Micro Solar Generator Buyer's Guide! Jackery vs Rockpals vs Expertpower 

Video Table of Contents: 0:33 Battery Size vs. Cost 1:05 Solar Input Limit and How to Overpanel 3:11 Watt Hour Capacity 3:25 How to attach 12v appliances to a solar generator 6:03 Estimated lifetime and how to extend it Testing: 6:45 Charge Rate Test 9:51 MPPT Low Light Test 11:42 Low Voltage Charging Test 13:24 USB Output Test 15:46 12v Output Test 12:52 Importance of Fast Charge Rate 18:52 How to choose and wire up a solar panel 20:32 Conclusion Product links are in the description above. Yes I left an unattended title box at 3:05. I am trying to blur it out but the youtube editor is a pain to use still. Working on it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Does off-grid solar confuse you? Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com Join our DIY solar community! #1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike: www.diysolarforum.com Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link): amzn.to/2Aj4dX4 If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out Tesla Solar. Low prices and great warranty, and they can take your entire house offgrid with their new Powerwalls: ts.la/william57509 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My solar equipment recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first): 12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar and Coupon Codes: -Current Connected: SOK, Victron and High Quality Components. Best prices and warranty around: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp -Signature Solar: Cheap Server Rack Batteries and Large Solar Panels: www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Ecoflow Delta Official Site: My favorite plug-n-play solar generator: us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7 -AmpereTime: Cheapest 12V batteries around: amperetime.com/products/ampere-time-12v-100ah-lithium-lifepo4-battery?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Rich Solar: Mega site and cheaper prices than renogy! Check them out: richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Shop Solar Kits: Huge site with every solar kit you can imagine! Check it out: shopsolarkits.com/?ref=will-p -Battery Hookup: Cheap cell deals bit.ly/2mIxSqt 10% off code: diysolar -Watts 24/7: Best deals on all-in-one solar power systems, with customer support and distribution here in the USA: watts247.com/?wpam_id=3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Contact Information: I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers: Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :) DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

CRACK! And it’s another grand slam home run. This is the most comprehensive review of multiple products I have ever seen. Will has demonstrated his dedication by self-sponsoring these products and providing honest, effectively unfiltered assessments.

I absolutely thoroughly enjoy ALL your videos. You get SO excited about the successes, as a viewer I am here celebrating with you! I appreciate very much that you do these crazy comparisons, which I simply do not have the funding to be able to do. It is so wonderful that you don’t talk down to the viewers, you never make me feel stupid. You present a staggering amount of information in your videos and I need to watch them several times to even partially absorb the information. I have numeric dyslexia, so that’s why, not because of anything you do. When the day comes for me to buy my solar system, I will rematch all these wonderful videos with a notepad, and write down everything. Thank you for your entertaining, uplifting and educational presentations!

Love your videos and your honesty! I'm not a technical person, but I enjoy listening to the information the way you present it. It feels organic and your energy keeps pulling me along. You are so engaged with what you're showing us!

So I have a Jackery 240 and recently bought the Rockpals 500 and the Rockpals 100w solar panel after watching this vid. The panel charged the Jackery at around 58w until the last 15% which charged at around 10w. The Rockpals 500 took 9 hours to charge which was a little disappointing. The first 46% charged in 2.5 hours. The last 54% took 6.5 hours. I got really excited at first as it meant the unit was charging at 90+ watts. I figured the numbers were off as the percent charge is not very accurate it seems. At best the Rockpals 100w solar panel charged low 70s according to reviews. Mine charged at 60w. They don’t ever do a full charge of these and report their findings... it’s only a minute or two. If it’s at a lower state of charge the numbers will look really good but once it gets to about 50% and on it really starts slowing more and more. So the rockpals will probably charge at 90w (when empty) but then switch to 40w and lower after it gets more full. It’s probably this way to ensure longer battery life.

Wow! Now I understand what the term "internet influencer" means. You've certainly influenced me and I thank you for that. I hope you're able to monetize your work because you certainly deserve it. Best regards, Jim.

This really helped before I purchased two. My solution for the charging time. I saved money thanks to watching this

Intelligent evaluation Vs. unqualified opinion. OBJECTIVE, good job, Will

I've used two Rockpals 250W battery packs for the past 3 years. Sadly it's not enough power anymore for me. With the Rockpals I can power a camcorder and field monitor for about 10 hours. If I add two more items I use.for streaming then it cuts down to 2 hours. So I have been on the hunt and I just purchased the Jackery Pro 1000 for $799. Can't wait for it. I like Rockpals but they can't decide on a consistent color scheme: orange/black, silver/red, gray/green. Jackery seems to be consistent. Now I am looking at a 2000W generator. I like these buyers guides. Thank you.

Looking back at your videos. What a story. I'm proud of you, man. And you've helped me out big time. Thanks

As a newbie, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your clear and concise (and just technical enough) explanations. Instant subscriber!

I've decided, two Jackery! one to use while the other is charging lol

The most entertaining aspect of this video is how passionate you are about watts, amps, and volts. Having dabbled in small panels for a few years, just ordered a 9.4 kw system for the roof, grid-tied. Will keep the small panels working on my shed and on an enclosed trailer.

The answer is to buy a jackery and one of the cheap models so that you have one that will charge quickly and the other that will put out high power at a low state of charge

This is THE MOST helpful video about batteries. I had just ordered a Jackery, but after watching your video, I was able to cancel my order in time. I'm looking forward to getting a Rockpal!! Thank you SO MUCH for the help.

Will, Jackery has gone Lithium - It might be time to re-examine. You are the best, keep up the great work.

Tools in the kitchen, a real man cave, I love it.

Will what to write here - another great tutorial - I'm surprised that no one has ever offered you a job in the solar industry. Such knowledge at such a young age. Keep it up.

I just wanted to thank you for your comparison and *teaching* videos. That you aren't sponsored, and giving true results and opinion is the perfect ending. I've learned a lot from each one. I just realized that I wasn't subscribed... I am now. ETA: ordered your solar power book from Amazon. Great deal, and at 95% 4-5 star ratings... it's gotta be good for my education. Also read your history. Everyone should go there, if only to read the part about you. Shows what determination & willpower can do. Thanks

Great work! A summary, in order of value, where each one placed in the best bang for the buck category and why. For us non-techies, would be appreciated.

I JUST BOUGHT the Jackery 240. The company ran a promo with 20% off which brought the price through Amazon to less than $200.00 with free shipping. They also came out with the portable 60W solar panel for only $169.00! It’s an awesome package deal.

The Watts are stored, the Watts go out, into the fan and then out the lights! LOL. Great video Will...people love your teaching; I know I do.

I am a complete beginner preparing for a cross country trip to Alaska, the information provided here is exactly what I needed to make a choice to make a purchase.

Please remember that this video was posted almost 18 months ago. That being said, I ended up getting the Expert Power 193WH on June 25th, not only because it was it the cheapest, but because it had the best solar charge time of 3 hours. Unfortunately it failed just after 3 months, and find the company to be far from user friendly in trying to replace it. The reality is, if you want a dependable quality generator, you're going to have to spend at least $500, not including the panels. Even the ones recommend on Will's website are $1000 to $1300. And while I hate to say it, it would appear that gas powered generators are the way to go. The prices of which are extremely competitive in comparison. I'll definitely get another solar setup again, but having a mechanical one gives me great peace of mind. I just purchased a Generac 1200i on Deals Day for $265. Regularly $367

I think at the end of the day, most of us would want a faster charge. 2 days would be too frustrating, especially in emergency circumstances

You are a gifted speaker and could sell anything. Sharp mind!

Just stumbled upon your site. I really like solar generators and have 2 larger ones which came through when the power went out a couple of times this year. I will start watching all your posts. You're a smart person, Will, and this old person appreciates that.

Good review, but may want to (re)state the device names each time, rather than referring to ‘this one.’ As some middle aged folks like me have trouble keeping track of which is which. 🤠 Love your work BTW, and bought your eBook.

love this guys videos so much - he’s so clear and knowledgeable and to the point - hitting what you need to know - and so honest too

Dude you rock! Absolutely the best reviewer of anything solar power related. Jam-packed with a ton of well organized info. Thanks, and keep up the great work.

First time watching you. You're so young and so smart. You have a great future ahead of you. I'm going to sub.

It's worth mentioning that the Rockpals battery packs are able to output power while being charged. Also, the electrical breaker is completely internal and will only reset if popped by allowing to sit until fully charged.

He reminds me of Sheldon from Big Bang theory, he seem like he has so much fun with these kind of stuff, it's just so pleasant to watch him.. :)

Thanks Will! Another super timely video - getting ready for multiple day off grid trip with my c-pap and dc power supply! Rock Pals it is! You’ve been my go to guy for solar too! You Rock!

I just saw a video of this young man on the Shop Solar Kits site. He's very informative, and his enthusiasm is fun to watch. Well done!

Great video! In future product comparison videos, could you add a quick screen shot of a spreadsheet with all your side by side data from the video? I find it easier to compare products at a glance this way, ha.

Jackery's newer 300Watt model has a super fast charging time. Using its own Solar Saga 100W panel, it went from 40% charge to 100% charge in less than 3 hours. It was pulling 70 to 80 watts.

That "Rockpals 300" with the orange/red handle on the top can also be bought without branding for cheaper from AliExpress and is available with US, UK, EU, or AU plug.

I was getting 66w input on the Jackery 240 with a 100w HQST poly panel... had no way to measure the voltage/amps, but estimated it was pushing that 30v max. I was worried about damaging the Jackery and was going to email you... you beat me to the punch! Going to test the Richsolar flex panels this week - 50w & 80w. Thanks so much for your efforts, Will!

After all that, i still dont know which one to get lol

Just bought a Maxoak EB40 from Amazon. The other day it was $359 (with free shipping) but the price seems to have gone up already. Even though it wasn't Prime shipping, I still got it within 2 days. It's advertised as 400Wh (36Ah x 11.1V), MPPT, Pure sine wave inverter. 300W continuous output and 600W peak. It has 6 USB outputs, 1 Type C output, 2 AC outputs, a 12V/5A DC output and a 12V/10A DC output. It comes with an AC adapter charger for the 12V charge input. It also came with an MC4 to DC cable to charge from solar panels, and a car charger. I've been testing it for a couple days. It takes a 100W solar panel nicely. I was getting between 80 and 90 watts of input charge from a single 100W Rich Solar monocrystalline panel yesterday afternoon and this morning when the sun was shining directly on the panel. It charged up from 60% to 100% in less than 2 hours. I've been running AC and DC outputs simultaneously while charging from the solar panel and it seems to work well and as advertised. It has a really nice readout which shows how many watts are being input and it has separate readouts for DC watts out and AC watts out along with a charge meter which shows the charge in 20% increments. It seems to be very high quality (even the cables it came with) and (at least when it was $359) fell under your $1 per Wh sweet spot described at the beginning of the video. I compared the specs to all the units you tested and it seemed like the better deal. So far it's working as advertised. I'd be curious to know what you think of this one compared to your other favorites.

What kind of lights are those you use for the testing and can I buy them on Amazon? Enjoy your channel and how you have grown and matured with so much knowledge now! Wishing you continued success young man. 😊

I don't have a lot of technical knowledge of these, but I really like the versatility. Seems like it would be a good idea to have several of these small portable power stations, vs. only one or a large one. You could rotate using and charging them and always have one ready to use.

I just watched a vid on how to hard-wire in a "booster" to greatly improve the Jackery's charging time. I'm considering this option. But thanks, great review!

Your knowledge blows my mind..I want to learn as much as possible so I can do a full solar hookup on a tiny camper.

The Jackery is the best all around. The shape and handle make it my go to.

Thanks for the detailed honest reviews! Based on this and your later teardown video showing the jackery quality, I went with a jackery 240. I just hooked it up with a tp-solar folding 60w panel and was showing high 40s for input at full mid-day sun, briefly hit 50w once. That was at 60% charge. AC charging has shown 39w steady, vehicle 40w. I don't have a meter to confirm everything, but there you go.

Love your channel. This was awesome! Questions: 1. Do solar generators need to be fused for safety before connecting to a solar panel? 2. Is it not safe or damaging to the battery to use/drain the solar generator while its charging? (...because I do this all the time) I learned a lot although you didn’t test the solar generator that I use (Webetop 155wh battery power/100w ac power output), I’m now able to use your comments to interpret the information label. I’m very pleased with the Webetop. It has a Lithium battery and MTTP, it’s very affordable @ $125, charges fast (empty to full takes 4 hours on a wall plug), can be charged with MC4 connectors to a solar panel, ac wall plug, DC cig and has 3 little DC ports. Plus it’s small & lightweight (highly portable for discreet charging at coffee shops while inside a book bag) and it has a flashlight. (But no readout screen, just lights to indicate it’s charging & battery power level) Now that I know it’s safe to add more panels to it, I can wait until big lithium batteries are cheaper to build a system. Thanks again!

Great video, the Jackery 240 is specified for up to 42W Max input, so I think your test makes perfect sense. The Jackery 500 is rated up to 100W, though it is much more expensive it has the much larger capacity and 2 of the small DC outputs you like to go with the cigarette port.

Good vid Will. Thx! A lot of info to process for sure. A few observations and suggestions. If instead of saying "this one" (esp. at the conclusion @ 21:43) you actually said the brand/model that would be very helpful because I have to go back and find the names. The other thing I notice is that probably most mobile solar setups (eg vans) are only using 100 watts of solar so I'm assuming the faster charging units aren't actually going to charge any faster in that case. The other thing you might do on your wrap up is to go over the applications (eg if you're only using 100 watts of solar and running 110V devices, you should consider the Jackery. If you're using 200 watts and running 12V devices.......) Also, when you talk about things like performance, it would be nice if you broke that down into actual benefits to the end user (eg. your lights will be brighter or your fan will move more air.)

This is one of the best product comparison videos I've ever seen. It's not only informative about the products but I learned a lot about solar power in general. Very nice.

Will, you are THE MAN! I’ve learned so much from your expertise.

This has helped so much! For us, not all can handle a CPAP machine. I know the jackery (especially some of the bigger ones) can handle those machines for 8+ hours. Super important for those who may rely on them. ✨🌺

great timing on this video. Camping this summer and just bought the jackery 240 after watching your videos Thanks for your work on these

Thanks for a very informative video! By sheer dumb luck I bought the Rockpals 100W (in our tiny mountain town we are prone to power outages)... nice to know it will also be useful when I move into my van later this year!

Just starting my research on this, this is a little more complicated than I thought.

I bought an Aeiusny Portable Generator 288 Wh and a 100W Renogy panel back around January. The generator worked well, but I hadn't used it for awhile, and it battery acid spots started to form on the inner ventilation grill (and it was stored in a temperature controlled room, never even used for 1 full cycle). I sent it back and the new one works awesome.

Man Am I Learning A Lot From The Video And The Solar Generators And The Voltage Is Important To Generator Charging Time, Among Other Things! I Like The Jackery And Is There A Way To Bust The Charge Time? Good Video Again Thank You!

I'd love to see you repeat this with some currently available solar generators. I bought the Rockpals 300 model 18 months ago based on your recommendations & it has worked awesome for me while camping. Thank you!! Now my son is apparently moving onto an off grid property to save money and I'd really like him to have more than the small power banks that he uses to keep his phone charged..I'd like to buy him a small solar generator and solar panel. So, an updated video would be appreciated greatly. Thanks WIll for putting these awesome videos out.

Love your videos. Don’t understand most, but I still learn a lot.

You’re literally a gift to society. Thank you for your time and knowledge!!

Will, excellent coverage on this comparison. I was looking for one of these as a full-time RVer. Just bought the ROCKPALS 300w unit but wouldn't have known where to start if it wasn't for your review. Thanks!

wow I'm blown away of how much time n knowledge of science you put in this video thanks !

Yo, much respect from the Bahamas bro... I been trying to decide on one of these for a couple months now to use when out on the water for a couple days fishing and watched a million videos... Thank you for taking your time in sharing your knowledge! definitely gonna get the direct power one...thanks dude!

Thank you again for another great video. You obviously put a lot of time and effort into doing your research and sharing it with us

Just bought a Webetop 45000 mah battery solar generator for my 5 day camping trip that I'm going to use for my CPAP machine. New to these and wish I'd seen your videos before my purchase but at $120 and backup scooter battery I should be fine. Going to build a portable camping/emergency solar charging rig with all the GREAT INFO you give !!! Thank You !!!

You should do a review on the new Jackery 500. Looks like a solid battery.

I got a jackery 160 and a 50 watt portable panel just to charge fairy lights and cell phone. Thanks for all the information.

Hi will! You should take a look at the Suaoki G500 model, this one should very pleasantly surprise you with its performances. In my opinion, it synthesizes all the qualities found on the products tested in this video. The only difficulty now is to obtain it at a decent price. I got my unit just 6 months ago at a very competitive price (299€ for 500Wh, who says better?). It was not even an exceptional and punctual discount, just the price. But today, and this is potentially proof that the plug and play solar market is growing, prices range from 600 to nearly 900€ for the same product. This exceeds your $1 marker per Wh, but it is still a technically interesting product. Mine works on a 100w Renogy foldable solar panel in the form of a suitcase (I think I remember you also tested it on your channel), and it gives me full satisfaction. Keep up with your videos, they are always a pleasure to watch. Regards

Thanks for info I just retired and building my van with solar to power fridge and tv ect. I seen your other video on wiring inverter and solar it saved me big time!👍👌

It's really a great video, it's one of the only videos that explains with details everything you need to charge and connect with a solar power. But I still have a question in the video you mentioned that we don't have to use solar panels that produce 50 watts, in that case if the battery pack has 1000 watt batteries, and I use the solar panel that will generate a 50v (industrial commercial solar panel), is it going to burn out the battery? Or it depends of the input that is installed in the battery pack?

It's awesome how intelligent and knowledgeable you are in such a confusing subjects for some of us. Your video answered all my questions and cut out extensive research on this. Thank you!! Keep it up :)

Here over a year later, $1/wh is still pretty accurate.

Excellent evaluation for a non-electrical person like myself. Really good data, helps me avoid MAJOR wasted money. (Of course, I'll spend more than I WANT to, but get MUCH better device.) Thank you, sir! You will go FAR! Just stick to what you're good at and what you LOVE! 👍👍👍👍👍

Thank finally someone who explained it so I can understand😊

I have to say that I usually watch all my videos at 1.5 speed , but you are not only informative but you also speak fast, so when I watch your channel I use the regular speed because I want to hear everything explained like you do on a level that I can understand. Keep up the good work! Perhaps you might do a video for women that explains power vs wattage vs amperage , I might have gotten that all wrong as I don't know a thing about electricity, voltage, amperage or watts .....lololol

thanks for your info, but the power station price drops now, $0.5 for 1wh is available, gooloo p600 is a good choice, I bought it for my RV camping

Jackery👍🏼my choice for my rig. Very useful info ~Thank You🙌🏻

Amps, watts, voltage, mttp, I am lost. How about a vid on the relationship btwn amps, watts, voltage, converter, inverter, voltage regulator... And the distinctions

Great video. I would recommend anyone shopping for a power station in this class to watch this. I learned a lot. Thanks!

Great review. If these can be charged via 120V, maybe at Starbucks/library/generator, do you know the charge times?

You have to wonder if the cheaprr, higher input power units are within saftey margins. Its easy to throw caution to the wind and design something that appears to perform better, but the components may fail earlier.

Awesome review for a newbie like myself. Thx for posting.

I just went super micro, 5volt. Adata P10050 ($20 in Canada) and a Leory 10W USB (more like 5 watt) It works well - so far. Supposedly does simultaneous charge on discharge which many USB Lion banks don't do.

I charge mine while I'm at work, show up, plug it in all day, take it with me when I go. :)

I subbed dude. I learned more just now off this video then I have almost any other video in a long time. I’m just getting in to the small generators and smaller solar panels. Awesome info

Using a CPAP Machine (up to 90 watts up to 10amps (Resmed Aircurve 10 ASV)) will need to run up to 10 hours Need to charge the Generator full every day in a few hours (10 hours is right out) Will be going without 110v access for weeks/months at a time. Is there any of these units that will slightly exceed the needed usage???

This was a great review and I think I am going with the Jackery but the 500W one.

On the Jackery - what is the recharge time if plugged-in to AC? My plan is to have one in a small trailer, and take it to class and recharge from wall sockets.

🤯. Bless you. Wish I had paid more attention to technology as the years passed. I am building out my bus, to sail away and wish I lived in your hood. I wish you so much success. Close but ..... solar for dummies is the tutorial I will follow you for. This is close. Till the day comes when I can blow a load on simplicity, I will follow you to the ends of the earth. Keep doing what you are doing. I hope to someday truly understand and be able to follow you. 👏🏽👏🏽🙏🏼🇨🇦🙏🏼👏🏽👏🏽🚌

Nice review learned allot from your videos thanks for all you do.

I have the rockpals 500 with two 80watt panels and love it. It does have a few deficiencies, but will buy again. Also it comes it an a/c charger that I believe is 90watts! You can get a pure sine wave inverter for you car and charge it fast off that from your car.

Really nice comparison video. I'm curious, what are your thoughts on the Renogy 400Wh Rugged Power Pack? Suaoki has a total look-alike of it, too. Sometimes I see good sales on these and wonder if they're worth it.

It is always a pleasure to listen to someone who knows his stuff. Smart is the ultimate cool. :)

An amazing in-depth review, thanks. It's true that I wouldn't want a 2 day recharge time, but I'm wondering under what usage would it be run totally flat. In a camper using a few led lights and charging a phone/tablet, would it go flat in a day? Or could the battery be topped up during the next days solar from 50% back up to 100%. In which case the Jackery may jump up a spot or 2.

I will be going for the Jackery. If you start off with it fully charged, it doesn’t use as much, which means you use less time charging it. I will be using the cigarette port most of the time.

Jackery 500 comes out Monday July 22. Will be curious if they made improvements over the 250. A number of RU-vidrs are given discount codes of 20 percent off

I have a cpap machine and live in calif and we have blackouts now..I wanted a battery backup so I wanted info and watched your video to learn something and now I have WTF I have no idea of whats is going on and have my brain is telling me that I need to stop ...I thought I knew but I guess I really don't know....I might have to watch this video over and over again to learn something..you are a smart kid

Thank you. We all need this info!

Hey Will. You are a life saver for so many people. Your so young and knowledgeable like genius as far as Im concerned. I am very proud of you. Too bad you cant wire up my van. Stay well.