Cheap Goal Zero 12301 Nomad 7M Solar Panel

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List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $79.99
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I have purchased, used and tested every lightweight solar charging device on the market that I could find. The Goal0 nomad 7 and Guide 10 set is the only one that works sufficiently that I can be completely off the grid with my backpacking devices and have no need for extra batteries. See below for solar panels tested. I have been testing portable solar panels for several years now, and the Goal 0 products are the best.

The Nomad 7 is the only solar panel that has the capability to charge an adequate battery pack, my headlamp AAA's, AND my smartphone/GPS all in the same day in full sunlight. It is the only panel that has reserve capacity to charge my devices in less than full sun (shady/cloudy). No other panel has the output of the Nomad 7. Its closest competitor is the Brunton panel. The Brunton weighs 20% more and is rated to output 30% less than the Nomad 7 (Brunton = 5 watts, Nomad 7 = 7 watts). In my testing the lower output was verified. The off-axis performance of the Nomad 7 is superior. It maintains full output to a greater angle of sun than any other panel I have tested. The Nomad 7 is the only panel, in my knowledge, that uses the more efficient mono-crystalline panels. It does seem to give it an edge in real-world usage. As far as flexibility, that characteristic has nothing to do with panel efficiency. Another of the well-thought out features of the Nomad 7 is the connection options. The Xpal SP-2000 and the Solio both rely on many different tips to connect to different devices. The Nomad 7 has three great options built in: 6.5 volt fast charge for the Guide 10 charger, 5 V USB connector, and a port that the included 12V female car lighter adapter plugs into. Every portable device has the option of an inexpensive car power adapter, and the Nomad 7 nicely offers that ability.

The Guide 10 charger works to its rated specifications, unlike most of the other solar devices I have used. It charges AA and AAA batteries. It charges them faster with the Nomad 7 than any other solar panel/charger combination that I have tested. The Goal 0 batteries that ship with the Guide 10 are the best of their type I have tested. They are low-discharge, like the Eneloops, but much better. The Eneloops are rated at 2000 mAh, but charge only to about 1900 mAh capacity. The Goal 0 are rated at 2000 mAh, but charge to 2200 mAh. The guide 10 has some very well thought out features, including the LED flashlight, the function switch and the built-in hanging loop. These touches all demonstrate that the designers are users, and thought well about how these devices would be used.

All is not perfect, though. The Guide 10 does have an overheating problem, but only in very strong sunlight and under certain conditions. This is a known issue that is being fixed as I write this. This brings me to one of my most important experiences; customer service. Goal 0 has the best customer service by far than any other of the solar panel manufacturers I have tested in this group. Immediate phone contact, responsiveness to questions and warranty service are far and away some of the best I have experienced.

Following is a list of the solar panels I have tested, and short comparison comments on each.

1. Powerfilm USB + AA: This one has a great form factor, is flexible and very durable, and is the lightest weight and most compact of all the solar chargers. Its fatal flaw is that it simply does not put out enough power to be practical in extended backpacking. It does not fully charge the AA batteries when it indicates a full charge, and is not nearly as flexible as the Nomad 7 for connection. The unit was replaced on warranty, but the replacement performed exactly the same. I tested a total of four of these, and all performed the same. Customer service was good, after spending weeks trying to get their attention, and this happened several times.

2. Solio Classic: This one has a nice form factor, but the unit simply does not charge its internal battery nor a connected device at all adequately. Just in case, I had it replaced on warranty and the replacement performed exactly the same.

3. Xpal Power SP-2000: Same as the Solio. Internal battery rated at 2000 mAh, only charges to about 1100-1300. Not enough power overall to be practical. Very good customer service.

4. Brunton Explorer: A good panel, but not enough overall power. Weighs 20% more than the Nomad 7, output is 30% less.

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I've been using this SOLAR panel for a few years without any problems. There seems to be alot of mixed reviews for the SOLAR panel and I'm not sure why. To clear up a little confusion for the SOLAR charger I've listed the most common complaints and explained them below. As you can see, SOLAR panel will be in caps for the duration of the review for reason...

#1 It is a SOLAR panel. Many customers are upset that charging stops when the sun goes away. It is NOT a SOLAR/Cloud charger. While it's possible for the sun to penetrate thinner clouds and continue charging, it's quite possible the speed of such charging will decrease.

#2 Some are upset at the output. It is a small, compact unit designed to take hiking/camping or other places where space is of concern. It is not designed to charge a 12 volt battery. You cannot jump start your car with it. Use common sense when attempting to charge larger items. Which brings us too...

#3 It WILL charge a battery assuming your device is not currently using more power than it can provide. Again, this seems like common sense, however, some underestimate the power draining features of modern phones/tablets such as backlights, screensavers, GPS, WIFI, Bluetooth and networks. Turn your phone off if possible or dissable some or most of those options.

#4 Many people use this on the dashboard of their car. While it is a portable unit, there is a faster and more efficient method. Most vehicles, even old ones have at least 1 12 volt cigarrette lighter output. You can purchase a USB adapter for about $5 to charge your phone, ipad, etc.

#5 It is not durable. I have dropped this off a mountain side, into water and left it in zero degree weather for some time. It shouldn't work....It still does.

Please excuse the sarcastic tone of this review but I believe this product and company deserves some respect and praise for designing such a wonderful SOLAR panel. Thank you!

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Since there isn't a lot of detailed info out there about this product, I'll give the obligatory novel-length review.

I actually purchased this on sale for $60 elsewhere, which was quite the steal (it's gone up in price since). I received it yesterday evening, so have had it less than 24 hours and just tried it today about an hour ago on my lunch break. Got it primarily for use with my iPhone 3Gs when camping and hiking this summer. Frankly, I didn't think it would work out of the box for my iPhone because Goal Zero states on their website that the Nomad 7m may or may not work directly with the iPhone and it's best to just buy a battery pack and charge from there. Their documentation also states you should let the panels warm up in the sun a bit before trying to charge anything.

I decided to try worst case scenario and plugged my iPhone in directly right away and stuck the Nomad in my car's front window on a very cloudy, rainy day in Seattle. Nothing happened. No charging, no messages from the phone. Let it sit with my iPhone plugged in for about 15-20 minutes and still nothing, so I unplugged the phone and let the panels continue to warm up in the car window. About 10-15 minutes later, the lower, darker clouds blew away and it was still quite cloudy but noticeably brighter, so I plugged the phone back in and got an error message that the phone didn't support charging from this device (which made me happy because at least SOMETHING was happening). I tried a few more times, got the same message, then decided to let it stay plugged in while I drove back to work. And, LO! About a minute later, I heard that blessed "buzz buzz" the iPhone gives off when it's been plugged into a charger.

My drive back to work was only about 5-6 minutes long and I'd say the charger was only directed toward the sun (still quite overcast) about 2-3 minutes, but the battery went up 1%, so I'm calling that a win. Every time the panels go out of the direct sun, it's the equivalent of unplugging your wall or USB charger, so I'm thinking that investing in the Guide 10 battery pack to harness power is a good idea if you can stand the extra weight. The battery pack itself is the size of an iPhone and the Nomad 7m is just a bit smaller than an iPad and a little over a 1 lb. in weight, so a backpacker might have a hard time justifying carrying around all of this gear.

One commenter asked if the cells were bendable and the answer is no. There's a slight amount of give so that it's not what I would call fragile, but the panels are, presumably, breakable. The case it comes in is sturdy, so I would think you'd have to be pretty rough with it to break anything. Like other reviewers have noted, the case it comes in is well made and there's lots of little hooks to attach it to whatever. Plus, it comes with a small, light caribiner which is handy.

I obviously haven't had this long enough or tried this in enough conditions to give an accurate star rating, but I'm giving it a tentative 4 because I'm pleasantly surprised that it worked directly with my iPhone in such crappy weather conditions, but wondering if the "warm up" time is a first time issue or a consistent issue. Having to wait almost an hour before it starts charging would be kind of a bummer. I may update my review after I know more. Going to try this with an iPhone 4 as well and will include an update if the experience with that is any different.

UPDATE:

Originally gave this 4 stars, just bumped to 5. Finally got a relatively sunny day yesterday and it charged my older generation iPod in 1 hour. Successfully charged an iPhone 3Gs AND an iPhone 4. Note: You have to take the bumper off, or the connection isn't good enough for the iPhone 4 to even recognize the device. It still took warm up time (about 20-30 minutes), but that was with cloud cover coming in and out on a cool day in Seattle. It's incredibly efficient when the sun is beating right down on it. Love this thing. Going to order the Guide 10 battery pack next.

Honest reviews on Goal Zero 12301 Nomad 7M Solar Panel

I bought a Nomad 7 last year. Love it. It makes great power in all conditions.

I liked it so much I decided to pick up a second one to keep in the car. I went through two of them. The first wouldn't make power in full sun (obviously something wrong). The replacement for it, would charge my cell phone (via 12V cigarette lighter adapter) in direct full sun, but not in full sun sitting on my dashboard (something my original Nomad 7 has no problem with). Apparently the glass is reducing the light enough that it cannot get the power high enough to charge.

Needless to say, both were returned and I guess I am not going to get a second one. The first one is great, but the power output of the subsequent ones has been all over the map. A better job of QC needs to be done before the panels ship out to make sure they perform consistently.

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This is bar none the best portable solar charger I've come across. It charges basically anything smaller than an iPad. I've charged countless toys in little amounts of time during hikes in / or fly fishing. Amazing piece of technology. Secondly, their customer service is polite, know their products, and respond quickly to emails / phone calls. This company and their gear couldn't be more highly recommended. It's the best I've found.

Cheap T225 Bluetooth Car Kit

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List Price: $49.99
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program In February, I purchased two Motorola T325 Wireless Bluetooth Car Speaker Portable Vehicle Visor Mount with Auto Pairing For All Cell Phones and SmartphonesBLACKNon-Retail Packaging. for my wife's and my vehicles and gave those units a 5-star review.

I requested a review unit of this T225 because the limitation of our T325 per-vehicle solution has been that if my wife and I swap cars, we don't have hands-free calling unless the first person out remembers to also swap the speakerphone units.

This T225 speakerphone pairs with multiple cell phones so that more than one person can use it hands-free. The extra people might be in the vehicle (which would be a little weird, as the microphone would typically be on the driver's sun visor). But, in a multi-driver household, any driver would have hands-free operation.

What's not to like? Well, all of the features of the T325 that this speakerphone does not have which make the T325 more "hands-free" than the T225.

This is a very basic, 'dumb' unit. When a phone rings, it announces that the call is for Phone 1, Phone 2, etc. If two paired phones are in the car, you have to have some idea which phone is 1 or 2 (etc) to know if it is your phone that is ringing or someone else's. Doesn't sound like a huge deal, but...

What about when only one of multiple paired phones is in the car? This phone simply rings and says that there is an incoming call. You have no idea who it is from. The T325 announces the caller by name. If you don't want to answer the call on this T225, you have to somehow press both the volume UP and DOWN buttons at the same time. With the T325, you just press a single button.

How about dialing? Both support voice dialing using your phones own voice-dialing feature. So, the intelligence depends on your phone itself. But, what about calling your 'favorites' or frequently called numbers? The T225 offers nothing. The T325 memorizes a list of favorite contacts and easily lets you scroll through the list with one button, listening to the name being announced and then pressing the dial button when the name comes up.

Entering the car, the T325 announces "Connected to John Smith's iPhone. Battery level is high" (e.g.) while the T225 announces "Connected to Phone 1. Battery level is high." Receiving a call, the T325 announces "Call from David Jackson". The T225 announces "Call for Phone 1".

The T225 is so limited its only real feature is the ability to pair with multiple phones that I just cannot recommend it, when I consider how powerful and useful the T325 is.

I've posted a photo showing both the T225 and T325 clipped to the sun visor to compare their sizes/shapes.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Open it up, turn it on. Pair your phone with it.

That is it. The device is simple, it does one thing, and it does it well. Sound quality is clear, people say they can't tell I'm on a speakerphone (but I use Sprint and their voice quality is not so good.

There are other models that do more, I read the three star review, but I put it to you this way: You want a device that does one thing and does it well, and you want the battery to last as long as it can so that you can use your phone as long as you can. The more features you load on to the device, the more the battery wears down, and the harder it is to use, or the more likely you are to get it into an odd state.

It really is a top quality device, and I have nothing bad to say about it. Voice instructions for hookup, you really do not need the instructions.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program In a different product review, I proclaimed the Supertooth HD as a near-perfect Bluetooth device for hands-free use. I came up with a list of 14 criteria items. I will post that list here and that will show why I rate the Motorola T225 as 2-stars.

What makes the perfect car bluetooth speakerphone?

==============

1. It should have caller-id that speaks the name of the caller

The Motorola T225 does not have caller-id.

2. It should automatically turn on/off as you are away from the car

The T225 is pretty bad in this department. While it seems to have an auto-off, it will never turn itself back on unless you purposely move the micro-power-switch off and back on again. I tested this multiple times and it simply has no way to turn itself back on automatically. It is waaay too inconvenient to have to remember to turn this device off and back on each and every single time you enter your car.

3. It should have ample volume while driving at highway speeds

Volume on the T225 is pretty pathetic. The Supertooth HD is probably 4x louder.

4. You should only have to press a single and easily accessible button to answer or place a call

This is a really bad design on the T225. It has a mute button and an answer call button, both are the same size and you have to remember which button to press or...take your eyes off the road and look up to see which button you are pressing. Sure you will memorize it eventually, but the device is so small, if you're off by 2 inches, you'll press the wrong button.

5. It should make use of your phone's built-in voice recognition system (if your phone has this)

Confirmed, this works.

6. It should be easy to pair and auto-download your phone's contacts

Yes, easy to pair multiple phones, but there's no caller-id name announce, therefore, it does not store contacts. This is a huge deal-breaker why have the fancy technology of bluetooth, if it won't announce who is calling you ?

7. It should reconnect easily when you are in the car

Does not do this at all once it has auto-turned itself off. You must physically move the power switch off and back on.

8. Callers should be able to hear you clearly at highway speeds

Callers seem to hear me fine, but I couldn't hear them because of the low speaker volume, with volume turned all the way up

9. The charging port should not be obstructed when the device is installed on a sunvisor

Not obstructed

10. It should have a long battery life

Seems to be as advertised, but probably because it turns itself completely off, you must manually turn it on each time after it auto-powers off.

11. It should be reliable whether it is -40 degrees in Fargo or the internal car temperature reaches 140 degrees in Texas

Unknown at this time

12. It should have good documentation or manufacturer's website and support

Motorola has always been good about this.

13. It should be usable whether the sun visor is flipped down or up

If you flip your visor, you must remove and reposition the device and visor mount.

14. It should be reasonably priced

Compared to the *feature packed* T325, this T225 is over-priced it simply has no real features. If you're going to spend the same amount of money, get the T325 on Amazon. If you want a bluetooth device that matches the 14 criteria items above closer than any other device out there, for a reasonable price, get the Supertooth HD.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This is truly a universal product. I have a 5 years, old fashioned cell phone from Samsung provided to me by Verizon, which was never happy with any other Bluetooth device. It worked with this one like a charm. Very easy to pair and connect, almost like plug-and-play. The product itself has a very beautiful design and speakerphone is very powerful. Even if you drive with your windows open, you can clearly hear the voice from your call. Battery lasts a lot. This is an excellent deal for the price.

I am extremely happy with this product and I recommend it to all users who experienced problems with other Bluetooth devices in the past.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not request to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I've had this unit for a few months now, and I'm still running off the initial charge! Battery life is amazing, clarity is good, and the bluetooth range is greater than I had anticipated.

Pairing was simple, and re-establishing the connection is as easy as turning it off and on again. Big talk button, easy to hit even with gloves on. No complaints, I wish I'd gotten it sooner!

GTMax Brand New AC Wall Charger + In-Car Adapter NP-FC10 FC11 Review

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I lost my charger and couldn't believe how much it cost at stores to buy a replacement. This one is a bit slow, but it does the job. It was worth it to me to just buy a cheap one because I don't use my camera that often.

No complaints!

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Im so happy I can use my Sony P7 camera again! I haven't been able to use it for at over 8 years. The charging socket in my camera broke. The only way to use it again was to charge batteries outside the camera and I never found an external charger. I paid so much for my camera and when Sony quit selling everything for it in a matter of 2-3 years I was very disappointed. Couldn't even get parts from SONY!

Thanks to this little item I'm on. It charges one battery at a time. Battery fits nice and snug. Has a light indicator red, yellow and green when charged. Its a perfect travel size and the car charger is pretty neat too. Over all an excellent purchase.

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This charger was broken when it was in the package. The charger did charge the battery. thank you for nothing.

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

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

Mio C310x 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

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I researched all GPs units for over a year. Two GPS's I have experience using plus I spent countless hours researching on the Internet and I played for hours in the store demonstrations.

Some generalities one needs to realize concerning "ALL" GPS units. You will not find any GPS unit that is 100% accurate 100% of the time. You will find that "ALL" GPS units at one time or another will not always take the shortest route or fastest route no matter what you try. This is due to many reasons which include the number of satellites tracking you, weather, map accuracy, etc..,. I have heard often that to buy a unit using NavTeq mapping and avoid the TeleAtlas mapping. Personally, I have ran 2 different GPS units that used "current" NavTeq mapping and I was not impressed. Locally I would sometimes find myself being shown off road with no roads existing while the roads I were on were major secondary roads and had been there for 10+ years and then while driving several long trips on major highways, I would be shown as being off the interstate driving ¼ to ½ mile off in the pasture somewhere. I have found just the opposite with the TeleNav mapping. I have run the TeleNav mapping in the same spots that I had trouble with the NavTeq mapping and I have not had one problem with its mapping navigation. Locally, the NavTeq mapping would sometimes only take me within 1/4 to 1/2 mile of my destination saying I was there when I wasn't. Not with the TeleAtlas, most of the time right on the money but has never been off more than 200 feet. Even running address look ups and points of interest in the demos at the stores, the NavTeq mapping did just not show updated information. Just the opposite with the demo of the TeleNav. "Personally", I like and support the TeleNav mapping over the NavTeq mapping, but please remember this is based on using the TeleNav mapping only with the Mio C310X with the note that this GPS unit comes with the most up to date mapping available (Aug 2006) to this date.

You will find that the majority of GPS units in the GPS market are Garmin and Magellan units. "Personally", I do not like the interface of the Garmin GPS units. In general, the public has Magellan units rated less "overall" compared to Garmin units plus Magellan is known not to have good customer service. "Personally" I do not know but that is the general consensus you will find when one researches. There are many brands out there now which are trying to compete with Garmin and Magellan GPS units. Some are rated pretty good and some are rated quite average or below. BUT there is now a unit that competes head to head with the best of Garmin and Magellan GPS units and depending on your taste, leaves them in the dust. Such a unit is the Mio C310X.

I was very impressed when I bought the Mio C310X and now after driving several long trips, it has not only lived up to its new reputation on the market but has even exceeded my initial review. Here are my thoughts and please realize when you read anyone's pros and cons that some pros and cons can be things that are not "NEEDED" but just nice to have.

Pros:

Uses 20 channel SIRF GPs satellite tracking

Uses TeleAtlas mapping. Has been accurate 99% of the time I have used it

Auto screen dimmer switch from daytime to nighttime use

Speaker is loud and clear

Over speed limit alert on some roads

Can play MP3 while navigating

Small and lightweight unit

2D or 3D viewing with automatic angle viewing

Displays mountains of information for you to see on the screen to include your speed, distance to destination, and time remaining on trip. Also displays cameras at stoplights.

Power is provided by DC car plug, computer USB , or built in battery (approx 2 hours)

Superb windshield mounting bracket

Some units will have 1GB extra memory (check box)

Impressed with customer service (used twice to ask a general question)

Cons:

Comes only in white color

For some people......No built in wireless Mp3 transmitter (easily fixed by using headphones, cassette adapter, or wireless fm transmitter unit and do remember that the built in speaker is a pretty good speaker)

For some people.....does not announce the name of the road you are turning onto ( I don't find this a problem as it displays the name on the unit's screen)

You should be quite happy with this GPS unit. Its fast, accurate, and has lots of bells and whistles that only come with much higher GPS units. Good hunting deciding on which GPS unit that will fit your needs and budget.

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There are a whole bunch of presumptions about this GPS and GPS systems in general. Don't let them get in the way of your buying this system. This is what I've found from using the Mio:

(1) Just about any GPS is better than no GPS.

(2) This isn't a device to check the "rightness" of the routes you travel regularly. It's best when it gives you directions when you don't know where you're going.

(3) No GPS will have 100 percent correct maps. One day, you'll have the worst map, and the next day, when you get the update, you'll have the best. So don't compare the maps with those of other companies.

(4) What the Mio has is sufficient. You have things that some other GPSs don't have, like the whole road system of the U.S. already installed, rather than having to buy a flash card and load the info yourself.

(5) The voice in the Mio won't tell you the names of the roads. I'd rather have something that told you to turn right at the next junction rather than something that told you to turn onto "Shubablub Street," which is spelled completely differently to how it sounds, and you have to look for the name sign on the street.

(6) The screen is small compared to original equipment navigation systems, but in fact it's large enough for what's needed. The backlight makes it easy to understand. And the fact that it cost you well over $1,000 less than the car manufacturer's version is a pretty good thing, too.

(7) Also, unlike those expensive built-in navigation systems, you can use it in any car that you own and any one that you don't own, like a rental car, or a friend's car. And when you replace your car you can easily transfer it to the new one that you buy.

It's very easy to become a GPS dweeb, because many are based on Windows CE PDA's, and people want to do things that are astounding because they're done on a GPS system, but they aren't very useful.

My advice is to get the Mio, or if there's a comparable GPS that costs less, get that one. You won't like everything about it, but that's true of any GPS I know about.

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Ok, answering Steven's post on December 1st, I think he needed a bit more time with the unit.

First of all, the quickstart manual IS a joke. I fully agree with that. If he had spent a bit more time with the unit, he'd have found that there is a full manual on the included DVD which is great and goes into detail on settings, etc. The interface is fine, although you do have to drill down and back out for several options. However, to me, they are all very logical straightforward programming. I have absolutely no problem reading the street names, and if you're on a plotted route, the bottom of the screen tells you the street you are on and the top of the screen tells you the one you are next turning onto. Very intuitive, and very easy to see at a glance.

His complaint on the cockpit mode is valid, but while navigating, you don't have to use cockpit mode. You can turn on a full map view as well. However, you lose some of the nicities (such as that street name top / bottom view) available in the cockpit. If I don't have a plotted route but want to see a map, I prefer a north up map view. If I have a plotted route, I'm listening to the directions more anyway with a glance over to see the street name I'm turning on, and thus use the cockpit mode.

I don't even know what he's talking about regarding seting up destination and the unit doesn't tell you automatically how to get there. It certainly does! You can scroll around the screen or look for POIs (Point of Interest) even when a route is plotted. The popup lock button just then takes you back to your current position and then tracks on you as you move. This is a good feature, as maybe I want to scroll / look ahead (ok, more like my passenger...I'm driving).

MP3 function works fine. And you most certainly CAN have MP3's playing at the same time as GPS. In fact, the GPS voice prompts pause the music and then auto-resume so they're not competing with it. Again, he might know this if he had either used the built-in help screen (yes, there is built-in help to explain every button / setting choice) or the full manual on the DVD. My one criticism of the MP3 player is that you have to build a playlist on the unit rather than on your computer to transfer as it does not use a standard format (aka Winamp).

All in all, the interface is VERY nice, the maps scroll fluid (unlike Garmin units I've seen), and can seamlessly rotate in full 3D, in fact zooming out and in / rotating based upon your speed, how close your next turn is, etc., and this can also be controlled by the user in settings. It's simply the best looking GPS I've seen. If this unit were widescreen (for a bigger view in cockpit mode) it would be ideal.

One additional criticism / bug. The fast flyover feature that quickly shows your route does not function. My only flyover is in real-time, which of course is not practical. You can zoom out to preview the route, but if you want to generate a "watch-the-path" on the map or cockpit mode with a simulation of the car moving, you really need the fast-flyover. I've got a call into Mio regarding this issue.

Tomtom has only switched to NavTech on one unit, and in fact, just released updated TeleAtlas maps for their products. Mio is set to do the same in 6-9 months, and this map update has been stated will be FREE for those that purchased this device. That will not be true (like all other GPS companies) after the first free update. The 2006 TeleAtlas maps are much improved due to a previous company acquisition here in the USA that are incorporated into this set of maps to be released.

One final note: users in Washington DC are reporting some major map problems with many routes / bridges unavailable (in red). This error is making DC about useless with the Mio. If you live there, I suggest you get another unit or wait the 6 months till new maps are available, although I'd be surprised if Mio doesn't issue a fix before then.

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I'm writing this review after getting the unit for Christmas at a steal price (200 bucks 50 mail in rebate), using it for 2 weeks in both familiar and unfamiliar areas, loving it, and then reading negative reviews that are just plain wrong on features etc that people say are missing.

A) My unit included ac adapter, car adapter, usb cable, 1GB memory, suction cup window holder as well as piece that allows you to attach the suction cup to a dash board. I have heard that some newer units may no longer include an ac adapter because this was a mistake. The suction cup holds VERY tightly yet somehow by pressing a button on the holder is also incredibly easy to transfer between vehicles. I have already done this.

B) The unit does come with short initial documentation to get you started but a full manual completely explaining every feature comes on the included DVD. It is easy to use and understand.

C) You CAN save your own points of interest, you CAN create POI subgroups in the MY POI folder (I have my gf, friends, and "favorite fun places" for example). If there is an existing POI that you want even more easily accessible by putting it in one of your groups (thats what my "favorite fun places" created group is for), you can find that POI, then click the POI menu, click "New" and create a "new" POI at the very same location and put it in your list. YOu can even name it the same as the existing one if you want (i.e. you find an existing Wawa and want to put it in your own group you find the Wawa and create a new place called "My favorite Wawa" at the address and put it in your group). Easy enough. Could have had a feature that just said "add to my x group" but this isn't much harder. Also, two destinations (Preset as "Home" and "work" but readily customizable) are always super-accessible from the first screen.

D) You CAN play the MP3 player and listen to navigation at the same time; it pauses the music to give commands.

E) You CAN route from any address to any other address for trip planning's sake. just find the starting address, click "Start" find the other address and click "Route to". Then you go to your itinerary and can see the whole route, and do any other routing options (changing paramerters, fitting the whole route to screen, seeing the ETA, distance, turn by turn, etc)

F) Once you route to a destination, if the cursor is still at the destination start driving and wait a few seconds, after a bit, the screen will go back to your current position. YOu don't have to "Lock" or "Unlock" or anythying like that. I've done this numerous times.

G) The unit is VERY quick at rerouting/recalculating. I can't imagine faster. I used this feature recently when there was traffic on the highway, pulled off, this thing got me back on the highway easily and past the traffic even though I was unfamiliar with the area.

H)The automatic night colors/day colors feature is very cool.

I) The fast flyby feature is in fact broken or something. That is one annoying thing, you have to do the slow flyby (or not do it at all). I do hope they fix taht. Still you can do essentially teh same thing by going to itinerary and "show"ing each step.

J) The Unit DOES have a "History" feature unlike what one person said. You DON'T have to keep retyping the same city in if you have put it in the past five times. Go to "Menu," "History." Viola. Moreover, if you go to the "Address" menu, the first step is choosing a city. The most recent cities you have chosen are also already displayed there.

K) I haven't tried windows down yet but the volume to me is very loud if you want it to be. I've been what I consider to be blasting my music on my car's cd player and could hear the unit just fine over the music.

L) The fact that the unit does not pronounce the street name to me is insignificant. The unit always tells you very clearly on the top of the screen the next road you will be turning on. All it takes is a glance. Plus I have heard that many units that speak names frequently butcher them. I'd rather have an accurate name right there on the screen. If anything, I do not find it to be a negative. It is certainly not a feature worth an extra 300 bucks.

Overall I have been truly impressed with the unit. There were a ton of features on it I didn't even expect or know about. It has been very accurate, and I'm sure will get evenmore accurate with the map updates coming up. I live in NJ. I couldn't be happier, and knowing that I got all of the features of a 500 dollar unit for 150 makes me even happier. I would buy this unit over others unless you've actually compared another unit to this one head to head using them (for instance having friends with them) and can actually justify the other unit's higher price for some reason.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Mio C310x 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

ok, so i got my unit on black friday. but even if i had paid twice as much as i did, i would still give it 5 stars.

i have a 2005 infiniti g35 coupe, with a factory-installed GPS system, which was around a $1000 option. i have stopped using it in favor of this little gem of a unit. i have also played around with a tom tom go 700, and a garmin c320, which are also great systems, but cost much more and aren't nearly as portable as the Mio.

PROS:

-the screen is beautiful with extremely sharp resolution.

-although the interface is a little complicated at first, once i played with the unit for an hour, it now seems quite intuitive. there are a lot of customizable options. one thing that is difficult to figure out was how to save my address book. you actually have to do it under 'My POI'.

-it locks on quickly and gets a strong signal even inside my apartment.

-the small size, and the fact my system came with a AC adapter. also the rechargeable lithium battery lasts a pretty long time between charges. this is one of the few GPS systems that i would not be embarassed to carry around while touring a new city on foot, because it is so thin that it looks like a PDA. It seems like that Mio designed this unit with this in mind because there is a "on foot" setting which takes into account the slower speed, and avoids freeways, etc. This is unlike most of the other units i have seen (Garmins, Magellan, Tom Tom), which are way too bulky to carry around. i have been carrying my Mio around on my waist in a PDA case. i plan to use it when i visit a new city to get around--it will also be extremely helpful to find stores, restaurants, hotels, gas stations (see next comment)

-the Points of Interest function is awesome. i can search for nearby businesses by 'category' (for example, nearby japanese restaurants, or nearby gas stations, or nearby shopping malls), OR i can search for nearby businesses by 'name', for example, the nearest Best Buys, or Targets, or Disneyland. this is awesome, and is my favorite feature because in my Infiniti, i can only search nearby businesses by 'category'. (in my infiniti, if i want to find the nearest Best Buy, i have to choose 'shopping', and then scroll through tons of stores before i find it.)

-the rerouting is almost immediate once it senses you have passed the suggested turn.

-as the last reviewer mentioned, the zooming function also works wonderfully smoothly and quickly.

-i have been using it in Los Angeles, and i have had no problems at all with the TeleAtlas maps. it has consistently chosen the best routes all over Los Angeles.

CONS:

I have to think long and hard to think of some cons...but there are a few

--when i turn on the unit, it sometimes freezes and becomes unresponsive while it is searching for the satellite signal for 15-20 seconds. at first i thought the system crashed. but just be aware of this.

--although there are 15 or so voice languages, there are two voices for English and they are both male! (one is an american accent, one has a english accent) it would be cool to have a british lady accent.

--the mount is a bit on the larger size, but it does work extremely well, so i guess i shouldn't complain.

--no bluetooth, but i don't think any GPS systems less than $300 have bluetooth.

all in all, an awesome little piece of equipment. i couldn't be happier with this baby.

Cheap RediPulse Pro-12 Charge/Maintenance System (110 Volt) - Keep

Customer Ratings:

Excellent product. It should be mandatory for all entities that have batteries on the shelf to have one of these. I am not sure that the pulsing mechanism works as stated. But what I am sure is that the batteries are kept 'topped up' all the time.

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Best Verbatim 8,400 mAh Dual USB Power Bank 98009 Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $69.99
Sale Price: $42.21
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Being on the go, I'm constantly in need of a charge. I've had other chargers and they all (mostly) served well but the Verbatim Dual USB Power Bank has to be the best by far.

The first thing I want to mention is the speed of it's own charging. Whether it be via computer or super charge USB wall outlet, this Power Bank charges to it's max super fast so that you don't spend a great deal of time waiting on it. Secondly, it also recharges your smartphone, tablet, MP3 player, Kindle, or whatever USB charge-based item you may have quickly.

Small and compact, you can easily carry it with you; although, with a bit of weight to it, you may not fancy carrying it in your purse but definitely compact enough to toss in a car's glove box.

With several electronics around here which require charging by USB and limited USB wall chargers, the Verbatim has come in super handy. It's a product that's going to stick around our house for quite a while.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Since my unit won't charge itself past two bars out of four(and I've tried it with two good high-capacity chargers) I presumably have a defective and unusual unit. However, it does work (though with less capacity), so I can review aspects of it, and there are a few things I can mention that may not be obvious from the listing:

PROS

1) The sides are covered in this black grippy rubbery-feeling plastic that will make it hard to drop. It's relatively attractive on one side but the other is covered with more verbiage than I've seen on one of these products. And it's being less slippery means it's less likely to be dropped and broken.

2) There is a "check" button that lets you see how much juice is left before plugging something in. This is a nice feature and one I don't have on my other chargers.

CONS

1) As I type this, this sells for $40, but you can get an EasyAcc (with many positive reviews) for $43 with 12000mAh. I have one of those (I paid $50) and it works great and has 4 USB charging outlets, though I've never used more than 2 at a time.

2) It's awfully big and heavy for an 8400 mAh unit. It's not as heavy as the 11000 EasyAcc but it's relatively close and it's about the same size.

3) the USB to micro USB cable is about 5 inches long. This is great if you plan on plugging it into your device and let them sit on top of each other and charge, and you won't have extra cable to worry about. If, however, you have any plans of using this to top up your device while you're using that device, you'll wind up tossing this cable. I mean, think about it: Are you going to want to use a phone or a tablet while having to hold this brick too.

4) None of these come with their own chargers, but many of them come with multiple cables for different types of devices. The EasyAcc I'm using came with 3 cables, one iPhone specific, one to go to the wall charger, and another one that came with sevearl different tips. This one comes with the one short cable.

5) When it's charging something there's no indication on it that anything's happening. On other units, there will be some indication that the charging is in process, and you can tell if it's finished charging the unit. For instance, if I'm charging a tablet, I now have to open the case and check the tablet to see if it's finished charging. It's nice to have the indicator light. Also, the indicator light serves as an indicator that something's happening.

If mine worked, I'd say that this was an OK product but I think that Verbatim is charging for the name, as there are a few other brands (EasyAcc, Incredicharge,Anker, for instance) that have great reviews and give you more for your money.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The Verbatim battery has a high capacity in a durable rectangle shape about the size of two decks of cards. It has about two full iphone charges and has enough oomph to charge a completely dead iphone. (Some smaller recharger/batteries lack the amps to do this, which can lead to a very frustrating situation if your phone completely dies.) I initially was very frustrated with the device, as it appeared not to take a charge from my iphone 5 charger. Correspondence with the very helpful Verbatim staff resulted in me being given another unit to test. The same problem happened again. Yet, the device charged perfectly from my computer, from a usb power strip outlet, and from an old Jawbone charger I had knocking around.

Another peculiarity of this battery is the extremely short--maybe six inch--cable that is included. Although convenient to carry, it makes plugging the device into any wall charger quite a challenge. If you have your own micro-usb cable, this is not an issue.

*Pros*

* Large Capacity

* Ability to boot dead phones.

* Capable of charging two devices at the same time.

* Pass through charging of other devices--very convenient as you can plug in the battery to your charger and then plug your devices into the charger.

*Cons*

* Does not play nicely with iphone 5 charger.

* bulky form factor

* Very short usb cable.

Overall, although this device is acceptable, there are a few better options on the market. I would recommend the Energizer Universal Multi-Port Smartphone Rechargeable Charger with 2 USB Ports, Micro USB Cable, 10W and 5W Charger over it, for instance. That said, the Verbatim gets many things right, including its generous capacity, ability to boot dead phones, and offering pass through charging. An extra star for the super responsive and helpful Verbatim employees who tried to troubleshoot my difficulties with the iphone 5 charger and sent me another unit, which I think bodes well for general customer service.

Recommended with caveats.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This is pretty neat. The plastic box it comes in took a little effort to open, but it protected the charger well. It comes with the power pack, a cord to attach the charger to a computer that is about 3-4 inches long ( longer would have been better) and an instruction pamphlet explaining to you which port to charge your electronic item in, the ports are different for iPhone, iPad etc. So be sure to read which one applies to your item.

I've been using this to charge my iPhone 4 with my iPhone charger. The power bank is slightly larger than my iPhone with an Otter Box cover on it; it wasn't heavy or bulky so I was able to walk around with my phone while it's charging. The power bank has LED lights on it. With my phone already 85% charged, the lights are still not lit up until I press & hold the check button down. Then it gives me bars. I'm still a little confused as to how the bars work. It explains it in the instruction pamphlet but as long as I see my phone charging I'm not worried. I've only had to use it about 5 times and there is still power to charge my phone.

I only gave it four starts because the LED light seems misleading. Other than that it works great with my iPhone. I have not charged an other item on the power bank yet.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I'm a sucker for powerbanks. Don't know why I must be paranoid about not being able to read my Kindle on the plane or something. Or play sudoku on my phone.

I need to get a life...

Anyway, this is OK for an extra battery pack, but there are better ones out there. I've been able to charge my Kindle Paperwhite and my phone (Samsung Galaxy S3) from a little less than half way to the top on a single charge. I think I should have been able to get more than that, but I get the feeling that this doesn't stop charging things when the things are full, so it runs out of juice when it doesn't have to.

This feels like it's about the same weight as my phone in its case, so it's not super heavy probably 50% heavier than my naked phone. It comes with a 5 inch cord for charging (micro USB to USB) that I actually like a lot I've been trying to find super short USB cords for traveling so I might get more use out of the cord than the actual battery. :) It's just nice for having when I charge my phone in my purse no long cord to get tangled.

So for the price (~$45 as I write this) and the performance, it gets 3 stars. It works OK, but not spectacularly so, but it's inexpensive. I don't trust the lights on the front. I like being able to charge 2 things, but so many powerbanks do that now.

It will charge my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7-Inch, Wi-Fi), and not every powerbank will do that.

Discount Wagan 2107-6 Smart AC 80 USB Inverter

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List Price: $24.95
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Today's Bonus: 28% Off

I had hoped that since this was an inverter, the USB would be isolated from the 12V input. I'm not certain if it is or not, because I haven't taken it apart to look yet, but I still get bad ground loop noise when using this to power my media player and connect it into the vehicles sound system.

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I used this to power a 25-watt set of little computer speakers for about 5 hours, since my radio was dead. About a year later, I tried to plug my iphone in to charge, and about 20 minutes later the phone said it wasn't charging. The little green LED on the inverter was no longer on. Double-checked it in another vehicle; still dead.

This thing also ran really, really hot. Maybe I got a bad one?

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wagan 2107-6 smart ac 80 usb inverter. my daughter uses it all the time. it's great. this one was bought to replace a previouse one that stareted to blow the fuse.

Fenzer Cell Phone Battery Micro USB Auto DC Travel Car Charger Reviews

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List Price: $19.99
Sale Price: $3.43
Today's Bonus: 83% Off

I purchased this for the HTC Rezound and was concerned at first that the micro-USB end would not fit. The HTC Rezound has a weirdly shaped port for its' micro USB (for HDMI support I believe?), but it will accept the smaller, standard micro USB end. After figuring this out, charger worked fine. Only complaint is the cord stays bunched up pretty tight due to it's coil, and does not offer a lot of length if you want to use the phone while plugged in. Otherwise, no problems

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This works fine , better than the other one I purchased.It's usable and works as intended. That is about it.

Best Deals for Fenzer Cell Phone Battery Micro USB Auto DC Travel Car Charger

Usb connector broke in under a week. Garbage if you ask me. If your good at soldering little wires Then this would be a good buy. Thumbs down!

Honest reviews on Fenzer Cell Phone Battery Micro USB Auto DC Travel Car Charger

Fuse went out within 24 hours of use. The Mico connector also came out. I was forced to order a replacement from a different vendor

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I got a new car charger because me old one would only charge my phone about 5% after a 30-40 minute car ride. I know friends who can almost charge their phones 100% in that time! This charger is better, but still only does 12%.

It also comes out of the cigarette lighter plug in or disconnects just enough that it stops charging (which is very annoying!).

Progressive Dynamics PD9140V Series 9100 40 Amp Electronic Power Reviews

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List Price: $205.05
Sale Price: $140.32
Today's Bonus: 32% Off

Been working for a year now with no problem and I use my camper A LOT!! almost twice a month.

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my husband needed a replacement for our trailer and we went to the RV store in our area but it was $ 100 more. This is a great quality product for a wonderful savings.

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This was easy to install and my power in my fifth wheel works perfectly. Every thing I have ordered had come extremely quick. Not much waiting time

Honest reviews on Progressive Dynamics PD9140V Series 9100 40 Amp Electronic Power

The cooling fan never comes on can't get it over 13 volts, with brand new interstate deepcycle batteries fan has never come on, batteries. Float at 12.7 volts

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I had one like it, went bad two to three year,you get good and bad in everything,the saving was great,so thank you DAVID.

Discount Cellet Retractable Car Charger for Amazon Kindle 2, Kindle 3

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List Price: $14.99
Sale Price: $10.06
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

Had this for about 3 weeks now. Also have the iPhone version and they both work well. Love the retractable cord, 1 less thing to get tangled up in my console.

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Bought this for our kindle and it didn't work. Worked for our cell phone, so I guess it wasn't a total waste of money.

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I'm using this with a Motorola RAZR M (micro USB connector). Some car chargers charge at "USB" rate, which is slow and won't keep up with navigation, GPS, bluetooth, etc. at the same time. According to my phone's status display, this unit charges at "AC" rates (it thinks it's plugged into a home power outlet), so it will charge even if you're using all of the power-sucking features of your phone.

Honest reviews on Cellet Retractable Car Charger for Amazon Kindle 2, Kindle 3

The charger has stopped charging my phone but it was fine while it lasted though it didn't work very long.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Cellet Retractable Car Charger for Amazon Kindle 2, Kindle 3

It works. It was cheap. I am a bit skeptical on how long it will last, though. I guess time will tell.

Ebest Pink High Capacity 2600 Mah New Design Walkpower Backup Review

Customer Ratings:

Works wonderfully. It is a handy thing to keep around. Use my phone quite a bit and the battery runs down...but not now...just plug it into this and back to life.

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Buy Energizer 84027 12V 2 Amp Battery Charger and Maintainer

Customer Ratings:

This charger is very capable but it likes to be directly connected to a battery or it will not charge.

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I was looking for something less in price than the well known brands to charge some 9 Ah SLA batteries. 2 amps is about optimal for this size and this charger works perfectly. It's all you need for batteries of this range simple and effective. Multi-stage is the best for these batteries, brut-force auto chargers don't help. I now also use this to top off ATV batteries (12 Ah) during the off season to keep them from running down and sulfating.

I thought of the 4-amp version, but 2 amp is optimal for the battery sizes I have.

The only thing keeping it from a 5-star rating is that it has no on-off switch; they just want you to plug and unplug the AC to control it.

While I know Eveready is in this case just a brand, these seem quality made from the charger itself to the connectors. It's perfect for what I need it for.

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I use a standard 12v7ah SLA (commonly used in UPS's) for the lights and stuff on my bicycle; the cord configuration, charging rate, and maintenance/shut offs on this charger allow me to use the battery a lot or a little, and then simply clip the cords together when I get back, throw the power switch on the power strip its attached too, and know that the battery will be well charged, but undamaged when I use it again. Really a quality product, very satisfied. I suspect it would work well and conveniently in any situation that involves using these types of batteries often but without on-device charging.

Reviews of Generac 5735 GP17500E 17,5000 Watt 992cc OHVI Gas Powered Portable

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $3,336.00
Sale Price: $2,699.00
Today's Bonus: 19% Off

The generator was easy to assemble, started right up after filling oil reservoir and fueling. I haven't had a power outage yet since getting this generator (go figure). The only drawback I've seen (so far) is the information provided on the available plug receptacles is rather weak. The 50 amp plug is located underneath the panel face where all the other plug receptacles are located. It has a wire "latch hook" to keep the plug from falling out, but no info on how to properly use it. I had difficuly locating the correct male plug with a "straight" out feature since most are 90 degrees. It would have been nice to have the male plug-end supplied with the generator. I finally found one at Grainger (cost over one hundred bucks, but it's top notch). Although the muffler assembly is impressive looking, it's not quite as quiet as I expected.

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This is an impressive machine. Our home's generator wiring was upgraded to 6/3 cable, feeding a transfer switch and dedicated sub panel with additional individual center-off transfer switches wired to it. I hadn't upgraded the inlet plug from 30 amps to 50 amps, yet. Got this generator delivered in front of our garage on a pallet. Slid it half way off the pallet and used a small hydraulic floor jack to lift it by one end, attached the wheels, then slid the pallet out from under it, attached the legs and rolled it into position behind our house. Added the included oil, some fuel, connected the battery and it started right up.

This unit's muffler quiets down the exhaust noise surprisingly well. In-fact the most prominent noise coming from this unit, comes from the engine's mechanical noise and forced-air fan. When the idle control is enabled the generator spins down and gets really, comfortably quiet. When the idle control senses a load, it spins the engine back up to full speed.

Plugged it into our inlet box via it's L14-30R socket, flipped every circuit over including our 65LRA/240V central air conditioner which connects to the generator via the sub-panel. Turned on every load I could think of, then engaged the A/C. I almost didn't notice when the 15,600w startup load from the A/C hit the generator, all I heard literally was a half second blip in engine noise.... in other words... with all the loads we currently have wired in (~8000w)... it was able to power them easily from a L14-30 plug... nice! It will be interesting when the L14-50 gets wired in and we add more circuits on the sub-panel.

To deal with the noise, I'll be building a small shed for this unit, near the house. I'm on the fence as to whether I'll attach a secondary muffler to this unit, since the exhaust itself, is already pretty quite.

The one draw back on this unit is that it consumes a good portion of fuel... 16 gallons in 10 hours @ 50% load.

Update 9/11/2012:

Since my original post, I did purchase a Walker Exhaust 22266 Quiet-FlowSS Muffler to use as a secondary muffler. Along, with some WALKER EXHAUST 40002 to connect the generac to the muffler... it's made HUGE difference in terms of quieting down the exhaust noise. BTW, the muffler exhaust port on this generator has an outer diameter (O.D.) of 1.5" inches.

Keeping in mind that this thing weights 390lbs, I decided to build a small shed for this generator so that we'd have it available for use in extremely bad weather (where it would be difficult to roll this thing into position...). Also, while the muffler does an excellent job at quieting down the exhaust noise, the shed serves to cut down on this generator's air cooling induction fan & engine noise, as well.

We ran 4 THWN 6 gauge cables ( through 2" SCHD 40 PVC conduit, 18" inches underground...) from the shed to our home, to support full 50 amp 240V service from the generator. Yes, this generator puts out a total of 72AMps at 240V, if we want to use that extra power in the future, I'll have to pull additional wires through our conduit and hook up to one of the generator's other power outlets. We also ran 2 THWN 10 gauge cables, from our home to the shed, to support a 20 amp 120v circuit. This circuit we use primarily to keep the generator's starter battery fully charged, it also provides us with a heavy duty outdoor outlet on that side of home, which comes in handy.

In terms of performance, we've had a brief power outage recently, and the generator, inside it's shed, has worked flawlessly.

Update 10/31/2012:

Lost power during Hurricane Sandy, for about 20 Hours. Generator ran the entire time, without a problem. First long duration run. My wife, daughter and I were VERY happy with the outcome. Worth every penny.

Best Deals for Generac 5735 GP17500E 17,5000 Watt 992cc OHVI Gas Powered Portable

This generator puts out a great deal of power. It will power most average size homes. I use an indoor manual transfer swith and an outdoor receptacle to connect the unit to the main 150 Amp house panel. I also have a wattmeter box to monitor the draw so as not to overload the generator. This generator is very heavy. When it gets delivered you need to make sure it can be set in an enclosed area like a garage. You need to put on the wheels and the front skid and handle. You will most likely need a floor jack to lift the unit up to install the wheels. It is not quite as easy as you may think. However once oiled and fueled up it started immediately and ran very smooth. It was actually quieter than I had expected. The fuel tank holds 16 gallons so be sure to get some Stabil to keep the gas fresh. This generator puts out a lot of power for the money and I would not hesitate to recommend it.

Honest reviews on Generac 5735 GP17500E 17,5000 Watt 992cc OHVI Gas Powered Portable

This was everything I hoped it would be. More than enough power for the whole house. I would recommend this product.

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Good unit. Have 5 in service no problems yet. Going to buy another one. Very loud though. Better head than the 17.5 gas unit from Northern Tool.