Wagan EL2537-5 Twin USB and 12-Volt DC Cup Holder Power Adapter

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)The Wagan Twin USB/DC Cup Holder Adapter is a very good value. Considering that I paid the same price for a single USB car lighter adapter, this is a great value. It's conveniently shaped like a cup-holder, with the added benefits of 2 included DC adapters and 2 USB adapters. So far all 4 adapters work perfectly.

This adapter definitely sits lower in my cupholder than what I was expecting. It looks taller in the product picture, but expect it to be just above flush with your cup-holder. If your car has two different sized cupholders, one larger than the other, this unit is designed to fit in the smaller standard size. For me that is the cupholder further from the control panel and closer to my center arm-rest.

The unit has four LED indicator lights so you can judge how many devices can be charged with it. This "Battery Level Indicator" feature is a nice extra, with "HIGH," "MID," "12V" and "LOW" indicators.

The product package indicates this unit works with standard 12V and 24VDC accessories. Apparently there's a fuse inside the unit in the event you over-use it, though I haven't yet had the fuze go on me.

CONSIDERATIONS

There are a few shortcomings to the product, all of which I would consider minor. First of all, the lighter cable is relatively short. That's ok if you are plugging it into the DC outlet on your control panel. Many newer cars also have DC outlets within the arm-rest console storage area. I found that the cord was just barely long enough to reach down into my car's storage compartment and be plugged in. That means for some vehicles, like larger cars and SUVs, it might be too short. The deeper the storage compartment, the more likely you are to have trouble using that DC outlet to power this adapter.

The two DC adapters are very deep within the unit, almost too deep. For many DC powered car accessories with shorter plugs, it seems like it might be possible to push them in too far and lose electrical contact.

The other minor negative was that the USB adapters are not perfectly parallel. They are separated by metal but the USB pins are embedded in tabs made of some kind of composite material. You have to carefully insert USB cables because if you don't you risk damaging your connector or the adapter.

CONCLUSION

This is a good unit even if it isn't perfect. Considering the price and the fact that the product performs as advertised, I still recommend this over most others I have tried. It's worth it to have a few extra adapter plugs available to charge your accessories and electronics in your car.

Enjoy.

I really like this device. I have Sirius and a GPS so it gives me 2 sockets. The USB power sockets are good for powering or charging my cell phone.

Easy to use stays where you put it in a cupholder highly recommended.

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Our new Subaru Tribeca amazingly had no DC outlets anywhere on the dashboard, instead hiding them in the console. We needed access to the jacks for the handsfree cellphone speaker and occasionally the GPS. This device fits in one of the cupholders next to the console and the power wire with the plug slips inside the console. We've been using it every day for 3 months now with no problems.

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This item would be great if it worked, but my USB circuit blew out within a few days of plugging it in, before I even had a chance to use the USB sockets. I smelled burning insulation but didn't associate it with the converter.

I think many (all?) of the folks who are complaining about the LEDs being nonfunctional don't realize that they are reading the charge state of the CAR battery, not the items that are plugged in. If you look at the small instruction sheet included, it says that it's showing the functioning of the car's charge system when the car is running, and the charge on the battery 10 minutes after the car is shut off (but with the starter switch in the 'accessory' position. Quite useful for finding out what kind of shape your battery is in before the cold weather hits, as even a mostly-dead battery will start a car OK in warmer weather. This little item saved me a tow.

At least the 12V sockets still work. I wish I had tried it out when I first got it rather than wait a couple of months I wasn't able to return it for a refund.

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2&1/2 inches diameter on the bottom, chamfered

3 inches diameter on the top, also chamfered

2&1/2 inches tall

Cord exits the back of the unit 2 inches from the bottom, no strain relief.

Cord length is 39 inches

Lighter plug is 3&3/4 inches long, including the stiff strain relief.

Nice surface for gripping the plug when pulling out the plug, but for me I wish the plug was smaller or right angle... I'm not going to be unplugging it. Due to the short length of the cable, and the big plug, I directly wired a socket extension cable to my car's accessory wiring to avoid a big plug in my center console... which also frees up my car's socket.

Bright smooth nickel plated contacts all around. Fuse is a standard cylinder type marked 10A, accessed by unscrewing the nipple end of the plug. The + contacts for the round sockets is one solid piece of metal. One philips screw in the middle of the bottom appears to hold the case together, also one phillips holding together the plug.

Subtle blue glow from the base of the round sockets. Not obnoxious bright like the units I used to have.

This is a perfect solution for what I needed, and the unit works well. Like most adapters it takes two hands to remove the plug, however the design allows single handed plugging.

Great purchase, my only regret is padding my order for free shipping with other things. I should have gotten two of these instead :)

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