Our Unbiased Review of the Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro

There are many big power banks on the market, which are often expensive. You want to save money on something other than one that will suit your needs or be dependable in an emergency.

Thankfully, we are here to help with our review of the Jackery 2000 Pro.

We will provide you with the details of the good and the bad, so you know what you are getting yourself into.

The power

Though the Jackery is called an Explorer 2000, it gets a little more watt-hours than that. The lithium battery houses enough space for 2160 watt-hours at a time.

For surges, it can handle about 4400w peak, though it can’t handle this consistently. This means that it can even power a small air conditioner for a little bit, though it is mostly designed for a blackout or storm that may cause blackouts.

However, it can be used in a variety of scenarios, including charging your Apple products or keeping your Starlink up and running. 

The Weight

The Jackery weighs about 43 pounds. Compared to other generators of the same strength, or even generators of this same brand, it isn’t that bad. The previous versions (such as the Jackery 1500) weighed only about eight pounds less and didn’t offer nearly as much power or battery. 

Even similar gas generators often weigh at least a few pounds more. 

The Battery

The battery is a high-quality lithium-ion battery. Despite the size of the battery, it can charge with AC power in about 2 hours. The previous Explorer (1500) took four hours to charge, for a lot less power. So this is a definite improvement.

It also has an inverter and MPPT charge controller, which provides battery protection and protection against an error as well as detectors.  

Improved Shape and Additional Features

One of the biggest complaints with the Jackery 1500 was the handle. It was too small to be much use, a little awkward, and took up a lot of space. The Jackery team listened to the complaints and made huge improvements with their generator here. 

Now, the handle is a fold down, and is much larger, making it comfortable for pretty much anyone to use. 

Also, despite having eight pounds and a lot more power than the Jackery 1500, it is only about one inch bigger. They fixed up the design to eliminate a lot of wasted space.

The whole generator is easy to use as well, with simple screens to read and easy-to-find plug-ins. The Jackery 2000 has a high pricing, with the cost going into the couple thousand territories, usually around $3,599.

Plus, you then have to buy solar panels if you want to charge it via the skies. This can be daunting, but you can also buy a pack with six solar panels plus the generator for $6,199, which is a little more bearable for the whole setup. 

Jackery 200W Solar Saga Panels

Unfortunately, the solar panels are not included when you buy the Jackery 2000, however, you can still purchase the solar panels on their website. The Jackery 2000 is designed to work with the solarsaga 200w panels. You can use up to 6 of these panels at once with your power station.

Adding more solar panels allows it to charge faster, so you don’t have to wait as long between running your appliances. With six panels, you get about 1200 watts at once coming into your battery bank, and it can charge it in about 2.5 hours with good sun. 

The panels fold up, making them easy to carry, and are a definite improvement from the 100W one that previous models have used. They are easy to expand and are a lot more sturdy and they also fold up into pretty much the same size as the 100W ones, so they don’t take up that much extra space. 

Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro Testing

This Jackery can take a beating. We tested it under some pretty poor conditions, including temperatures above 100 degrees. If you read the manual, you will see that the ideal operating temperature shouldn’t exceed 104, and we weren’t much below that.

However, despite the high temp, it worked well and was able to run our AC for the full time without a problem. It did have to run its fan pretty much the whole time, so we assume that running at hot temperatures for too long will cause that fan to die a lot faster than it should. 

When charging the battery pack back up, however, we did notice that temperature played a part. Despite having two solar panels (which should charge up in 7.5 hours according to their website), it took about nine.

This isn’t ideal, especially because you aren’t necessarily supposed to charge and use the battery bank at the same time, but it also isn’t the worst we’ve experienced. 

The system also comes with an SOS mode and a flashlight. While we didn’t see a need for the SOS mode during our testing, the flashlight was nice if I needed t mess with something nearby late at night. It’s a little too heavy to lug around like a flashlight, but it is a good help if it’s already in the area. 

One thing we didn’t like very much was the rubber caps that cover the ports. They don’t fit as well as they should and are pretty difficult to get to fit sometimes.

This means that there is often a struggle to get them closed. And if they aren’t properly in, it can cause sand, dirt, and moisture to get in, which can cause severe problems. 

How RVers Might Use the Explorer 2000

Having an electric generator isn’t something that might initially come to your mind for RVs. Since you are essentially powering your whole house, they weren’t originally able to provide enough power for long enough to be useful. 

However, with the Jackery Explorer 2000, that changed. Now, it has the power to run what you need it to with no problems, and be dependable for hours.  Even if you have another dedicated power source (which many RVers don’t), this can be a beneficial system, and we will provide you with some examples below. 

Supplementing Existing Power

Even if you are connected to power or have a solar array set up, the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro can help you supplement any additional power you need. It is also great for van camping.

For example, if you are hooked up to regular outlets in a home instead of camping with 50 and 30 amp hookups, you likely only have 15 amps to power your whole RV. This can easily be overloaded if you use a lot of electricity throughout your system. 

But by using this generator, you can add a boost of power to the power you already have so you can run more without worrying about flipping a breaker.

Also, some campgrounds have bans on when you can run a generator since they are so loud. With how quiet these are, they can often slip through that rule without a problem. Also, since there are no emissions, if you are using it at night, you can keep it inside your RV to make it extra quiet for your neighbors. 

You can also use it to charge an iPad for work, charge any cameras you may have, and even power lights. 

Keeping Cool

It’s no secret that AC takes a lot of power. If you have a big rig where you need two, or even three, AC units, then your normal power situation isn’t going to work. Especially if you are relying on other solar panels or a regular wall outlet. 

By using one of these generators, you can cool the air and supplement any solar panel or power station you are currently using. It also boosts your output so you can get more power and run more appliances than you could normally. 

Making Remote Work Even More Remote

Sometimes, you don’t want to be in a city or campground, and you want to truly boondock. However, campers can’t do that if they have a remote job, as you need the internet and power.

While we can’t help you with the internet, the Jackery 2000 will make sure you get the power you need to run your devices, such as routers, computers, phones, and more. 

Solar panels and the whole system with a lithium-ion battery, inverters, adapters, and more can easily cost you $15,000, and not everyone has that much money. This generator is a lot cheaper and gives you plenty of power while still relying on the sun. 

Even if you have a solar system, using this battery bank can give you the emergency power and energy you need in case something goes wrong or isn’t working as it should. 

Emergency Power

Sometimes, things happen. Perhaps something broke a solar panel, or your batteries don’t have a charge. Maybe it’s been cloudy for days and you have emptied the battery in your camper. 

This generator is a battery bank as well. This means that while it charges from the sun, it can also hold a charge until it s needed. This makes it a great backup to another system you may have because if you run out of charge, this will be there whether it is sunny or not (as long as you charged it up beforehand)

Plus, while it can ideally be charged with the sun from the solar panels, that isn’t the only way. You can charge it in your car or using someone else’s power, so you don’t have to rely on sunny days in case of an emergency. 

Kid Entertainment

Sometimes, going off-grid might seem impossible if you have children, especially ones that aren’t as much of a fan of the great outdoors as you. Maybe you have grandchildren who visit for a couple of weeks a year and don’t have enough power to support their needs such as playing video games and watching TV. 

You don’t have to go and buy a loud gas generator or find a new place to camp with the Jackery 2000. Just hook it up, set out the solar panels, and it should be able to run its systems easily for hours. 

Charging

Unless you have lithium-ion batteries, you can’t fully discharge your RV batteries without harming them. For marine batteries, you want to keep them above 20%. Sometimes, things happen though, and you find yourself using more power than you normally would.

Thankfully, this generator comes with lithium batteries that can be charged via AC, DC, or a car input, so no matter what cables you have or what times you need this generator, it is ready for you. Whether you need to recharge your battery or charge things like a phone, Macbook, laptop, or some other device, the generator is there to help you out. 

We do have to say, that with the system only having an IP67 rating for water resistance, our experience was a little dulled. We live in Texas, which is well-known for getting a good hurricane or two a year.

So if we wanted to use it in an emergency scenario to power an appliance or two, we couldn’t really trust it with the task of charging during the breaks when it is sunny for a moment, without a lot of luck on our side that it wouldn’t rain again. 

In fact, even if you aren’t using the tech for an emergency scenario, it is kind of a letdown. A lot of people during the pandemic began to camp and travel more.

These generators help people stay in touch, but it has its limits as you can’t leave the generator, cables, or solar panels outside in rain without risking a lot of damage to your system.

California Ban

California is starting a process to ban traditional gas generators in California. While they aren’t banning those that already own a generator, they are planning to have zero emissions from all generators by 2028. Some generators will be banned as early as 2024. 

This can be a problem for many people who like to have a generator in case of an emergency if they need a little extra power, or even while out camping. 

Thankfully, with the Jackery Explorer 2000, you don’t have to worry about gas or emissions. Since it runs on electricity, it is a great option for those living in or planning to visit California that rely on a generator for power. 

The Gasoline Elephant in the Room

While electric generators are theoretically better, as they don’t have emissions, the power still has to come from somewhere. Unless you are always only using solar power, the process of charging it isn’t fully emission-free. 

So does that mean that gas generators and solar generators are equal? Not exactly. While gas generators tend to cost less initially, which is what entices many people to buy one over a solar generator, the costs can quickly pile up.

You have to constantly purchase gas for your generator. With the price of gas now, that cost can quickly add up. Not to mention that gas can go bad. So if you stocked up in case of an emergency, you might have to replace the gas occasionally to make sure it isn’t bad. 

Unless something in your electric generator breaks, it will last without additional purchases until the battery dies. All you have to do is remember to take out the solar panels on sunny days so they can charge. 

Solar generators are also much quieter. We aren’t saying they are completely silent, as they do require a fan to pull heat away from the battery, it’s much quieter than a gas generator.

If you’ve ever heard a gas generator, you know pretty much the entire campsite can hear when you turn yours on, even if you get the quieter ones that cost more. 

With the electric generator, only you and maybe your closest neighbors will be able to hear you. 

Finally, since you can rely solely on solar panels, you can be emission-free, even indirectly. This also increases the safety, as the generator can be used no matter the weather and be placed inside without the danger or emissions. 

Comparison with Other Brands

Generator	Peak Watts	Charging Time	Total Number of Cycles	Cost per Cycle	Dimension	Weight
Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro	4400W	2.5 hrs.	500	$4.9	15.1 x 10.6 x 12.1 in	43lbs.
Anker 757	1500W	5.6 hrs.	3000	$0.4	‎18.22 x 9.34 x 11.34 in	‎43.9lbs.
EcoFlow Delta 1000	1600W	2.6 hr.	500	$1.59	15.7 x 8.3 x 10.6 in	30.9lbs.
Bluetti PowerOak EB55	700W	1.8 hrs.	2,500+	$2.9	10.94 × 7.87 × 7.79 in	16.5lbs.
Flashfish 1000W	1000W	6-9 hrs.	2000+	$0.4	15.5 x 11 x 8.3 in	23.15lbs.
Goal Zero Yeti 1500X	2000W	14 hrs.	500	$3.6	15.25 x 10.23 x 10.37 in	45.64lbs.
Inergy Kodiak X2	1200W	1.15 hrs.	6000	$0.2	15 x 10.25 x 8.75 in	35lbs.
Nature’s Generator Elite	3600W	8-12 hrs.	700	$1.4	23 × 17 × 22 in	120lbs.
Pecron E2000LFP	2000W	2-3 hrs.	3500	$0.7	16 x 10 x 11 in	48.5lbs.
Leoch 2000W	2000W	3-4 hrs.	3000+	$0.3	19.9 × 11.2 ×13.9 in	72.6lbs.
Okmo 2000W	2000W	10 hrs.	1500	$0.6	43 x 3 x 14 in	46lbs.
Oukitel P2001	2000W	1.8 hrs.	3500	$0.4	15.5 x 10.9 x 12.9 in	48.4lbs.
Oupes 2400W	2400W	3.5 hrs.	3500	$0.5	10.5 x 7.76 x 9.73 in	45.6lbs.
Vigorous VXL2000	1400W	8 hrs.	3000	$0.3	16 x 6.3 x 6 in	39.6lbs.

How Long Does It Take To Charge?

For how large the battery is, the charge rate is pretty fast. You have three main ways to charge the solar generator. You can use solar panels, a regular AC outlet, or a DC car plugin. 

Each of these has a different speed by which it charges. For a regular house outlet (AC power) it takes just two hours. You may see that this is a huge boost from previous Jackery versions, which can take 4 hours for fewer batteries. 

The solar panels can charge it in anywhere between 2.5 to 7.5 hours depending on how much sun you are getting onto them, and how many solar panels you use. You can use 6x, 4x, or 2x Solarsaga 200W solar panels (having a pair or pairs is best for balanced gear and an optimal configuration), but you can also just use one, or a smaller amount, so charging can vary drastically.

DC (cigarette lighter input) power takes a bit longer, as it takes a full 24 hours, but this is pretty standard with car batteries. 

How Many Devices Can It Charge at Once?

It has three AC ports, two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and one DC (12V) car port, which means you can potentially charge eight devices at one time. Thanks to a pure sine wave inverter built into the system and an MPPT charge controller, this generator is safe and has plenty of watt hours (WH) for any and all adventures.

The large storage capacity also allows you to run for a while just on the battery, in case there are clouds and no sunlight for a long time. 

However, since it does have a limit on how much power it can provide at once, if you are doing multiple items, make sure they don’t need a lot of power. Otherwise, you may want to reduce how many things are plugged in and running. 

If you are using AC outlets, you may know that an inverter is involved. Sometimes, inverters are unable to power as much as the whole generator could, but with this solar mobile lithium battery pack for outdoor RV adventures, the inverter as 2200w AC outlets, so you can power just as much solely using your AC outlets. 

What Is the Capacity of the Jackery 2000?

The Jackery Portable Power Station can hold 2160 watt-hours in its lithium-ion battery. But that doesn’t help out the average person much. So let’s break it down. On a single battery, without a recharge, it can power:

• Router or satellite dish- 15 hours
• Laptops- 30 hours
• 32-inch TV- 30 hours
• Coffee maker- 3 hours
• Electric cooler- 15 hours
• iPhone- 75 hours
• Microwave oven- 96 minutes
• Air conditioners- 88 minutes
• Electric grill- 65 minutes

So as you can see, in case of emergency use, if you need to keep your fridge running, or you just need a boost of power this can provide you with that for a decent amount of time. This isn’t all it can power either. We didn’t include flashlights, lawn & garden products, music players for CDs, home improvement tools, tech gear, and more. 

What Is the Warranty?

If your order from the Jackery site itself, you get a five-year warranty. This drops to three years if you order from a different site. The additional two years are free, as long as your order it from Jackery’s website directly.

Returns of orders are easy, whether you buy them in a physical shop or an online store. They also have excellent customer support tools in their department, which is one of the reasons they have such high stars and ratings. 

Their warranty is standard across all of their products. You can exchange a product that doesn’t work as it should any time during the warranty period free of charge.

That new product continues the warranty of the old one. The warranty is also only good for the original purchaser. If you sell it to someone within five years, they don’t get the remainder of your warranty. 

You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

How Much Does It Weigh?

Just the solar generator by itself weighs about 43 pounds. This makes it only 8 pounds heavier than the Jackery Explorer 1500 while offering a lot more power. 

In comparison, the Honda gas generator (EU2000) which is similar to this electric one, weighs about a pound more. 

However, you have to also take the solar panels into account, if you are purchasing them. If you get all six solar panels and the kit, you are looking at a total weight of 150 pounds as each panel weighs about 18.3 pounds. 

As big as this is, this model can power almost anything. It can be taken on trips, but it is also great for powering everything you need in emergencies as a home use generator. 

What Are the Dimensions?

The dimensions are (in Length by Width, by Depth): 15.2 inches by 10.5 inches, by 12.1 inches. If you use centimeters that is 38.4 centimeters by 26.90 centimeters by 30.75 centimeters.

If this is too big, looking at once like the Jackery Explorer 240 is a good idea. It can’t power big equipment and kitchen appliances like refrigerators, but if you just need a no-hassle charging port that doesn’t take too much storage space on your trips and has multiple outputs, this is a great option. 

There is also the Jackery Solar Generator 1000, which is a little lighter and smaller, but still has a fair amount of power. The dimensions of the solar panels are 21.2 by 24.2 by 1.6 inches folded up while they are 21.3 by 91.3 by 1 inch unfolded. 

Is It Available in Different Colors?

Jackery products do not come in different colors. They only come in the orange and gray colors you see on their websites. 

What Is the Average Life Expectancy?

Most lithium-ion batteries last for 500 full cycles. A cycle is considered a complete charge and discharge. That is one cycle. For each lithium-ion battery, you get 500 of these full cycles. With average usage, that means the battery can last you about 2 to 3 years. 

However, when those 500 cycles are done, that doesn’t mean the battery is immediately dead. Instead, it just drops in performance. After 500 cycles, it only becomes 80 percent effective. So if you don’t mind having a little less battery storage capabilities, you can probably even run it for a few years after that. 

How Does the Jackery 2000 Compare to Other Portable Chargers on the Market?

The Jackery 2000 is well above many other portable chargers on the market. Not only does it use a top-notch lithium-ion battery,  but it is also much cheaper than other electric/solar generators. 

One of the biggest differences though, that make up for any cons that the Jackery might have is the power output. Even if you find another solar charger that is in the 2000 range for power, you may find that that isn’t the case. 

While some solar charges say they can hit 2000 watts, they mean in short bursts, usually under five minutes. After that, the battery management system is running so hard that it has to take a break. Most of them can only run about half of the max power, or less, constantly. 

That isn’t the case with the Jackery 2000. It can run the full 2000 watts right up until the battery dies. So when it says you get 2000 watts of power, it means it. 

How Does the Jackery 2000 Perform in Terms of Charging Speed?

The Jackery 2000 charges at a pretty decent speed. Since it has 2000 watts that it can use at once, that’s more than a traditional outlet provides. However, it depends on how many products you have plugged in at once. 

Each one will take more of the power, reducing charging speeds. And if you are running something like the AC at the same time, you might only have 600 watts or so to use for your phone, which can make it take longer as well. 

There is also a display screen, so you can check the exact power draw and battery life on your Jackery. This is a great addition as you don’t have to risk using too much wattage, or being low on battery before your trip without the opportunity to refill power before your camping trip. 

Who Would Benefit From Using the Jackery 2000?

Anyone that uses a fair amount of power, whether at home or camping, would benefit from the Jackery 2000. It can be charged and stored for emergencies so that you can run a refrigerator, freezer, or a CPAP machine in case your house’s power dies for a while.

But it also provides power while camping, with not a lot of space or weight added. It is definitely worth adding to your Christmas list or your wish list right away. 

Related Article:

Power Up Your Adventures: How to Choose the Perfect Jackery for Your Needs

Jackery 2000 Pro Specifications

Capacity	2160Wh (43.2V 50Ah)
Power Outputs	120V, 60Hz, 2200W (4400W Peak)
DC Charging Input	“11V-17.5V, 8A Max, Double to 8A Max 17.5V-60V, 12A, Double to 24A/1400W Max”
Auto Shutoff	No
Size	38.4×26.90×30.75cm
Weight	43 lbs (19.5 kg)
Included	1* Car Charge Cable, 1* AC Charge Cable, 1* User Manual
Warranty	2-Years Warranty
Optional Accessories	Jackery SolarSaga 200W Solar Panel
Measurements	15.1 x 10.5 x 12.1 in
Maximum Output Power	4400W Peak
AC Output Voltages	120V
AC Overloads	Yes
AC Output Frequency	60Hz
AC Cooling Fan	Yes
Charging Rates	2,160Wh
Charge Times	2 Hours
Flashlight	No
12V DC Output Voltage	12V,10A
LCD Meters	Yes
Self Discharge	No

SolarSaga200W Specification That Use To Charge Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro

Peak Power	200W(6x)	200W(4x)	200W(2x)	200W(1x)
Weight	18.26lbs.	18.26lbs.	18.26lbs.	18.26lbs.
Dimension (folded)	540 x 615 x 40 mm	540 x 615 x 40 mm	540 x 615 x 40 mm	540 x 615 x 40 mm
Dimension (unfloded)	540 x 2320 x 25 mm	540 x 2320 x 25 mm	540 x 2320 x 25 mm	540 x 2320 x 25 mm
Cell Efficiency	23%	23%	23%	23%
Charging Time of Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro	2.5hrs.	4hrs.	7.5hrs.	14.5hrs.

What Can It Power?

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