Showing posts with label central pneumatic air compressors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label central pneumatic air compressors. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Alltrade 648995 Kit 65 Air Conditioning Clutch Removal and Installation Tool Set

Alltrade 648995 Kit 65 Air Conditioning Clutch Removal and Installation Tool Set
  • Tool set for removal and installation of AC compressor clutches
  • For use on most domestic and import vehicle air conditioner systems
  • The right tool for the job
  • Storage case includes usage photos
  • Kit 65 includes 14-Piece for removal and installation of the AC compressor clutch

One use and it just about pays for itself. Nice diagrams included in a sturdy molded case not some cheapo feeling case either. Tool works flawlessly and seems to be very well made from strong materials. This is the right tool for ac clutches.

Buy Alltrade 648995 Kit 65 Air Conditioning Clutch Removal and Installation Tool Set Now

I gambled on this with "For use on most domestic and import vehicle air conditioner systems" in the description. It did not work for my Dodge and is totally useless to me.

Read Best Reviews of Alltrade 648995 Kit 65 Air Conditioning Clutch Removal and Installation Tool Set Here

I was trying to take an ac clutch off of a 99 Park Avenue and tried everything. I ordered this set and had the clutch plate off in minutes. It was easy to use and I especially like the easy to read laminated users manual built into the case. I have only used this kit on 1 car, but from the description they will work on almost all domestic and foreign car ac clutches.

Monday, March 17, 2014

DEWALT D55168 200 PSI 15 Gallon 120-Volt Electric Wheeled Portable Workshop Compressor

DEWALT D55168 200 PSI 15 Gallon 120-Volt Electric Wheeled Portable Workshop Compressor
  • 5.0 SCFM at 90 PSI allows for quick compressor recovery times
  • 200 PSI max tank storage pressure allows for longer air tool run times
  • 78 dBA (tested per ISO3744) operational noise level for a quieter work environment
  • Ehp Efficient high pressure technology delivers exceptional air-tool runtimes
  • Oil free, maintenance free pump for convenient use;Efficient high pressure motor allows the compressor to be run with an extension cord (12 Ga. or heavier, 50 ft. or less) due to consistent amp draw requirements of the compressor

This is an excellent small shop / home air compressor. However, with that said, it's important to understand that it does have some limitations and is not designed to replace larger air compressors. With this review, I will try to give a thorough rundown and address both the pros and cons.

I grew up using your typical Craftsman 5HP 30 gallon air compressor. My dad bought it for the garage and I made use of it all through my teenage years of working on cars and fabricating. It required oil and was pretty loud. So, when I bought my own house, one of the first things on the list for the garage was my own air compressor. I almost bought a Craftsman unit from Sears, but after reading the terrible reviews about the model(s) I was considering, I decided to keep shopping. Based on the reviews here on amazon, it seems the quality of the recent Craftsman air compressors isn't what it used to be.

After deciding not to purchase a craftsman unit, I checked into several other brands. One of the units which always caught my eye was the 200 PSI Dewalt unit. For one, it was an upright unit, so it didn't take up nearly as much space as the sideways type. Also, it was higher pressure and smaller than many of the other brands. Overall, however, it seemed very well made.

One concern I had was the fact that it didn't use or require any oil. In fact, this worried me so much that I actually called Dewalt and spoke with their technical support department about how that works. I was told that coating technology had come a long way and this allowed them to produce a piston that didn't require any oil. I also asked them about how much use the unit could stand and they assured me it would stand up to most any home use. The person I spoke with explained that this unit was designed to be used at a job site and that it was intended for heavy use 5 or more days per week, even though it didn't require all that much maintenance. The impression I got was that it was designed to basically roll out of the box and be ready for use at a construction site even when put into heavy use.

One thing the Dewalt representative did say was that it was very important to properly break the unit it. This consists of running the unit for 15 minutes with no load (and the drain valve open on the bottom) when you initially fire it up. I followed the directions in the manual to the letter and have since had zero problems. Let me tell you, running your air compressor for 15 minutes seems like a very long time! :-) However, from what I understand, this break-in process is very important to ensuring that the unit operates properly over its life.

As mentioned, one of the nice things about this unit is that it's relatively small. It doesn't take up much in the way of space. The construction is very nice and the unit is clearly heavy duty. I believe one of the other reviews mentioned something about the drain valve on the bottom touching the ground because the wheels aren't high enough. This is indeed the case, but it doesn't really matter, since you generally have no need to open the valve on the bottom all the way. In fact, when bleeding the tank, you usually only open the valve about 1/2 or 1/4 of the way, since this allows the unit to decompress slowly and helps to avoid the outlet from icing over due to air exiting too quickly. As such, the fact that the tip of the lever touches the ground is really a non-issue.

In any event, one of the great things about this air compressor besides its high quality design and construction is that it's incredibly quiet. I would say it produces about half the noise (if not less) than a similar Craftsman unit. It's difficult to explain exactly. Obviously, the unit makes noise. However, it's noticeably quieter than other models. Let me put it this way: when running the unit in my garage (with the garage door open), it can barely be heard from a distance of about 150 feet. With the garage door down, I can actually run it at night and it's difficult to hear from a distance of even 50 feet away from the house. As such, I'm able to work into the evening without the fear of the neighbors hearing the compressor. Again, the unit does make noise, but for an air compressor, it comes in at a much lower sound level than most.

The fact that this unit requires no oil is a joy. The previous compressor I used always required oil, which is a hassle. The Dewalt unit does not. In fact, aside from draining the tank (i.e. letting the air out) at night, there really isn't anything you have to do.

The Dewalt D55168 compressor is rated at 200 PSI however, that's tank pressure, not hose pressure. In other words, you can't dial the regulator up to where you are supplying a full 200 PSI to your tools (nor would you want to). So the tank does charge up to 200 PSI, but the pressure available via the hose is more like 125 or 130 PSI (as I recall it might go as high as 150 PSI). This isn't any problem, however, since most air tools only call for between 50 and 80 PSI. Even when blowing out parts, 100 to 120 PSI is plenty. Basically, the pressure available at the hose is the same as most other compressors.

This air compressor is outstanding for several functions. For filling up tires, it's great. For blowing out parts, it's wonderful. It's also perfect for running air ratchets and impact tools (such as impact wrenches). The recharge is pretty fast and when using something such as an impact wrench, it works quite a while before the tank kicks back in.

So, if you are looking to have compressed air for blowing out parts, filling up tires or running an impact wrench, then this compressor is outstanding and fits the bill perfectly. However, if you are looking to run your die grinder, air sander or rotary grinder, you are going to be a bit disappointed. Tools that suck a lot of air in and spit a lot of air out (which includes most continually spinning tools, such as grinders and sanders) pull too much air for this smaller size compressor. If you attach a die grinder for example and start cutting away at some mild steel, you'll quickly find that the compressor is running nearly non-stop to attempt to keep up. On the other hand, if you are using an air nailer, you should be fine.

So the bottom line is this: if you are looking to blow off parts, fill up tires and run a few ratchets and/or impact wrenches, then this compressor is fantastic. It requires pretty much zero maintenance and is very quiet. On the other hand, if you are looking to use air tools to sand or grind down welds or you are thinking you can run your air powered die grinder all day, then you are most likely going to be sorely disappointed and should probably look for a higher HP and larger tank compressor.

Myself, I love this compressor and simply have switched to electric powered grinders for jobs such as cutting and grinding (since they generally do a better job anyway). The dewalt provides compressed air for jobs that really require it and it does so with no hassles or complaints. As long as you aren't looking to power a shop full of grinders and sanders, then the Dewalt D55168 is hard to beat when it comes to a small/quiet air compressor for the home, garage or small job site.

Buy DEWALT D55168 200 PSI 15 Gallon 120-Volt Electric Wheeled Portable Workshop Compressor Now

We've had our DeWalt D55168 for about three weeks now and love it. It dose everything well and it may be the perfect home or small business work shop compressor. It is easy to move around and you can use a 12 gage extension cord if needed to power it. However there are a couple of things to know before you buy one. One is the drain valve is to close to the floor to work properly. So we built a ramp about one inch tall for the D55168 to set on and that solved that little annoyance. Seems that DeWalt would just put about one inch taller wheels on this compressor and that would fix this little problem too? The next thing is there is a fifteen minute break-in with the drain valve open. We would not have known this if we wouldn't have read the instruction manual first. The third thing is, 'quite' it is 'Not' it may be about 25% less than our old Porter Cable 4 gallon air compressor? There is plenty of sound left in this motor to have no chance of hearing your fm radio when it's running. But having said all that this is a fine compressor and wouldn't trade it for any other 15 gallon compressor out there right now. The only other thing that since the other two reviewers have talked about the price. We paid $319.95 from a local Home Depot store. In this case it may be better to look for this compressor from a local store rather than Amazon.com. They are asking $359.99 + $99.00 shipping and 'No' return! We don't understand this one? So we had to pass buying form Amazon this time. But most of the time we have been very happy with Amazon's prices and service.

Read Best Reviews of DEWALT D55168 200 PSI 15 Gallon 120-Volt Electric Wheeled Portable Workshop Compressor Here

Use caution. I just sent the second one back to Amazon. Both units were obviously damaged prior to shipment, as you could see where some other party received the same non-functional unit prior to me, and returned it in the re-taped box 3 or 4 times. I used the identical compressor of a friend, and knew this is just what I needed. Unfortunate for me that Amazon is dealing with a supplier such as this one that I had to go through. Definitely buy a Dewalt compressor, but think about an alternate source. Amazon was willing to take both units back, but having the frustration and downtime to return both units make this transaction undesirable.

Want DEWALT D55168 200 PSI 15 Gallon 120-Volt Electric Wheeled Portable Workshop Compressor Discount?

I just picked mine up at Rockler Woodworing for $249 and they threw in a $50 gift certificate. The item was in excellent shape. The reason I'm giving it a four star rating is that it is not as quiet as I though it was going to be; however, it is much quieter than the old Sears model it replaced. The second reason is the drain valve on the bottom can not be opened completely unless you prop up the front feet two inches, which is a little dangerous since it throws the unit slightly off balance poorly engineered!. They should have made the wheels a little bigger or placed the tank slightly higher. Aside from these two small problems, this is a beautiful piece of equipment and the perfect size for my shop. Follow up-after three weeks of use. I don't have any regrets purchasing this compressor. I like it more every day I use it. It holds an icredible amount of air and never seems to run out of breath.

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I have had this unit for about 2 years and used it only on a DIY basis with a total of maybe 30 to 40 hours. Last week started it for some air for a blowing job and at about 120psi motor statrted to cut in and out, run slowly and make a very bad noise, so shut it down. Opened the cover and there were no visable falts other than brush sparking.

From the noise, sparking and reduced speed, I'm sure the motor is bad. Tried to buy a new motor and much to the surprise of the DeWalt service Center teck, there is no motor avalable. I consider not having complete parts avalability a totally unacceptable business practice on DeWalt's part. Is this an other case of the bean counters killing a product and in the end a company?

Monday, February 24, 2014

Porter-Cable DA250B 1-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch 15-Gauge Angled Finish Nailer

Porter-Cable DA250B 1-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch 15-Gauge Angled Finish Nailer12/9/04 My company owns 3 of these and they really do have a strong shot. We had no problems with getting the nails to set in the toughest materials. Our problems came after 8 mos of use. One of the units began having frequent jams and then started misfiring on a consistent basis. I'm a little concerned because another one of our DA250B nailers has also become somewhat unpredictable and sometimes jams. I definitely recommend the DA250B over the Senco SFN 35 or any Bostich nailers. The Senco SFN 30 and 40 are OK units. My top pick however is the Dewalt Angled Finish Nailer D51275K. All of our crews like this nailer over any of the finish nailers we've used. (Bostich, Porter Cable DA250B, Senco SFN 35, 40, 30). I will say that for the infrequent user either The Porter Cable DA250B or Dewalt D51275K will perform nicely.

Note: We use these finish nailers primarily in oak but sometimes in wood species such as Brazilian Cherry, Mahogany, Rosewood, Maple and other exotic wood types.

Update 07/07/05: I have had each of the 3 Porter Cable DA250B in the shop for repair 1-3 times each within the 1st year. I think it's time to switch entirely to Dewalt. Porter Cable shouldn't mind now since it's owned by the same company now. Also I should add that the Dewalt finish nailer we have is still working flawlessly with the original driver and it gets more use than the Porter Cables.

I have been using Porter Cables 16 gauge finish nailer, and their 18 gauge finish brad nailer, for over a year now. It has performed great. I was doing some tongue and groove cedar on a wall, and wasn't able to get a the nail on the 16 to sit down flush in the upper corner of the tongue. I picked up one of these 15 gauge, the new DA250B, and this thing kicks butt. It is substantially more powerful, than the 16 gauge. POW, their is no mistake about it. What that amounted to, was the 16 gauge would not drive the nail all the way into the inaccessable corner of the tongue. When I tried it with the 15 gauge, it drove the nail in further, all the way to clean with the surface, down in the corner. The 16 gauge took it to the extent the tip would go, but the 15 gauge went beyond the restriction, all the way to a flush finish. So you could say, the tongue extends out farther on the 15, like beyond flush. It is not the air pressure, I'm running it on a 6HP 60 gallon tank, or the setting of the head depth, I played with all of those. It simply is a more powerful machine, and the tongue appears to extend more, to drive the nail deeper in situations where you can't get the head all the way in a corner. It drives it in anyway.

I would like to make a comparison. It is like comparing the 18 gauge to the 16, but moreso. Maybe it is the new technology, but this thing kicks. The second you fire the first nail, you know it, before you even look at the result. It does leave a larger hole of course, and it has a slight D-shape to it. Reminds you of the old hand forged nail look, but on a finish nail size, and it is a little hole, rather than an exposed nail.

You will notice that Porter Cable states that it is improved to accept other manufacturers nails. I think that may be the nature of the problem some others were experiencing with the older model. They put strange nails in the gun, but now it can accept them.

I highly recommend it, and I expect it will give me the same reliability the 16 and the 18 have given me over the year.

Buy Porter-Cable DA250B 1-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch 15-Gauge Angled Finish Nailer Now

I was building a cabinet the other day and using this nailer, and man, I tell you, you could feel and hear the power of this puppy throughout the shop. It fired rounds of 2" nails in solid oak and with every shot, there was a consistent message being sent out to the wood, "don't mess with me"!

When working with solid hardwood material, and finish nails, the last thing that you want is your nails to be proud of the surface where you have to go back and set them all manually, or the nailer leaving an ugly mar on the surface. None of that with this baby;) It sets the nails and does it exactly where you want them. Very nice tool!

Read Best Reviews of Porter-Cable DA250B 1-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch 15-Gauge Angled Finish Nailer Here

I can't think of a single thing that I would change about this gun. It loads easily, it is well balanced and not too heavy, the drive depth is easy to adjust, and it has never jammed even though I drive mostly 2-2.5 inch nails. I also have a 2 inch brad nailer and that may be sufficient for most people who are only going to nail molding. But for applications that require a 2.5 inch long nail or more structural support, this nail gun is perfect. I bought mine reconditioned for about a 20 percent savings and it has worked flawlessly and looked brand new.

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I would give it 4.5 stars but that is not an option. I got this one for xmas, I guess the wish list on amazon does work (hehe). Just finished up a basement finsish, shot about 4 boxes of 2.5" and 2" nail through it, not a one miss or jam (watch me jinx myself). I do know that porter cable has completely redesigned the "B" version of this gun, maybe all the negative feedback for it was for the "A" version. I can't complain about this nailer, not in the least, except it seems to be slightly inconsistent in the "blow out" in the wood. It feels light in your hand and the adjustable exhaust is great.

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Saturday, November 16, 2013

Senco 1C0001N AF25 Air Free 5/8-Inch to 2-1/8-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer

Senco 1C0001N AF25 Air Free 5/8-Inch to 2-1/8-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer
  • Drives up to 1,000 nails per charge
  • Includes two 12 -volt/ah batteries
  • Adjustable depth of drive
  • No expensive and smelly fuel cells
  • Belt hook

I am a professional finish carpenter working in cabinet shop. I have been using this gun daily for three months. In the beginning it worked just fine, but it did not hold up. I do NOT use it heavily, mostly to install crown molding and scribe, perhaps a strip of nails a day maximum.

It started out not setting the nails properly, and now the belt is not driving the nails at all. The belt driver winds up and then winds down and won't shoot. Out of 8 carpenters in my shop who purchased this gun, I am number 6 to have to return it due to this defect. We have been instructed not to purchase anymore until they work the bugs out.

It may be a fine tool for a handyman or a casual user, but if you're a professional and need a reliable nail gun, I would recommend sticking with a compressor and a traditional air brad nailer.

Buy Senco 1C0001N AF25 Air Free 5/8-Inch to 2-1/8-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Now

I tried one of these units out at a recent Rockler woodshow near here (Minneapolis). They are a *great* leap forward for airless nailers. I almost bought one until I reminded myself that with the same amount of money I could buy a small pancake and nailer.... The cost efficiency goes down further if you need a 15 gauge as well as an 18 gauge.

The air free units work by spinning up a small flywheel that then discharges its kinetic energy into a pin. This is different from the previous electric nailers that didn't have that extra mass (and thus weren't powerful enough for 2" brads), or from the other airless units like the older Porter-Cable that used chemical cartridges (that caused jams or ran out unexpectedly), or the newer P-C ones that have a small compressor on them (that are heavy).

The Sencos put a 2" brad right through the 2x4 pine they had at the show. You can control the depth of shot and the trigger action is very smooth. There are safeties to make it harder to put a brad through your thumb but if you want to do it, its always possible with a little due diligence on your part.

There was very little "spin-up" time and while you can't go bam-bam-bam-bam as with a pneumatic, you can go at a pretty comfortable pace. Not having a cord would be great for working on a ladder or in a location where electricity hadn't been pulled in yet.

The batteries seem pretty solid. I was at the show all day and it didn't look like they had to replace the batteries once. I wish the batteries were compatible with Porter-Cable or Dewalt or some other series so that you could share chargers. I'm sick of the pile of battery chargers I have in my shop.

Overall, two thumbs up. If they can get the weight and price down, that would be a further bonus. But you're buying from one of the leaders in high quality nailers, so the price is eminently justifiable.

Read Best Reviews of Senco 1C0001N AF25 Air Free 5/8-Inch to 2-1/8-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Here

This is the best idea in a brad nailer to come along yet! I'm a cabinet installer in south Florida. I install cabinets in new homes, 240 houses per year. I've been using the AF25 for about 3 months. I use it every work day to install toe kick, crown moldings, valances, and other various trim. It works efficiently, and effectively, and so far without even a jamb. The depth control works precisely, and it drives nails perfectly, every time. I drive about one stick of nails per day. The battery charge lasts me about three weeks at this rate of useage. I never want to go back to compressors and hoses again! This nailer is a little bit larger than the conventional brad nailer, but it is light weight and the size has made no difference in daily performance. This is a light to medium duty tool. When you pull the trigger it "winds up" before delivering the nail. This was a surprize the first couple of times. If your a person that requires instant and rapid response this nailer is probably not for you. On the other hand, while this shoots a little slower, I can be done with my nailing tasks before the other guy has got his compressor set up and running! Great tool for every application short of the production line. Thanks Senco, this is what the trade needs!

O.K. I wrote this review two years ago. It's been a year since I last used this nailer. Everything I said above was true, it performed beautifully until it was about a year old. It then started to malfunction. It would wind up but it wouldn't deliver the nail. I took it to the local Senco service center, it was still under warranty, they kept it for a couple of weeks, and said it was fixed. It wasn't. I took it back and they refused to take it in for service. They said they only were set up to fix pnumatic tools and these "new fangled electric" nailers were beyond their capacity. It's now sitting in my shop collecting dust. Guess who won't be buying Senco again!

Want Senco 1C0001N AF25 Air Free 5/8-Inch to 2-1/8-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Discount?

Just finished about 200 linear feet of baseboards, casings, and quarter-round. For the first half I used the old hammer and nail set, the second half I used the AF25 and was absolutely amazed at the results. The AF25 easily cut the install time in half and left me to concentrate on my cuts. The wind up time was not a bother, and you can still drive brads at a pretty good pace. I was trying to decide whether to go with this, or the Porter Cable pnumatic kit with the pancake compressor. With the Senco, there is no compressor to lug, no hoses to string, it's much quieter, and comes with 2 quick charge batteries so there should never be any down time. There is the drawback of not easily being able to add additional tools (like a framing nailer, etc.), but the brad driver will handle 90% of what I do (woodworking and casings) and I can get a framer with compressor later if needed (beware basement, your time is drawing near). The batteries are fully charged in less than an hour unless they are totally drained, then 1.5 hours. I had no trouble putting a 2" brad into solid ash anywhere from 1/4" proud of the surface to countersunk about 1/8".

Now when I see Norm say, "and I'll fasten this with a few brads to hold it 'till the glue dries", I can say, "hey, I can do that!"

I highly recommend this product, they put together a good package.

This tool manufactured by Senco is not good quilty and definitly not for professional applications. We have purchased a lot of senco pnumatic products in the past with very good results. This tool had poor results right away in dense woods. After some use the results where sparatic: 1) intrermitent falure to fire, 2) Unpredictable depth in the same piece of material & Jambing often. Both of our Senco AF25 Air free's currently sit out of service.

We have since Purchased sevral Dewalt 18V nailers ( Dewalt has 18V Vs 12V for the Senco ) the Dewalt also has a production seting that allows rapid fire like an air nailer; the Senco on the other hand does not have this feature.

I'm sorry to say, I reccamend a pass on this Senco product.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire Inflator

Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire Inflator
  • 500 Instant starting amps for maximum performance
  • 120 PSI inflator for vehicle tires, sports equipment and more
  • Low-profile design for easy storage within vehicle or garage
  • Visual and audible reverse polarity alarms warn against improper connections to battery terminals
  • Ultra bright area light for increased visibility in dark areas

So far this unit has performed well. I used it to jump-start a raggedy old farm tractor, and the little box seems to have an impressive amount of cranking power (for short bursts, anyway).

I've used the inflator twice to inflate a car and a truck tire. Takes awhile to get a tire up to pressure, but's that's normal with these little compressors. For it's size, it's quite adequate as an emergency air source. Took me about 8 minutes to bring the car tire up from 25 PSI to 45 PSI (under the weight of the vehicle). Really not that bad.

The truck tire took a bit longer, as I had to stop the unit to let it cool down. B&D recommends running the inflator for no more than 10 minutes continuously. Total time to bring this nearly-flat tire up to pressure: Just under a half-hour. Again, not too shabby considering how small this thing is.

I like the layout of the controls and indicators. Clear, easy to read, easy to access. Storage for the jumper cables is OK. I'd prefer to see them stowed in a sealed compartment, but they seem pretty secure. Keep the clamps clean, and there shouldn't be any issues storing this in a car.

Storage for the inflator hose is cheesy. It's stuffed into a tiny compartment, and you have to really bend the hose in order to get it inside. The maximum length of the air hose is about 2 feet. You must set the unit very close to the tire for the hose to reach the valve. Not a problem for me so far, but keep this in mind if you need a unit with a long reach. B&D could have done better here.

A major gripe I have is that the inflator has no provision for a backup power source. Depending on how long the internal battery will remain charged in storage, you might find it lacks the juice to power the unit in an emergency. Why couldn't B&D include a 12V cigarette adaptor for this situation? For a unit that's supposed to be a piece of emergency gear, this seems like a glaring oversight. You'd better hope that the internal battery is extremely reliable without it, the unit is useless. Could have been a five-star rating if not for that issue.

Overall, I'm pleased with this purchase. Reliability will be the ultimate test, and it's still too early to pass judgement. If it holds up season after season, and delivers the goods when really needed, I may change my rating to 5 stars. For under 100 bucks, I'd say give it a try.

UPDATE: 12 Jan 2010

The inflator died on me, with less than 4 hours total runtime. The motor was cranking away, but there was no air pressure at all. Brought it to a B&D service center, and paid $15 to have a new one shipped to my home. No hassle at all returning the unit, and the replacement is working as advertised so far. Maybe I just got a lemon, so I'm not going to downgrade the rating at this time. Will check back at a later date.

UPDATE: 23 Aug 2011

Working fine after 15 hours of compressor use. I was advised not to store the unit very long in sub-freezing temperatures. This apparently can damage the compressor, which may be the reason my first unit failed.

Buy Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire Inflator Now

This review is for the Black & Decker JUS500IB 500 Amp Jump Starter with Inflator

I received this last week, plugged it in to charge the battery, and planned to leave it in the garage. I wasn't planning on writing a review until I used it, until this morning when I needed jump-start my car because "someone" left the lights on overnight. Sure enough, I put this baby to work immediately and the engine started (no surprise there).

What I was surprised about was that I needed to connect both the positive and negative to their respective terminals. At first, I connected the negative clamp to the chasis (like how I would normally jump a car), but my car would not start. I tried several places along the non-painted metal frame part and even the engine block of the dead car to no avail. As a last resort, I connected it to the bolt of the negative post (while wearing eye protection), and the car started. I know this is a no-no, but nothing else worked, and I needed to go to work. I'll troubleshoot at a later time (or most likely never). UPDATE: I've since used this on various automobiles (including the problematic car described above), and connecting the negative clamp to the chasis works perfectly fine now. I'm not sure what happened since, but now it is working fine following the proper useage.

Now, I keep it in the trunk, just in case. It has a nice compact body, so it does not take up much space. I like the light on the unit, but it is also a bit awkward to use (it points UP, rather than down), so I had to hold the unit upside down to see what I was doing. I have yet to use the inflator, so I have nothing to contribute about it. I did try it, and it seems to work. The compartment for the hose is awkward (behind a small plastic door underneath), but at least the hose is stored and not dangling around.

It does not come with an extension cord, which is required for charging. Luckily, I had one available, but it would have been nice to have come with one (even a six-footer would be nice). (Minus half star)

Overall, a very nice portable jump starter. I have a project car that constantly needs a jump, and I found this jump starter readily handy. For those who do not anticipate to use it a lot, this unit may be a bit overkill, and there are other smaller and cheaper alternatives. Highly recommended. Will update in a few months.

Note to Amazon: This product comes with an "AC charger," and not an "air conditioning charger." Please make the appropriate change in the product description section.

Read Best Reviews of Black & Decker JUS500IB 500-Amp Jump Starter with Built-in Tire Inflator Here

I've owned this for almost a year now, and I can honestly tell you, buy the jump starter without the tire inflator.

The jump starter works great, the internal battery lasts a very long time, and this unit is very well made for the most part.

The weak link is the tire inflator. It overheats very quickly depending on the outside temp. In hot sunny weather it began smoking in a few minutes. Within a few months of regular usage (I have a bad rim on my car), the inflator completely died. It ran, it just has no air pressure.

I guess in an emergency the inflator would do it's job, but for regular usage, buy a better inflator.

The light works well, but points straight up.

The usb charger worked as it should.

I'd give 5 stars except for the inflator.

My rating is 3 stars

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Bought for my husband as a gift and he takes it everywhere. Used it 2X's to rescue boats on the lake. Keeps our car tires inflated. Handy for bikes and rafts. It's a GREAT piece of machinery!! Worth the investment!!

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Please realize that this is heavy and clunky but that is expected. It does not sit well and must be layed down. Anyway the first time I had to use the air tire inflator, it broke off. Then I had an extreme amount of trouble exchanging it as it is a battery that cannot be shipped easily. Thanks to amazon they finally accepted an exchange and now it works fine.