JuJuDeals

• 28Jun

  Which TV is right for you?

  12 Volt TV No Comments

  So you want to choose a TV, but you’re still trying to make up your mind about features you need? Consult this handy guide for a few pointers!

  • 7″ Portable LCD TV- This handheld device is the smallest of the group, which also means it’s the most portable. It’s ideal for tossing in a backpack or glove box so you can catch some shows when you’re stuck somewhere. It’s also a great set to have during an emergency in case traditional TV reception is rendered impossible, as it will let you catch any important information, developments, or emergency broadcasts.
  • 9″ Portable LCD TV- Like the one above, only with a larger screen. It performs all of the above functions, trading increased screen size for a slightly larger body. If you want a portable TV, and don’t have to worry about packing things down to the smallest possible size, there’s no reason you wouldn’t love this one.
  • 15″ LCD HDTV- Now we’re getting into the non-portable models. This 15″ TV needs to remain moored to some manner of power source (either AC or DC will do), but it trades up in image quality with a fantastic High Def picture. It also plays DVDs thanks to an in-unit disc player. This set is great if you want to install a TV on your RV, boat, or semi-truck, but don’t have a whole lot of space to work with. It’s also wall-mountable, meaning it can get installed just about anywhere.
  • 19″ LCD HDTV- A decent size upgrade from the 15″ without becoming too unwieldy, the 19″ does everything the 15″ does, but bigger. With its HD picture, you really get the most out of the screen size.
  • 22″ LCD HDTV- This is the largest size 12 volt HDTV you can get! If you have the space on a boat, semi, or RV, this is a great choice for your main TV and DVD player. Like the 15″ and 19″, it’s wall mountable, functions with either AC or DC power, includes an in-unit DVD player, has its own speakers, can intercept digital TV signals, and has a remote control.

  As you can see, there are a wide variety of TVs to meet any of your traveling and watching needs. Just pick the one that fits your life!

  Tags: 12 volt tv, dvd, guide, HDTV, portable TV

• 01Jun

  Shore thing

  Tips and Tricks No Comments

  If you’ve ever rented or owned a recreational vehicle, you’re already aware of how important the shoreline connection is. Plugging your shoreline cord into a campground’s power supply is much quieter, more reliable, and less hassle-prone than most of the other options for distributing 120 volt AC power to your rig (such as running a generator, for instance). Almost any RV you see today will have a permanently attached shoreline cord, unless it’s one of those unpopular RVs that never got invited to parties in high school. The cord should have an amp rating governed by the amount of circuits that particular RV needs. 30-amp is what you’ll see most often, but smaller campers can have as low as 15-amp while larger RVs can easily come with 50-amp. It all depends on how many 12 volt AC gadgets and outlets the RV is equipped with. The more devices and places to mount devices, the greater the rating of the cord, and all of the electrical components should be appropriately and similarly rated.

  It is most often the case that your whole electrical system will be distributed AC power as soon as you plug in the shoreline cord, but some rigs have an automatic transfer switching device. This might cause a small lag between plugging or starting a generator and receiving the juice. When you turn on your generator or plug into shoreline power, it is advisable to keep the following in mind:

  • Switch off all of the heavier loads on your electrical system, such as your AC unit, water heater, etc.
  • Check for appropriate voltage and correct polarity in the power supply before plugging in to shoreline power. It takes a few extra minutes, but it’s definitely worthwhile. Otherwise, you tempt fate with potential injuries to body and equipment. Reversed polarity can be very dangerous! Don’t plug into any shoreline power that measures as “reversed.” Report it to the campground authorities and find another outlet.
  • Check the frequency of the power supply. It should be at or around 120 volts AC, though it could be in the low hundreds or near 130. If the voltage is too low or too high, damage will likely occur.
  • Replace the shoreline cord if it receives any kind of damage. If it’s got cuts, nicks, tears, bends, pinches, stretches, kinks, or wear-and-tear from age, you should replace it as soon as possible.
  • The frequency you measure will likely fall very close to 60 Hertz, especially in America and other places with a very standardized use of electricity. More remote areas may have very different ranges, so make sure you check!
  • Clean the metal prongs of your shoreline cord regularly with fine steel wool or sandpaper.

  Plugging into shoreline power is a major part of enjoying your RV, and staying on top of the related simple maintenance can ensure that you enjoy a healthy 12 volt electrical system for a long time to come.

  Tags: 12 volt, 12 volt electronics, 12 volt systems, electricity, electronics, RV, RV electronics, shoreline cord, shoreline power

• 26May

  Hot Skin Test

  How To Guides, Tips and Tricks No Comments

  Sounds like a pretty sexy test, right? Well, sorry to get your hopes up, but it’s actually pretty tame. Unless you get all steamy for precautionary safety measures on recreational vehicles, that is. The Hot Skin Test is the name for a test you can perform to determine whether or not your rig has an electrical short, and it is just about the most important test you can perform for your RV, perhaps next to the “Is my RV currently on fire?” test and the “Is my RV sinking to the bottom of a large body of water?” test.

  Usually this is done by professionals, and we recommend that you carry on that tradition in the name of safety. Obviously, some of you are professional electricians, so we leave it to your better judgment in deciding if you want to do this test on your own. This test is important to perform whether your RV has a lot of exposed metal or not. Even fiberglass RVs have the electrical system attached to the metal chassis somewhere, so no RV is immune from injuring or killing you with a high resistance electrical short. Exciting!

  Here’s how a Hot Skin Test works:

  • Plug the shoreline into shore power.
  • Make certain all the circuit breakers are flipped to “on.”
  • Adjust your Volt-Ohm-meter to test at the 250 volt AC scale.
  • Attach a test lead onto a bare, metal surface somewhere on the RV. If you have a fiberglass RV, you can use the metal entry steps or some part of the chassis.
  • Attach the remaining test lead to an earth ground. You can use a grounded water pipe or drive a grounding stake into the earth somewhere nearby.
  • Check your Volt-Ohm-meter. If it reads “0,” there’s no high resistance electrical short. Good for you! You can celebrate a little, but don’t get all smug about it.
  • However, if you do measure some voltage, you’ve got a high resistance short. Repair it before you use the RV! This is non-negotiable!
  • Switch the test leads and measure again.
  • Repeat the test on a different component of the RV’s exposed metal.
  • Get the rig repaired.
  • Do the test again from the beginning. Repeat as necessary.

  How do you know if you may have a high resistance short on your hands? Well, there are several potential warning signs. Check your AC wires regularly for wear, tear, nicks, cuts, bends, and pinches. Another helpful sign is if you feel buzzing, shocking, pain, or anything else associated with human-on-electricity action when touching the ground and a metal part of the RV. If the sensation disappears when you detach the 120 volt power source, you almost certainly have a high resistance short.

  So that’s that. Check this stuff out, stay on top of it, and keep your friends, family, and self out of harm’s way. Trust us, it’s a much better option than letting it go and just hoping you get superpowers from a freak RV electrical accident. That almost never happens, and if it did, you’d probably get a really stupid set of powers. RVs aren’t exactly known for their ability to grant amazing superhuman abilities in the same way that radioactive spiderbites, dying alien worlds, and flying mechanical armor suits are.

  Tags: 12 volt, 12 volt systems, electrical maintenance, Hot Skin Test, misleading names, RV, Safety

• 24May

  Perils of the Dancefloor

  Tips and Tricks No Comments

  What’s that? You just got a new wall-mountable CD/MP3 stereo micro-system? Well, you’re obviously going to want to put that thing through its paces, and the best way to do that is with a party. Who knows, maybe you have a birthday coming up. Even if you don’t, Memorial Day is right around the corner. However, before you invite your friends, make a party playlist, and pour the remnants of all your junk food bags into a bowl and call it “snack mix,” you should absorb a little knowledge here. Parties, especially birthday and holiday parties, tend to be comprised of equal parts Friends, Music, and Adult Beverages. As soon as at least two of those things approach critical mass, the only possible outcome is dancing. Dancing is a lot of fun. It is good exercise and a great way to blow off steam. Dancing can also be an awkward and torturous experience for others when someone is getting just a wee bit too loose for their own good. Compare this checklist of bad dance etiquette to yourself and your friends, so you have some warning. Forewarned is forearmed, and nailing this stuff ahead of time can give you the opportunity to change your un-suave ways, to fiddle with the guest list, or to have an intervention with the friend that seems to think taking their pants off and whirling them overhead like a lasso is an actual dance move that should be executed at every opportunity, whichever the case may be. To start things off, we’ll continue with the dancer we just mentioned:

  • The Clothing Remover. This is the person, and we’re not pointing fingers (cause we don’t need to, everyone is already going to notice that you have no clothes on), who can’t get farther than three songs or two drinks in before removing an article of clothing.  Sometimes it’s a shirt, sometimes its pants, eventually it’s both. Coincidentally, this is the person who will usually be wearing some manner of non-clothing item before the night is through, such as a lampshade or a beach towel tied like a superhero cape. At some point in their life, most people don the mantle of The Clothing Remover for a party or two. Some people just never got used to clothes, and do it every chance they get. Some eventually evolve into The Mischievous Instigator, extending their free-and-easy beliefs to everyone else at the party, sowing seeds of clothes evaporation among the masses. There’s a time and a place, folks. If you’re throwing a party, make sure you know who the Clothing Removers and Mischievous Instigators are, so you can plan accordingly.
  • The Close Dancer. Everyone has danced with The Close Dancer at some time. They haven’t had a choice. The Close Dancer understands personal space about as well as puppies understand the intricacies of quantum thermodynamics, which is to say they are largely unaware such a thing even exists. The Close Dancer is fairly harmless, if a little awkward, but be warned. With continued application of Adult Beverages, The Close Dancer has a high chance of evolving into The Freak Dancer.
  • The Freak Dancer. Like The Close Dancer, they’re shaking it inside your personal bubble. Unlike The Close Dancer, they’re probably bumping, grinding, and generally letting their freak flag fly. Depending on the makeup of the party, a little Dirty Dancing may be in order. Patrick Swayze would certainly think so. If you’re at your elderly aunt’s third wedding or your nephew’s bar mitzvah, however, maybe it’s not the best time to engage in the following activities: dropping it like it’s hot, backing that thing up, making it clap, getting freak-nasty, or anything else that makes it look like you and your dance partner somehow got your zippers stuck together.
  • The Buoy. This one isn’t really offensive to anybody. It’s just sort of embarrassing to the dancer. We almost went with calling this one “The Old-Timey Cartoon,” as the dancer isn’t really dancing so much as bobbing up and down in place like a Betty Boop character. If you can compare your dancing to a small child who has to pee, but doesn’t want to, we’re afraid we have to tell you that you are a Buoy. Still, there are worse fates. You can even fix this one pretty easily. Just loosen those legs, amigo! Get your shoulders into it! Wiggle your hips! Dancing is about moving your body to the music, so unless you listen to nothing but Bavarian Oompah music, bobbing isn’t gonna cut it. Loosen up!
  • The Wiggler. Some people just don’t have much sense of rhythm. The Wiggler is one of those people. They just can’t seem to move their body to the beat of the music, let alone get the individual limbs to coordinate with each other. An example of this dancer can be seen pretty much any time you get a little kid to dance to music. Not knowing too much about dancing beyond “arrhythmically shake your body while listening to music,” children simply hop and wiggle as though they were playing three simultaneous games of Hokey Pokey. If you dance like this, it is possible to change your ways, but honestly, we’re not gonna tell you to. You may dance look a goober, but everyone notices and appreciates your childlike enthusiasm for getting out on the dance floor and really working it out. More power to you.

  So there you have it. There’re people that can dance, and there’re the people listed above. Good luck getting them all to play nice. Oh, and if you something up there hit a little too close for comfort, you got no one to blame but yourself, buddy. Or crack (or was it quack?) team of doctors prescribes that you watch some dance instruction on Youtube and practice in front of a full length mirror. You may never beat Michael Jackson in a fancy footwork competition, but at least it won’t look like Moses parting the Red Sea around you on the dance floor.

  Tags: cd player, dancing, Memorial Day, mp3 player, party, Stereo

• 19May

  5 Uses for a Talking Photo Frame

  Our Products News, Tips and Tricks 1 Comment

  You may be thinking to yourself, “Self, if someone were to ask me what I could do with a 7″ digital photo frame with speakers, I bet I’d be able to tell them pretty easily,” and that’s probably true. But the response you would give to the theoretical question is probably a pretty generic one. You can get way more creative than just popping vacation photos and a Jimmy Buffet song on the thing and leaving it on the shelf.

  1. Regular style. Put a few meaningful pictures and sentimental songs on it. Put it by the front door, on a shelf, or in the hallway so guests can enjoy the virtual tour of your life.
  2. Highly targeted motivational device. Download pictures of people winning races, climbing mountains, rocking on stage, or whatever else the end goal of your current aspirations are. Have it play Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, You’re the Best by Joe Esposito, and anything else you can think of that oozes 80’s inspirational montage. Use it as an evolving motivational poster, a slightly ridiculous visualization tool, and a private trainer for your home gym.
  3. Ex-boyfriend/ex-girlfriend inoculation. If you’re the sort of person who, in their weaker (or more inebriated) moments, is known for trying to jumpstart old relationships that ended in some degree of disaster, this can really help you avoid doing that. Load pictures of your various exes (especially ones that are unflattering, display a personal quirk you couldn’t stand, or remind you of a huge fight), then record and load yourself giving brief explanations of why you are not with that person any longer. Nothing will freeze those nostalgic feelings in their tracks like seeing a picture of your ex letting their dog lick their open mouth while your voice chastises you for thinking you should get back with the person who said you were their soulmate on the first date.
  4. The Best Valentine’s Gift You’ve Ever Even Heard Of.
  5. Baby Hypnosis Unit. Put pictures of mom, pop, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, gran-gran, pep-pep, and anyone else you like enough to permanently imprint onto a baby’s malleable psyche. Load up lullabies, family and friends saying loving or reassuring things, and other baby-friendly audio materials. Mount it near the standard baby funtime chandelier and turn it on from time to time so your baby can strengthen its eye muscles and recognition skills while you brainwash it into unyielding loyalty.

  We could do this all day, but we think you get the idea. The uses for a device like this are really only limited by your imagination. What other “outside the box” applications can you think of? As usual, drop it in the comments, amigos!

  Tags: baby hypnosis, digital photo frames, gift ideas

• 14May

  ‘Sup, dog?

  Tips and Tricks No Comments

  Dogs are great for a lot of reasons. They’re loyal, loving, and always glad to see you. You could be a total jerkwad, and your dog would still love you. We’ll bet you even money that when the Devil gets home from work, Cerberus runs up and licks him with all three heads. Your dog thinks you’re just the best person in the world. It’s like having a kid that will never turn into a teenager and shout “I hate you, you ruin everything!” before slamming their door and blogging furiously for hours. It makes perfect sense that you’d want to bring your four-legged pal with you on an RV trip, especially if the whole family’s going. If you’re planning on taking Fido, though, there are some considerations you’ll want to make to keep him safe and happy.

  

  Okay, maybe not quite THAT happy.

  Just as with you and the other bipedal members of your family, there are certain safety and common sense protocols to follow when travelling with a pet, lest you leave Rover open for discomfort, injury, and dog-forbid, death. With cats, it’s a different story. You have 8 more chances to get it right with cats. With dogs, BOOM, straight to doggy heaven. So what can you do to ensure the safety and happiness of your pup? Pssh, why’re you asking us? What would we know about it? Maybe you’ll get lucky and a bulleted list will happen to come by with all the answers.

  Oh, hey!

  • When you’re moving, your dog needs to be in some manner of safety harness, just like you are. There are several methods for this, ranging from dog carrier to specialized straps and harnesses. Consider your dog’s size and disposition to figure out what will best suit your needs. Do not use duct tape.
  • Pull over every three hours to give Lassie a chance to stretch her legs, run around, relieve herself, chase a squirrel, and drink some water. Dogs are not like people, and are not especially entertained by movies and TV during a road trip. They’re in it for the smelling of foreign trees and the chasing of critters.
  • Make sure his shots are up to date before you leave. You don’t want him catching some weird nature disease or getting infested with bugs that will certainly make themselves at home in your rig. When having him checked out, ask the vet if there’s anything other medical provisions you should consider.
  • Bring his favorite toys.
  • Think ahead! Don’t stay at RV camps that don’t allow dogs. Make sure that all the places you journey too will be okay with canine companionship.
  • If you’re going somewhere that could be dangerous for your dog to roam free, due to nearby traffic, wild animals, active volcanoes, or haunted Native American burial mounds, look into getting a doggy playpen. They’re usually large, easily constructible, mesh-tent-like structures. You can also go the old fashioned route and get a long leash tied to a sturdy tree.
  • Make sure your dog has a collar and tags! This is very important if he happens to run off and get lost. Adding a small, clear plastic luggage tag isn’t a bad idea either, as it lets you put down your campsite info at each new destination.
  • Bring your pets medical records, as well as directions for its care in case something happens to you.
  • Bring a dog pillow for Sparky to sleep on at night.
  • Bring lots of your dog’s usual food.
  • Don’t leave your dog’s droppings for other people to deal with. It’s gross and rude
  • Don’t give your dog water if you’ll be travelling in an hour or two.
  • Bring tick and flea repellent.
  • Train your dog not to run rampant over other people’s campgrounds, and definitely train it not to bark at every rodent running by. Nothing will get your RV egged faster than a dog barking all night long.

  Last, have fun with your dog. Play with it, run with it, show it all the fun new places you go. Brush it, pet it, cuddle with it, and give it a bone or treat from time to time. All the new surroundings will be both exciting and confusing for your dog, to say nothing of the incomprehensibility of travel, so giving your dog some stability and familiarity will help it adjust to enjoy RVing as much as you.

  Tags: dogs, RV travel, RVs, travelling with pets

• 13May

  Nickels and dimes

  Tips and Tricks No Comments

  There are plenty of overhauls you can perform to increase the efficiency of your RV and its 12 volt electrical systems. We’ve gone over some of them in previous entries, such as adding solar panels and wind turbines. That’s all well and good, but as anyone who has ever done their own home repair or taken a kid to an amusement park can tell you, it’s the compounding nickel and dime stuff that’ll kill you. Luckily for you, there are scads of ways to boost efficiency on your rig, whether your aim is lowering your carbon footprint or just lowering the amount you spend on feeding the beast.

  A big one is efficient appliances. There’s been some scandal recently about the whole Energy Star thing, with some of the appliances supposedly rated “highly efficient” actually being “crummy, regular efficiency.” Check Consumer Reports and various online resources to find what really saves you energy and what just comes with an Energy Star sticker on it. Since power is always at a premium on an RV, getting the most bang for your buck can help out a lot.

  On that topic, let’s talk light bulbs. The old incandescents don’t really cut it anymore. They’re inefficient, short lived, break easily, and lose most of their energy to heat. The newer energy-saver bulbs are a big improvement, being much more efficient, durable, and longer lasting. However, the new technology coming down the pipe is LED illumination. LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, and you’ve seen them all over the place whether you realize it or not. They look like tiny, bead-sized light bulbs, and come in many colors. If you have a keychain flashlight, chances are the bulb is an LED. What’s so great about these things is that they are ludicrously energy efficient, highly durable, astoundingly long lasting, and getting cheaper by the day. New LED light bulb technologies are being developed that encase dozens of LEDs in a bulb shape, giving off more light than a regular bulb. As it stands, one of these will probably run you $30-$40. Sounds crazy? Yeah, until you realize they use 80% less juice and last for a mind-boggling 25,000 hours. You could leave them on, nonstop, for nearly 3 years before they’d need to be replaced. Not bad at all.

  As for other little things, just look around your rig and ask yourself what can be improved. Are your windows tinted and temperature resistant? Do you have any gaps or cracks in your weather sealing? Are your air filters clean? When was your last oil change? Are your tires filled to the appropriate level? Are the couches, beds, dishes, etc. the most lightweight models you could find? Does your faucet or shower head leak? Is the weight of your RV evenly distributed on both sides of the rig? Is your alignment good?

  The great thing about these fixes is that most of them are simple weekend projects. You can knock them out easily one after the other, enjoy the benefits of greater energy efficiency, and feel like you’ve done something good for yourself and the world. It’s a win-win situation, gang. What’s more, hybrid RV chassis are just around the corner, which should finally put a stake in the heart of the gasoline vampire that bleeds the wallet of every RV vacationer.

  One day in the future, RVs are just gonna be solar powered floating bubbles or something, and it’s going to be awesome.

  Tags: easy fixes, efficiency, green, RV

• 12May

  April showers bring May flowers

  Tips and Tricks 1 Comment

  April, with all its bluster and rain, is (hopefully) behind us. That means we’re firmly in the velvet grip of May, and that means it’s picnic weather. Picnics can serve many a different purpose. Bring some friends and it’s a kickback. Bring your guy or girl and it’s a romantic escape. Bring your kids and it’s just about the most carefree time you can have. Heck, you can even find a nice spot and go on one alone to recharge your batteries and center yourself.

  So what should you bring along to maximize your enjoyment? Well, first things first, you must have a basket. This is non-negotiable. If the basket is not present, you are not having a picnic. You are just eating on the ground; some might say like an animal or an uncouth savage. Not us, of course. We make no judgments here at JuJuDeals.com. We love all people. Just keep in mind that everyone but us will probably look at you with utter disdain should you attempt to picnic without a basket.

  Next, you’ll need a blanket. For maximum picnic effect, we recommend a red-and-white-plaid pattern. Studies show that a red and white picnic blanket repels ants and flies from your food (except not really). Lay your blanket out, put your basket in the middle, and unfurl the delectable goods. We recommend several of your favorite sandwich varieties, mac & cheese or macaroni salad, chips or pretzels, and a small salad. Soup can be brought in a thermos. Muffins make and cookies are fantastic, portable sweet-tooth satisfiers, and a bottle of lemonade is pretty much the ideal picnic beverage. Napkins, utensils, and dishes are of course indispensable.

  The last of the all purpose items you’ll want to bring is some manner of music playing device. With the added benefit of playing DVDs should you want to relax under the blue sky while your food settles, the NX-252 Portable DVD with 7″ LCD Screen makes for an ideal option. You can play music while you eat and hang out, and while you’re relaxing you can pop in your favorite movie.

  If you’re going out with friends, bring some chill-out tunes, a few of your gang’s favorite comedies, and some sports equipment. Even if you and your buddies aren’t jocks, there’s infinite fun to be had making up a game with whatever gear you bring. “Okay, we have 4 tennis rackets, 6 croquet wickets, 2 golf balls, and a lacrosse stick. Let the kingly game of OmegaSport begin!”

  If *you’re going with the object of your affection, bring some sweet, mellow music that brings back memories or will sound good as the soundtrack for some new ones. Play your significant other’s favorite romantic movie. Pop some champaign to sip as the sun goes down, and don’t forget a camera to take some pictures that will remind you of why you’re together when you’re arguing about garbage removal and dog walking duties.

  If you’re bringing sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, godchildren, or neighbor kids, have them bring some music they like, because it’s highly unlikely (or should be, anyway) that you own a Jonas Brothers or High School Musical album. Ask them beforehand what movie or show they’d like to take along, which will hopefully cut down on later cries of “But I didn’t want thaaat movie!” Snag a football, a frisbee, a soccerball, a kite, and all the other stuff you wish your parents would have taken with you on picnics. If its a beach picnic, make sure to carry a bag full of sandcastle building supplies, unless you’re the most heartless jerk on the planet.

  *Guy only note: Bring a sweater and a jacket. Your girl is going to get cold, and you will be expected to give her your jacket. That’s why you’re also wearing the sweater, see? Plan ahead.

  Tags: dvd player, picnic, Stereo

• 07May

  T.G.I.F.F.

  MP3 Players, Our Products News No Comments

  Which obviously stands for “Thank God It’s Finally Friday!” Wait, what did you think that second F was for? Never mind, it’s not important, cause it’s FRIDAY, and we don’t have to care about anything, including whatever you were about to say. This brings us to an important topic that we do care about, though, and so should you.

  Summer jamz. Note the “z” at the end of the word “jam.” This differentiates it from any delicious fruit preserves you may also be jarring this summer, and regardless of whether Mother Nature has gotten the memo yet or not, we’re in spring. That means summer is right around the corner, replete with all of the jams and jamz you look forward to.

  Now is the perfect time to start test driving your summer playlist. Pick out the tracks that put the amber liquid of beach sunsets into your days and the mischief-breeding heat of still-warm concrete into your nights. After all the stress of the last year, we’re calling it now: 2010 is going to be a Party Summer. So start getting your musical affairs in order, cause you don’t want to be the one still trying to get a good time started on Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls.

  Unfortunately, we can’t really do the legwork for you as regards picking your music. We don’t really know what you like, see. It varies quite a bit depending on age, area, tastes, etc. We can tell you that we’ve been enjoying the new stuff from Gorillaz and Sleigh Bells, and Best Coast, but perennial favorites AC/DC, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles will almost certainly be making the cut as well. Luckily, what we can do for you is point you in the direction of some hot gear to enjoy that music from. A good summer will need music available in the following manners:

  • From your car- You’ll want a way to blast some cruising music as you drive down the boulevard (play Lowrider) or the scenic detour (play Free Bird) with the windows down. For a budget car audio overhaul, we recommend the NCA-671 stereo and the NX-768 speakers. If you have a little more scratch to plunk down, the NX-686 or NX-684 stereos and NX-769 speakers.
  • On the go- An MP3 player like the NX-142 is great for when you want to sit on your roof or lay on the beach and watch the sun set.
  • At a party- Summer is nothing if not filled with barbecues, tailgates, grill-outs, chili cookoffs, beach parties, house parties, block parties, and the like. You’ll need a way to bring music around with you and blast it at your friends and associates. The NPB-425 stereo fills that niche nicely, playing a ton of different formats and built to go with you wherever you go.
  • At home- Lastly, you’ll want something for your living room, bedroom, garage, or wherever you spend most of your time. There are a couple ways you can do this. If you like listening to things on CD (be it regular audio CD or a burned MP3 CD), a wall mounted NX-430 stereo will do you up nice. If more often find yourself listening to your music via MP3 player, the NAS-3001 MP3 player dock and speakers is probably more your speed.

  Alright, what music recommendations do you have for us to pump through these sound machines? Leave it in the comments, summer lovers!

  Tags: car audio, car stereo, mp3 player, music, speakers, Stereo, summer

• 05May

  Wind and sea

  Tips and Tricks No Comments

  We’ve already gone over some of the finer points of solar power generation in regards to 12 volt travel, but the sun’s rays aren’t the only free ride you can get off of nature’s hard work. If you’re captaining a sailing vessel, there are two more elements you’ll encounter in copious amounts: wind, and water. Just as the band Earth, Wind, & Fire gave you the energy to get sublimely funky, the elements of sun, wind, & water can give your rig the energy to power your stereo and 12 volt TV. Maybe you’ll even use it to watch or listen to Earth, Wind, & Fire, causing some kind of recursive irony loop!

  To get power from the wind, you need something that can catch it. This is the way a sail works, capturing wind and turning its kinetic energy into movement of your boat. Propellers are another way to do this. The idea is to use the wind to make something move, and take the energy from that movement. Look at a windmill, which uses wind power to turn a millstone, which then crushes grain, and you will see the principle behind a wind turbine. If you find the right one, they can be a useful way to keep your batteries fat and happy. Look for ones that produce at least a decent handful of amps under average wind speed conditions (usually between 10 to 20 knots). Keep in mind that they often make noise while spinning, so unless you never stay overnight at a marina where people might be sleeping, it may be in your best interest to install one that can be taken down when you aren’t using it (unless you don’t mind being greeted with abject scorn by all around you). Another very important consideration is that the blades on the unit are delicately balanced and can move quite fast. Inspect them regularly for missing bolts, chips, deformations, and the like. Over time, these imperfections will unbalance the blades and could cause one to snap off at high speed, and the “fan blade embedded in skull” look is a haircut few can pull off. It should go without saying, then, that you should install it in a spot that precludes human proximity, i.e. don’t put it anywhere near where your head and hands are gonna go.

  Water chargers work on pretty much the same factors as wind chargers, since water acts like wind, only much more dense. They often look like a large capsule with a propeller on the end, and are dragged behind the boat on a line. As you scoot around the ocean blue, this little submariner will catch water in its blades, causing it to spin like a fan and feed juice through the line and to your boat. The big thing to keep in mind here is that dragging things in water tends to create a lot of, well, drag. The faster you go, the more drag it will create, as water tends to feel a lot more solid at high speeds (as any belly flopper can attest). If you’re looking to get somewhere fast, reel in the water charger.

  Dragging a water charger behind your RV in an attempt to replicate its use on a boat is, for reasons we won’t be getting into here, obviously not advised.

  Tags: batteries, battery, boats, charging, energy, funk, green, power, RVs, solar, water, wind

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