Updated review of the best invention since chunky peanut butter

**SlaterSlinger** · 04-04-2018, 02:51 PM

Some asked for an update on the solar aerator unit, and here is the intermediate review. Also, somebody found the same unit for cheaper with horrid reviews.

Regarding the similar, cheaper, badly reviewed aerator, I looked at those docooler pumps back when I was searching. You gotta look at the CONTENT of reviews rather than just the rating- if it's a product you're interested in. Also, not all China-made identical products are the same- no matter how similar they look.

Take it from a fellow crappie fisherman and not some yuppy on Amazon who's mad that their $30 unit won't aerate their fish pond, on the solar panel only, without recharging, year round, and in all weather conditions like the $300 units (which is what they really need to suit their needs): After using this unit for 30+ hours and even using it at home another 12+ hours to keep left over minnows alive, I give it 2 thumbs up. Run the #'s and compare the loud, battery-eating, $20 aerators and the price of disposable and/or rechargeable batteries (which have a sucky operational time before they run out) to the price and features of the unit in question, and the results are clear that it's a no-brainer the solar unit wins. I'll NEVER go back. (MAYBE

.)

The #1 complaint for the cheaper/ identical unit was that the unit would not run continuously and/ or independently, aka, ONLY on the solar panel.The other main complaint is the unit is not waterproof. I'm not sure what folks were expecting? That they could leave the unit outside year round for their catfish bait ponds..err.. I mean goldfish ponds?

None of the other aerator unit's I've ever had were waterproof. In fact, that's what always kills mine: rust forming and destroying the battery compartment. No matter how hard I try to keep them out of the elements. Also the pumps are crappy, but I solved that by going with the better and cheaper academy sports brand aerators.

What's my #1 complaint in my original post? That I'm sick of buying batteries, and #2 is that I hate listening to aerators all day.

I recharge my android tablet that I use when sidescanning via my unit's wifi at the bow (keeps from needing 2 units and tablets are cheap). I recharge headlamp batteries, my jump pack, my trolling and house batteries...recharging one other item ain't gonna kill me (even though I've only recharged it once, more on that below).

Plus, it's QUIET. PLUS the "nicer" Big Bubbles aerators are pushing $20+ without batteries being factored in. I'm already ahead as-is with 30+ hours of operation.

To be sure, I've ran my solar unit a total of 20+ hours and have yet to charge it. I'm guessing that a well-charged battery being MAINTAINED by the solar panel is the reason why I've gotten so many hours from it. No I haven't tried to recharge my phone (add that to the list of things I recharge between trips), but I will eventually, maybe, but that's not my main reason for buying it.

Just don't expect something from the unit that it's not. You may buy one and it sucks. So goes the dilemma we are in until an actual crappie fishing equipment manufacturer decides to think differently and tailor it to we the fishermen. End review, begin rant because I can't fish today:

I realize that part above will rub some the wrong way- especially those that are sponsored by said manufacturers- but oh well, like I told an acquaintance who is of the "that offends me" camp: Nobody ever said we have a right to NOT be offended.

Just like somebody in the fishing reel thread asked, in regard to what a bad idea a compact, made-for-crappie-fishing, quality line counter reel would be, "Why hasn't anybody made one yet?" The same could be asked of why one must dig deep into the depths of Amazon.com to find a solution to a known problem for the average crappie fisherman who can only afford an external baitwell and pump: lots and lots of batteries rolling around for the aerator. Heaven forbid they toss em in the lake; Google how many gallons of waters are irreversibly polluted from ONE battery.

Truth is, crappie fishing is especially ripe for money to be made if one thinks outside of the box. To be honest, equipment manufacturers seem to play from behind. An example: 10 years ago I was using the marinade injector thing-a-ma-jigs to inject crappie niblets into tubes. My buddies swore I was taking hallucinogenic drugs. And now? Now the nibblet injector that cost $20+ are in every tackle box of those who swear by nibblets. We won't even discuss the skepticism of fishermen when actual CRAPPIE NIBLETS came out!

I'd bet my life on the fact that a "Let's hea of your fishing equipment ideas/ solutions" thread would be entertaining, to say the least. For sure it'd be studied intensely by those with a role in making stuff for us to buy.

Another example: I'd imagine the first guy to hang 8 spider rigged rods off the bow to exclusively fish for crappie got a lot of laughs, but who's laughing now? Why has nobody in the American CRAPPIE fishing equipment market made a dadgum solar powered aerator that the average man and woman can afford? Maybe they have? I digress.

As an aside, FYI from an amazon and internet shopping PHENOM

:
One other thing about the "same" China-made Amazon products from different sellers: While stuff may look the same, they are not. A prime example is LED Cree headlamps. I've owned dozens of different ones off of Amazon, and while they may look the same, they are not. Just like not all individual reviews of a product are equal, neither are our friendly China-men's products the same. When in doubt, study the CONTENT of the reviews, and if still in doubt, go with the more expensive unit. If you're still in doubt, well you've become what is known as "the gunniea pig."

**Snubby** · 04-04-2018, 04:25 PM

Chunk them in the livewell, or run your aerator off a 12volt plug.. I don't read well

**BigRiverMarine** · 04-06-2018, 10:28 AM

Sounds like I need to duck down. I’m being shot at.

Nice book you wrote above, but I shop Amazon like a woman at a Clearance sale. I’ve bought trail cameras from 3 different sellers with 3 different names on them. The cameras were identically the same with identical features and specs, and they all looked identically the same. I chose the cheapest seller, regardless of the name, that had the camera Features that I wanted. They all have worked as advertised because I bought one and tested it. MOST of the reviews on the ones I chose were fairly accurate, but you always have some trash reviews in the mix.

China, is China. There isn’t 5 different manufacturers making the same exact item. They just go under different Sellers/Brand names on Amazon. Lots of those items are imported directly by Amazon under different name brands to bypass commissions to sellers, hence the lower prices on some. That’s why when you search an Item, the Chinese brands pop up first instead of the Name Brand stuff unless you search for a particular Name Brand. The cheaper Chinese alternatives always show up immediately under those name brands you search tho because they’re more profitable even at the lower prices.

Hope your pump last forever. If it does, I’ll buy 5 of em because I hate buying batteries as much as anyone. I converted all of my trail cameras to solar panels with battery boxes, 6v SLA batteries, and charge controllers all bought AND researched (READ every review’s CONTENT)) on Amazon because I hate buying batteries for them.

If I wasn’t interested in those pumps, I wouldn’t have spent the hour or two I did researching them. It IS a great idea IF they last. The pump you bought only had 2-3 reviews which wasn’t enough CONTENT for me to dive in head first so I looked at the docooler with 18 reviews. There was only 2 choices for that particular pump design. I’m well aware that you can only take a handful of reviews as good ones. Most are straight BS from what you call yuppie crybabies.

The End
of my book.