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  1. DaveInDenver

    "Solar Generator"

    I meant it's a curse carried by us (some anyway) as a desire for correct terminology. We're not robots (yet) so each individual professional will of course have a different tolerance to a layperson using a term casually. And you're right about amateurs sometimes besting pros. Not having...
  2. DaveInDenver

    DC DC Converter for OUTPUT from LIFEPO battery

    Those portable power boxes use lithium batteries that aren't necessarily directly compatible with things designed to plug into 12V vehicle stuff. I'm pretty sure Jackery is using lithium-ion cells to make up a battery which will either be too low (around 11V) or too high (around 15V) to use...
  3. DaveInDenver

    Which maps do you use in Gaia?

    I'm curious, too. The only thing I can remember Gaia using from ESRI was their shaded relief overlay and that's been a few years ago. There could be unknown subscriber layers, though.
  4. DaveInDenver

    DC DC Converter for OUTPUT from LIFEPO battery

    The only reason I can see is if the battery didn't happen to have a compatible chemistry or management system and was thus unregulated with an excessively high voltage. But that won't be the case with a LiFePO4 Battle Born. You will need a 12V-5V USB adapter, though.
  5. DaveInDenver

    "Solar Generator"

    @OllieChristopher, it's the curse of STEM to be sticklers for terminology. If you have to keep starting at zero defining terms you never get anything done. Still, the beginning of a technical paper or book will contain a list of terms and abbreviations because, you know, can't ever be too...
  6. DaveInDenver

    Which maps do you use in Gaia?

    The regular old Gaia Topo usually with the USFS 2016 turned on. Living in the desert with BLM land all around that's the best option I find. Gaia's map pulls in OSM data, which is usually about as accurate as anything.
  7. DaveInDenver

    Warning re Jackery product quality/design

    Having portable 12V power is handy. I usually have a couple of extra batteries around just for stuff like that, which are bigger and heavier than a pack like this. I can totally see the utility. I have dual batteries in the truck and probably wouldn't drag a portable pack over a few extension...
  8. DaveInDenver

    Warning re Jackery product quality/design

    Oh, yeah, I know it's a business decision mostly and could be consumer-friendly. The oil change interval on my Tacoma is 5,000 miles before the "maintenance required" light illuminates. It requires holding the odometer trip reset down when you turn the key to on and letting odometer read out...
  9. DaveInDenver

    Anderson Connectors - seem to be having issues?

    This is an interesting point. Anderson specifies and sells crimpers for their terminals because it's a mechanical process and changing the geometry has an affect on performance and alignment. It's hard to say without close inspection but if the crimp caused the ramps to bend relative to the...
  10. DaveInDenver

    Warning re Jackery product quality/design

    Precisely, MIL-STD-810. Which for a watch takes a $10 item to $60 or $100 at least. Imagine what a $500 battery pack would go to to survive these conditions. Probably $25,000. There's a compromise between nothing and full-on, though Jackery isn't doing that preferring instead a market where...
  11. DaveInDenver

    Warning re Jackery product quality/design

    There's multiple aspects to the decision by Deere (or any other OEM). Part of it is marketing (Buy new!) and overtly protecting their dealer service network but it's also a necessity to prevent hacking (thus putting them on the hook for liability if a safety or regulatory interlock is bypassed...
  12. DaveInDenver

    Warning re Jackery product quality/design

    I think he's talking about the battery pack/charge controller and not the panels. I think the point of this thread is maybe to vent, it is a lot of money to spend for something that let you down. But to also tell others that these boxes aren't particularly rugged, may not be easily repaired...
  13. DaveInDenver

    GPS recommendations for seniors

    It's a vector map zoomed to 1:24k. If that's what the OP needs then it's the scale that matters and not the source. I'm not saying the USGS 7.5' minute map is better than other options but just that it's a specific description. He may want to display digitally as close as possible to what his...
  14. DaveInDenver

    Warning re Jackery product quality/design

    The pair of 38999 circular connectors alone I'd bet cost more than the Jackery box.
  15. DaveInDenver

    Warning re Jackery product quality/design

    There'll be an inverse proportional relationship in price. You could look for MIL-STD-810, which gets you something like this with extra zeros on the end of the price. But you can safely assume it'll take a drop from the back of a SUV at least. Problem is without a set of standards you can...
  16. DaveInDenver

    FJ Cruiser or Tacoma for Touring

    There's never going to be a perfect apples-to-squirrels comparison for defining capability. The Jeeps with two solid axles and coil springs are going to out do any IFS Toyota in crawling, no argument. But IFS does fine and will be better on washboard and pavement. Whatever, just run what you...
  17. DaveInDenver

    Warning re Jackery product quality/design

    It's a fuzzy line for sure. I've found the few things Jackery I have to be reasonably well built but I'm only talking about USB charging packs and that sort of thing. They use Panasonic cells and the control boards seem decently built. Mind you the bar is low and they are certainly not high...
  18. DaveInDenver

    GPS recommendations for seniors

    There's lots of options for getting topo maps on Garmin, like GPS File Depot has all sorts of maps people have made. GMapTool is a tool Andrzej Popowski maintains for compiling your own Garmin maps. He periodically generates various maps based on the OpenStreetMaps database overlaying some...
  19. DaveInDenver

    GPS recommendations for seniors

    Even though he's fine with technology my dad really likes his Nuvi receivers. The requirement to use 7.5' minute topos wouldn't be met. You can use topo maps but they're vector maps based on various sources such as USGS National Map, OpenStreetMaps and others. Getting custom scanned maps on a...
  20. DaveInDenver

    GPS recommendations for seniors

    Is he comfortable with smart phones at all?
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