When it comes to portable power, the first company that comes to my mind every time is Jackery. I have extensive experience with the brand’s dependable solar generators, which provide sustainable power during a bright and sunny day and reserve power for the wee hours of the night when there’s no sunlight at all.
Last year, I went out and about with the Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro, which could be used for small camping trips or emergency power on the fly, and it’s solar capabilities allowed it to be fully renewable in the field. But when you start to use heavier equipment, you quickly realize you can always do with more battery capacity, and that’s where Jackery’s newer Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro comes into play.
The last portable power station you’ll ever need?
When you see that number hop up from 1000 to 3000, you know you’re getting something a lot bigger, and that’s exactly true when it comes to Jackery. While the Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro sported a 1,002 watt-hour battery, the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro has a much larger 3,024 watt-hour battery.
This huge battery packs some weight – almost 70 pounds to be exact – and so the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro comes in a rolling suitcase design with a retractable aluminum alloy pull handle and built-in wheels with tires so that you don’t have to carry the thing around and break your back. If you are feeling strong and mighty, you can use the grab handles on either side to lift it up.
If it seems like that’s a lot of power, that’s because it is. You can power most home appliances for a relatively long time with this unit, and because of that, Jackery went ahead and provided an RV power port so that you can power an entire RV or travel trailer with it if you wanted to. This makes the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro ideal for camping, glamping, and those rough emergencies that result in power outages.
The complete list of power ports that you get on the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro below:
- AC Output: 1x 120V, 60Hz, 25A Max, 3000W
- AC Output: 4x 120V, 60Hz, 20A Max, 2400W
- Car/DC Output: 1x 12V⎓10A
- USB-A Output: 2x Quick Charge 3.0, 18W Max 5-6V⎓3A, 6-9V⎓2A, 9-12V⎓5A
- USB-C Output: 2x 100W Max 5V⎓3A, 9V⎓3A, 12V⎓3A, 15V⎓3A, 20V⎓5A
These specs mean that you can power a 1160W microwave for up to 2.2 hours, a 800W oven for up to 3 hours, a 350W space heater for up to 6 hours, a 300W blender for up to 8 hours, or a 15-520W refrigerator for up to 72 hours. You can also use the same power station to provide juice for your power tools, computers, mobile devices, or anything else you might use in the field.
I’ve personally used mine to keep my MacBook Pro charged up for a weeks’ worth of camping, and it allowed me to stay connected. In fact, I’m sure Sebastien didn’t even notice I was gone because the Jackery unit let me work on demand as if I were connected to the ordinary power grid.
Charging the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro
On the rear of the unit, you will find two input jacks for solar panels, and one input jack for the ordinary power outlet charging cable. If you’re linking more than two solar panels, then you’ll need to daisy chain them together. Each port is covered by a rubber boot that prevents the elements from eroding the metal contacts or getting them caked with dirt or grime in the field.
The charging cable is a straight cable with no AC adapter to be seen. The AC adapter is housed inside of the unit and kept cool with cooling fans that are up to 30% more efficient than older models. An internal battery management system (BMS) keeps you and those around you safe from battery failures with 12 different forms of built-in protection.
Even with such a massive power bank at your disposal, you won’t spend all day charging it. You can fill the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro from 0-100% charge in as little as 2.4 hours with the provided cable and an ordinary power outlet, or as little as 3.5 hours with 6 200W solar panels from Jackery. You can also charge it slower in the Sun with a smaller number of solar panels and still charge up off the grid.
Speaking of solar panels, pairing the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro with the dual SolarSaga 200W solar panel arrays lets you stay outdoors longer by collecting light from the Sun and harnessing it as usable energy.
You can’t use a USB-C port to charge this unit up, but that’s to be expected when you’re talking about a massive 3,024 watt-hour battery… I mean come on, can you even imagine how long that would take to charge?
Advanced connectivity
The latest line of Jackery portable power units, including the Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro that we’re showing you today, feature the ability to connect to a smartphone app via Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi that shows information about your device.
The different kinds of information that the connected app provides for end users include:
- Remaining battery level
- Estimated running time
- Input and output wattages
You can also use the app to customize your charging experience to suit your individual requirements for whatever you might be doing with your Jackery unit.
My thoughts on the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro
Being that I live in Florida, an apparent magnet for hurricane activity around this time of the year, I’m no stranger to losing power. I’ve recognized over the years, especially since that I work via the internet, just how important having backup power is. You really come to appreciate the luxury of backup power when the food in your refrigerator doesn’t spoil because you’re able to power it when the electric company can’t.
Even if you aren’t packing this kind of power for emergencies, anyone with a large yard or who goes on a camping (wouldn’t you call it glamping at this rate?) trip will appreciate being able to take power tools or other necessities with them when there aren’t any power outlets nearby and when your extension cords won’t reach.
One of my favorite things about any Jackery solar-enabled product is the renewable energy bit. You’re making free electricity without paying a power company to do so, and Jackery’s solar panels are so efficient at up to 25% efficiency that you can keep your unit powered even when romping on it with high-demand tools, appliances, and miscellaneous electric devices.
I’ve used mine to power electric chainsaws far away from my house where no extension cords could reach, to power waffle makers and refrigerators when the power goes out at home, and to keep my electronic devices juiced up when I take to the woods where there isn’t any power at all. I pretty much always have power to spare when I’m finished with anything, which is a testament to just how much power 3,024 watt-hours truly is; I’ve never fully drained the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro before… but maybe some day…
Below, I’ve compiled a list of pros and cons to help summarize what I think about the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro:
Pros:
- So much power that you won’t know what to do with it
- Several power output ports, including an RV outlet
- USB-A & USB-C ports power electronics effortlessly
- Ability to accept solar panels to extend power availability off the grid
- Stupid-fast charging speeds as little as 2.4 hours from 0-100%
- Advanced BMS helps keep you save from battery issues
- Highly portable rolling suitcase-like design with sturdy hardware
- Informative all-color display shows current input & output values
Cons:
- Heavy 70-pound device
- App could do with more controls & smart features
- No built-in flashlight like some smaller models have
- A costly investment
Where to get one
If you’re interested in a Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro of your own, then you can pick one up from Amazon, Prime-shipped, without solar panels for $2,399 (after $400 coupon applied) or with solar panels for $3,299 (after $700 coupon applied). These deep savings won’t last long, and are just in time for the upcoming holiday season.
Even if you aren’t in the market for such an expensive or powerful product, even a portable battery unit such as the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240 with a 240 watt-hour battery can be a helpful item to take with you on your journey, and it’s super affordable at just $199 shipped (after $20 coupon applied).
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Wrapping up
Getting into the world of solar generators is a pricy step to take, but once you get your foot in the door, it’s a valuable asset to have at your disposal. Another thing about Jackery that I like is how their solar panels are compatible across their entire line of power banks, so if you decide to upgrade to a larger one down the line, you can probably keep using your existing solar panels without shelling out the extra cash to get new ones.
This unit is currently the single largest one Jackery brings to the table, but since initially going hands-on with the Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Pro last year, and now with the larger Portable Power Station Explorer 3000 Pro after this year’s hurricane season I’m happy to see the brand incorporating smart features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled apps that give users more control from a distance.
If you ever find yourself needing more power than an ordinary power bank can give you, look at Jackery. This is a brand that I can confidently say from my own testing makes dependable battery powerhouses and I almost never hear of anyone coping with electrical issues like I do with some of the no-name brands.