Review on Wagan EL2546 Solar E Cube 1500 by Kevin Ayala

After repeated power failures lasting several hours and even days after hurricanes and thunderstorms, I decided its time for a power backup source.Initially I was thinking about a gasoline run generator (like most people), but I remembered looking at distressed people holding red gasoline containers, in very long lines, at the only operational gas station in our area with power and gasoline. Gasoline was rationed to 1 or 2 gallons per person and people waited in very long lines for many hours for their turn to get it. Local police had to be present at these gas stations because fights broke out between people waiting in long lines. So getting gas for automobiles or generators is a nightmarish situation during disasters. Even if a person does manage to get a gallon of gasoline, it will only last for an average eight hours in a gas generator. So eight hours of generator power after such hellish struggle is not enough, not to mention having the need to keep the gas generator outdoors because of it's smoke air pollution and the constant loud engine noise.I was hoping to find any other type of battery based generator which could be powered by a renewable resource such as solar. I found another solar generator on ebay but it was much more expensive than this "Wagan Solar e Power Cube". After seven months of searching for an ideal system, I finally found this amazing system at the local Costco warehouse. This is the perfect solar generator which I was hoping to find in my budget.It is incredible to be able to recharge it from sunlight, or automobile, or electric-grid. Although sunlight charging may be limited to a certain percentage of total battery capacity per day, it is still better than nothing. I am sure that the average 33% of charge from sunlight per day is still enough to run low drain devices such as: 2-4 watt LED light bulbs, radio for news and information, recharging walkie-talkies, cell-phones, tablets, and on hot summer days/nights even my tower fan on "Eco" mode which consumes less power.The only problem I have with this Solar e Power Cube is its weight. It is HEAVY and since I live on a second floor apartment, taking it up and down the stairs, to recharge it in sunlight, is going to be a work out. BTW: Manufacturer recommends at least two people to lift this system. I appreciate the inbuilt extended handlebar and wheels to roll the system, otherwise it would have been a back breaking e power boulder to carry. On a positive note: The huge weight is a reminder of the large heavy duty battery that this system comes with. I am certain that I will rarely be in a situation to charge it with solar panels as most power failures last for a few hours or at the most a couple of days. By the time power is restored, the system can be recharged from the grid itself. Its good to have the option to charge from the inbuilt solar panels, but that is a worst case scenario for me due to the fact that I live on the second floor with no elevator access.As instructed, I let the first charge go on for 24 hours. I monitored the amount of wattage used by the AC charger. It started with 54 watts and slowly stabilized to 34 watts. When I checked the AC charger's LED light after about 16 hours, the unit was already charged. (This is about the amount of electricity used to charge the system from the wall outlet, for the first time). After that it automatically switched to trickle charge mode. This advanced automatic AC charger compliments this system. I like the Green/Red LED light on the charger itself that indicates battery charge status.Another thing I noticed is that as soon as the inverter is turned on, the system's cooling fans also turn on. They make the system a bit noisy but this is much more bearable than the loud engine noise of gas generators.I have tried using my tower fan and other devices with this machine and they run just fine, for several hours. I am really satisfied with this system and relieved to have finally found the exact type of system I was looking for.Materials used to build this system appear expensive, solid, and heavy duty. The system is well designed and built to last.Due to obvious changes in climates around the world, and storms becoming increasingly more severe and more frequent (just as predicted by a wise leader many years ago), I recommend this system to everyone, including people with gas generators, as a second source of power for smaller load devices. I also recommend this system to people living in apartments and condos as the best power back up source especially because the system can work indoors as there is no air pollution from gas generator smoke or loud gas generator noise.Now I have peace of mind knowing that in case of power failure, I have some decent household power for my devices and appliances.Most people overlook the fact that this system is a one time expense and it will never require fuel to power it ever. Just a few cents per month will keep it charged up, or, free energy from the sun. Due to the fact that I am a conservative power user, I do not feel the need to add an additional battery at this time, as I feel the internal battery is sufficient for my requirements.FIVE YEAR UPDATE: I purchased this device in 2013. It was always plugged into the AC charger (float charge) to ensure that the battery was always topped up in case of a prolonged power outage. Occasionally (every six months or so) I would unplug the AC charger to check if the battery is fully charged and functioning, and it always did. However, in the summer of 2018, when I checked the device, the voltage dropped quickly when I turned on the inverter. I contacted Wagan and they sent me a detailed email, informing me that the battery has lost it's capacity due to being constantly on float charge, and instructions about how to replace the battery. They said that the battery must not be constantly connected to the AC charger, after the battery is fully charged. This slowly damages the battery. I can order a new replacement battery (Part # AA 5402) from Wagan for $110 + tax, shipping included.