Pre-requirement: You will need a 12-volt marine battery (I picked one up from a local store) - These are ideal for the trickle charge + protection against moisture. Unboxing to setup: Total time before I was testing it was probably about a half an hour. Besides the battery, this has everything you need (sans the sump pump). It has the cables that attach from the battery to the charger, instruction manual, and the unit itself, along with several backup fuses. You will need to snip the zip ties from the cables, attach them to both the pump and the battery, plug the unit in, then plug the sump pump into the battery backup. What I like: This was pretty easy setup, and most of the time was spent trying to figure out where to install the unit. (Tip: keep it off the floor and away from moisture, if possible.) It has a nice little LCD display that shows the battery life, charge, and the operation. It also shows when it is using battery backup versus power. What I don't like: While it did include two power plugs, the way they are on there make it nearly impossible if your cord is a 90-degree cord, it forces you to use the top (or forward) plug, effectively blocking the second plug. You cannot use the second plug due to the bracket on the unit with a 90-degree plug. That, and, the directions didn't really state what order you needed to connect the battery. FYI - its positive first, then negative. (The opposite order for disconnecting) Overall the things I didn't like didn't stop from the 5 star review because: Ultimately, the peace of mind this unit brings is invaluable. And it is a great price point by comparison to the competitor prices. All while we don't too often find ourselves without power for extended periods of time, I can rest easy knowing that my basement is safe if something happens.
Wilfred Schmidt 
