Jackery Explorer Portable (Solar) Power Station and SolarSaga Solar Panels

In case you are on the fence, I may have found the kicker that sends you into a buying frenzy.

My toddler absolutely LOVES that the fan kicks on momentarily when you press the AC button to turn it on. He will sit there and just repeatedly push the button. Same with the flash light. It's kind of annoying, but kind of cute at the same time. I have to hide it from him.

 

CHERISH those moments!!

 

Alright y'all. I figured it would be good to do a 1 year follow up review on the Jackery Explorer 1000 and SolarSaga 100W panels. Some good, and some not-so-good that was made right.

In short, I absolutely love the Explorer 1000. I'm on the fence about the solar panels.

TL;DR version: I liked the Explorer 1000 so much that I got some additional models. I'm very happy that I went with Jackery instead of one of the Amazon value brands that I initially considered.

Explorer 1000

I've been using it nearly daily to power my 12v fridge. Since none of us get to camp as often as we like, I figured I'd rather use the fridge than let it just sit in the garage heat all summer. Plus, with COVID STILL going on I'm working from home. The fridge and Jackery are right next to my desk and make sure that I have cold coke during the workday or a cold beer right after the workday. Just a quick tangent on the fridge....the house fridge stays pretty full with food for a family of 5 and I can't justify taking up a shelf with beer. Plus, the ICECO fridge set at 37 has the cans feeling ICE COLD instead of just cold. Beer just tastes better at this temp, so I'd probably keep the beer in there regardless of family fridge status.

If I let it run to 0 percent, I can power the fridge for about 4 days. However, running it to zero is not recommended. I normally will recharge it on the 4th morning when the battery pack is between 20 and 30 percent.

I did notice that the runtime on the Jackery decreased during the heat of summer despite being in a climate controlled environment. I expected no change since we have central HVAC. I credit this to the fact that the fridge compressor seemed to run with an increased frequency. Not a fault of the Jackery at all if you're pulling more power from it! The runtime has returned to what I thought was normal now that the ambient temps outside have dropped. So with that, I don't feel like I've noticed any reduction in capacity over the course of the year with multiple charge/discharge cycles.

I also occasionally charge my phone from the Jackery. It's right next to me and why not use power from the sun to charge it up? Even if ever-so-slightly it helps to offset the cost of the unit, why not?

Ok, so what don't I like about the Explorer 1000?

Well, for starters, the size. I've mentioned before that it doesn't fit inside the Tacoma very well. To use it while driving on a trip inside the vehicle, you have to orient it such that you cannot see the display or anything plugged in. If you're using the plug that came with the ICECO fridge, this means that you might not be powering your fridge (hint: get the ARB plug) and wouldn't know it. This makes it more difficult to see the remaining amount of charge. Not a deal breaker and an acceptable trade off for the additional storage capacity.

I still have yet to use the flashlight as a flashlight. When I'm camping, I'd prefer to have a more portable/compact flashlight. So this feature is nice to have there, but not super practical.

SolarSaga 100W Solar Panel

These are one of the more efficient solar panels on the portable market. At least they were when I initially did the research and I haven't seen anyone claim to have a higher efficiency. It's possible that they have been surpassed....I'm just not sure. I didn't care to look it up right now because that isn't really important. What is important is that these are highly efficient solar panels.

I really like the magnetic closure when it works. The solid "click" that you hear when the plastic around the magnets locks together is a good sound.

My original solar panels (2) died within a year (almost to the day) and a couple of weeks between each other. Jackery made this right by sending me replacements and a return label for the defective panels. The exchange process was very easy for me. So while I'm disappointed that they went out, the company stood behind their product and sent me new panels.

I have asked if there is something that I did to cause them to fail, and at this time have not heard back.

Here's everything bad I can say about the panels. If you've made it this far in the review, please continue to the end and don't just stop at the bad. I suspect that I have reasons for the bad.

The back of the panels is a thick cloth material. In my case, the cloth seemed to shrink over time which pulled the sides of the panel away from the actual panel. I don't know if this caused a performance issue, but the efficiency decreased over time. This is normal with solar panels, I just wasn't expecting it to be so dramatic of a drop. I think I was pulling around 85-90W per panel initially and it was down to about 65W before they died. That seems pretty substantial to me over 12 months.

The magnets stopped clicking together. I know magnets can be demagnetized. I don't know what I did to cause them to stop working together, but the magnets were ineffective after several months. When not in use, I have them folded up and leaning against each other. They still stay closed, so I'm not sure what benefit the magnets really had. However, I do like that feeling and sound they make when they click closed.

I live in Georgia (the state, not the country) and it is hot and humid here. My panels get used 2-3 times per week. I do not leave them outside overnight. I suspect that the humidity and heat caused the fabric to shrink and in turn cause the other issues. Regardless, Jackery promptly replaced my panels. I think that speaks volumes when a company stands behind their products.

For my non-traveling use, I really should pick up a panel that is designed to be outside all the time.

I liked my Jackery Explorer 1000 so much that I picked up a 300 which fits in the truck much better and is better suited for weekend trips. I also use the 300 to power my fridge while the 1000 is charging. I haven't had to use the Explorer 1000 to power the house fridge yet, but getting 3-4 days on the 12v fridge, I suspect it would last somewhere around 24-48 hours powering the house fridge. I wanted something that I could power the larger fridge for longer in the event of a natural disaster as my immediate family live in hurricane alley (Gulf Coast Florida) and the power goes out somewhat annually. So I'll be doing a review on the Explorer 1500 here soon too.


Oh, and I also created a "Jackery Deal Tracker" thread here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...now-code-or-15-later-anniversary-sale.725373/

Hopefully that link doesn't break if I update the title when the current deal expires.

 

$259 Jackery Explorer 300 , 293Wh Backup Lithium Battery, Solar Generator for Outdoors Camping Travel Hunting Blackout (Solar Panel Optional)

Jackery Explorer 300 Review

The Jackery Explorer 300 answers all of the shortcomings of the 240. The Explorer 240 is a solid unit, but the 300 comes with an additional AC power outlet and some additional USB ports. Not to mention the obvious increase in capacity without a substantial increase in size. IMHO, this is Jackery's answer to people who don't have a dual battery and need to power a fridge for a weekend camping trip. I typically get about 24 hours powering my 12v fridge before I feel like I need to charge it up. When the compressor runs, it pulls between 50 and 55W according to the display on the Jackery. I generally aim to recharge when it gets between 20 and 30% capacity remaining.

The type of cells used can handle being drained to 0%, but it is best to not let that happen. Just because they can handle it, doing that too many times can lead to decreased performance.

So why is this the perfect weekend setup? Simple. The size and capacity....especially for a Tacoma. The Explorer 1000 will power a 12v fridge for an entire weekend and won't need any supplemental charge, but the size of it makes it largely impractical in such a small compartment. When it comes to the Explorer 1000, I have to put it behind the passenger seat before I can plug anything into it. Then, I can't see the display to check output or capacity. The Explorer 300, on the other hand, can fit just about anywhere in any orientation. It charges relatively quickly due to the lower capacity and can either be charged via the 12v cigarette outlet or a separate solar panel. If you can get some supplemental charging during your excursion - such as wheeling, or setting up a solar panel at camp - then this unit will have no problem keeping your fridge at the proper temperature and won't take up too much cargo space. Plus, and this is a big plus for me, you can CHARGE and DISCHARGE at the same time. This is called pass-through charging, and it's something that many of the competitors either can't do or will void the warranty if done. Speaking of warranty. You get a 2 year warranty. As with any electronic device, purchase it with an American Express and you get another year or warranty through AMEX (Year 1-2 Jackery, 3 AMEX)

As far as personal use, I've been using both my Explorer 1000 and 300 to power my 12v fridge in my home office. The 300 comes out when the 1000 needs to be charged. The 1000 is great for longer runtimes or larger demand. It can power my fridge for 3-4 days before reaching the 20-30% mark and needing a recharge. It can also handle starting and running my home fridge. The 300 doesn't even come close to being rated to start the home fridge, so don't even consider it for that sort of application. But this is the perfect companion for weekend excursions!

 

I picked up a Jackery Explorer 240

If you saw my review on the Explorer 300, I pointed out some of the areas where the 300 is superior to the 240. With that being said, the Jackery Explorer 240 is a solid choice for the weekend expedition. One of the differences between the units is the number of AC power. The 300 has 2 AC outlets compared to just 1 for the Explorer 240. I've never used either of the AC outlets on the 300, except to test runtime when powering my 12v fridge on AC vs DC power. Not surprisingly, it runs significantly longer on DC, as the Jackery and the fridge are both primarily DC devices.

Quick note: The Jackery has an AC outlet that converts 12v DC into 120V AC. It does this with an inverter, and I've read that there is up to a 10% loss in that conversion. The fridge then converts the AC back into DC, and that same 10% loss can occur. So that's up to 20% reduction in efficiency. Don't quote me on those numbers, as I'm not a scientist and I lack the proper equipment to test such a thing. I'm sure that is a very layman way of explaining it. The important part to note is that converting DC to AC and then back to DC is inefficient at best.

The Explorer240 recently had some pretty good sales for Black Friday / Cyber Monday, and I picked one up. I'm really enjoying learning the capabilities (and limitations) of solar power. I've even started looking at how to add some solar power to the house, but that's another topic. The Explorer240 has 240 Wh compared to 290 wH on the Explorer 300. Translated, the 240 has 82.75% of the capacity of the 300. It only has 1 AC power outlet; but again, I don't really use the AC power so that isn't really a concern as DC is more efficient.

With the current $30 off promotion, that takes the cost to about $170. That's almost half the cost of the 300 (right now). So 83% capacity for nearly half the cost becomes pretty appealing. (Keep in mind that the Explorer 300 was about $210 for BF/CM). It should do just about everything you need it to for a weekend camping trip.

I don't have a lot of time with the 240 yet, but I'm running it through it's paces and will update accordingly.

 

I'm looking at the smaller ones, I'll probably be mounting a 3rd part solar panel to my roofrack that is more durable and cheaper than the jackery one.

 

Buddy. I think you’re addicted to these power stations! Haha. However, as someone debating between the 240 and 300, this has been very helpful.

I’m leaning 240 because of the cost difference with it being on sale. I would only use for weekend excursions

 

If I had a roof rack, I would absolutely do this. I almost pulled the trigger on the Martin OR rack this BFCM, but didn't.

Guilty as charged. I tend to be slow to make up my mind and then go overboard when I do. I think I'm about done with solar station purchases, but I'll keep updating as appropriate. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them here or shoot me a PM.

 

My only beef with those Jackery units is the low 12v amperage rating. They use Li ion batteries to keep cost down, which is great, but this puts them at 25v and the 12v stepdown converter they use is the limiting factor. They can't run 25amp 12v ham radios or my viair compressor.... If they put a little beefier step down converter in them that could do 30 amps, they would be great.

You could run a PS from 110, sacrificing efficiency but still. If I had a 30amp 12v tap I could use my own DC to AC converter.

But I guess I'm probably in the minority of users.

 

My Jackery 1000 crapped out after less than 1 year of use. Thankfully, the company replaced it after I sent them videos of the malfunction, however the replacement I got was obviously used. I love having portable power like this, but if this second unit dies I will probably try another brand.

 

Interesting. I don't know that I have any high-draw 12v applications like that, but good to know of the limitation. Would rather find out here than somewhere remote when I need it.

Kind of like the time my wife and I went camping in our 4Runner. We took a panini press thinking it would run on the outlet in the back of the vehicle. Stupidly had no clue about the limitations of that outlet or the high power draw of the cooking unit. I had to improvise and cook our sausages on branches but could only get them so close to the fire....so we'd have one cooked end and one totally raw end. So many mistakes were made that trip, but we were young and (obviously) dumb. The forecast was also for low 50s and we woke up in the low 30s/high 20s. I guess that's a lot of words to say "test your equipment before you need it."

That's odd. Did you contact them about it? I had my original 2 solar panels crap out almost within a week of each other. Both times I was sent brand new panels.

 

Yes, they took care of it and sent me a replacement which has been working fine. It just makes me nervous that it may not work when I need it. I did have to provide videos and they confirmed it was a defective unit.

 

I meant about receiving the used replacement.

 

Oh, haha, sorry about that. No, I didn't bother. It works fine, and have used it several times. Also, my hope it maybe it's fully refurbished on the inside or something. I said used because the outer plastic shell was obviously scuffed up from usage. Also, I read their warranty policy and the warranty does not start over if they replace a defective unit. Also, I know many companies when they replace things do not guarantee a brand new replacement. So, basically even though they sent me a replacement, I now still only have a year left on the warranty anyway.

I only bring up my story because a lot of times people review products after having it a very short time, etc. Mine was great and then one day, the DC portion quit working after about 10 months of use. Was able to plug in my fridge to AC so that worked, but the DC side was dead. But it really sucked because there was no warning. It just decided to stop working on the DC side.

They walked me through how to reset the unit and made me video the process which is how they conformed that it was defective.

 

Gotcha. And I agree that folks will review things too quickly. That's why I did the 1 year follow up on the 1000 and 300, but didn't really say much about the 240....I just haven't played with it enough.

 

Anyone know if I leave my Jackery240 plugged to car battery while car is off will it ddain my battery dead or does it have a built in sysytem where it protects the battery?

 

Thanks for all the info, I've been in the market but undecisive. I'll be getting one now.

 

I'm fairly certain that the jackery itself doesn't have a low voltage cutoff when charging it. I would not risk letting it charge off a car battery while the car is not running. Solar works well for charging, or leave it plugged into a 12v outlet that is only powered when the vehicle is on so it charges while you are driving.

 

What @clock11 said. Most car 12v outlets are only powered while the vehicle is on or the ignition is in the accessory position. Some newer cars will leave the 12v outlets powered "for a time" after the vehicle is powered off.

My Jackery stops pulling power when it is full, but there is no "low voltage cut off" like you see on vehicle fridges, etc. So long story short, if you are charging off a normal cigarette outlet that was installed at the factory, you're good. If you're somehow charging off an "always on" power source that is direct to your battery....I wouldn't leave it connected for too long while unattended.

Keep an eye on this thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/jackery-deal-tracker.725373/

I saw a bunch of promo codes on Instagram over the weekend that I'll be updating on that thread.

 

Kind of an old thread, but I’m hoping someone can help me.

I’ve got a jackery 1000 powering my Arb 50qt.

whenever the compressor kicks on, the fridge shuts down and powers back on multiple times. Occasionally it’ll break the cycle and the compressor will turn on. And occasionally it feels like it’s stuck in this cycle.

It doesn’t do this when it’s plugged into my home outlets, or directly into the 12v in the truck. Anyone know what could be causing this?