Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro review: letting flex-workers flex

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Sometimes you have a hole so big that only a big-ass battery can refill it. If you want to transform the sun into 1200W of usable energy, you need a portable battery that can capture all the power created by six 200W solar panels at once.

Jackery's Solar Generator 2000 Pro kit starts with a 2,160Wh (50Ah/43.2V) capacity Explorer 2000 Pro Power Station and then adds up to six of the company's SolarSaga 200W (19V) solar panels. Jackery is positioning it as a quiet and emission-free competitor to gas powered generators.

Over the last few weeks, I have been traveling with a kit that I use to set it up at the beach and campgrounds. If I am going to test a portable power system, I want it to weigh less than 90 pounds and be portable.

I wouldn't want to rely on the Jackery's Solar Generator 2000 Pro to keep my home powered during a power failure. It is an excellent renewable power source for anyone looking to make the most of temporary flexible remote work arrangements.

There are a lot of scenarios where you might need a battery with a handle. The Explorer 2000 Pro can keep a projector running for 24 hours, an electric BBQ for 100 minutes, an electric drill for 60 hours, or a Starlink RV internet-from-space kit for 3 to 4 days. It can power any AC device that draws up to 2,200W with a peak of 4,400W. If you live in an area prone to black outs, it could provide a few hours of emergency backup to your fridge or air conditioner.

The battery has eight outlets, three of which are AC, two of which are Quick Charge 3.0, and a car jack. There are three buttons on the front of the battery that can be used to turn on and off each cluster.

The built-in display can be hard to read in sunlight, but it is nice to see the power coming in from the sun compared to the power going out.

I should be able to charge the Explorer 2000 Pro's battery in just over five hours using a pair of 200W panels. Jackery thinks it will charge in 7.5 hours. Jackery says that you should expect closer to 170W max in daily use if you use the 200W number on each panel.

I was able to charge the battery from zero to full in 9 hours. The panel temperature, panel angle, and light intensity were all factors that affected the charge rate. When I placed the 200W panels at a 90-degree angle to the sun, I saw a solar input reading of 351W. The number was short-lived as some clouds moved in and the sun continued to progress across the sky.

If you have no other source of power, 9 hours to charge from 100 percent isn't bad. If you need emergency power at your home because of a storm that blocks the sun for days, it is not good.

Even a single 200W panel producing about 170W is enough to offset the power required for Starlink RV internet. It's a good idea to have a second 200W panel to make sure the battery is fully charged when you need to charge a mountain bike.

Jackery says it can charge the Explorer 2000 Pro in 2.5 hours. The Solar Generator 2000 Pro kit will cost you $6,199 and weigh over 150 pounds, making it the definition of portable.

I tested the Jackery SolarSaga panels and found them to be very efficient with monocrystalline solar cells. They can be positioned and connected in about 30 seconds. Magnets and snaps are used to fold the panels. Each panel weighs 18.3 pounds and measures 21.3 x 91.3 x 1 inches unfolded, or 21.3 x 24.2 x 1.6 inches folded, and comes with a protective case that includes an internal pocket where you can keep the DC input cable.

I would rather travel with two of Jackery's 200W panels than one of their 400W panels. The 200W panels are portable.

• I choose to bring just one 200W solar panel when traveling on a very sunny trip.
• Jackery’s folded solar panels shown with (left) and without (right) the case.
• The 400W generator produces plenty of power to keep things like Starlink RV internet service up and running from anywhere.
• Jackery uses proprietary connectors but adapters for third-party panels can be found on Amazon and elsewhere.
• The integrated kickstand on the panel itself is very useful.
• A pocket inside the solar panel’s carrying case keeps the cables with the panels.

Mentions of other worthwhile things.

• The battery can also be charged from zero to full in about 2 hours from a wall jack, or in 24 hours via your running car’s 12V output.
• Jackery notes that the solar panel and car charger inputs on the Explorer 2000 Pro battery cannot be used at the same time in a bid to accelerate charging. Just in case you were hoping to hack this into an RV.
• The Explorer 2000 Pro battery has its own MPPT controller with a 97 percent solar charging conversion efficiency rate. It also uses a pure sine wave inverter which is better for your gear.
• The fan is quiet compared to other large batteries I’ve tested.
• The Explorer 2000 Pro battery is fitted with a proprietary 8mm solar panel connector. Using third-party solar panels to charge it requires an MC4 adapter not sold by Jackery (but easy to find on Amazon).
• There’s no app to remotely monitor input and output, which is a shame.
• The Explorer 2000 Pro battery is not waterproof — but the panels have an IP67 rating.
• Charging from more than two panels requires the purchase of an adapter from Jackery that allows two or three panels to be connected to the battery in series.
• The battery has an integrated flashlight with three intensity settings and an SOS mode.
• The battery will shut down after 12 hours if not in use.
• The rubber caps covering the ports are fiddly and difficult to seat in place at times. As such, I imagine impatient owners will just let them hang loose which could cause issues with dirt, sand, and moisture getting inside the ports down the road.

The Solar Generator 2000 Pro kit from Jackery has an excellent balance of portable, storage, and output power. It replenishes the power you use during your outdoor adventures.

Jackery's solar generator kit is comparable to 2200W gas powered generators. The Jackery setup is suitable for use in a house or RV because it runs quietly and doesn't emit emissions. Jackery's heavier generator kits are at least twice the price and depend on the sun to refill the battery, whereas traditional generators will continue to operate for as long as you keep adding gas.

If you want clean portable power for your gadgets and appliances then Jackery is the way to go. Gas generators won if you prioritized backup power.

The Explorer 2000 Pro battery is large enough to fit in a small microwave. Even with a broken collar bone, I was able to get it into the storage of the footwell behind the driver's seat of a small car. The panels are easy to fold down into a flat package.

You are my kind of people if you spring for the 1200W Solar Generator 2000 Pro kit. It is almost double the price, but everyone needs to go full god mode every once in awhile.

Thomas Ricker is the photographer.