Does this need to be connected to the car to work? Or can I charge it, use it unplugged, and then recharge it again later?
864559
No. It only converts DC power into AC power. The batteryour is your electrical source.
864560
The inverter requires a 12v source it does not have a rechargeable battery in it. You could bring along a 12v battery and use that as a power source, but pulling 1200 watts from a battery is 100 amps, so it would drain a smaller sized battery in minutes if not less.
988056
It has to be plugged in.The typical use case is to be plugged into a USB port in your car.
2116749
Yep, it'll work. Also contrary to other comments, it doesn't drain your car battery if you leave it plugged in.
1288029
No, I think you have to keep it plugged in. I always unplug it when I leave the car. Kind of annoying
580975
I don't know the answer to that question because I don't know if he is hooking it up properly. Once the equipment is hooked up you have to cycle the mode button to the appropriate symbol (for a car it is the battery symbol). Then let the car charge. It is not for use on a dead battery as far as I know but only to maintain a charge on the battery while car is not in use for long periods of time.
2022133
It needs to be plugged in to work. In a vehicle you can use the cord that comes with it, but in the house or work you can buy a optional cord that will plug into wall. I will say this is the best item I have bought in a long time. R everywhere I go out goes with me.
1220283
The car charger has to be plugged into the cigarette lighter slot of your car. Once it is plugged in and you have connected the phone to that cord your phone should start charging while the engine is running. Of course you know that the car charger is only going to charge the phone and not the car, right? Juar kidding you.
1536598
Yes. I leave it plugged in since I use it at home. If the battery runs out, it will take some time before it charges enough to use again. I expected it to work as soon as I plugged it in but it didn't.
382309
It does not have to be charged but unplug it when you're not using it. The cars usually stop working because the brushes under the front are not shaped correctly. They give a diagram in the instructions but basically you want the brushes to scrape the track like fingernails on a chalkboard.
596204
Yes, this is intended to remain connected to a battery 24/7 (whether in a car or out of a car) and it begins charging the battery when solar power is available and the battery voltage is 13V or less, then once the battery voltage is raised to 14V (showing it is charged) it will stop the charging. If you will be connecting a solar panel thru a lighter plug in a car (which seems to be the easiest place), I hope the lighter remains "on" without the keys in the ignition (otherwise your "charge" power will not be getting thru to the battery making putting all of this together pointless). If you were to start a car with the panels connected up, the panels may send their rated power to help start the car (during good daylight), but they won't put out any "extra" power (they are not a battery that "store up" power or such, they just give you what they can). Once the car is started, the car alternator should instantly recharge the batteries and the green light on this should instantly come on (showing that solar power is blocked).
1177224
It is not rechargeable. It will work off of standard house outlet, but the cord is short. Plan on using an extension cord. If hooking up to your car, that cord is really long.
362911
It only works when plugged into the car's cigarette lighter. It does not charge.
155399
The cord needs only to be plugged in for charging purposes or to use the traffic notification feature. Otherwise unplug from cord carry it around using the gps internal battery as power source. Hope this helps.
503190
it has to be plugged into a 12v dc power source, like your car cigarette lighter, or with the direct to battery connections supplied with the inverter. it will not work unless it is connected to power.
1414341
It depends on what car you have, and how empty it is to start with. When my wife gets home, she plugs in and her car starts charging. By the time I get home, it's done charging and then I plug mine in. Mine is done probably a few hours later, definitely ready for me in the morning.
1939789
The manual does not mention needing to turn it off when charging is complete. Just unplug from the car and return to the plug dock. Reconnect to car to resume charging. Have had for five months and have rarely turn off.
303181
If the car's power port is on when the car is off, sure it'll work. Its fine to use it for a couple of hours while the car is off (depending on the health of the battery), but I wouldn't use it for more than 3 or so hours without starting the car.