Power outages are inevitable, and they can interrupt our daily lives. It will make a little impact if it stays for a few hours, but when it extends for a day or more, it brings inconvenience. You get disconnected from the world as your electronics stop working.
There are some areas in the US where people face power outages over the whole weather. That presents totally different challenges than what many face only for a few hours.
In this situation, to stay connected to the world, your smartphones and laptops need to work. These electronics run on a battery that drains over time and will need to be recharged. So, you must have some energy to recharge them. A power bank is a good choice for the shorter outages but not for the extended power cuts.
That’s where this portable Jackery Explorer 500 comes into the picture. It is a compact unit packed with batteries that can keep your electronics running for more than a few days. This is also a very good choice for a camping trip to charge your phones and camera batteries.
This unit is not just some ordinary power bank, and it is a full power solution for all your electronics. And it weighs just 13 pounds. But keep in mind this device is not small as a power bank and might not fit in your backpack.
This is not some portable generator that works on gasoline and can run small and large appliances, and this is a battery pack specially designed to recharge the electronics and run a few appliances. You can’t run your power tools or heater or an oven, but you can charge the laptops, phones and can run small fans and lights.
Other than that, this small unit can be charged in many ways, and one of those is environmentally-friendly solar energy through solar panels. Even if you have a generator, then also, this is a great device to have handy.
Table of Contents
Overview
Design and Layout
This portable power station is constructed out of heavy-duty plastic, which safely protects everything inside the unit. The eye-catching black and orange design make it easier to find in the pile of different things.
Another impressive thing is the use of Allen screws to make the assembling and disassembling more convenient. It is sturdy, and there won’t be any damage if the unit accidentally falls on the hard floor. On the bottom, it has rubber feet to provide a better hold.
Jackery Explorer 500 weighs about 13 pounds which is not much, and you will be able to carry it very conveniently as it has a carrying handle on the top. Other than that, on the side of the unit, it has air vents to keep the batteries cool; an air circulating fan will see to that.
Now coming to the ports, on the side of the unit, every port is neatly organized with the proper labels assigned to them to make it easy to use. It has an LCD, which shows the charge level, how much power is used at any given moment, and the input power. This panel is clean and simple, which doesn’t disrupt its overall elegant design.
On the front of the unit, there is an LED light; it is not just a cheap gimmick but is actually quite bright and adds value to the power station. This light consumes 5W, which is not much compared to the overall capacity. Another great thing about the light is that it has an SOS mode and can blink in different styles to grab someone’s attention.
Ports
This unit has plenty of ports to power various small appliances and to recharge electronics. All the ports are labelled with how much voltage and current they provide. On top of that, all outlets have their own switch, which turns them on and off; this ensures that the battery doesn’t discharge much.
It has a standard 110 V AC port using which you can power almost every small appliance. Other than that, there are three 5V USB outlets to charge the electronics. There are also two 12V 7A DC outlets and one 12V 10A car outlet. This means that the electronics which can be charged from the car battery can also be charged with this unit.
Those 12V DC outlets, I doubt anyone will use them as no one nowadays owns those types of devices. But you can use the car charger to power some small appliances, like a fan with the cigarette lighter pin. It works in that car outlet.
Recharging the Jackery Explorer 500
As you know that this device features a bigger battery than its predecessor, it has a 518-watt capacity enclosed inside that sturdy casing. That is essentially a lithium battery, which as the company claims, offers 500 full cycles. This is a considerable lifetime considering that you won’t drain your battery fully on a daily basis. In terms of Ah, the battery capacity translates to 41Ah at 12.6 V.
It can power most of the electronics and small appliances without any fuss. It will power your camera battery, laptop, smartphones, and others. By keeping in mind the capacity of this unit, Jackery claims that it can even power a smaller refrigerator, a TV, and lights.
When it comes to recharging, you can do it by any of the three options. You can charge it directly from the wall socket, and you can use your vehicle to charge it. Or the eco-friendly charging, using the solar panels. They don’t provide solar panels; you will need to buy them separately.
Charging from a wall outlet will take about 8 hours and double that from a vehicle charging. The time required to use solar panels will depend on the environmental conditions and the solar panels, but no matter how good the weather is, you shouldn’t expect a charging time of fewer than 9 hours. Solar panels will be big as they are charging a bigger battery.
The use of solar panels for charging brings in one more advantage. The solar panel itself will have DC and USB ports on it. From there, you can charge your electronics directly, but of course, it will affect the charging time of the unit.
Shortcomings of Jackery Explorer 500
Overall this is a great solar generator to have, but there is some consideration which you should keep in mind before you make your final decision.
The first thing is the lack of indicators, and you won’t know when your battery will get depleted because there is no LED or sound indicator. No doubt the LED display shows the battery percentage, but you will have to keep checking it frequently to know when the unit needs to be recharged.
Other than that, most modern devices come equipped with USB-C outlets, but this device has only three standard USB ports. It might have been a good choice to include a few USB-C ports.
If you are not a person with patience, then the charging time might annoy you as it takes considerable time to get fully charged. Moreover, if you want to charge it with the solar panel from another brand, then you will need an adapter to make a connection.
Who Should Choose the Jackery Explorer 500 Solar Generator?
This solar generator with a 500 Watt battery might not be a good fit for someone, while for others, it might just be the thing that they need.
A unit like this provides you plenty of power and offers the advantage of renewable charging through a solar panel, but it might not cut a deal for some. First of all, the power is not enough for someone who has high energy demands, and if you run your laptop for a whole day, then this might not be a good choice.
This is for camping trips where you don’t need much power other than charging your smartphone or a laptop, and besides, it can power a variety of electronics and can also charge camera batteries. That also makes it a good choice for travellers. It is worth noting that the charging on the go from your vehicle is an advantage in itself.
It might not have enough power to run many appliances, but people will appreciate it when they can charge their electronics during the power outage. So, it is a good option to have as an emergency backup.
Bottom Line
Jackery Explorer 500 is a robust, reliable, and versatile power station that can take care of your small power needs. It is a very good choice considering its small size, its weight and the price at which it is offered.
This is a perfect little device to carry your power needs during boondocking and tailgating. It has all the necessary outlets that anyone might require on a trip or in general use.
What makes this unit more versatile is its capability to power the AC power appliances up to 500 watts with a capacity to supply 1000 surge watts.
In the end, this is a great solar generator, and you should definitely go for it if your power requirements match.
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