Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[California]

Solar powered battery maintainer from Harbor Freight.... clamps were barely soldered and one wire came off as I was attempting to pin it out with a multimeter. So, I broke both wires off, tinned them, crimped them and soldered them back to the clamps properly.... at $9.99 on coupon.... Can it be okay?

I used one of those for years, intermittently on a seldom-used tractor. I think it will stay ahead of the self-discharge of a battery, but I doubt it's sufficient to maintain a modern car (or tractor?) that has an active alarm system or other continual draw. And I know it won't bring voltage up if it is already below 12.6, fully charged, when you attach it.

That high no-load voltage doesn't mean anything. Any load at all will pull the voltage back down to match the battery it is attached to.

After I didn't use the solar charger for months then found my neglected tractor had gotten down to 12.2 volts, I quit using the solar charger and went to a Batteryminder from Northern Tool. Those have an excellent reputation online. That charger is capable of bringing up a discharged battery (at 1.3 amps) and is claimed to shut off when not needed.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I used one of those for years, intermittently on a seldom-used tractor. I think it will stay ahead of the self-discharge of a battery, but I doubt it's sufficient to maintain a modern car (or tractor?) that has an active alarm system or other continual draw. And I know it won't bring voltage up if it is already below 12.6, fully charged, when you attach it.

That high no-load voltage doesn't mean anything. Any load at all will pull the voltage back down to match the battery it is attached to.

After I didn't use the solar charger for months then found my neglected tractor had gotten down to 12.2 volts, I quit using the solar charger and went to a Batteryminder from Northern Tool. Those have an excellent reputation online. That charger is capable of bringing up a discharged battery (at 1.3 amps) and is claimed to shut off when not needed.

I've got 4 of those Battery Minders. One on the Corvette, on on my trolling motor battery, one on seldom used garden tractor, and a spare. I catch them when they go on sale for $19.99 at NT.

 

[Diggin It]

Solar powered battery maintainer from Harbor Freight.

Sucks or not... I do not know.

I've had one for a few years. Tried to use it to charge a few things. One was an 8AH SLA that had a small current draw. It would charge, barely, but not enough to keep up with the draw. I'd charge the SLA from a standard charger, then put it in the system (tried different ones) and within 3-4 days it would be dead, then I'd take it out and put it back on the regular charge. Wash, rinse, repeat til I finally gave up.

Right now, it's used to power a small 12V relay to activate a circuit I only want on during daylight. Sort of the opposite of what a normal dusk to dawn photocell does. The rest of the circuit is powered by a 110VAC to 12VDC converter.

 

[reb]

I used one of those solar battery chargers with a home brew regulator to maintain the charge on a backup generator battery. Worked great for a few months, then the solar collector failed. Replaced it with a different panel and it is still going.

FWIW, i saw a report that someone had left one of those (without a regulator) on a car for several months unattended and it caused the failure of the battery.

 

[Oaktree]

Solar powered battery maintainer from Harbor Freight.

Sucks or not... I do not know. I can tell you that the clamps were barely soldered and one wire came off as I was attempting to pin it out with a multimeter. So, I broke both wires off, tinned them, crimped them and soldered them back to the clamps properly.

Oddly, the voltage under my shop LED lighting is showing over 19 volts with no load.

The one I bought definitely falls into the "sucks" category. Put one on a seldom-used ATV. Couple months go by, try to start the ATV, battery dead. No output at all from the maintainer. Took it apart, looked like a bad connection to the solar panel itself. The wires aren't soldered to the panel, they're held in place by some sort of snot. Peeled it off, cleaned up the connection. Neither the panel traces nor the cheap Chinese tinsel wire would accept solder. Replaced wires with real wire, used some glue to hold 'em to the panel.
Works now, sorta. Only get ~12.6v in bright sunlight with no load. Threw it out, picked up a couple Ray-O-Vac ones that were on closeout at Walmart for less than the HF one. ROV ones seem to work just fine.

 

[L120]

Needed a garden tiller and found the perfect sized one on craigslist (Troybilt Bronco II). The 5 HP B&S engine was blown, but marched myself right down to HF and picked up the 6.5 HP engine for $99 with my discount coupon. It's true...ONE pull on the starter and she fired right up. All tilling I've done so far has been slightly above idle and that's more power that's really needed. Extremely pleased.

Need more? Bought the drywall panel hoist and concrete mixer & 4' x 8' utility trailer. All perfect for what I use them for.

 

[California]

Bought ... & 4" x 8" utility trailer. All perfect for what I use them for.

Christmas tree decoration?

 

[L120]

Christmas tree decoration?

LOL...that's an iddy biddy trailer. It's bigger now.

 

[Michael Aos]

I don't know if it's a good value, but the $80 16" x 30" Service Cart is super handy for me.

I don't have any space to actually work in the garage, so I load up the tools I need on the Service Cart and haul them to the driveway or back patio.

I wind up making several trips back into the garage to grab things and they all wind up on the cart. When I'm done, I can just roll the cart inside and put everything away without making another umpteen trips.
--

 

[Michael Aos]

I have the mini wood chipper with probably the same motor.

I'm always amazed how easily it starts.

6.5 HP engine for $99 with my discount coupon. It's true...ONE pull on the starter and she fired right up.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I don't know if it's a good value, but the $80 16" x 30" Service Cart is super handy for me.

I don't have any space to actually work in the garage, so I load up the tools I need on the Service Cart and haul them to the driveway or back patio.

I wind up making several trips back into the garage to grab things and they all wind up on the cart. When I'm done, I can just roll the cart inside and put everything away without making another umpteen trips.
--

I've got that same service cart. Right now using it for interior renovations, much nicer to move tools around on the cart than have 25 lbs of tools in a tool belt. I use it in the shop to keep tools ready to hand for whatever I am doing. I think it is excellent.

 

[Garandman]

I used one of those solar battery chargers with a home brew regulator to maintain the charge on a backup generator battery. Worked great for a few months, then the solar collector failed. Replaced it with a different panel and it is still going.

FWIW, i saw a report that someone had left one of those (without a regulator) on a car for several months unattended and it caused the failure of the battery.

I tried to hook up a rig in my shed whereby a 30 watt solar panel would charge a large AGM battery, and then a Battery Tender Jr solar controller would trickle charge the batteries in our snow machines.

It didn’t work over winter (not enough sunlight) but the frequent small charging cycles is apparently hard on automotive batteries and thus not recommended.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I don't know if it's a good value, but the $80 16" x 30" Service Cart is super handy for me.

I don't have any space to actually work in the garage, so I load up the tools I need on the Service Cart and haul them to the driveway or back patio.

I wind up making several trips back into the garage to grab things and they all wind up on the cart. When I'm done, I can just roll the cart inside and put everything away without making another umpteen trips.
--

I bought one of those a few months ago but returned it. It seemed to be a bit tippy with any weight on top shelf.

Sam's Club had a special sale, online, for a Sandusky like this one for $90 and free shipping. I was delivered yesterday and took about 20 minutes to assemble.





It's much more stable IMHO.

 

[California]

...solar charger...
FWIW, I saw a report that someone had left one of those (without a regulator) on a car for several months unattended and it caused the failure of the battery.

I'm surprised the solar charger is powerful enough to do that but I know the HF $5 'float charger' will eventually cook the water out of a battery if it is left on for weeks. BTDT.

 

[Diggin It]

I've had one on their 35AH SLA for a couple of years with no problem. It has a 12VDC photocell and small LED running off it for a night light and a circuit for emergency lighting LEDs when utility power drops out.

 

[newbury]

I bought one of those a few months ago but returned it. It seemed to be a bit tippy with any weight on top shelf.

Sam's Club had a special sale, online, for a Sandusky like this one for $90 and free shipping. I was delivered yesterday and took about 20 minutes to assemble.

View attachment 583499

View attachment 583500

It's much more stable IMHO.

A cart like that is mandatory for those with floorspace. I bought this one for $10.76 from Public Surplus and use it FREQUENTLY. Important things are good big wheels and welded construction.

 

[dragoneggs]

I don't know if it's a good value, but the $80 16" x 30" Service Cart is super handy for me.

I don't have any space to actually work in the garage, so I load up the tools I need on the Service Cart and haul them to the driveway or back patio.

I wind up making several trips back into the garage to grab things and they all wind up on the cart. When I'm done, I can just roll the cart inside and put everything away without making another umpteen trips.
--

I have long thought about getting a service cart of some sort for my garage but I am afraid it will become another permanent storage shelf rather than putting my tools away. Ever since I labeled my tool chest drawers, I have been great at returning tools... but that might change with a cart nearby.

Now I tend to use tool buckets and get my exercise in going back and forth from garage to house. I have outside steps to negotiate anyways so I don't think the cart will go any further than to my driveway to work on a car.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I went yesterday.. They had all the 5 drawer carts lined-up.. it was a pretty site.. all the colors.. I was mesmerized..
They had a 4 drawer at the end, then all the 5 drawers..
I went in for a 4 drawer & some Walnut shells for my blaster.. 98.00 later & the tool cart is still there..
I did manage to get a pk. of free towels & a free tape measure..
I forgot the tailgate on the Bronco wont open..
Gotta go back Saturday & get 1..
The wife was with me & said, why don't I come back Saturday & buy u THAT for X-mas?? I said, THAT sounds good to me..
She kept pushing towards the 5 drawer.. & THATS prob. what she'll get..??

 

[Diggin It]

I hate that I'm leaning towards a blue one. I don't really want to spend the money, but I'm getting annoyed with myself for having wrenches and sockets tossed everywhere in plastic and cardboard boxes. Not sure I want the smaller one though. That 44 x 22 double banker is calling me. Really, really, REALLY don't want to spend the $450 on it though.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I went yesterday.. They had all the 5 drawer carts lined-up.. it was a pretty site.. all the colors.. I was mesmerized..
They had a 4 drawer at the end, then all the 5 drawers..
I went in for a 4 drawer & some Walnut shells for my blaster.. 98.00 later & the tool cart is still there..
I did manage to get a pk. of free towels & a free tape measure..
I forgot the tailgate on the Bronco wont open..
Gotta go back Saturday & get 1..
The wife was with me & said, why don't I come back Saturday & buy u THAT for X-mas?? I said, THAT sounds good to me..
She kept pushing towards the 5 drawer.. & THATS prob. what she'll get..??

Pump Guy,

I bought the 4 drawer tool cart and I am sorry that I did. Consider it carefully. The 5 drawer upper bin is deeper (up and down), the 4 drawer one is shallower and does not fit larger screw driver handles dropped down into the holes. The 5 drawer is deeper and more accommodating here.

The 5 drawer cart has deeper (front to back) and as such will fit more tools and do it better. The 5 tool cart also has added space along the outside sides. Overall, the 5 drawer cart is a better use of nearly the same floor space and will allow you just a bit more everything for the next 30 or 40 years that you own it. I know it seems like the $170 compared to the $85 is a deal breaker.... but I find myself kicking myself now for buying 2 of the 4 drawer units. When I bought they were on coupon for the 4 drawer at $99 and the 5 drawer at $149! I was such a fool!