Jackery Explorer 500 Power Station Is Perfect For Van Lifers Needing Power

22 July, 2019 by Brandon Salt

Living off grid doesn’t have to be hard; we get lots of messages from people who are thinking about living in a van or travelling in a van, and their biggest concerns are always about how they will get power for their digital nomad devices, and also how they will choose the best campervan toilets for their newest build. You might have your best campervan insulation stored away or one of our best campervan cookers ready and waiting to be installed in your new tiny home, but you won’t get very far if you don’t have the right electrical set up. But what kind of system will be right for your tiny house? Do you really need a solar panel the size of the EarthRoamer camper on your roof, or will a portable solar charger give you all of the precious juice that you need? We’ve been taking a look at the Jackery Explorer 500 power station, a one-stop-shop for all of your portable power needs and a real game-changer when it comes to charging on the go!

Does the thought of Full Time Van Life fill you with excitement? Do you spend your weeks dreaming of small travel trailers and micro campers? Head over to our Van Lifers and Weekend Warriors Facebook Group and join our ever-growing community of vandwellers from around the world. Share vanlife tips, chat about the latest and greatest gear, and pass on the best van life stories from your favourite van life travel spots!

Portable power has never looked so good or so affordable. If any of our readers are about to build a campervan, then you may already know that the electrical system is the hardest part to get right. It is also one of the biggest van life costs to consider too, especially if you’re planning on working on the road. The Jackery Explorer 500 takes all of this stress away, eliminating the need to spend hours drawing boring electrical diagrams until 2 am and tearing out your hair with frustration over wires and the best camper van batteries. It’s a perfect solution for any weekend warrior, and it’s a nice price too!

The Jackery 500 Explorer Power Station Is Perfect For Your Next Off Grid Adventure!

You can pretty much use the Jackery 500 Explorer anywhere; it's even dog friendly!

Here it is folks, the Jackery 500 Explorer power station in all its glory, a perfect power source for small campers and off road trucks alike. It might look a little bit like one of those little nippy robot motors that you see tootling about on the Death Star, but it’s actually a lot more hi-tech and interesting than that. The Jackery 500 Explorer is essentially a 518Whpowerhousee that you can take with you on all of your travels, making it the perfect companion for any creative-types that like to work out in nature, but also for climbers, surfers, and adventure lovers everywhere. It’s compact, making it perfect for smaller vehicles like our all-time favourite Volkswagen Bus Camper, and it’s light enough to take with you into the woods for a session around the camp fire.

The Jackery 500 Explorer only weighs 12.57lbs, which is probably lighter than most peoples backpacks when they head out on an expedition into the wild. This thing is so portable and reliable that it can even be used to power emergency medical equipment; not only does it give you peace of mind when you need to check your emails in the forest, but it might even end up saving your life!

What Can The Jackery 500 Explorer Do?

Stats sheet for the Jackery 500 Explorer

Let’s get powered up with some juicy electric stats. For starters, the Jackery 500 Explorer has multiple power options available depending on what kind of devices you have. You can make use of the three USB ports, two DC outlets, and one AC outlet. It can be charged from a 12V power source, a wall plug, or via the optional 100w solar panel, harnessing free electricity no matter where you are. If that doesn’t make you one of our Top Eco Campers, then I don’t know what will!

This mighty-mini lithium electric factory produces 500W rated power and has a 1000w surge power from the AC port. Why do we need to know that? Electrical devices often use double their watt rating for a couple of seconds as they start-up, so a 420W device will need 840W to properly get going. If your power source can’t cope with that, then the chances are your inverter or generator will trip out or blow a fuse. The surge power setting in the Jackery 500 Explorer means that you can easily use many electrical devices such as jig-saws, juicers, camera chargers and more without worrying about breaking either your power station or your expensive devices.

How Can I Tell How Much Energy I Am Using?

The Jackery 500 Explorer comes with a handy LCD screen that gives you all of the information that you might need to keep you in the know while using your devices. It gives you detailed readings of your charge/discharge data, as well as a quick run down on the overall battery life. I know it makes it sounds like one of those Tamagotchi’s that we all used to try and keep alive as kids, but unlike the annoying chicken I had when I was eight, the Jackery 500 Explorer is actually a useful bit of kit that can get you out of a tight spot when required.

Jackery 500 Explorer can be used outside or inside and can power so many different devices.

One thing that sets this product apart from some of the other generators and power sources that our favourite Van Life Influencers use, is the fact that it can be twinned with compatible solar panels to perform as a solar kit or solar generator, effectively transforming it into the mother of all power-houses. That’s not bad for such a compact and light-weight device!

How Much Does The Jackery 500 Explorer Cost?

The Jackery 500 Explorer weighs in at $499.99, which works out at around £400 for us Brits. It’s a great solution for anyone who might not have the space to fit a hi-tec electrical system or the patience to mess around with wires and inverters, especially if you prefer working out in nature instead of sitting in your van 24/7. If you like to get out and about in your camper whenever you can, then the Jackery 500 Explorer would be a great investment that you can use time and time again and a much cheaper option than buying all of the paraphernalia that comes with the typical camper conversion solar set-up. Take the stress out of living the van life with the Jackery 500 Explorer, your new powerful ally against the world of uncharged devices!