Jackery SolarSaga 100W Portable Solar Panel for Explorer 240/300/500/1000/1500 Power Station, Foldable US Solar Cell Solar Charger with USB Outputs for Phones (Can't Charge Explorer 440/ PowerPro)

I bought the Jackery Explorer 500 and the SolarSaga 100 watt system to use in our 4x4 adventure van for full-time fun. We enjoy getting off the grid by driving our van through backcountry mountains, deserts, grasslands, rivers, and oceans, to name a few places. Even when we do come across an RV park with hookups, we try to find a quiet private spot away from the crowded RV spots. Our screen tent, chairs, a large sun umbrella, a propane fire pit, laptops, iPads, and the Jackery Explorer 500 are all brought out. The SolarSaga is then set up in about two minutes by retrieving it from the rooftop cargo box, opening it, leaning it against its legs, and plugging it into the Jackery. There's no muss and no fuss; it just works. I connect my laptop to the Jackery and sit on the picnic table, surfing the web, playing games, watching YouTube videos, and planning our next adventure. I've been happy as can be with my laptop and Jackery 500 to power it in the pouring rain of the Washington rain forest inside my screen tent. In the rain, however, I do not have the SolarSaga set up. When I play games on my MacBook Pro, it consumes a lot of power, but the SolarSaga keeps the Jackery 500 charged. I'm not sure how the SolarSaga manages to keep up with the laptop's processing power, but it does. The Jackery charge usually remains at 100% before disappearing to 98-. 99% on a sporadic basis. The SolarSaga amazes me with how quickly it recovers charge percent when charging the Jackery 500 without any power draw from electronics. br>br>Now that we've covered the power aspect, let's move on to convenience. Solar power is simple to obtain with the SolarSaga. It unfolds from a small package and takes about a minute to put together. It has a high-quality look and feel to it, and it is as light as a feather. It feels good to touch the covering. The pocket that holds the power cords and covers the power port appears to have water resistant zippers, which could help keep water out if your SolarSaga is left out in the rain for a short period of time. The SolarSaga isn't advertised as being waterproof, but I've heard from reliable sources that it's been used in rain (but not heavy rain) with no problems. It'll most likely happen to me because we get a lot of unexpected rain showers wherever we go. When the clouds roll in, however, I usually pull out the SolarSaga in a flash. When it's time to pack up, I simply unplug the Jackery 500's power cord, roll it up and place it in the SolarSaga's zippered pouch, fold the unit in half and snap it shut, fold the legs against the sides, and the velcro keeps them tight against the sides. Then I loaded it into the rooftop cargo carrier, and that was the end of it. It's a two-minute process once again. The SolarSaga is ultra-thin, ultra-light, made of high-quality materials, appears to be long-lasting, and packs a lot of punch. That's exactly what I'm looking for. br>br>So, yeah, I'm satisfied. Are there any drawbacks? Hmmm. Okay, the power cord that comes with the package could be a little longer. To reach the sunny area when it is far away from the Jackery 500, I purchased a separate 30 foot 8mm female/male extension from another manufacturer. I haven't tried the extension yet, so I'm not sure how much power loss there will be with the longer cord. br>br>Another thing to mention is that I'm afraid my SolarSaga will walk away from my site, but there are some handy grommets at the corners of the SolarSaga. Unwind a thin wire cable (50 feet should suffice) to the SolarSaga, secure it with a simple lock, and lock the other end to your vehicle. It prevents a random thief from taking your solar panels. For the vast majority of your travels, this is adequate security. I have a much more robust cable to lock the SolarSaga to my vehicle when it's close by. Those grommets, I believe, were intended to secure your panels to an object so they wouldn't blow away in strong winds. If a strong wind blows, the SolarSaga will topple, but they usually stay upright. br>br>I hope this information aids you in your search for the best portable solar panel. I did my due diligence as well. The two-year warranty, good customer service (according to what I've heard), unit quality, and ease of use/compatibility with the Jackery Explorer 500 are some of the features that appeal to me. I have no affiliations with Jackery, so this is a genuine review. If any problems arise, I swear I'll give you an IMMEDIATE update and let you know everything that's going on. I have a feeling that if any problems arise, Jackery will be quick to respond and assist.

Jolie Kerr

| Aug 02, 2021

Here is a customer who was affected by the PGE California power outage. br>br>I purchased this as well as the lighter. As this is a comparison, the weight is 60W. I was going to get the 60W first, but it was out of stock, so I got this one instead; Then, a day later, the 60W was back in stock. I figured I'd compare them and keep the one that I thought best met my needs, thanks to Prime's free shipping. br>br>[NOTE: If you're looking for a unique way to express yourself, try using the words "innovative Because the 100 W is so large and heavy, I was only able to get free return shipping by taking it to a Kohl's store nearby. It would have cost $12 to transport it to UPS for return. That caught me off guard- It's the first time I've ever come across it. ]br>br>The 100 W is sturdy and solid, with the ability to charge directly from two built-in USB ports. I thought it was a very well-designed panel. It's quite large, so it wouldn't be bothered by a gust of wind. It is 9 pounds in weight. br>br>The 60W is much more flimsy. It is only 3 pounds in weight. In a lighter breeze, it would flutter around. There's no way to charge anything directly from it; it only has a connection to the Jackery battery power station (I got the 240V version). Love it. In addition, the 60W is $120 less expensive than the 100W. When you compare the two, it's easy to see why: there's simply less to it. However, it performs admirably. br>br>Both have a zippered pouch where the connection cable can be stored alongside the panel. Both come with kickstands, which allow the panel to be propped up at an angle. The 100 W has two kickstands, whereas the 60W has three parts and only one kickstand; however, you can put the battery behind it to help support it and keep it out of direct sunlight. The magnets on the 100 W keep it closed. You'll need to purchase a separate case if you want to carry it in one hand. The 60 W snaps together to form a cute little portfolio with a handle. With one hand, you can easily carry it and the battery station. br>br>So it all depends on your preferences. I placed them next to each other and used the battery station as a meter. The 100 W produced 63 Watts under identical conditions (a sunny November day), while the 60 W produced 50 Watts. (Other reviews claim that the battery charges at 43 W, so if this is correct, both would work equally well. ) )br>br>When I tested it again, the 60W panel was only producing 52 watts. In the waning autumn sun, you did a fantastic job! br>br>I'm going to keep the 60W one because it's smaller and less expensive. I like how light it is and how small it is, and I don't think there will be many times when I need to charge something and don't have the battery with me. (However, like many others, I wish Jackery provided a plug adapter that allowed you to charge directly from the 60W panel. ) )br>br>According to customer service, the 100W will charge the battery faster. I'm sure it would make a difference on a less efficient/less sunny day. It's a great solar panel because you can charge the battery and your phone or whatever else at the same time. I gave it five stars because I prefer something that isn't as big and heavy as this one. br>br>I also give the 60W version five stars. And I'm relieved to know that I'll be better prepared for the next outage. Unless it occurs during a winter storm, in which case any solar panel will be rendered useless- However, I'd still have a fully charged battery to get me through at least a couple of days of being able to function normally.

Jefferson IQBAL

| Jan 14, 2021