Welland ME-752S EZSwap USB 3.0 external disk enclosure

Officially named the Welland Turbo Leopard EZSwap USB 3.0 external disk enclosure, the ME-752S provides a quick tool-free way to access many 3.5" disk drives.

You get a disk case with a flip down front with no screws or bolts. You get a 12 volt 2 amp power supply, a short USB 3.0 cable, and a little plastic stand to stop the case falling over. Everything you need except the disks.

If you want an internal disk enclosure with a tool-free quick change mechanism, look at the Welland ME-751.

To use a disk:

1. Open the front of the case.
2. insert the disk.
3. Close the front of the case.
4. Plug in the power.
5. Switch on the device and wait for the blue indicators to stop flashing.
6. Plug in the USB cable.

You want the power switched off or disconnected before inserting or removing a disk. You can see which way the disk has to go by looking inside the case. The socket the the disk is at the back.

After the disk is inserted and the front closed, plug the power and USB cables into the case then switch on the power. One blue LED indicator will switch on to indicate power is available and the other will flicker a few times to indicate the ME-752S is identifying the disk.

After everything else is working, plug the other end of the USB cable into the computer. Your operating system will only identify the disk in the ME-752S if the ME-752S has already read some data from the disk.

There are many reports online about operating systems not recognising removable disks in external enclosures. The only way I could produce the problem was to plug the USB cable into the computer before the enclosure finished those couple of seconds of reading the disk.

The back of the case has an on/off, the USB 3.0 socket, a socket for the power cable, and a button marked copy. I did not try the copy button because I use the disks for backups.

Removing the disk

Big warning here, the disks fall out too easily!

You remove a disk by opening the front of the case then pushing a lever at the back of the case. The instant the disks unplug from the socket, the disks fall anywhere they can. They slide out really easily and fall on the floor. Make sure the case is solidly on the top of the desk in the middle of the desk when you push the lever.

Watch out for the heat

The case is plastic, not metal, and holds in the heat. Disks are ok after a quick backup. I ran one disk for almost an hour of solid activity and the disk ended up so hot, I had to wrap a cloth around it to hold it.

There are other products built with metal cases. I will buy one of the metal products and toss the plastic Welland ME-752S in the bin.