my old charger my trolling motor usually drained my deep cycle battery to almost 50% by the end of the day. With the new charger and the same amount of use it's only drained 30% when I get home. My batteries seem to get a better charge with this charger, and lasting longer. Another review said "wires get warm". I charge batteries on the full 15 amps for hours and don't notice the wires or battery being noticeably warm at all, maybe a little above room temperature at most. Nothing you would even notice unless you were specifically looking for it. Overall, by far the best charger I have ever owned.

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Lightweight and easy to use! This is an excellent little charger for home use. Best one I've had, and I've been through several over the years. I especially like the battery reconditioning cycle. Worth every penny!

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Pros: This car battery charger has many useful features such as battery voltage monitor and maintenance mode.

Cons: It cannot charge a totally dead battery. I would get the higher amperage model that has jump start feature.

Reviews of Optima 8004-003-FFP RedTop Group 34/78 Starting Battery

Customer Ratings:

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.

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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.

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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!!!!

Reviews of Chicago Electric Power Systems 750 Watt Continuous/1500 Watt Peak

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I normally wouldn't buy something like this from Harbor Freight but they had it on sale for $30.00 about 3 months ago. I used it to power the subwoofer in the car its much smaller in size than the one I was using and it worked good and until yesterday. I started the car and heard the small beep the the inverter always made then nothing, the subs didn't come on. I got home and checked for a loose wire or blown fuse, all was good I was getting power at the inverter but no 120 volts. I pulled out the thing and reinstalled the 1500 watt inverter I was using and got the subs working again. This inverter is out of warranty so I opened it up and found all 4 fuses blown. I dug into it alittle more and found the inverter had shorted out. So its in the garbage now, not worth fixing. I wouldn't buy another one.

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This is exactly the same inverter that Harbor Freight sells for $34.99. It's your money. I am going there this week to pick one up.

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Great product. Used this for a month as I drove across the country. Was able to run an electric wok, and charge all of my appliances the whole trip. Worth every penny!

Review of Wireless Solutions Power Adapter for iPhone 3G/3GS, iPod Touch

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List Price: $20.00
Sale Price: $1.36
Today's Bonus: 93% Off

This charger works very well for the cost! It has so far stood up to the beating of a corporate environment (we beat the heck out of products that don't technically belong to us) and therefore would be able to stand up to a user who purchased this and actually took care of it.

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Buy Versachem 90214 Plastic Tank and Radiator Repair Kit - 30 Grams

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List Price: $15.00
Sale Price: $8.74
Today's Bonus: 42% Off

This product did not leave me with more than 4 or 5 minutes before it was unuseable. Just have everything ready to go before mixing gets hot too.

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I have used this product many times over the years and have never been disappointed. I always keep an unopened pack with me whether on the road or parked. If you've never used the product, the short 8 9 minute mix & setup time might surprise you even though the instructions are quite clear about this ... mix for no more than 2 minutes and apply immediately. Expert tip ... mix small quantities not the entire packet and do the repair in stages as needed. The packets/pouches are designed to be mixed before opening, but you can cut a corner off each pouch and dispense as little as is needed. A couple of clothes pins can be used to reseal the pouches temporarily. The pack comes with an applicator brush but it can only be used once ... a used-but-clean toothbrush will work just as well. An RV vacation/trip can be spoiled by a punctured holding tank this product can save the day. Great product.

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This plastic tank repair kit is great. Worked well for my application. I have a split in my tank due to the weight of the tank being put on the strap, so I sealed it with this. Seems to be holding...

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its messy, and you should wear gloves. I patched a rather wide crack in my windshield washer fluid tank on my car. I wanted to try this fiberglass patch before i went looking for a junkyard or aftermarket tank, and started removing components under the hood. I watched a few youtube videos on how to patch fiberglass, and i was able to do a rather nice job on the tank i needed to patch.

I recommend this for anyone who knows what they're doing. Its a good solution to an annoying problem

Buy 12V Police Motorcycle

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List Price: $269.99
Sale Price: $249.47
Today's Bonus: 8% Off

Bought this for my 2.5 year old. He is crazy about motorcycles.

Although it has 3 wheels, the little guy falls over on it a lot. My 4 year old does pretty good on it but he falls over sometimes too. As long as you have some straight away real estate to work with it is good. Transitioning from the sidewalk to the grass is an adventure. Any kind of elevation drop makes the bike unstable.

I had to remove the windshield because the kids kept hitting their face on it when they would start and then stop.

The bike runs well. Pretty good speed in hi.

Battery lasts for a good while. The sirens can get annoying as the kids tend to not turn them off.

Careful with installing the mirrors. The screws will break through the plastic clamps. Recommend doing those without a drill and not torquing them too much at all.

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My nephew loves this little bike. He wanted one, as he has decided at 4 that he wants to be a police officer and he just loves the thing.

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I bought this for my son's 5th birthday and he LOVES it! It is a little lower in height than I had expected but it is very sturdy and well balanced. It is easy to use. You will just need a screwdriver every time you need to charge the battery since it is under the seat and the seat is secured with a screw. Otherwise it runs great and my son loves it. It actually fits into the back seat of my small Mazda and it isn't heavyI pick it up and carry it up a flight of stairs just fine. It is the best present I could have picked from him. I was looking into a smaller bike but this motorcycle is perfect! It wasn't hard to put together, you will probably need a drill and someone who knows how to do it.

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This motorcycle was my twin sons' dream. However, it has been nothing but a nightmare since it has arrived. Assembly was difficult and design inferior. The high gear and battery have ne.ver worked properly. The suggested age is up to 7, but my 5 year olds are way too big for it. Do yourselves a favor and skip it!

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My grandson received this motorcycle for his birthday. It was a toy he has been wanting for quite a while. The motorcycle worked for maybe 24 hours. We then found a blown fuse and replaced the fuse. The motorcycle worked again for about 24 hours and the exact same fuse is blown again. It makes me angry to pay $300 for a cheaply made piece of junk! There is obviously something wrong in the wiring that is causing this fuse to blow. The wiring comes completely put together so it is the manufacturer's mistake. Beware and DO NOT purchase this motorcycle!!!

Reviews of Xantrex Prowatt SW1000 1000W True Sinewave Inverter

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List Price: $350.00
Sale Price: $281.49
Today's Bonus: 20% Off

Recently the price on inverters (esp true sine) has dropped quite a bit (there are two xantrex 1000 watt units the older 750 buck one and now the $200-$300 price one). Xantrex has a wonderful reputation. I own this inverter along with their older model (pro-sine) and also the new entry from sunforce (yes I have alot of 1000w inverters).

I also have alot of 1000w loads. In particular is my favorite testload a 1050 w (with motorthe heating element is 1000w exactly but it has a blower that consumes 50w so technically its a tad high).

With this dummy load both of my xantrex inverters will run it all day or until the battery bank dies whichever comes first. They draw about 110-115 amps on the 12vdc lines.

The sunforce 1000w inverter CAN NOT run this load for more than 2 seconds without an output overload shutdown. But I still like the sunforce because it can handle 900W and it has an RF keychain remote on/off switch.

The point is Xantrex products are clean, reliable power, while other knockoffs (compare sunforce's 1K and this one and guess who coppied who) are not up to being a real 1K unit. If anyone wants a demo my email is in my profile i'd be happy to film the two side by side on optima D31 blue top batteries and even give the sunforce the running head start with the fresh charge on the cells 2 seconds and it will shutdown. Yes, i know 1050 watts is over 1000w, but the xantrex will drain the batteries before they complain of anything else runing the heatgun.

This is the leading brand in inverters today. Their new product line offers 3x the value of their older units without sacrificing quality or stability. It's a real value in high power inverters. Unfortunately, xantrex moved their mfg overseas and the quality suffered from more than one report. We no longer use this model, but for an apples to apples comparison against offshore mfg inverters, xantrex still has a better design to begin with = better product to ship back to the usa

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So far I returned (3) inverters (1)Power Bright PW400, (2)Tripp Lite PV1000 because the output voltage was to low (89-95volts). Fluorescent light would not be as bright,fan would not come up to speed and I"m sure this was not good for motors. Had this one for (3) days (Xantres Prowatt SW 1000) and am very satisfied with it. Output voltage is 124 volts, lights are bright motors are running up to speed And my running amps are lower. I don't know whether this unit is just made better or if its because its a pure sine wave inverter or both but it puts the other inverters I tried to shame.

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I'm not running much off this device and the thing that strikes me is that the cooling fan only turns on when a certain temperature is reached. So for small loads, it's very quiet because the fan has no need to turn on. Previous experiences with inverter default to the fan being on and they are often very noisy.

The sine wave seems to be clean. After trying this, I'll never go back to modified sine waves for devices remotely designed to work with sine waves. Otherwise, I'll just go with the cheap square wave inverters.

I plan on buying another unit in the future.

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I bought this about two months ago. So far I only use about 250 watts everyday 6-7 hours run time) and have had no issues at all. To test it I plugged in my 32" tube TV, two 60 watt lamps, two 15'6 notebooks, PS3 Playstation and the Frig. Ran it all just fine and took the surge from the Frig very easily. And more I'm sure! Well made product, great directions, easy to intall. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a well made power inverter that performs as advertised.

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I purchased this inverter to use as part of a home backup power system. I previously was using an 1100W modified sine wave inverter, but it wasn't running some of my more sensitive items as well. For example, my furnace fan ran slower and I'd get some weird flickering in my fridge lights. Switching to this has resolved that issue.

One caveat though...If you are thinking of plugging into a home transfer switch with this inverter you may run into problems. The second I plugged my into my transfer switch the GFCI outlet popped and power output ceased. My electrical panel has my neutral and ground bonded, so the inverter was not able to sense the returning voltage and thought someone was getting fried.

I did some research online and someone else in another review said they had changed the GFCI outlet in the inverter to resolve their issue. I decided to give that a shot (note that this voids your warranty). If you're comfortable working with electrical stuff it turns out it is not a difficult project. The unit uses a standard GFCI outlet. You can replace it with a normal outlet from the hardware store with little trouble. You only need to remove the front portion of the device to do this. Most of the circuits I am powering are protected in my breaker panel by GFCI or arc fault breakers already so I was comfortable with this change.

Overall the unit is very high quality and I was very impressed by how solid it is put together. Since I use this only for emergencies I will have to update the review later to let you know how it holds up, but for now it ran through my tests without a problem.

UPDATE: After only a couple short uses, this unit emitted a loud "pop" along with associated electronic smoke. It still turns on and supplies power but the the smoke returns here and there and I do not feel safe using it. It's surprising to me that it isn't detecting a fault of any kind after several incidents like this. As a result I am dropping my review a couple notches.

Buy VCAN Blinc 136 Flat Black Medium Full Face Helmet with CRUSADER

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List Price: $289.00
Sale Price: $149.99
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

had a hard time hearing.. however my bike is kinda loud.. as a result i found myself tugging on the portion that had the speaker to adjust it... after a few rides.. the wiring came loose and i lost sound... after a soldering iron and a speaker taken out of a greeting card i was up and running and louder than before.. so all in all it worked out...

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