Hey road warriors! Heading off-grid in your RV or campervan? One appliance you definitely don’t want going dark is the fridge.🥶 After all, you gotta keep your food chilled and drinks icy! But powering a fridge without shore power can be tricky.
This is where Jackery portable power stations come in clutch! These compact generators can actually run small refrigerator units. But wait – how long can a Jackery really power a fridge before needing a recharge? Excellent question! The runtime depends on the fridge and power station capacities.
In this post, we’ll look at which Jackery models can handle refrigeration and for approximately how long. You’ll learn power station and fridge pairing tips for optimal off-grid runtime. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to keep your fridge cool for days using only a Jackery portable power station. 🧊Let’s do this!
A Jackery portable power station can power a refrigerator below the 1000-watt mark for about 2.5 to 8 hours, depending on the model of the Jackery and the refrigerator. The Jackery Explorer 500, 1000, and 2000 Pro models have pure sine wave AC outlets that can safely run delicate electronics like refrigerators.
How to Choose the Best Jackery Portable Power Station for Your Refrigerator?
The best Jackery portable power station for your refrigerator depends on two factors: the power consumption of your refrigerator and the run time you need.
The power consumption of your refrigerator is measured in watts (W), which indicates how much energy it uses per hour. You can find this information on the label or manual of your refrigerator, or use an online calculator to estimate it based on its size and type.
The run time you need is measured in hours (H), which indicates how long you want to keep your refrigerator running without electricity. This depends on your personal preference and situation, such as how often you experience power outages or how long you plan to go off the grid.
To choose the best Jackery portable power station for your refrigerator, you need to make sure that:
- The output power of the Jackery portable power station is equal to or higher than the power consumption of your refrigerator. For example, if your refrigerator consumes 300W of power, you need a Jackery portable power station that can output at least 300W of power.
- The capacity of the Jackery portable power station is enough to provide the run time you need. For example, if you want to run your refrigerator for 4 hours, you need a Jackery portable power station that has at least 1200Wh (300W x 4H) of capacity.
To estimate how long a Jackery portable power station can run your refrigerator on a single charge, you can use this simple formula:
Run time (hours) = Capacity (Wh) / Power consumption (W)
For example, if you have an Explorer 1000 portable power station with a capacity of 1002Wh, and you want to run a refrigerator that consumes 300W of power, you can calculate the run time as follows:
Run time (hours) = 1002Wh / 300W = 3.34 hours
Of course, this is just an approximation based on ideal conditions. In reality, there are some factors that can affect the run time of your Jackery portable power station, such as:
- The temperature of the environment: High or low temperatures can reduce the battery performance and shorten the run time.
- The age and condition of the battery: Over time, the battery capacity will degrade and lose some of its original energy storage ability.
- The number and type of devices connected: If you connect multiple devices or high-power devices to your Jackery portable power station, it will drain the battery faster than if you connect fewer or low-power devices.
- The charging status of the devices: If you connect devices that are already fully charged or nearly fully charged to your Jackery portable power station, they will draw less power than if they are low on battery.
To give you a better idea of how long different models of Jackery portable power stations can run different types of refrigerators on a single charge, here are some examples based on the official data from Jackery2 and some online calculators34:
| Model | Capacity | Power | Mini Fridge (60W) | Compact Fridge (80W) | Full-Size Fridge (150W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer 160 | 167Wh | 100W | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Explorer 240 | 240Wh | 200W | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Explorer 300 | 293Wh | 300W | 4.9 H | 3.7 H | N/A |
| Explorer 500 | 518Wh | 500W | 8.6 H | 6.5 H | 3.5 H |
| Explorer 1000 | 1002Wh | 1000W | 16.7 H | 12.5 H | 6.7 H |
| Explorer 2000 Pro | 2000Wh | 2000W | N/A* | N/A* | N/A* |
*The Explorer 2000 Pro is not available in the UK market yet, so the run time data is not provided by Jackery.
As you can see, the run time of your Jackery portable power station varies depending on the model and the type of refrigerator you want to power. Generally speaking, the higher the capacity and the power of your Jackery portable power station, the longer it can run your refrigerator.
How to Connect Your Refrigerator to Your Jackery Portable Power Station?
Connecting your refrigerator to your Jackery portable power station is very easy and straightforward. You just need to follow these steps:
- Turn off your refrigerator and unplug it from the wall outlet.
- Plug your refrigerator into one of the AC outlets on your Jackery portable power station.
- Turn on your Jackery portable power station by pressing the power button.
- Turn on your refrigerator and adjust the temperature settings as needed.
That’s it! You can now enjoy running your refrigerator with your Jackery portable power station. You can also monitor the battery level, input/output power, and charging status of your Jackery portable power station on the LCD screen.
How to Recharge Your Jackery Portable Power Station?
There are three ways to recharge your Jackery portable power station:
- With a wall outlet: You can use the included AC adapter to plug your Jackery portable power station into any standard wall outlet and recharge it within a few hours, depending on the model and the battery level.
- With a car outlet: You can use the included car charger to plug your Jackery portable power station into any 12V car outlet and recharge it while driving, depending on the model and the battery level.
- With solar panels: You can use compatible solar panels to connect your Jackery portable power station to the sun and recharge it with solar energy, depending on the weather conditions, the angle of the solar panel, and the length of the cable.
Jackery offers its own series of solar panels that are specially designed for its portable power stations: the SolarSaga series. These include the SolarSaga 60W (click to view on Amazon) and the SolarSaga 100W (click to view on Amazon) models.
There are some benefits of using Jackery’s own solar panels for your Jackery portable power station, such as:
- They are directly compatible: Jackery’s own solar panels come with 8mm connectors that can plug into any Explorer model without any adapters or extra cables2. This makes them easy to use and reduces the risk of compatibility issues or connection problems.
- They have high conversion efficiency and output power: Jackery’s own solar panels have monocrystalline cells that have a high conversion efficiency of up to 23%2. They also have high output power of 60W or 100W depending on the model2. This means they can recharge your Jackery portable power station faster and more efficiently than other panels.
- They have durable and portable features: Jackery’s own solar panels have ETFE-laminated cases that are durable enough to extend their lifespan2. They also have IP65 water-resistant ratings that protect them from water splashing2. Moreover, they have foldable and lightweight designs that make them easy to set up and carry around2. They also have built-in kickstands that allow you to adjust the angle of the solar panel for optimal sun exposure2.
Conclusion
A Jackery portable power station can power a refrigerator below the 1000-watt mark.
