Zachary is known for its range of battery options, from small single-device batteries to power stations designed for multi-day off-grid living. The 2023 Zachary Explorer 1500 Pro and accompanying SolarSaga 200W solar panel feature the company’s latest technology, including an array of charging ports, fast solar charging, and a thoughtful design. This is a bundle that Zachary refers to as the Solar Generator 1500 Pro, due to its solar charging capabilities.
For those unfamiliar with these products, the Explorer 1500 Pro is basically a giant battery pack. It’s the little power banks you get for iPhones and iPads, but on a much larger scale. Explorer 1500 Pro has 1512Wh capacity. For comparison’s sake, an M2 MacBook Air has a 52.6 watt-hour battery, so we’re talking about a possible day of charging, depending on what you’re charging.
The term “generator” often conjures up an image of a gas or propane-powered device to keep electronics running during a power outage. Zackery’s Explorer 1500 is not powered by fuel, but rather a power bank that can be charged using the sun and solar panels or a standard electrical outlet. Jackery sells the 200W SolarSaga solar panel alongside the Explorer 1500 Pro, and with just a few panels the battery can be charged in a few hours.
Large batteries are handy to have on hand in an emergency where the power goes out, such as a storm, and that’s how I used a previous large power bank that I’ve had for years. They’re also good for operating appliances and charging while camping, and there are people who use them in RVs and vans as the main power source. Jackery’s Explorer 1500 Pro can be paired with up to six solar panels for recharging purposes, ideal for off-grid or when there are multi-day power outages.
I want to mention that this is a 37 pound battery, so you don’t want to be hiking with it, but if you’re driving to the campsite or using it in a vehicle like a van, it’s perfect. . At home, the weight is unnecessary because it’s mostly on standby for emergencies, but I find these power banks useful when I need to use a corded tool in an area that doesn’t have a power outlet so I keep it around the house. 37 pounds isn’t exactly small, but I’ve seen some around and it’s smaller in size and weight than other equivalent options. The heavy duty carrying handle also makes it easy to transport.
The 200W SolarSaga panels that Zachary recommends for charging the Explorer 1500 Pro are also quite massive, weighing about 25 pounds and spanning five feet when unfolded. If you use them in a campground or on the road or even in your yard, you’ll need significant space for charging. They fold into quarters so they are easy to store when not in use and you can take them away without taking up too much space.
The Explorer 1500 Pro is designed to charge multiple devices and has several ports. There are three AC outlets that support 1800W and 3600 peak wattage, two 100W USB-C ports, two 18W USB-A ports and a car charger with a place to attach solar panels and an AC input for wired charging of the battery. himself
1800W is powerful enough for almost all tools, appliances and devices. It should run most portable electric heaters or portable AC units and works with fans, microwaves, blenders and mini fridges. Many use them as backups for CPAP machines and other health-related devices.
Since it takes forever to drain a battery this size, I didn’t test it to completion, but the meter moved as soon as I charged my iPhone 13 Pro Max from 0 to 100 percent. Charging my 16-inch MacBook Pro used less than 10 percent of the power, so if you’re only looking at Apple devices, you should be able to charge multiple times before the battery dies. I’ve been able to power my router and modem for over a day so it’s useful for staying online during power outages.
It will run a small lamp for multiple days and can also be used with high power devices. Based on Zachary’s estimates, a microwave can last for more than an hour, a rice cooker for two hours, a mini fridge for 10 hours and a TV for 17 hours. It can run a drill or a grinder for three hours or a saw and blower for two hours. I haven’t had to use any tools consistently so far, but my weed whacker, orbital sander and shop vac managed to get out of the zackery.
I had a limited amount of time for testing, but my shop vac used ~1,000 watts of power and used about 10 percent battery in 10 minutes, so it would last about an hour. Running my PlayStation 5, a 50-inch TV, a light and some other stuff used between 320 and 1150 watts. Starting at 64% power, it was able to run everything for just over two hours.
A battery of this size doesn’t come cheap, and with Zachary’s current discount it costs over $1,400, so it’s not something to pick up on a whim. The price is higher than some of the cheaper options available on Amazon, but Jacky is a name brand with a reputation for good quality batteries, which can be a major factor for a device purchased for emergency use.
Zachary has smaller options and frequent sales, but this is the kind of purchase you need to make a lot For research, and I would encourage anyone thinking about purchasing a power station to look at all the options available and what needs to be charged and what other features you may need such as fast recharging, solar panel compatibility, ergonomics, and wattage requirements.
Anecdotally, I’ve had a different Zachary battery for three years and it’s still going strong. It holds a charge for months at a time even when I forget to check it, and it’s been nothing but reliable, so it’s built some faith in the Jackery brand in my mind. I haven’t had a few months to test this new battery, but I expect the same performance over time. That said, I think reading a lot of reviews gets perspective from a lot of people.
When it comes to charging, the Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro 1500 is one of its main advantages with the speed at which it can charge. With a pair of 200W SolarSaga panels, it was pulling 330W on my deck, which has some tree cover. With this charging speed and amount of sunlight, it will take about 3.5 hours to fully charge. It can be even faster in 100 percent full sun and with additional solar panels.
Within an hour, the Explorer 1500 Pro charged from 23 percent to 48 percent in a range of 280 to 330 watts (fluctuating with the sun’s change from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.). After another hour of checking in at 1:30 pm, it was 62% charged, and at this point it was down to about 150W as it got shaded. From 1:30 to 2:30, I lost a lot of sun on the deck and it dropped to about 66 percent at 70W, and at that level of sunlight, it slows down quite a bit.
The Explorer 1500 Pro and SolarSaga panels require full sunlight for maximum performance, and if you’re not in an open area, you may need to move some panels as the sun moves across the sky. On the roof of an RV or van, the charging would probably be more uniform, but I was dealing with a lot of trees.
Even in partial shade the Explorer 1500 Pro is capable of maintaining around 70W, so you’re going to get something power, and with almost no direct sun, it still pulls 15W, enough to power an iPhone. Even on cloudy days, you’ll get some power, and I was impressed with what I got in partial sun conditions.
When charging through a wall outlet, the Explorer took about two hours and 15 minutes to fully charge and was charging at around 1150 watts before finally slowing down to 875 watts. Zachary says the car should take about 16.5 hours to charge, which I haven’t tested.
There are a few other bells and whistles to be aware of. There’s a display you can activate with the press of a button to see current charge, input charge if you’re charging the Explorer 1500 Pro, and watts being used if you’re charging something. There is also a bright built-in flashlight and fan inside the enclosure
Large power banks can be loud because the fans turn on when you plug devices in, and this one is no exception. It’s quieter than the previous model I tried, but it’s still at the level of a fan. I could probably sleep in a room with it, but when it’s charging from a wall outlet at max power, there’s something about a high-pitched screeching sound that makes you not want to put it in the same room you were in when you powered it up.
The Explorer 1500 Pro has side vents, and Zachary says it’s more efficient at dissipating heat than older products, as well as having eight temperature sensors inside to allow fans to adjust to internal temperatures for safety purposes. It got hot, but it didn’t feel super hot to me. It maxed out to me at about 1,200 watts, so it can get warmer as it gets closer to max.
bottom line
If you’re in the market for a larger battery for camping, emergencies, or any other purpose, the Explorer 1500 Pro and SolarSaga panels from Zachary should be on your list. The Explorer 1500 Pro can run a wide range of appliances and provide plenty of power to Apple devices, and it charges quickly using the sun or an electrical outlet.
How to buy
The Jackery Explorer 1500 Pro can be purchased from the Jackery website for $1,445
Note: Zachary provided MacRumors with the Solar Generator 1500 Pro for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
