Jackery is a leader in the portable power station and solar generator market. The company offers a range of Ecoflow-like power stations and solar panels that provide renewable, portable power for off-grid activities and emergency preparedness.
Jackery’s portable power stations, also called solar generators, are rechargeable lithium-powered stations equipped with AC outlets, USB ports and DC car ports that allow users to power and recharge electronics on-the-go. Ranging in capacity from 167Wh to 2,160Wh, Jackery power stations are ideal for outdoor adventures, RV trips, home backup power, outdoor work and more.
In addition to power stations, Jackery offers compatible SolarSaga solar panels that can recharge the power stations in a few hours using solar energy. This provides users with sustainable solar electricity without any noise or fumes. Jackery’s combined power station and solar panel bundles allow people to go off-grid with renewable solar power.
This article will focus on comparing two of Jackery’s most popular mid-range power stations – the Jackery Explorer 300 and the Jackery Explorer 500. We’ll outline the key features, specs, use cases and advantages of each model to help readers determine which Jackery portable solar generator best fits their needs.
About the Jackery Explorer 300
The Jackery Explorer 300 is a compact, portable power station that offers pure sine wave AC power on the go. Weighing only 6.6 pounds, the Explorer 300 has a lightweight, easy to carry design with a sturdy handle built right into the unit.
Despite its small size, the Explorer 300 packs a decent amount of power capacity. It contains a 293Wh lithium-ion battery pack, capable of providing 300 watts of continuous power or 500 watts of surge power. The battery can be recharged by the included charging cable which plugs into a wall outlet, car charger, or compatible solar panel.
The Explorer 300 is equipped with a variety of output ports. It has a 110V 300W pure sine wave AC outlet, a 60W PD USB-C port, dual USB-A ports, and a 12V cigarette lighter socket. These multiple output options allow you to power small appliances, laptops, tablets, smartphones, mini coolers, drone batteries, and more while on the go.
With its lightweight and compact design combined with multiple outputs, the Jackery Explorer 300 makes a great power companion for activities like camping, hiking, fishing, tailgating, and other outdoor adventures where portable power access is needed. It’s an ideal mini power station for RV travelers, overland enthusiasts, and van lifers seeking a minimalist solar generator setup.
About the Jackery Explorer 500
The Jackery Explorer 500 is a 518Wh lithium-ion portable power station designed for outdoor use and emergency power supply. It features a compact, lightweight body weighing only 13.3 pounds, making it easy to transport and move around.
The Explorer 500 has a 512Wh capacity lithium-ion battery pack enclosed in an impact-resistant casing. It can deliver 500 watts of continuous power and has a surge capacity of 1000 watts. The pure sine wave inverter allows you to safely charge and power sensitive electronics.
The power station has multiple output ports including 1x 110V 500W AC outlet, 2x USB-C ports, 2x USB-A ports, and a 12V DC car port. These ports allow you to power and charge appliances, laptops, phones, drones, cameras, CPAP machines, and more while on the go.
With the Explorer 500’s high capacity battery, you can power a mini fridge for 4.1 hours, run a CPAP machine for 14.5 hours, or charge a smartphone over 40 times. The LCD display shows the remaining battery percentage, input and output wattage, and operating status.
Features/Specs Comparison
The Jackery Explorer 300 and 500 have some key differences when it comes to features and specifications:
Weight and Portability
- The Explorer 300 weighs only 6.6 lbs, making it highly portable and easy to take anywhere.
- The Explorer 500 is a bit heavier at 13.3 lbs but still compact enough for outdoor use and travel.
Capacity
- The Explorer 300 has a 288Wh lithium-ion battery capacity.
- The Explorer 500 packs a larger 518Wh capacity.
Output Power
- The Explorer 300 provides 300 watts of continuous power and 500 watts of surge power.
- The Explorer 500 outputs 500 watts continuously and 1000 watts surge power.
Recharge Time
- The Explorer 300 takes 7-8 hours to fully recharge with a wall outlet.
- The Explorer 500 takes about 7.5 hours for a full recharge from empty.
Outputs
- Both models have a 60W USB-C port, a USB port, and a car charging port.
- The 500 adds a standard AC outlet, a cigarette lighter socket, and 2 100W USB-C ports.
Solar Charging
- Both are compatible with Jackery SolarSaga 100W solar panels for solar charging.
- The 500 can also use Jackery SolarSaga 200W solar panels.
Recharging Time
The Jackery Explorer 300 and 500 can be recharged in several ways, with varying charge times depending on the method.
Wall Outlet
When plugged into a wall outlet, the Explorer 300 can charge from 0-100% in just 3.5 hours. The Explorer 500 takes about 7.5 hours to fully recharge from a wall outlet.
Solar Panels
Using the Jackery SolarSaga 100W solar panels, the 300 charges from 0-100% in around 8 hours in direct sunlight. The Explorer 500 takes approximately 14 hours to fully charge with the SolarSaga solar panels.
Car Charger
Through a 12V car charger, the Explorer 300 can charge from 0-100% in 6 hours. The Explorer 500 car charging time is around 12.5 hours from empty to full charge.
The Explorer 500 has double the capacity of the 300, which accounts for its longer recharge times across the various methods. Both models can be conveniently topped up through solar, AC, or DC charging options.
Use Cases for Jackery Explorer 300
The Jackery Explorer 300 is ideal for powering your essentials on shorter camping trips and for outdoor excursions.
Its compact size and lightweight build makes it easy to pack and carry, be it hiking up to your campsite or transporting to your outdoor job site. Weighing only 6.6 pounds, the Explorer 300 won’t weigh down your backpack or take up excess space in your vehicle.
For weekend camping trips, the Explorer 300 can easily power phones, tablets, laptops, small fans, string lights and other small appliances and devices. With a 293Wh capacity, it can charge a smartphone over 20 times, a 45W laptop 4 times and run a 30W CPAP machine for up to 8 hours on a single charge.
The Explorer 300 really shines for powering tools, lights and small appliances on outdoor worksites. Contractors, field scientists and even artists can bring reliable power anywhere for chainsaws, power drills, mobile worklights and other medium draw tools. Just a couple hours of solar charging can run these types of tools intermittently throughout the day.
So if you need an ultra-portable power station for shorter camping excursions or remote outdoor jobs, the Jackery Explorer 300 provides quality power without the bulk.
Use Cases for Jackery Explorer 500
The Jackery Explorer 500 is ideal for medium to large-scale power needs, especially during power outages. Its 518Wh capacity can handle appliances that the Explorer 300 may struggle with.
Here are some of the key use cases for the Jackery Explorer 500 portable power station:
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Power Outages: The Explorer 500 has enough capacity to keep essential appliances running during blackouts. It can power a mini fridge for up to 4.5 hours, ensuring food stays fresh. You can also connect lighting, a TV, fan, or CPAP machine to the Explorer 500 during an outage.
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Camping: The Explorer 500 can power a wide range of camping gear for several days without sun recharging. It can run small appliances like a blender or electric grill. Larger devices like an air conditioner can run for 2-3 hours on the Explorer 500.
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Outdoor Work: For powering tools on job sites where access to wall outlets is limited, the Explorer 500 delivers ample power. It can handle drills, circular saws, work lights, and more. Just one full charge provides enough energy for an entire day’s use of power tools.
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Emergency Preparedness: As part of an emergency kit for natural disasters or grid failures, the Explorer 500 provides backup electricity for 4-5 days. It has the capacity to keep essential medical devices, communications gear, and lighting powered up.
The Explorer 500’s higher power output and capacity make it well-suited for medium and large appliances. It provides reliable off-grid power for several days without needing a recharge.
Capacity Analysis
The Jackery Explorer 300 has a 293Wh lithium-ion battery capacity, while the Explorer 500 has a 518Wh capacity. This difference in battery size has a significant impact on how long each power station can operate various appliances before needing to be recharged.
The Jackery Explorer 300 can power a mini fridge for around 7 hours on a full charge. For the Explorer 500, a mini fridge can run for over 12 hours. With a CPAP machine, which pulls around 30 watts, the Explorer 300 can last approximately 9 hours, while the Explorer 500 can keep it running for over 17 hours.
For powering electronics like phones, tablets, or laptops, the Explorer 300 provides enough capacity to charge most devices over 10 times from zero to full. The Explorer 500 extends this capability, allowing you to charge a smartphone around 18 times from dead to 100%.
When using higher-wattage appliances like a microwave oven that pulls 1,000W, the Explorer 300 can operate it for about 20 minutes, while the Explorer 500 runs a microwave for around 30 minutes before the battery is depleted.
The increased capacity of the Explorer 500 provides significant advantages in runtime for appliances across the board. It can power more devices for longer duration, making it better suited for powering high-energy devices, larger appliances, and longer off-grid activities. However, the Explorer 300 offers sufficient capacity for lightweight camping and shorter excursions.
Advantages of Each
Jackery Explorer 300
The Jackery Explorer 300 has some key advantages due to its compact size and lower capacity. Weighing only 6.6 pounds, it is highly portable and easy to take on camping trips, to outdoor events, or anywhere you need power on-the-go.
Despite the smaller size, it can be recharged quickly in just 4 hours with a wall outlet or car charger. This makes it ideal for short trips where you need to top up the power station overnight or during the day between uses. The Explorer 300 works well for powering personal devices, small appliances, and other electronics.
Jackery Explorer 500
With a 518Wh capacity, the Jackery Explorer 500 holds more power and can charge larger devices than the 300 version. It includes 3 AC outlets, which allow you to plug in multiple appliances at once.
The larger capacity means the Explorer 500 can power things for longer between charges. It’s a better choice for running small appliances like mini-fridges, CPAP machines, or TVs. The extra outlets make it more versatile for powering a campsite.
So in summary – the Explorer 300’s advantages are portability and fast recharging, while the 500’s strengths are more capacity and simultaneous charging.
Conclusion
When choosing between the Jackery Explorer 300 and Explorer 500 portable power stations, the deciding factor will likely come down to your expected power needs and usage scenarios.
The Explorer 300’s lighter weight and smaller form makes it the ideal choice for camping trips, short outdoor excursions, and basic emergency preparedness. With a 43,200mAh battery capacity, it can easily power phones, lights, and other small devices for several days. Plus, it only takes about 3.5 hours to fully recharge with a wall outlet.
For those with higher power requirements, the Explorer 500 is a better option. The 518,400mAh capacity provides more than enough juice to power appliances like mini-fridges, CPAP machines, and small TVs for 5-8 hours. And while it does take twice as long to charge compared to the 300, the 500 can handle running these larger devices.
So if you need a highly portable, lightweight power station for basic needs, go with the Jackery Explorer 300. But if you expect to run medium-sized appliances and electronics during power outages or off-grid activities, the increased capacity and output of the Explorer 500 is likely worth the extra investment. Either way, Jackery’s line of portable power stations provide reliable, clean energy on the go.