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Bucketlist Bri

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Jackery Solar Generator 1500 for Van Life: Complete Review

Last Updated: July 11, 2022 · Van Life

A solar power generator is just one of those van life essentials you can’t go without—especially if you are deciding to live full-time in your RV or camper van—which is why having our Jackery Solar Generator Explorer 1500 paired with SolarSaga portable solar panels has been a complete game-changer.

Trust me, we’ve done van life for six months without a solar rechargeable battery and it was an unbelievable hassle to charge our laptops and gear (not to mention power our microwave) without depleting our house batteries, blowing fuses on our outlets, or having to turn on our pollutive diesel back-up generator.

Van at campground with Jackery solar power station and solar panels
Soaking up that sunshine so we can power our van lifestyle sustainably!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

Paul and I try to travel slowly and that means traveling responsibly too; so using diesel fuel to make popcorn was doomed from the start. 🍿

Being able to recharge all our appliances and tech gear sustainably has, as I mentioned above, changed the way travel by van, camp off-grid, and explore the outdoors. It’s even given us back our popcorn-loaded movie nights.

If you’re curious to see what the Jackery 1500 solar generator can do, keep reading!

In this post, I’m giving you my honest review of the Jackery 1500 portable power station bundle which includes four SolarSaga 100W panels.

Disclosure: This article was written in partnership with Jackery®, but all opinions are my own and I genuinely use and recommend this brand and its products. If you have any questions, please drop them in the comments below!

Table of Contents show
Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Review
Who Is Jackery?
Do You Need a Jackery Solar Generator Explorer 1500?
Is Jackery Explorer 1500 Good for RV’ing & Traveling?
FAQ of the Jackery Solar Generator 150
Jackery 1500 Pros & Cons
Overall Thoughts & Takeaways

Jackery Solar Generator 1500 Review

Man at campground carrying a portable solar power generator (Jackery) with foldable solar panels
Our Jackery 1500 at a campground in Jasper National Park

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, you might be unfamiliar with Jackery.

As a reminder, I’m reviewing Jackery’s Solar Generator Explorer 1500, which combines the 1500 Power Station (battery) with 4x SolarSaga 100 panels.

Who Is Jackery?

Jackery was founded in California in 2012 by a group of engineers who sought to bring clean energy to the outdoors. Today, they are the world’s biggest manufacturer of outdoor solar utilities, including power stations, generators, solar panels, and more.

In 2015, they launched their Explorer Series to combine solar power with maximum portability for outdoor living, camping, and traveling.

Then, in 2020, Jackery combined their portable power stations with their Solarpeak technology of the SolarSaga foldable solar panels “to suit the various needs of travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, mobile families, and other people actively on the go.”

Right now, you can SAVE on Jackery for summer! ☀️🏕 Get 30% off plus free shipping on select products with Prime Day Deals. Visit Jackery’s Summer Trip page to learn more!

Female van lifer sitting in campervan while charging her phone to a Jackery Solar Generator Explorer 1500
Guy plugging in devices into a Jackery portable power station Exploerer 1500 sitting on a picnic table with campervan and mountains in background.

Do You Need a Jackery Solar Generator Explorer 1500?

Before you decide you want a Jackery solar generator, you should first decide what you need it for.

Jackery has nine different Explorer power stations to choose from; each with varying capacity. The higher the number equals more capacity, meaning you can power larger appliances such as a microwave or mini cooler, while also getting in more charges for phones, computers, and other gear.

The Jackery 1500 features 1534Wh (watt-hour) capacity and 1800 running wattage (3600 surge power). It includes:

  • 3x AC outlets
  • 1x 60W USB-C Port
  • 1x Quick Charge 3.0 Port
  • 1x USB-A Port
  • 1x 12V car port
  • Built-in flashlight (button on the side)
  • Accessory storage box for cables and chargers
  • 4x SolarSaga 100W solar panels (Jackery Solar Generator combo package, otherwise sold separately)
Jackery Solar Generator Box on picnic table with book, kindle
Keep all your charging cables in the convenient hard-sided accessory box
Man plugging in charger into portable Jackery power station

The 4x SolarSaga panels are lightweight, foldable, and easy to carry with an integrated handle (ours sit behind the driver’s seat!). The 1500 Power Station is portable, too, but is quite hefty at 30+ pounds.

To connect the solar panels to the Jackery is super straightforward as well. You can just unzip the cord behind the solar panel and insert it into Jackery’s input plug.

On the smart LCD screen, you will be able to see how many watts the sun is feeding Jackery! Likewise, whenever you charge your devices or plug in an appliance for power, you will be able to see the consumption right on the screen.

With all this in mind, the Jackery 1500 can power:

  • Mini Cooler
  • Blender
  • Coffee Maker
  • Pressure Cooker
  • Electric Grill
  • Microwave
  • And more!
What the Jackery Explorer 1500 can power. Image courtesy of Jackery
Jackery makes staying connected while camping and traveling so much easier!

Is Jackery Explorer 1500 Good for RV’ing & Traveling?

If you are planning on traveling full-time in a van or RV, then having Jackery by your side will simplify life and be there for you in case of power outages!

Even if you are a weekend warrior adventuring or camping after 9–5 and on weekends, then you could do with a Jackery to make sure you stay charged on the go.

Below are ways you can use Jackery based on your lifestyle.

Tent campers, RV’ers/overlanders, weekend warriors, nomadic families:

  • Power coffee makers, mini stoves, mini grills, blenders, lights, mini-fridges, TVs, and more!
  • Charge all your gear off-grid — phones, laptops, cameras, plus all your adventure gear.
Female van lifer sitting in van beside Jackery solar power generator explorer 1500

FAQ of the Jackery Solar Generator 150

  • How many phone charges can you get from the Jackery 1500?

Although I have yet to charge my own phone this many times, you can supposedly charge your phone up to 130 times and your laptop over twenty times. In other words, if you’re camping for multiple days off-grid, the Jackery 1500 will keep you charged and connected.

  • Is Jackery 1500 waterproof?

Splash-proof yes, left-out-in-the-rain-proof? No.

  • How many hours does it take to charge the Jackery Explorer 1500?

There are three ways you can charge your Jackery Power Station.

  • 4 hours by Solar Input (4x SolarSaga 100 panels)
  • 4 hours by AC Outlet (wall outlet in your home or plug at a serviced campsite)
  • 13 hours by car outlet
Woman sitting in campervan at campsite with solar panels charging Jackery 1500 power station
Love when we can take advantage of the sun to charge our Jackery!

Jackery 1500 Pros & Cons

As a full-time van lifer, I can say the number one pro of Jackery is I can charge my phone, laptop, and camera — the three things I need on a daily basis so I can do my job and keep this life of travel going.

The second most important benefit of having Jackery is that it takes the stress away from not having power and having to find a public place where we can charge our gadgets.

As I mentioned before, we have done six months of traveling in our campervan without this clean source of energy, and it was always a delicate dance to try and find a Starbucks (and/or a Tim Horton’s, since we were in Canada). We rarely could plug directly into our van’s outlets because we needed to spare the battery power for our van’s water pump, lights, and exhaust fan. So having a Jackery is just a huge relief.

Jackery, Power the Outdoors

Now for the cons…

Jackery is pretty compact but the Power Station is quite heavy to lug around so setting it up can take time. The 4x SolarSaga 100 panels take up a bit of space, too, but they fold up nicely and can be stored together behind our driver’s seat for easy access.

The device itself I can hardly complain about, though. Right now, Jackery is holding up quite well. The only thing we noticed is that the battery will slowly deplete if you leave any of the charge ports in “on” mode even if nothing is charging.

Man wearing outdoorsy cap with Jackery Solar Generator Explorer 1500 sitting on picnic table at campsite.

Overall Thoughts & Takeaways

Overall, Jackery will spoil you as a camper or RV’er. It will remove any worry about not being able to stay charged and connected, or powered while on the go and exploring outdoors.

The cost of the Jackery 1500 can hurt a bit, but the investment is well worth it. Plus, if you purchase directly from their website, the free 2-year warranty gets a bonus 1-year extension.

And if the price tag is a bit steep to pay it all in one go, you can enroll in monthly payments with Affirm (for purchases above $500).

There’s never a better time to invest in clean energy to power your adventurous outdoor lifestyle. ☀️ 🌿 Visit Jackery.com to learn more!

Was this Jackery review helpful? Save and share with a friend!

By: Bri · In: Van Life

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I’m Bri, an adventurous digital nomad living abroad full-time since 2015. It is my hope to inspire you to live a life of adventure, seek out meaningful experiences, and travel slowly and mindfully!

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When you already feel nostalgic for leaving a plac When you already feel nostalgic for leaving a place you’ve only just arrived in... Do you know the feeling I’m talking about?? 

We are here in Goa, India 🇮🇳 for an amazing digital nomad retreat hosted by @nurall_co and are feeling so pumped and grateful to be here! ✨

We’ve already spent our first few hours diving into butter paneer masala and chai at the lovely @caferasagoa and wandering the historic Latin Quarter in awe of its Portuguese tiles and little hole-in-the-wall tapas bars. And it’s safe to say we’re hooked. 🤩 

Can’t wait to uncover even more treasures that Panjim and Goa hold 🫶

... And so begins Day 1/40 of my trip through India, Taiwan, and Japan! Follow along for the journey 🤗

#goaindia #panjim #portugese #indiatraveldiaries #backpackingasia #panaji
I can’t believe I’m posting this from the othe I can’t believe I’m posting this from the other side of this 3-day journey to get my visa processed and reunite with Paul in India!! 

That first day I wallowed in what Jen Sincero coins as “self-suckery” — I beat myself up, looked at only the negative side, and genuinely felt like I deserved what was “happening to me” because it was my mistake for having uploaded the pdf of my old passport and not my new one (yes, I really did that) — a simple error that resulted in ridiculous e-visa delays for which I could do nothing about, 3 days of transiting between airports, lots of tears, and an out-of-pocket cost of $850 for two flight changes + $$ for airport junk food (which pretty much costs the same as a meal in a Michelin star restaurant) + $150 in Uber rides and hotel fees, and countless hours of lost sleep. My real mistake, in hindsight, was rushing; not going slow, as I always preach. I rushed what I was doing and got caught in the senseless consequences. 

Little did I know then, but Day 1 was just the beginning of this near-72-hour journey to India and back to Paul. What is certain is that I DID NOT expect our big trip back to Asia to start like this. 

But I’m so, so glad it did. 

#indiatravel #airportlife #travelstories #evisa #qatarairways #asiatrip
If you know how this song ends, you know how this If you know how this song ends, you know how this video ends 💀

PS — I still have the scar 😂🥲🪦🍑

📍 El Mogote sand dunes in Baja California Sur w/ @4xfourtours 

#sandboarding #epicfails #rippedpants #spongebob #bajacaliforniasur #lapazbcs
Is Mexico a good digital nomad destination?? Here Is Mexico a good digital nomad destination??

Here’s why Mexico is a GREAT destination for remote workers and travelers:

🌮 Amazingggg food — Literally the best! I just came back from eating Baja fish tacos and they cost just $1.50 each, like whatttt

🇲🇽 Culture / people — I find Mexicans to be some of the kindest and friendliest people on Earth. If there is a reason I keep coming back to Mexico it is because I have felt, and do feel, at home here.

🌿 Outdoors / nature / adventure — Mexico has it ALL and I mean it ALL (islands, beaches, mountains, rainforests, deserts, volcanoes, amazing marine life + wildlife, allll types of activities, etc)

💻 WiFi — Not the best depending on where you go, but way more than enough for what I use it for! Lots of cafes + coworking spaces nowadays too

🥂 Community — There is a growing community of nomads and it’s a pretty diverse mix!

💰 Cost of living — It’s more affordable to live, which is great for beginner nomads who are still building their biz

I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to slow travel/live as a digital nomad in Mexico since 2018 — Baja California Sur marks our 5th state out of the 32 Mexican states (+ Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca).

This country gives and gives, so let’s give back as guests! Please visit Mexico as a digital nomad (or tourist in general) responsibly and mindfully. Stay local, eat local, drink local, shop local, + support local. Leave No Trace and be conscious of your choices and impact!

Read my blog 🔗 in bio for my 100+ free guides to Mexico 🫶🏼

#mexicotravel #digitalnomad #visitmexico #livingabroad
If there’s one activity you shouldn’t skip out If there’s one activity you shouldn’t skip out on when in Baja California Sur, it’s off-roading and sandboarding in the Mogote Sand Dunes!

✨ Make sure to save this to your Baja, Mexico bucket list! 

📍 El Mogote (near La Paz)

🏂 w/ @4xfourtours

💻 read all about it + book the experience on my blog! (🔗 in bio)

#lapaz #bajacaliforniasur #sandboarding #elmogote #sanddunes #offroading #adventuretravel #bajamexico #desertadventures
What do you pack first?! 🎒🤔 As a homebase- What do you pack first?! 🎒🤔 

As a homebase-less nomad, I move countries with only these two backpacks, so I’m not worried about fitting all I need for my 40-day trot through Asia! 🌏

But I would LOVE your travel tips and recs, in particular for Taiwan and Japan (I’ll be solo in 🇯🇵)!!! Send me all your fav street foodie suggestions, secret gardens, cute towns, onsens, temples — all of it! 🏯

I’m so excited to feel EXCITED about going somewhere I’ve never been before. I haven’t been to India since 2018 and I’ve never been to Taiwan or Japan! 

Have you been to any of the three? 🇮🇳🇯🇵🇹🇼 

Backpacks (not spons):
🎒 @rei 40L recycled rucksack 
📸 @wandrd PRVKE Lite / 11L to 16L with roll-top 

#solotrip #backpackingasia #femalesolotraveler #asiatrip #indiatravel #taiwantravel #japantravel #digitalnomadgirls #packing #rei #wandrd
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