After extensive research, I purchased my Wagan eCube 1500 on Amazon and put it through some testing.
Here are my conclusions:
Pros:
1) The unit IS very competitively priced.
The two primary considerations for a "solar generator" are how many WATTS of solar power does it generate, and how many Amp-Hours of battery storage does it store. This unit is 80W/55Ah. I found products that had MORE and cost MORE and products that had LESS and cost LESS. I did not find any product that had more and cost less.
2) The specifications are accurate
The specifications are written pretty much exactly like all of the competitors specifications. Watts, Amp-hours, inverter watts, etc. I saw a review that implied the specifications were deceptive or difficult to understand not true.
3) The unit comes in a very slick and portable enclosure.
You might save some money if you went out and bought separate solar panel(s), battery, charge controller, high-power inverter, various plugs/switches/connectors, and a portable enclosure. However, that would take some time, technical expertise, and in the end it would not look as slick or be as portable. I can't imagine that would be worth it for too many people.
4) Expandable: Allows an additional solar panel and battery.
I plan to add an external panel
Cons:
1) My unit came missing one of the (many) screws in the cover. Not a big deal (it's redundant) but annoying.
2) I sent a few emails with questions I had to technical support with no response. Finally, I called and got a live person that was very helpful.
3) You can AIM the solar panels, but it's clumsy.
If you want a little faster charge, you can simply tilt the entire unit towards the sun. I did this and it works fine, but is clumsy. You do this by wedging a block of wood, stick, or something under a corner.
My Application:
I bought this unit to provide AC power in the event of an emergency situation, or for camping or bugging-out. I like solar generators compared to gas-powered generators, because they obviously don't require gas, and don't make noise.
This unit has a monster inverter (1500+ watts) capable of operating any plug-in device all the way up to a hair dryer or microwave. Of course, a hairdryer would run down the battery in less than 10 minutes not a great use of backup power.
I see my primary application being to operate radios, TVs, computers, cell-phones, battery chargers, and perhaps some low-wattage lighting. For these types of devices, you can get many hours of use.
The unit could take up to 2-3 days to fully charge the battery via solar alone (note: you can also charge it via AC or car battery). If you were using the unit every day to it's full capacity, with only solar power, you might never get more than 1/2 to 1/3 of it's full battery charge capacity which just means less run-time for whatever you have plugged into this. That's pretty much how all solar generators work. You would need 1000's of watts of solar power to really operate a home and all of your electrical goodies. Anything less than 1000's of watts is really just for less demanding backup applications and these all come down to how many WATTS and Amp-Hours the solar generator provides.
I'm planning on adding a 150W solar panel (about $300 on Amazon) on my roof and leaving that connected to the eCube 1500, while it's stored in my storage closet, with it's built-in panels closed. This will keep the unit permanently charged and ready to go. That way, if I lose power, I can still have backup power continuously in the home for my small appliances, and I can still unplug the roof panel and take the eCube (including it's own built-in panels) with me if I leave the home. Because the external panel is about 2x the wattage of the built-in panels, it will charge the unit's battery in about 1/2 the time.
Personally, I feel pretty well prepared for any sort of short-term or long-term power outage with this little unit. It's not as nice as having a $25,000+ solar plant, but it's just about perfect for having some back-up power when and where you need it.
I ordered the Wagan Cube 1500 from a big box store and paid more for it about 10 months ago. I have used it in power outages, charging it from regular household current, and it worked exactly as described. I keep it plugged in and tucked away in a corner for emergencies. I love the portability and would not hesitate to take it camping or to outside gatherings. It wheels nicely with a collapsing handle and is compact. I'm happy to not have to try and remember several different components. I have powered a 13" TV, low watt light, charged my cell phone and IPad, ran a fan, and ran my CPAP with it so far. It's nice to have some creature comforts during outages. It tells you how much power you have remaining so you don't get caught on empty. Recharging is flexible with many options: household, car, or solar panels. I liked that I could purchase it now for emergencies and add more solar panels and battery as budget allowed. I already bought another solar panel and will be ordering additional battery power this week. This item wasn't being offered on Amazon when I purchased, or I would have ordered it here at the better price; although I'm glad that I've had the security of a back up power source to my gas generator for the last 10 months. It's so much easier to use this for shorter outages instead of firing up the gas gene, and with fuel prices rising, I'm certain that I will be getting more creative in my uses for this gem and cutting down to using my gas beast for short periods to run the frig and freezer.
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Heads up: Five 16 watt panels is a MAXIMUM production (peak energy produced under ideal conditions) of 80 watts. Since most of them can't be aimed, that's at high noon, on the equator. So, substantially less than 80 watts available to charge its 55AH battery.
Not 1500 watts. That's what the inverter can deliver, not the solar panels OR the battery behind the inverter can sustain.
The battery is 55 amp-hour, and judging from the size, I'll assume that's 12 volt. Roughly 660 watt hours (new), which will degrade over time. Which means at the '1500 Watt' power output, you will have far less than 20 minutes of runtime, and a full 24 hours (of peak daylight), meaning 2~3 days of recharge in ideal conditions, not using this box at all during that entire time, to recharge with its built-in solar, alone. Heavy draws drain batteries faster, and destroy batteries far more quickly, too.
This is probably OK for charging cell phones and running very small loads, up to a smallish LCD TV, but a cheaper, plain 12 volt solar panel with various accessories will charge gadgets just as well, or attached to more sanely priced battery packs with more realistic inverter capabilities, will run the same loads.
What you really need to ask yourself is, how much would an 80 watt (or even larger) solar panel (100% of which can point AT the sun), deep cycle battery, 1500 watt inverter and interconnects cost?
When you add it together, that's an awfully expensive plastic box that you have there. I'm sure Amazon sells big plastic tool boxes or hard-sided luggage with built-in hand trucks pretty cheap. They have better folding solar panels pretty cheap, too. Plus deep cycle batteries, and inverters.
Also keep in mind that lead-acid batteries need to stay charged, or they self-discharge and get ruined very quickly. You can't buy this thing and just keep it in a closet, unless you have an outlet to plug it into, full-time. You will not be able to leave this outside all the time to charge it every day, either. All those nooks and crannies will let the weather (and bugs and rodents) in. All those big ventilation holes mean it's not even remotely weather resistant. A true 'fair weather friend'. What good is a 'solar generator' that you have to keep covered?
Read Best Reviews of Wagan EL2546 Solar e Cube 1500 Here
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 Amazon 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.
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