When I was looking for car chargers for my Samsung Galaxy S 4G, I was kind of disappointed in the lack of reviews. I ended up getting this one because of the price and the fact that it has the retractable wire.
After a year of use, it is still a wonderful item! It did seem to get hot at first, but now it just gets to a decent warm most chargers become. Other than the great retractable cable, I also like the blue light when it's active, although I turn it so it faces down so it's not too distracting while driving!
This charger is definitely a great purchase. I'm very glad I bought it a year ago!
Showing posts with label solar aa battery charger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label solar aa battery charger. Show all posts
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Friday, December 5, 2014
Discount Solar LED lighting system- 2 x 40W comparable LED lights, 5W solar
this is truly a good product i bought something comparable to it but it didnt work out as good but this one works very well the solar panal really does work good and the battery charger holds a good charge and the lights puts out 40watts of light for 7-8 hours on a full charge and it does charge my cell phone all the way it just takes a while to to chage
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I have a small shed mainly used for storage and wanted to have light to look for stuff around at night, without having to run an electric wire from the house. I have no experience with electric installations, and I am not very handy, but this was extremely easy to install and it give enough light for the shed (it is the equivalent to a 60W light bulb).
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Cheap Unique Gomadic FM Transmitter with an integrated DC Auto Charger
List Price: $44.95
Sale Price: $34.47
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
used it a few times it's ok sounds kind of scratchy don't use it very often mostly just the charger. bluetooth headphones work much better. listen to pandora all the time when driving.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Escort Solo S2 Cordless Radar and Laser Detector Review
Stage: I live in a city of approximately 100K and drive roughly 5 miles to work daily through commercially-populated areas. The daily on-time of my S2 is approximately 45 minutes. I take 1-3 200+ mile round-trip interstate trips once per month. The detector is on continuously at all times while driving. Have owned the S2 for > two years. Before that, owned an 8500 for two years. Before that, used Bells and Cobras.
Battery Life: 2 AAs last me approximately two months. That's 12 AAs per year, or in bulk, approximately $12/yr or $1/mo. Having used a corded 8500 for a couple of years (which I loved) and having power supply failures due to cord fatigue, not having to deal with a cord is worth it, BAR NONE.
Sensitivity: This device is, in my opinion, just as good as the corded Passport models. Scientific tests will refute that, but real-world usage will not. I was worried by an article that said "battery-operated detectors 'sleep' between cycles so are therefore less effective" but in real-world conditions, I do not think this is an issue: the 'sleep' time, if any, is a non-issue.
Controls: I have large hands and fingers. Even so, this device is crisp to use. Navigation of settings, should you decide to change the out-of-box defaults, is simple and straight-forward.
Overall: Nothing compares. No cords. Battery life to cost ratio for such is a non-issue. Real-world sensitivity beyond actual need. No questions asked, the best deal out there for a radar detector, period.
However, much more serious, is the display. About two years ago, I had to send my S2 back to Escort, under warrantee, due to a patch of dead pixels. They replaced the display.
About a year ago, now out of warrantee, I noticed a patch of dead pixels again, and it's growing. Also, the the contrast is decaying to the point where it's nigh-impossible to read during the day, and it is impossible to read at all for the first 20 minutes or so when the temperature is above 80 degrees (Fahrenheit). Maybe the newer units have a better display.
All had things I liked and disliked. This is my list on the Solo. I am listing them in order of importance to me.
Like:
-Cordless means a nice clean look in the car and since you generally need to hide this if your parked in public its nice to be able to just slide it off and stash it. The real plus is when your putting it back up you do not have to plug the power cord into it.
-Display-Doesn't light up the whole car at night when it goes off (like the V1).
-Battery Life-I go about 3 to 4 weeks with Eneloop low discharge rechargables. This was about a week longer than i was getting with throw away batteries.
Dislike:
-Range-its not even close to the 9500 or V1. If the radar is over a hill its near zero. If its around a bend you need to slow down immediately. Many times the warning has only provided 2 or 3 seconds to slow down. If the radar is over a hill and they are using instant on then hide your detector and ask for a break as this unit is just not sensitive enough to pick up a zap from an earlier car ahead of you. When this unit goes off hit the brakes. I have often visually seen the police car before this unit goes off if they are in front of me in traffic. This never happened with the 9500 or V1.
-Volume-with the music turned up to a good listening level you can't hear the alert and the display doesn't stand out being basicly just lcd that you really need the audio alert to be louder.
-windshield mount, suction cups wear out fairly quick. They have a better mount but the one that comes with it is good when the cups are ok but once they stop working thats generally it. A minor issue.
Summary:
If you cannot live with a corded model this is by most accounts the best cordless out there but make no mistake you will get no where near the warning or range of the best corded detectors, its just not very sensitive. I haven't owned any other detectors recently besides the V1 and 9500 so cant speak for the more moderately priced ones. I have had some close calls due to the lack of sensitivity of this unit and am close to retiring this unit because of it.
update: I bought the redline about a year ago and its the best unit of any I have ever owned. If you live in an area without a lot of false alarms (9500i for those areas) its the best.
Gives ample warning for radar bands Ka, K and X. Note: X-band radar guns are 1970's-type technology and you will encounter mostly K and the newer Ka band radar gun usage. The Solo S2 will pick up a Ka-using speed enforcer up to a couple miles away the cheaper detectors give far less warning.
As for laser speed detection, well, it lets you know when you are being targeted. You will not have enough time to slow down unless you are using this in combination will other anti-laser measures such as special license plate covers and diffraction coating on your headlights. This happens because the infra-red laser beam enforcers use only spreads to 18 inches diameter at 500 feet and 36 inches diameter at 1000 feet.
As for the warranty, although I have had no problems, be aware that the manufacturer, Escort Radar, has a whole list of sellers from which purchases of their detectors will NOT BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. see
Battery Life: 2 AAs last me approximately two months. That's 12 AAs per year, or in bulk, approximately $12/yr or $1/mo. Having used a corded 8500 for a couple of years (which I loved) and having power supply failures due to cord fatigue, not having to deal with a cord is worth it, BAR NONE.
Sensitivity: This device is, in my opinion, just as good as the corded Passport models. Scientific tests will refute that, but real-world usage will not. I was worried by an article that said "battery-operated detectors 'sleep' between cycles so are therefore less effective" but in real-world conditions, I do not think this is an issue: the 'sleep' time, if any, is a non-issue.
Controls: I have large hands and fingers. Even so, this device is crisp to use. Navigation of settings, should you decide to change the out-of-box defaults, is simple and straight-forward.
Overall: Nothing compares. No cords. Battery life to cost ratio for such is a non-issue. Real-world sensitivity beyond actual need. No questions asked, the best deal out there for a radar detector, period.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
The detection capabilities of this unit are great. I got the S2 a couple years ago so I could use it both on batteries on a motorcycle and plugged in in a car. It works wonderfully in both places, except that the batteries jiggled loose due to the bike's vibration. Solved that by shimming them with a spare foam earplug.However, much more serious, is the display. About two years ago, I had to send my S2 back to Escort, under warrantee, due to a patch of dead pixels. They replaced the display.
About a year ago, now out of warrantee, I noticed a patch of dead pixels again, and it's growing. Also, the the contrast is decaying to the point where it's nigh-impossible to read during the day, and it is impossible to read at all for the first 20 minutes or so when the temperature is above 80 degrees (Fahrenheit). Maybe the newer units have a better display.
Best Deals for Escort Solo S2 Cordless Radar and Laser Detector
I have had the S2 for over a year now. I have also owned both the V1 and passport 9500i.All had things I liked and disliked. This is my list on the Solo. I am listing them in order of importance to me.
Like:
-Cordless means a nice clean look in the car and since you generally need to hide this if your parked in public its nice to be able to just slide it off and stash it. The real plus is when your putting it back up you do not have to plug the power cord into it.
-Display-Doesn't light up the whole car at night when it goes off (like the V1).
-Battery Life-I go about 3 to 4 weeks with Eneloop low discharge rechargables. This was about a week longer than i was getting with throw away batteries.
Dislike:
-Range-its not even close to the 9500 or V1. If the radar is over a hill its near zero. If its around a bend you need to slow down immediately. Many times the warning has only provided 2 or 3 seconds to slow down. If the radar is over a hill and they are using instant on then hide your detector and ask for a break as this unit is just not sensitive enough to pick up a zap from an earlier car ahead of you. When this unit goes off hit the brakes. I have often visually seen the police car before this unit goes off if they are in front of me in traffic. This never happened with the 9500 or V1.
-Volume-with the music turned up to a good listening level you can't hear the alert and the display doesn't stand out being basicly just lcd that you really need the audio alert to be louder.
-windshield mount, suction cups wear out fairly quick. They have a better mount but the one that comes with it is good when the cups are ok but once they stop working thats generally it. A minor issue.
Summary:
If you cannot live with a corded model this is by most accounts the best cordless out there but make no mistake you will get no where near the warning or range of the best corded detectors, its just not very sensitive. I haven't owned any other detectors recently besides the V1 and 9500 so cant speak for the more moderately priced ones. I have had some close calls due to the lack of sensitivity of this unit and am close to retiring this unit because of it.
update: I bought the redline about a year ago and its the best unit of any I have ever owned. If you live in an area without a lot of false alarms (9500i for those areas) its the best.
Honest reviews on Escort Solo S2 Cordless Radar and Laser Detector
This is a great detector as long as it's working, however, the tiny suction cups that come equiped are not adequate to hold the detector and after it falls (which it will) a couple of times it stops working. This one lasted me six months. Why not equip with a suction cup similar to a GPS device?Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Escort Solo S2 Cordless Radar and Laser Detector
The Escort Solo S2 is an excellent radar/laser detector. Two AA batteries provide the power for those who don't wish to deal with cords. Also has the ability to be hard-wired to vehicle 12V power with extra accessory cord kit.Gives ample warning for radar bands Ka, K and X. Note: X-band radar guns are 1970's-type technology and you will encounter mostly K and the newer Ka band radar gun usage. The Solo S2 will pick up a Ka-using speed enforcer up to a couple miles away the cheaper detectors give far less warning.
As for laser speed detection, well, it lets you know when you are being targeted. You will not have enough time to slow down unless you are using this in combination will other anti-laser measures such as special license plate covers and diffraction coating on your headlights. This happens because the infra-red laser beam enforcers use only spreads to 18 inches diameter at 500 feet and 36 inches diameter at 1000 feet.
As for the warranty, although I have had no problems, be aware that the manufacturer, Escort Radar, has a whole list of sellers from which purchases of their detectors will NOT BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. see
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Buy Celltronix 06-CE-2152 Universal FM Transmitter for iPod/MP3 Player
List Price: $29.99
Sale Price: $18.32
Today's Bonus: 39% Off
I've owned three of these. They work great. I can't vouch for distance, but in a vehicle or within a room I get a good, strong signal. I'm buying a couple more to have for spares.this thing didn't work for me more then 5 sec... I sent an inquiry to the company to ask if i'm doing something wrong or if i can fix it... but I'll prolly have to return it
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Best SuperTooth Buddy Bluetooth Visor Speakerphone Car kit-Black Deals
List Price: $49.99
Sale Price: $39.99
Today's Bonus: 20% Off
This is the second blue tooth device i've owned. It works fine with my iphone...connection is good with clear sound quality. The only improvement it needs is better lighting on the device exterior. The various icons and button markers on the black colored unit need to be illuminated as the little "buddy" disappers on your car visor at night. If the "LED-LIGHTING" issue doesn't bother you, than this supertooth device will be a good "buddy" to you. Did I forget to mention the nice low price?
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Long term report with this product and I am very happy. It has just 5 buttons; power, volume up, down, pairing and answer/hang-up. Big icons are hard to miss and answer/hang-up button is away from the others so there is no fat-fingering the power button. It has a strong visor clip that is held to the device by a magnet so the device can be removed for charging. It has a rechargeable internal battery, so it is environmently-friendly. The only downside is when the battery goes dead you can't charge it on the clip, because the charge connector is on the back side of the unit.I will never go back to an earpiece again.
Best Deals for SuperTooth Buddy Bluetooth Visor Speakerphone Car kit-Black
Excellent productEasy set-up. I have a Blackberry and an IPhone and they both automatically connect with a distinct tone
Long battery life
Honest reviews on SuperTooth Buddy Bluetooth Visor Speakerphone Car kit-Black
Purchased 2 of the Buudy Supertooth Hands free devices. ! for my vehicle and 1 for my wife. They work very well. Are clear and transmit clearly. Easy to operate and almost completely avoid distraction. The only problem we have is our cell phones need to be manually connected every time the bluetooth is activated. Would highly recommend this for everyone, especially in states that require hands free cell phones.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for SuperTooth Buddy Bluetooth Visor Speakerphone Car kit-Black
Reviewed many auto Bluetooth (BT) devices on websites and on Consumer Reports. BlueAnt was rated in the top 2 on each site because of send and receive sound quality. I would totally agree!!! Sound is clear on both ends at all levels and the receive volume can be turned up quite loud. It has some great features AND has better sound than my luxury auto.Why purchased: for my wife and son that never answers their phone while driving.
Likes: Sound quality, volume, no feedback on receiving end, allows 2 phone connection, connects automatically when in range of the car, which is my only dislike. Also, this device is MUCH cheaper than other auto handsfree devices.
Dislikes: BT range is excellent. With car in the garage and when my wife is anywhere in the house she gets frustrated when she makes or receives a call because the BlueAnt connects the call just remember to turn off your phone's BT or the BlueAnt when you're at home
Because of everything mentioned above the product makes an EXCELLENT gift! I see myself purchasing many more for family.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Discount Belkin Car Charger with 8-Pin Lightning Cable Connector to USB
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $14.00
Today's Bonus: 65% Off
Even without any reviews here, this one fits the bill for me. After reviewing various Lightning chargers from Griffin, Kensington, and Belkin, I chose this one for a some key reasons.
2.1 AMP OUTPUT: This ensures I have the maximum electrical output available. FYI: 2.1 amps multiplied by 5 Volts DC = 10.5 watts, but labels will only show 10 watts
COMPACT SIZE: This fits in a vehicle 12 volt socket well and protrudes only enough to get a good grip to pull it out with your fingers. Some products were unnecessarily long or bulky; I prefer simple.
REMOVABLE USB CORD: Instead of a hardwired connection, I have the versatility to swap out the Lightning cord with a USB to micro USB cord for my wife's phone or the USB to Apple 30-pin connector for the iPad. If you find nothing but the Apple OEM size of lightning connections fits with your phone case, you can buy this same item without the cord for less $ and use your own cord. Search: F8J051ttWHT (color white) or F8J051ttBLK (color black)
NO RING OF LIGHT: So many reviewers of products complained about the light ring feature being a distraction. This model features a simple round green LED light that is not much brighter than the console button lights in my car. I ended up twisting the light to the 3 o'clock position where the USB connector blocks my direct line-of sight to it. If I wanted to, a small piece of black electrical tape would cover the LED completely and easily since it is away from the USB connection. This is the 1 feature I valued to prefer it over the Belkin # F8J090bt04-BLK, which has the same power output and small form factor.
Is it cheap, no. But would I rather spend less and give up some these features.......no. I would have bought the version of this product less the 4' cord if a good coiled cord were available(I didn't like the Griffin coiled cord). Thanks for reading!
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The iPhone wall outlet chargers are super-quick at charging. I have gone from 30% to 90% in about an hour. You get used to that kind of speed charging and this 2.1 AMP car charger give you exactly that! Initially, I scoffed at the price for these high AMP chargers and bought a 1 AMP car charger. Since my ride to work in less than 20 minutes, I would probably get 10% more charge off the 1 AMP charger, but with this 2.1 AMP charger, I manage to juice up about 25%. The really cool part of this charger is that I can pull out the USB cable and continue charging my phone via my laptop USB port.The charger is well-designed and has a robust construction Apple worthy! The charger sits flush with my power outlet with just enough of it popping out to get an easy grip for removal. The charger does not have any edges, it blends well into the dash with only the distinctive green bezel being highlighted adds a little color to my drab dash. I also love the new low-profile negative (outer) terminal design. No more accidental snagging and ripping the terminal out of the charger. It also helps with a smoother insertion and removal from the power outlet.
The lightning connector is well designed and fits most cases without any issue (check images above)
Pros:
* Solid feel to the product. Well built and sturdy parts charger, cable and lightning connector
* Included USB Lightning cable
* Slim profile charger that sits flush and does not get in the way
* Fast charging almost as fast as a wall outlet charger. Approx 2.5 hours for a full charge
* Well designed lightning connector fits most cases without any issue
Cons:
* Pricey at $35 but not too expensive at current market rates for a 2.1 AMP charger with a reliable, detachable Lightning cable
* The charger has a Green LED that remains on when the charger is connected. It seems inefficient to power the gremlins. I have old USB car chargers that turn-off when a device is not plugged in, light up Red when charging and Green when fully charged I paid less than $10 for those chargers
* For a car, I prefer a coiled cable like this one, just keeps things compact Griffin Tech PowerJolt SE Coiled Lightning Car Charger for iPhone 5, Touch 5G, Nano 7G
Best Deals for Belkin Car Charger with 8-Pin Lightning Cable Connector to USB
The pin constantly popped out of my iPhone5 not permitting it to charge. I had it in for a 6 hour car ride and only gained about 6% of a charge during the drive because of this problem. Iphone popped up an error message saying 'this charging device is not compatible with the phone' or something to that effect. I've never seen that before. I am returning after 1 week.Honest reviews on Belkin Car Charger with 8-Pin Lightning Cable Connector to USB
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The car charger I was using before this was the Kensington K39224US PowerBolt Micro Car Charger for iPad, iPhone and iPod, including iPhone 4. Since I upgraded to the iPhone 5, I only had to buy a Apple Lightning to USB Cable to keep using that one, which is 2.1 amps, like this one by Belkin.After using the Belkin, I would say it is comparable to the Kensington charger, but it already comes with a Lightning to USB cable, so that may figure in one's comparison of their prices if one doesn't already have a cable.
In a 30 minute drive, my iPhone 5 increased in charge from 50% to 89% using the Belkin, for an average of 1.3% increase in charge per minute. This seems comparable to my former charger.
Either product is excellent, and the fact that they can charge any of the Apple products quickly, assuming you have the proper USB cables, is convenient.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Belkin Car Charger with 8-Pin Lightning Cable Connector to USB
Have always had car chargers for phones. Very important since iphone 5 battery runs down rather quickly. Much better than many other car chargers.Friday, September 12, 2014
Review of Motorola Vehicle Power Adapter for V220, V180 and C650
List Price: $24.99
Sale Price: $0.01
Today's Bonus: 100% Off
My seller sent me the exact product as described. It works perfectly well with my Motorola V180 cell phone and my car's cigarette lighter. It charges my phone with speed without overcharging. I recommend this product to anyone looking for a car charger for their V180 Motorola cell phone.
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This was excellent. I had no problem charging my phone, and it works as described.Best Deals for Motorola Vehicle Power Adapter for V220, V180 and C650
Very happy with this item. It was IMPOSSIBLE to find in any retail stores. Pleasantly surprised to find it available on line & at a ridiculously low price. The delivery was fast, too. THANK YOUHonest reviews on Motorola Vehicle Power Adapter for V220, V180 and C650
My dad always forgets to charge his phone at home so I got him a car charger. He loves it.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Motorola Vehicle Power Adapter for V220, V180 and C650
I didn't use it, it was for my Mom. She didn't even use it. Sure it works though. Shipped quick and packaged well.Thursday, September 4, 2014
Discount Texas Accessories BLACK Iphone 4 4s Car Charger Kit Cable and USB
product lasted 2 seconds. Plugged into iphone data connect, tried to unplug it, the cable end came apart. the part connected to iphone stayed. super-glued it. plugged cig lighter end into car, fizzled right away and a puff of smoke. dead.It is as advertised. Charges phone in the car with the power outlet or USB outlet. It is constructed good.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Discount Energizer 84026 12V 1 Amp Battery Charger and Maintainer
Item works fine and it came faster than I expected. I am using it travling so size weight is inportant
Good product to charge small batterysThis is a great 1 amp charger for the price. I have an identical unit purchased about 6 months ago and they both work great.
Good product to charge small batterysThis is a great 1 amp charger for the price. I have an identical unit purchased about 6 months ago and they both work great.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Discount LG Official OEM Car Charger for Optimus S Phone! Original Equipment
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $14.98
Today's Bonus: 63% Off
I've learn to only purchase BRAND items for internal usage for any electronic. This is an original LG car charger. It is a small & slender all in one unit, so you don't have to worry about losing or misplacing adapter. Hasn't stop working, gives a fast charge, works with several different cell phones and has a red light indicator. Can't beat the price, compared to the $30 they charge at Brick and Motar stores or provider. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because the cord from charger to phone is short and tight, but I'm sure with normal wear & tear it'll eventually stretch out (like the old house phone cords).
Friday, July 11, 2014
Cheap Sunforce 50048 60W Solar Charging Kit
List Price: $599.99
Sale Price: $253.08
Today's Bonus: 58% Off
I purchased two of these kits (8 panels) and mounted them on the top of my RV. I have had them on the top of my RV now for approximately 8 months.
When I received the units, I tested each of them for the open voltage measurement noted in the instructions with a digital meter and found each to be producing 21 volts unloaded. Encouraged that the panels were working properly, I went ahead and took the time and expense to mount them to the top of my RV.
After 8 months, here's what I found:
First of all, the 15 watt, 1 amp peak output rating that Sunforce advertises is not correct. The peak output rating for each of these panels should have been advertised at approximately 750 milliamps per panel. The total peak output that one could typically expect from the 4 panels in this kit would be around 3 amps. 3 amps under perfect conditions.
I have noticed that the boards are extremely prone to large drops (upwards of 45%) in current output when they begin to heat up. In other words, the boards are VERY intolerant to high temperatures. But even under perfect conditions, the 8 panels that I have mounted on my RV only produced 6 amps, and I am in Hawaii.
Another problem: The boards shut down in lower light situations. In other words, early morning and later afternoon lighting, significant cloud cover, or other low light situation will be cause for either a total shut down of output, or the boards will be very poor performers in the low milliamps for 8 panels in parallel.
Within a very short period of time (about 4 months) the output from the panels gradually decreased by nearly 50%. And right now I am getting about 40% of the advertised peak output in perfect conditions.
The plastic construction is very cheap, in my opinion, and I am now worried that the plastic may break away around the screws that hold down the panels and fly off the vehicle. Needless to say, I am removing the panels.
I'm out some money, a lot of time and effort, but I've learned a lot about solar panel technology over the past 8 months.
For just a few bucks more, I will purchase a decent monocrystilline, 36 cell panel that will far and away outproduce the 8 panels that I have on my RV now, and take up far less space and be much safer on top of the vehicle.
Don't waste your time or money on this kind of solar panel technology. You will be very sorry.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
*Update* 6-2010, while my original panels are still running strong so long as I hose them down once a month, I've noticed that the PVC pipe provided to hold them in place has become brittle with sun exposure, hence I would now in 20/20 hindsight recommend a coat of Krylon Fusion Dover White Plastic Satin Spray Paint on the PVC parts to prevent UV cracking later in life. I do not think the Krylon Fusion product was available when I first setup my first panels but UV cracking of the support structure could cause panel damage in years 2 and 3.Meanwhile Amazon got their hands on some obsolete & discontinued Sharp panels (12.5% efficiency vs the new 13.1% efficiency) if you are serious about needing lots of solar power in a small space, this is a big kit you can view it here: Sunforce 39126 246-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit
My only concern about the kit is that due to the new panels being higher efficiency means it will be difficult to match panels if you find you still need more power later on. The other con on that system is it's price -$1300+ but you get the wattage, along with a cheap charge controller and inverter, both of which could be upgraded for better system performance. It's just another solar system to consider in the $5/watt or less pricepoint for DIYers.
Update 9-18-2008 Still going strong. I am very pleased with the summer power output of these panels. I wash them with a hose 1x/mo to keep the output current up. Measured before washing and after washing the panel efficiency is clearly a factor of how much dirt is on them. No problems long term on a roof though!
Update 2-20-2008 goes with graph "photograph" #3 above pink line is power and blue line is amps from the panel x 10 to share the graph. The X axis is panel voltage. Data was acquired using an Agilent dummy load with programmable voltage in 1V steps from 1V to 22V (open circuit voltage on the panel) on a partially cloudy day in winter sun. Expectations are for 2-3 times performace in summer sun provided the panels don't get too hot. These are on my house roof laying flat on a 3/12 pitch facing due south which is suboptimal but easy for me to do. Be sure to read the photo notes. Sorry about the colors excel defaulted to!
This is a MPPT chart (maximum power point tracking) you can see that the panels are optimized for charging a 12V wet cell right out of the box. Charge current turns on when battery voltage drops down to 13.0 VDC and turns off at 14.2 VDC with the supplied charge controller in the kit.
The only other interesting fact in 2 months is to keep your panels clean. My maximum current was 5.0 A on a cold morning with bright sun until it rained hard and washed the panels clean. The current went up to 7.0 A maximum right after the rainstorm. Below is the original review these panels have been running constant for 2 months now into 3 parallel deep cycle marine cells (315 AH) connected to the prosine inverter below to drain the energy made.
When reading the power/current chart you should keep in mind the amps have been multiplied by 10 so they use the same Y axis (so 20A on the chart corresponds to 2.0 A panel current) Watts are actual volts*amps. This was taken in the winter with partial clouds expectations are for a X3 improvement during summertime but its still february and I'm in the northern hemisphere so we'll have to wait and see. Basically an MPPT charger won't gain but a few watts with this panel so it's not a good investment unless you already have one laying around.
(Begin original review after buying panels)
I never seem to be overwhelmed by the latest shipment of product from China, but this one seems to show some promise and shows signs of good cost engineering and a complete design that can be set up quickly by one person with very little effort. I'd give it 5 stars if it were well packed, but my purchase turned into a shipping fiasco.
Most ALL solar installations are rated in $/watt much like new homes are rated in $/sq ft. We'll get to the sq ft bit later. Here you are getting 60W for 320 dollars or about 5.33 $/watt. Compared to a similar wattage panel, the BP solar 365U rated at 65W and priced (street) at 399 or 6.13 $/watt the amazon package seems to be a good deal when you consider it comes complete less battery (we'll hit that one later too)
In fact, the amazon package deal includes a xantrex 175 watt inverter with a .15A "idle" current designed for solar systems where current consumption must be minimized. It even includes a simple diode/switch "charge regulator" with 2 leds to indicate panel voltage and battery is full but lacks the ability to tell it what type of battery you are using (full is defined at 14.2 volts give or take so it's for wet/flooded cells). Neither of these are big buck items, but they do set you up for a complete small scale solar kit minus the battery out of the box, which is impressive.
Oh yes, the battery. I also ordered the duracell 480W inverter+28AH battery with this panel so I'd have a battery. Also made by Xantrex, it's a nice piece to complete the system. I made the mistake of ordering it with the solar panels (read on)
So how does China produce a complete kit for a lower $/watt price than professional solar companies like BP solar, GE, Kyocera, etc? Well it's the sq ft part we forgot about for a while. This uses 4 panels @ 15W each to get up to 60 watts with a simple parallel adapter included in the kit. The BP solar is one panel about the size of 1 of these 15W panels, or put another way, is 1/4 the sq footage. So if you are planning on covering your roof with these, think again because you'd need a really big house and have lots of 7A charge diodes and 175W inverters kicking around when you are done. The reason for the 4:1 size difference is the China panels are made using a silicon deposition on glass technique with a very thin film and correspondingly thin output, while other manufacturers use a silicon wafer production method that is roughly 4x more efficient in area, and somewhat more expensive as a result.
Ok now onto packaging. We need to get this from China to Amazon and finally to the consumer. On the first attempt FEDX carefully placed my fragile glass solar panels on the concrete then put 2ea 60lb batteries on top of them, cracking the glass on all 4 panels. After returning that to amazon, we tried again, this time without the batteries and shipping the system by itself. FEDX again noted shipment damage which wrecked 1 of the 4 panels, but running on 3/4 panels it does work, just not with full output. Amazon has given up because they will only ship and ruin something twice instead of making fedx pay up for piling 120 lbs of batteries on top of the glass panels and poking through the box & styrofoam the second time so I am still in negotiation with them about the shipment, however the product does deserve mention while I have it.
PERFORMANCE:
The design is actually quite well done. You can make (with 4 panels) a 12V (actually 15V) x 4A system, or a 30V x 2A or a 60V x 1A configuration depending on your power inverter and battery collection. For me, this will always be tied into a 12VDC bus so it is fine as shipped, but the flexibility is there if you have other voltages in use. There is no skimping on wire with 16 foot cords on each panel which helps to minimize power lost in the wire since each panel has its own cordset going to the combiner, after which runs are kept short. On a cloudy day I was able to get 2 amps from 3 panels (30 W) in full sun it peaked at 5.91A with 3 panels, so the Chinese manufacturing has under-rated their output as 90W from a 1/4 dead 60W panel in winter sun is doing very good I'd like to know how it performs in the summer!
As for mounting, a very clever system was designed to support the panels out of 1" PVC tubing with elbows and T's all of this is assembled with a singular bolt/wingnut style and the pipes have slots milled into them to ensure that the panels will line up one way or another without breaking after you get them. It has a prop-up leg system for use on the ground or can lay flat if placed on a roof that is already angled towards the sun. There isn't a provision for connecting multiple systems together, however you could make one out of sprinkler pipes you probably have.
All this really needs to be a well designed solar kit is 1) better packaging and 2) a battery. Even with 25% of my panels broken and removed from the system, it still managed to charge a car battery in under 1 cloudy winter day.
I'm impressed with the product, however disappointed with the shipper. I've also run up against Amazon's policy of two strikes and they are out meaning they won't negotiate for repair or replacement as the shipper on my behalf. I can return it alltogether or pay 100% for 75% of a system so it's probably going back tomorrow (monday) but my testing this weekend has shown that the product warrants consideration for people who
A) Need to keep their starting batteries charged year round (2nd cars, generators, etc) outside where AC power is not convenient.
B) People lacking A/C power somewhere and would like to run a small refrigerator (purchase a Xantrex Technologies Prosine 1,000 to 1,500-Watt Power Inverter #1000 TRUE SINEWAVE power inverter to run any motor load without damage) for 12V refrigeration needs its best to AVOID both inverters and peltier effect coolers ($40-80) and spend the money ($427 ouch) to get one of the Danfoss 12VDC real compressor refrigerators. The peltier coolers are just that coolers in a car they can keep something from your fridge cool, but the power draw of 8A x 12V (96 watts!) running continuously just to cool a 6 pack is insane. The danfoss iceless iceboxes can MAKE ICE if their compressor runs 80% duty cycle at 3A or about 24 watts. If you just want to keep 3 ea. 12 packs ice-cold and have a 2nd cool box inside for stuff you don't want to freeze they run 20-25% duty cycle on the 3 Amp compressor depending on temperature difference. Because I am on the road alot I keep one of these iceboxes with me attached to its own 80AH battery which will run it 3 days w/o charge. The same battery would run a peltier cooler less than 8 hours till dead. The battery is isolated from my engine but charges when I drive.
C) Or people who have *lots* of roof space and are looking at the lowest cost/watt installation complete with mounting hardware.
Don't forget the battery and don't have it delivered with your solar panels. As for emergency power, 60 watts won't do much for you but keep your generator battery charged and ready to go when the power fails. My natural gas genset is rated for 12,000 watts or 200 of these 60 watt 4-panel kits (800 panels) which would cost $64,000 and still not provide power at night, like the quiet genset does. With 12,000 watts I can comfortably run my whole house. Considering these natural gas gensets can be had for under $3000 they are clearly a great solution for whole house power backup systems so long as the gas stays on (most do propane or natural gas). I still like my friend's earthquake backup solution his house is heated by diesel and also has a diesel genset + diesel vehicle, so he is quite well prepared.
My use was to keep my seldom used 12VDC batteries all charged in the back yard. I kept the solar system for long term statistics and measurement and now have 2 of these in parallel. I bought a grid powered battery tender CTEK CTK7002 MULTI US 7002 Battery Charger to best charge my genset starting battery.
One last reliability issue having seen 5 broken panels now I can see an advantage to the professional panel systems these use the glass just as a cover & weatherproofing plate. The cells underneath are not damaged if the glass breaks provided the break is superficial. On the amazon system, the cells are deposited on the back of the glass, so if it breaks, by default so does the entire cell. A hailstorm could easily wipe out your backup power if using these monolithic inexpensive panels.
Best Deals for Sunforce 50048 60W Solar Charging Kit
The panels are installed on my garage roof, wired in to a battery bank and inverter which primarily functions as a very large (4KW) uninterruptible power supply for the house. So far, everything is working fine. They keep the batteries topped off without using power from the grid.Like most manufacturer's specs, the 60 watt claim is hard to realize. The panels' current output is about 3.2 amps under bright sun, which yields only about 45 watts into a 12 volt gel cell battery at 14.2 volts. The panels can output about 20 volts which would indeed yield 60 watts, but not while connected with the included charge controller. A MPPT controller would achieve 60 watts, however.
The included controller is acceptable in that it works as advertised. One good thing about it is that it does not shunt the panels when the battery is charged, it actually opens the circuit, which means the excess panel output would be available for other uses. I intend to build another device for charging another set of batteries after the primary set is charged.
The included inverter works, but I did not use it in the system. Instead, I'll just keep it around for a portable inverter.
Also, I did not use the PVC pipe stand included with the system, instead mounting the panels directly to the roof.
The kit did include a variety of connectors allowing use with cigarette lighter plugs and jacks, alligator clips, and hardwire, but the charge controller is only usable if hardwired. I strongly recommend the charge controller be used, as the panels can easily overcharge most any 12 volt battery if a charge controller is not wired in.
Honest reviews on Sunforce 50048 60W Solar Charging Kit
We bought this a few months ago. We live in Phoenix, AZ ("Valley of the Sun"), so this has plenty of opportunity to work. We have it plugged into 2 marine batteries (like car batteries, but bigger), and we have an inverter connected to those. The inverter is in the house, and the batteries are outside. The wire goes through the wall. We plug things into the inverter.This was easy to put together. You have to buy the batteries, but this came with everything else.
I can run my laptop all day, as well as recharge the cell phones and Wii remotes. My husband can also run his laptop. If we only get on the laptops after work, we can run them well into the night. I've had to switch to grid power a couple of times if I've used my laptop all day, but I've never had to switch over if I've only used it during the evening. (This doesn't count the few rainy days we've had. Yes, once in a while it rains in Phoenix.)
This is not the most efficient solar panel set, but it's very good for starting out and learning about solar power. It's inexpensive enough to set up and charge all your rechargeable stuff whenever you need it, as long as you live in a fairly sunny area.
Oh, as an experiment, I plugged the vacuum cleaner into the inverter, which promptly started screaming for help. (The inverter has an alarm, apparently.) This whole set-up CANNOT handle this kind of power draw. You have to unplug everything and turn the inverter off and let it just sit a while and reset before plugging in your lower power things again.
You're not going off the grid with this set-up, but you'll save yourself a few bucks a month. And you get to be smug whenever anyone talks about going green. "Well of course, our solar array has lowered our carbon footprint considerabley. Shall we go for an organic smoothie now?"
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sunforce 50048 60W Solar Charging Kit
I am pourya, a PhD in power electronics and I design renewable energy systems.You might not know how much 60W panel is.
A normal car battery is 100Ah which means for 100 hours it can provide 1 A. The voltage is 12V so it can provide 12*100=1200Wh of energy.
This panel is 60 W. reaching the nominal values for renewable sources are very rare. So we call this a 50W panel. After 1 hour it delivers 50Wh energy.
Now to charge our battery you need 1200/50=24hours of charging. Each day will give you 8 hours of good energy in texas. So you need 3 days to charge 1 car battery. ( but since you never fully discharge your battery, it might be 2 days ).
Now you should consider the rate of your consumption. If you want to use the battery simultaneously, it becomes very important that you consumption rate is below 60W which is basically a lamp in a car. So you are just discharging your battery and the panel is reducing the rate.
I don't have this unit. But I know the price is high. With 200-250$ you can get 200W panel not a 60W one.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Discount Motorola Vehicle Power Charger for Motorola RAZR V8, V9, V9M
List Price: $29.95
Sale Price: $8.14
Today's Bonus: 73% Off
This thing works very well. I have had one of the same for over 1 1/2 years with no problems. It went to my daughter. This one had been in my car and has worked flawlessly so far. This model charges pretty quickly and has had no adverse affect on battery or phone life.
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The item that I received was not the item specified in the listing. It was a shoddy, inferior, cheap, non-working substitute. I wrote a complaint to the seller and he immediately refunded my money without me even asking for a refund. He told me to keep the two chargers. I wrote back, trying to be fair with him, stating that the items have at least some value and offered to meet him halfway, and sent my check for half of the original amount of the items and shipping. He declined to cash my check. Although the item was listed in error by the seller, I honestly believe that he made a simple mistake in the listing and was not attempting to dupe or mislead anyone. The seller demonstrated the highest level of business integrity with his generous offer of a solution to the problem. I would definitely purchase from this seller again.By the way, the chargers do NOT work well. The USB plug at the end of the cord to charge the phone is not of high quality and improperly sized. The connection to the phone is extremely sensitive to insertion and movement and leads to a constant charge-no charge condition, with the latter being prevalent. So if anyone is purchasing this charger, insist on the true original Motorola product and do not accept any cloned imitation or substitute. The difference in quality and performance is vast.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Cheap Nokia Nuron 5230 Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger
The wall charger connector does not fit properly in my Nokia 5230. It worked for a while if I was careful not to bump it when it was plugged in. Now it won't stay plugged in at all. I contacted the seller and the response was "All of our items are tried and testing before they are shipped out. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
This charger pack is a steal: meaning this listing stole my money, stole my phone time, as can't use it currently,stole my time writing complaining to the lister of this item, and stole my faith in Amaz regulations of its vendors.
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Good charger great price however The tip of the charger can get bent easy so be carefull how you hold the phone while plugged in. My wife accidently bent one.Best Deals for Nokia Nuron 5230 Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger
We ordered the cell charger combo that comes with a car charger and a 120V wall plug for the house. They came on time and work great.Honest reviews on Nokia Nuron 5230 Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger
Works but cheap, (THE CAR CHARGER) probably won't last. I will have to be extra careful so it doesn't break. The house charger is good though.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Nokia Nuron 5230 Combo Rapid Car Charger + Home Wall Charger
This charger pack (at least the one I received) has a 2mm connector, and is 5V. Nokia 5230 requires a 3.5 mm connector and AC-8. This listing's chargers are likely good for SOME phone, just not the Nokia 5230. The price is low to get you to swallow the loss. Return shipping (which I had to pay to get my money back) is $2.41 for the 5 oz 'large/thick envelope'. That means my time to complain to them, getting no valid response, request/print the return label, drive to the post office will get me $2.09 of my $4.50 back.This charger pack is a steal: meaning this listing stole my money, stole my phone time, as can't use it currently,stole my time writing complaining to the lister of this item, and stole my faith in Amaz regulations of its vendors.
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