Automotive Reviews

I had a problem with the delivery and although Amazon offered no assistance other than to "wait a little longer", Tracey with Safety & Security did an excellent job at resolving the problem.

This little three-purpose tool is something I bought because the Safety Committee at work said we had to have it for our agency van. It isn't as big as I imagined (Yes, I know the dimensions are stated, but reading that and seeing the reality are different), but it is a flashlight, a window breaker, and a flashlight, all packed into one, highly visible, bright yellow package. I hope we never need it but, in the event of an accident, I'll be glad to have it there.

I just purchased this jump starter and I am a little disappointed in the quality. First off, the clamps on the jumper cables are made of plastic; I will probably be using this jump starter in cold weather and plastic gets brittle in cold weather. Furthermore, I would like to have seen thicker jumper cables. Secondly, the power inverter can only run very low wattage electronics, i.e. a laptop computer. I tried powering my 20" CRT television, but no go. I doubt it can run any standard tools such as a corded drill, or any garden tools. Thirdly, the storage area for the compressor hose is a very tight squeeze and I am worried the hose will eventually break from being forced in there all the time. Furthermore, there is no place to store the charging adaptors in the unit. If this thing is dead when you want to use it and the adaptors are not with it, it is useless. Lastly, there are no directions that come with the unit, in fact, no literature what so ever. I would have at least liked to have known how long I should have initially charged the battery.

On the other hand, I like the battery status gauge and the air compressor gauge. They both come in handy and this unit is one of the few that offers them both. The work light uses LED's instead of light bulbs, so it should last longer. I like that the case is rubberized and it looks like it can take a bit of abuse.

There are better quality jump starters out there, but for the price this one is a pretty good buy. In addition, if you go on the sportsman's guide website, it sounds like this unit has a lifetime guarantee.

I am very satisfied with the performance of the Guide Gear 5-in-1 Jumpstarter / Power Station. It delivers performance and capability as advertised. I purchased this item for two main reasons.

1. A backup air compressor and emergency jump starter for cold Montana winters.
2. A DC power source for various astronomy related electronic components.

It works superbly on both counts. It is a very good quality, heavy-duty piece of equipment.

The only negative comment I can make is about the plastic protective shield covering the instrument panel for gauges and ports. It tends to get in the way with regular nightly use. However it does a good job protecting the instrument panel during inclement weather.

This air compressor is identical to my Ingersoll Rand SS3L3 compressor that I purchased through Northern Tool in the early summer of 2005. This is the first air compressor that I have ever owned, so it was a learning experience from the start.

It is recommended that you purchase the IR SS3L3 startup kit as the compressor is delivered to you without any oil in it. In some cases the warranty is not valid unless you have purchased the startup kit.

One thing I immediately noticed was that the pressure switch was flimsy. When I plugged in the compressor to test it out, I found that the motor continued to run even as the gauge on the tank passed 130 psi. As it creeped closer to 135 psi (the limit printed on the tank), I pulled the plug. I ordered a new switch from Ingersoll Rand for ~ $35 and this fixed the problem. Perhaps I could have made a warranty claim, but it was easier to order the switch as there is an authorized IR dealer nearby and I had the switch within 2 days.

I ran the compressor off and on for several months without any major issues. I used it for several things... a little bit of die grinding, I rotated the tires on my car using the impact wrench and air ratchet, I used it to blow dust off my work bench and check the air in my tires on a routine basis. I bought the compressor because I have several project cars, and I would like to begin the serious work of restoring them. Recently, I have been looking at plans for a sandblasting cabinet, and I am starting to doubt that this compressor will stand up to the task of sand blasting for extended periods. Things I have learned about the compressor since its purchase that have led me to this conclusion:

1. This unit uses a 3 HP "split phase" motor, which can be run on a standard 30A 230V household outlet - it draws about 15A during continuous duty. (I swap between my compressor and my dryer on the only 230V outlet in my house). The motor does not output a true 3 HP at all times. At startup the motor may approach its 3 peak horsepower, but during normal operation it may only be outputting half that power, so in truth it is essentially a 1.5 HP motor. This borderline false advertising is similar to peak and RMS power ratings in audio amplifiers, though it is fairly standard operating procedure to rate motors in this fashion.

2. The motor runs at 3450 RPM. Though it is quieter than a direct drive unit like the 30 gallon compressors sold at most hardware stores, 3450 RPM is still quite fast. With the pulley ratios, the compressor crank spins at 1200 RPM. Heavier duty systems might have the AC motor running at 1200-1750 RPM with the compressor running at ~700 RPM or less, resulting in a much quieter setup. If I could do it over, I would consider a slower, beefier unit with a true power rating that runs at a slower, more quiet speed.

3. There is apparently no available rebuild kit for the compressor itself, according to the local IR dealer, though they do sell gaskets and the oiling kit. It is a very simple design, consisting of essentially three parts; a cylinder head, cylinder block, and crankcase. It is a two cylinder, single stage compressor. The "valves" in the head are what I believe are called "reed valves", which are simply spring loaded "fingers" that cover holes in the cylinder head, and they move with the blowing/sucking of air as the pistons move in the cylinders (no mechanical actuation of the valves). The pistons are aluminum, and though I measured, I don't remember the diameter... something on the order of 60 mm. The rods are also aluminum, and there are no rod bearings. The crankshaft is cast iron machined at the journals, and the aluminum rods rotate on the crank without any rod bearings. The crankcase does not have a removeable oil pan, and the cylinder block bolts to the crankcase. I was somewhat disappointed to discover the absence of rod bearings and the use of aluminum rods.

4. The compressor can run fairly hot, especially when pressurizing the tank from zero pressure. I would like to add an intercooler in line to the tank as the compressed air is quite hot, and I think the compressor itself could use some more cooling. I bought some copper to fab up a larger heat sink for the compressor housing, though I haven't made it yet. I think this will make the unit run much cooler, and therefore extend its life. The flywheel on the compressor is designed to move air over the unit, but I still think the design needs improvement.

5. There is a flimsy drain valve in the bottom of the tank that is difficult to access. I have not yet installed a regulator and filter in the system, and I haven't checked how much condensation has collected in the tank. I would like to replace this drain valve, if possible, though I have been putting this off simply because I don't want to lay down on the floor and fiddle with it.

6. I have made several trips to the hardware store to find the correct fittings to get the unit running properly, though most fittings were readily available. It seems to me that a lot of the fittings on the system are kind of cheap, though I am used to the Swagelok fittings that I use at work, which are expensive and well worth the price. Copper tubing is used to route compressed air from the compressor to the tank, and I think some improvements could be made there, as well.

IR sells the SS5L5, which uses the same 60 gallon tank, but a 5 HP split phase 3450 RPM motor running a different two piston single stage compressor. For someone considering more power, this unit is still quite affordable, but it will still have some of the drawbacks of this system. It turns out that 5 HP is about the most one can get out of a 30A single phase 230V household circuit without flipping breakers.

My biggest complaints are the use of the split phase motor, the relatively cheap design of the compressor (aluminum rods and lack of rod bearings), the flimsy pressure switch, and the cheap fittings used all over the machine. I will continue to use this unit for some time, but I am already considering either building my own low RPM, true 4-5 HP air compressor from various parts suppliers, or just purchasing a new one from a company like Eaton Compressor. Ingersoll Rand makes the Type 30 series which is a step above the SS series, and I have considered these units as well, but I would almost feel safer building the unit on my own so that I know exactly what is going into it.

For someone that needs something better than the cheap 30 gallon direct drive units sold at most hardware stores, this unit is more than adequate. However, if you are considering something for medium-heavy duty, you might want to consider something with a little more quality, and therefore more cost. Like houses, I think good advice for someone looking to buy an air compressor is "buy the most you can afford". I for one like the idea of a compressor running at a quiet 750 RPM at a mere 73 dBa, as opposed to my high revving 1200 RPM SS3L3.

And as a final note, I will say that IR has excellent customer support. With authorized IR dealers all over the country, getting parts (like gaskets, pressure switches, and oiling kits) is pretty painless.

If it says this is a kids review just ignore it. I am not a kid I just did not feel like logging in.

I have owned this air compressor for about two years now and it was worth every penny. The compressor is excellent, So far I have run my compressor about 100 hours thus far. It has always supplied my with an ample amount of air when using air tools except if I run my impact for 10 minuets continuously then it drops to 70 psi. I would recommend this compressor to any one with out hesitation. I turned it on two years ago and it has been on ever sense it kicks on about every hour because there is a leak I have not fixed in my air system. As to the previous reviewer he is full of bull. And as to the allegations that it is cheap and would not hold up to extended runs I routinely run It for 3 to 8 hours at a time continuously and have done so at least a dozen times in the summer on 90+ days. Yes it puts of a lot of heat but if you do the math PV=nRt you will see that a lot of heat is given off compressing that much air. Yet with all this heat it has never caused it to malfunction, and the motor has a thermal over load/over heat button which has never tript on mine even after 8 hours in the summer. As well as the complaints as to the power of the motor if they were true that would mean that the motor was only 30% efficient thus it would be putting out 2320 watts of heat which it is not. It is drawing more than enough power for 4 HP even with efficiency factored in so it is putting out at least 3 HP. As well as the problem with the lack of rod bearings. They don't have them because there is no way to get a round ball bearing on to the crankshaft with out cutting them in half. As well as every small engine I have rebuilt and ever car engine I have seen they have had nothing more than the rod bolted around the crankshaft without any bearing of any kind. Finally the issue with the valves being cheap..... Why do you need to make it more complicated if it works reliably with such a simple valve. Also in response to the allegations that the tank was going to over pressurize If the switch failed and it continued to run there is a spring loaded safety valve on the power switch on the compressor so it is not possible to over pressurize it, mine hits about 133 before it kicks off. It is an excellent piece of equipment I highly recommend it.

If you are a pro and use this everyday you may not want to get this, but if your a jack of all trades or just to use once or twice a week this is great for you.

If you're an electrician or a plumber you will already know how valuable a hole saw set like this is. I was skeptical as to how good this would be. Once I started using it though, I realized that it was just like every other product I have ever used with the Milwaukee name on it, superb. If you need a hole saw kit and want to but it online this is the one to buy.

I have used this product cinsistently. I have a car with a tan interior and marks and stains are no match for this product. You have to buy it and try it. No gimmicks and no lies. Couldn't find it in the store had to come on Amazon to get it.
The other stuff out there sucks.

Very accurate, compact, I would recommend the Accutire MS-4021B. It's the same price ($9.99) from amazon, and has a backlit display for nighttime use.

I bought this tire gauge specifically to check the tire pressure of my F350 dually. The factory installed steel extenders made using pencil type gauges or other digital gauges impractical, particularly for checking the inner and outer rear tires. Even though this gauge is sold for 'dual rear wheel trucks', I had to bend the steel tube about 5 degrees so it could make solid contact with the inner tire inflation stem. Once it was bent, the gauge worked perfectly! NOTE: I had friends at a machine shop bend the steel tube for me, it was too stiff to bend by hand or in a vice. The gauge has big digits that are easy to read, even without my cheater glasses. The air release button on the handle is convienent to use - even though I first thought it was for the display. I have found it best to test the pressure, add more air than needed and then slowly release it using a combination of the button and disengaging and reengaging the gauge and testing until you get the desired tire pressure. I found that if I failed to disengage and then reengage the tire pressure gauge, it tended to give me the same reading without resetting. The guys at the garages always 'OHHHH and AHHHH' when I open the case and pull out this impressive tool. It was well worth the money and Amazon had the best price of the various sites I visited while price shopping. Oh, yea, I had to cut the plastic case a tad to allow for the bent tube to properly fit in the case so it would close.

I recently purchased this item and have had great success with it. I have not had too many false alarms with it and it seems to have good range picking out speed traps on the highway. I was skeptical about the "POP" mode until I came across a Harris County Constable speed trap on the toll-road, that sold me that I made a good decision purchasing this product.

The one thing that i hate about this item is the cord - it comes with a phone jack instead of the normal jack you would expect on normal detector.

This is a good investment if you have the cash to part with.

This Bosch worklight has been so usefull in my gargage, that I purchased 3 additional ones for the rest of my family. Adequate lighting for your garage, attic, or backyard is provided when needed. Unlike a Halogen light,a flourescent bulb produces very little heat and will not burn you when touching the housing.

I have several Bosch Cordless tools and I like the ability to use any Bosch battery from 7.2-14.4V on my light. I'm currently using a 13.2volt battery with this light and it averages about 2.5 hours before I need a recharge.

The only reason I did not give it 5 stars, is because of the bulb brightness. The light has a 13W flourescent bulb, which is a little on the low side on lumens output(900 lumens initial, 810 average) for my taste. It currently has a 2700K Color Temp, which is a little too warm for me. I would prefer going to a 3500K or 4100 K temp and changing the bulb out to an 18W. I believe the 13W to 18W bulb upgrade is feasible with a little light reflector modification, although I have not performed this yet. The 18W bulb would offer 1250 initial lumens,and 1125 average, a 38% increase from the 13W bulb.

Aside from the above comments, this light performs very well. The housing is injection molded plastic and features a glass cover and rubber gasket making it water resistant. The black grill swivels out of the way for cleaning the glass. The rubber foam grip is comfortable and ensures the light will not move around. Underneath the light, the 2" plastic knob allows the light to rotate up to 100 degrees. With a 13.2V battery the light weighs in at approximately 3.6lbs.

If you have any Bosch tools, consider adding this one to your collection. Simply plug in a Bosch Battery and go. Otherwise you will need to purchase a Bosch battery and charger which will add another $100 to the price of this tool. Overall, I give this light 4 stars out of 5.

the discription discribes a 1.5hp electric compressor but the picture shows a 5.5hp gas