It seems like the Jackery Explorer 160 is a popular portable power station for outdoor activities. In this review, I consider its various features to find out why it is a popular choice. I also compare it to the Explorer 240 and 500 models and answer a few questions before reaching a conclusion.
Lithium Battery Pack
The heart of the Jackery Explorer 160 is its 167Wh lithium battery. A battery management system provides multiple safeguards such as short circuit protection, voltage control and temperature control. The lithium battery can be recharged in a few ways.
The quickest way to recharge the lithium battery is by plugging it into a wall socket with the included AC adapter. It will take about five hours to fully recharge the battery. You can also use a 12V vehicle socket or a portable generator to do the recharging if a wall outlet is not available.
The battery pack can probably hold a charge for about three months. Jackery recommends that you charge it at least once every three months if it is being stored for months at a time.
The Jackery Explorer 160 can be recharged with a solar panel if the output voltage is between 12V to 30V and the solar panel’s cable port size is 8 mm (DC input is 8 mm). This will take much longer when compared to wall socket charging depending on the amount of sun the solar panel gets, the ambient temperature and the overall weather. On average, it might take between 8 and 10 hours to fully recharge the internal battery with a solar panel.
Jackery sells its own foldable solar panel charger called the SolarSaga. The SolarSaga 60W solar panel should be sufficient for the Jackery Explorer 160. The SolarSaga 60W panel is unfortunately going to cost you about as much as the portable power station itself (check price on Amazon).
Outlets And Ports
The Jackery Explorer 160 has three types of outlet ports: AC, DC and USB. The 110V 60Hz AC outlet can power or charge a device as long as it requires less than 100 watts to operate. It also has both types of USB ports: two USB-A and one USB-C output. The 6 mm DC output port provides 12V power.
This portable power station has a power saving feature that you should know about. If less than 10 watts of power is being used by a connected device, then the battery management system will turn off the Explorer 160 automatically to save power.
LCD Screen
The Jackery Explorer 160 has an LCD screen with a backlight button that makes it easier to read. The LCD screen shows the current battery charge in addition to the current input and output watts. This is a great feature that you usually do not find on such a small capacity portable power station. For example, the Suaoki 150Wh power station does not have an LCD screen, even though it has roughly the same battery capacity as the Explorer 160.
What devices can be powered with the Jackery 160?
This portable power station is recommended for recharging small devices such as phones, drones, tablets, cameras and mobile laptop computers. It can neither charge nor power a device that needs more than 100 watts.
For example, you might recharge a 50-watt laptop mobile computer two times. If you want to power the same computer, then you should do the math. Jackery states that the formula for calculating the working time is 167Wh multiplied by 0.85 divided by the operating watts of the device. Therefore, 141.95 watts divided by 50 watts equals 2.8 hours of maximum working time.
The Jackery Explorer 160 might recharge an iPad up to 5 times, or an iPhone up to 12 times.
This portable power station is too small to power ordinary light bulbs or electric fans for any reasonable amount of time. Nevertheless, it can power a 5W LED camping light for many hours. It also has its own built-in LED flashlight with an SOS mode for use in emergencies.
The Explorer 160 is capable of pass-through charging. As a result, it can recharge its own battery while simultaneously charging another device. However, this is not possible for the DC output port.
Charge Your Laptop Computer
The Jackery Explorer 160 has a 6 mm DC output port. Laptop computers normally consume less than 100 watts, so it should not be a problem. Keep in mind that the charging time will vary if you use the laptop while charging the battery.
It can probably recharge a MacBook Pro once and a MacBook Air twice. It might recharge a Dell XPS 13 one or two times. A Microsoft Surface Pro 4 might be recharged up to 3 times.
Too Small For CPAP Machine
The Explorer 160 is not recommended for CPAP machines because its battery pack is too small. You should consider a larger Jackery model such as the Explorer 500 which has a 518Wh lithium battery pack (view it on Amazon). Nevertheless, you will still have to turn off the heater and humidifier of the CPAP machine to get the maximum amount of hours out of it.
Jackery Explorer 160 vs. 240 and 500
The most important difference is the size of the lithium battery pack. The Explorer 160 has a 167Wh capacity, compared to 240Wh and 518Wh of the larger models. Likewise, the rated power of the models are also different. All the models are recharged by connecting them to a wall outlet, 12V socket or solar panel.
The Jackery Explorer 160 will obviously weigh the least at just under 4 pounds. The Explorer 500 has the largest battery: as a result, it weighs over 13 pounds, and it costs almost $500!
These Jackery Explorer portable power stations all have a 110V AC outlet and USB-A output ports. However, only the Explorer 160 has the new USB-C output port.
The Explorer 160 does not have a 12V car port outlet, in contrast with the 240 and 500 models. The Explorer 240 does not seem to have a DC output port, while the 500 model has two.
Lastly, it seems like the AC outlet of the 160 model does not produce a pure sine wave in contrast with the other models. Keep that in mind if you require a pure sine wave signal for a digital device.
What is included with the Explorer 160?
The portable power station is shipped with a user manual and a few adapters. The AC adapter is used when charging the battery from a wall socket. A car adapter is used to charge it from a vehicle’s 12V cigarette lighter socket. The DC to car adapter cable is used for powering or charging DC devices. Please note that a solar panel is not included.
Jackery Explorer 160: Conclusion
The Jackery Explorer 160 offers good value if you want a lightweight and versatile power source for camping. You can charge handheld devices or a laptop computer when out of doors and off the grid. This portable power station can be charged while powering a connected device at the same time.
Some people have used this portable power station for their CPAP machines, but it is not recommended. The 167Wh lithium battery might not have enough power to get you through the whole night. Get one of the larger Jackery portable power stations for this purpose.
It seems like the Jackery Explorer 160 is the only model that has a USB-C port. We do not know why the other models lack this new type of port.
The small LCD screen shows useful information about the input, output and battery charge. The small display button lights up the screen for a few seconds when pressed to make it easier to read in daylight or at night.
The built-in LED light is useful for emergency situations when you need a light. It also has an SOS mode when you long press the light button. It uses very little power, so it can be used for many hours.
The portable power station has a small fan that turns on whenever you use the AC outlet. The fan is not too noisy, and it keeps the power station cool.
To conclude, the Jackery Explorer 160 is a durable, lightweight, compact, easy to use portable power station. It provides good value for the money, even though it might seem a little expensive at first glance (buy it on Amazon).