Is investing in a Solar Generator the right move for you

As you may know by now, solar panels are not just found on rooftops anymore. There are many solar panels, solar generators, and power stations like the ones we sell that are very portable and can be taken practically anywhere. If you are on a campsite, a boat, on the beach – solar generators are a good source of power especially when you need it most. Most common question is, what is it anyway? How do they work? Don’t worry as we’ll explain some important points about solar generators and why they are nice to have.

Solar Generators – what are they?

To explain it simply, a solar generator is a portable battery storage system that is powered by its built-in solar panels. Let’s highlight the word portable – because unlike solar plus storage systems – these solar generators do not really require an expert for having it installed in your home and can even be used anywhere when you need it. Experiencing an outage? Just turn on your solar generator and you’re good to go!

How do Solar Generators provide power?

Solar generators typically have two major components: solar panels and their battery storage system. When a solar generator is placed outside, it gets to generates direct current electricity from the sun. There’s a part of the solar generator called the charge controller where it can regulate the power output that is absorbed by the solar panels so that electricity can be stored in the battery storage system.

Once you’re ready to use the stored electricity, it will pass through the inverter which will then convert the electricity to alternating current electricity – basically used by most appliances. Now you can plug in your devices and start powering them up!

What are the benefits of getting Solar Generators:

1. You get free energy from sunlight. Solar panels typically last between 25 to 35 years.
2. The cost to maintain is low. They don’t require you to use liquid fuel which is expensive. Plus, it is portable and easy to move so need to hire people to help you re-position them.
3. Works seamlessly without noise and pollution. Compared to fossil fuel ones, solar generators do not emit harmful chemicals that will harm the earth’s atmosphere.

What you need to consider when getting Solar Generators:

1. It only provides a limited power supply. All types of generators only have limited capacity. Do not expect to have it power the entire house. Of course, you can always re-charge yours for smaller appliances.
2. Recharging may take some time. It always needs to be done during the day. If you don’t have time to do this then it may not be your best option.

Frequently Asked Questions for your Jackery Explorer Series and Solar Generators

How much time do I have when using my Jackery power station when charging my devices?

• You will need to check the device’s operating power (watts). If it shows a lesser output than the power output of the model you own for the Explorer, then it can be supported. One example – The Jackery Explorer E500 can run any device that has 110V and requires less than 500W. Please note that the power consumption may vary depending on different factors. You can contact us at info@homesteadsupplier.com if you have any more questions.

Can the Explorer Series support pass-through charge?

• Of course, with the exception of the Explorer 160. All other models support pass-through charging. Please take note that using this frequently may cause battery life issues.

If I won’t use the Jackery power stations for a long period of time, where do I store them and how often can I charge it?

• Make sure that the storage area where you will keep the power stations is around 0-40 degrees Celsius. You can recharge the power stations every 3 months to keep the battery around 50% if you are not going to use it.

I have the Explorer 1000 and I am interested to use it for my electric kettle, blanket or coffee maker. Is that going to be okay?

• Normally, kettles are more than 1000W and the Explorer 1000 will not be able to handle it. Please remember that it can only run devices that are operating less than 1000W. Always check the detailed input data of your devices. (Watts = VoltsxAmps).

I have a solar panel that I bought from a different manufacturer, can I use this to charge my Jackery Power Station?

• The power stations in the Jackery Explorer series can be charged with a 3^rd party brand solar panel. Always check the plug size and input voltage of the model you have for the power station if it matches the solar panel you have. Note: We don’t recommend doing this as we cannot guarantee the safety and quality of other products. We also do not provide service for them. We always recommend buying our Solar Saga100W Solar Panels.

I have a flight coming up and I want to take my portable power station with me. Will I be allowed to do that?

• You cannot. You are not allowed to bring any type of battery that exceeds 100wh inside a plane. This is according to the FAA Regulations.

Is the Jackery Portable Power Stations can also be called a solar generators?

• All of the power stations under the Explorer series can be recharged using an AC outlet and solar panels. Since our power stations can store energy that is coming from the sun, then we can also call it a Solar Generator.

What kind of battery is inside my Jackery Portable Station?

• It is made out of a premium ternary lithium battery (18650). The suppliers where we get this from are LG and BAK Battery.

Does my Jackery Portable Power Station have Pure-sine wave inverters?

• It depends. If you have the Explorer 160, then it features a Modified-sine Wave inverter. All other models under the Jackery Explorer Series use Pure-sine Wave inverters.

How do I take care of my Jackery Power Station?

• It is recommended to always have the battery power above 20%.
• Your fully charged battery can last several months. Please don’t forget to recharge it every 3 months to keep it at 50% if you are not going to be using it.
• Make sure that the storage area is 0-40 degrees Celsius and only charge your power station within an area that is 10-40 degrees Celsius.

How long can I expect my Jackery Power Station to last?

• Since they are built with lithium batteries, it is rated typically around 500 complete charge cycles which are around two to three years. At that point in time, you will still have around 80% of the battery capacity and will now reduce from that point. Always recharge your power stations every 3 months if you are not using them for a long time.

Is there a way to turn off the Auto Shut Off function?

• With the Explorer 1500A, it will shut off if not used for 12 hours. If you have the 1500B and updated it, you can avoid having it automatically shut off by just pressing the AC switch and Display button simultaneously for around 10 seconds.

How can I charge my Jackery Power Station?

• You can purchase the Solar Saga 100W and use the solar panels to charge it.
• You can charge it through the AC charger that comes with the product and plug it into a normal wall outlet.
• You can charge inside your car using the cable that comes with the product.

I notice there’s a fan. When does it turn on?

• With the E160/240/300, since it is controlled by the inverter, the fan will start when the temperature reaches around 45 degrees Celsius or if the output power reaches around 150W.
• With the E500, it will start to turn on around 55 degrees Celsius or if the output power reaches 125W.
• With the E1000, the same temp as the E500 and once the output power reaches 250W.
• With the E1500, when it reaches 150W or if the temperature of the battery cell/inverter reaches 40 degrees Celsius.

I am trying to locate the Serial Number, where is it?

• You can find it either at the bottom of your power station or at the upper right corner of the back of the power station.
• For the solar panels, it is either below the handle bar code or at the opposite side of the USB Port.