The short version: Jackery has two families. Explorer is the portable line you carry to a campsite. HomePower is the backup line built to sit in one place, switch over automatically, and in most cases grow with expansion batteries. If you want one unit for a weekend in a trailer, start at the Explorer 1000 v2. If you want to run a 30-amp trailer or back up a house, go to the HomePower 3600 Plus. Everything else is a variation on size, ruggedness or expandability.
Explorer or HomePower?
This is the only decision that really matters, and Jackery does not make it obvious. The model numbers overlap: there is an Explorer 1000 v2 and a HomePower 1000 v2, and they are not the same machine.
Explorer units are for taking somewhere. They are lighter for the capacity, they charge fast, and they are the ones you lift into a truck bed. HomePower units are for backup. They switch to battery fast enough that a router or a CPAP never notices, several of them accept expansion batteries, and the larger ones are designed to wire into a transfer switch instead of running extension cords.
An RV buyer often wants a bit of both. The practical split: if the unit will mostly live in the camper and get carried out to a table, buy Explorer. If it will mostly sit in a bay or a basement and you want it to cover outages at home between trips, buy HomePower.
The small units: phones, laptops and a 12V fridge
The Explorer 300D is 288Wh and, importantly, has no AC outlet. It is USB-C, USB-A and DC only, with the carry strap doubling as a 140W USB-C cable. At 5.5 lb it is the one that lives in the cab for phones, tablets, cameras and a Starlink Mini. Do not buy it expecting to run an appliance.
The Explorer 500 v2 adds a real inverter: 512Wh with 500W of AC output and 1,000W surge. That covers a laptop, a CPAP, camera chargers and a small 12V fridge over a weekend. It is the first unit in the range that behaves like a power station rather than a large power bank.
The 1kWh class, where most RV buyers land
Three units sit at roughly 1kWh and they are genuinely different.
- Explorer 1000 v2 — 1,070Wh, 1,500W, dual 100W USB-C, and a full recharge in about an hour. Jackery calls it the smallest 1kWh LFP station and it weighs 23.8 lb. This is the volume seller and the sensible default for a travel trailer.
- HomePower 1000 v2 — 1,024Wh, 1,500W with 3,000W surge, switchover under 10ms, 3kV lightning protection, and Priority Routing so you choose which outlets die first. Built as a UPS that also camps.
- HomePower 1000 Plus v2 — same 1,024Wh but 1,800W rated and 3,600W peak, and it takes up to five expansion batteries for 11kWh. Buy this one if you want to start small and grow, or if you need to start corded power tools.
The 1.5kWh pair: fast or tough
The Explorer 1500 v2 is 1,536Wh with 2,000W output and 4,000W surge, seven ports, and a 64-minute full recharge at 31.97 lb. The Explorer 1500 Ultra has the same 1,536Wh but trades some output (1,800W rated, 3,600W surge) for an IP65 dustproof and waterproof enclosure that Jackery also rates as drop-resistant from one meter. If the station is going to ride in an open truck bed, on a boat, or on a job site, the Ultra is the one that survives.
The 2kWh class
The Explorer 2000 v2 is 2,042Wh and 2,200W (4,400W surge), about 39.5 lb, under 30 dB, and refills in roughly 1.7 hours. It holds about 95% of its charge after 12 months in storage, which matters if the camper sits all winter.
The HomePower 2000 Plus v2 is 2,048Wh and 2,400W, and it expands to 12kWh with Battery Pack 2000 Plus v2 units. It is the cheapest entry into a system you can keep growing.
The big backup units
The HomePower 3000 is 3,072Wh and 3,600W with 7,200W surge, about 59.5 lb, and it uses ZeroDrain to hold roughly 95% of its charge after a year sitting idle. It covers one to two days of fridge, lights, router and fans.
The HomePower 3600 Plus is the one most RV owners should look at hardest, because it has a NEMA TT-30 outlet. A 30-amp trailer plugs straight in with its own shore cord, no adapter. It is 3,584Wh, expands to 21kWh with five Battery Pack 3600 units, runs at 30 dB, and two of them in parallel give you 240V.
The HomePower 3600 Pro Max is the newer flagship of that size: same 3,584Wh, but it delivers 4,000W at 240V or 2,000W at 120V from a single unit, carries UL 9540 certification with an emergency stop, and lists eight ways to recharge including a gas generator. We compare the two in detail in HomePower 3600 Plus vs 3600 Pro Max.
At the top, the Explorer 5000 Plus is 5,040Wh and 7,200W (14,400W surge) with true 120V/240V output through NEMA 14-50 and L14-30R outlets, up to 4,000W of solar input and a 1.7-hour recharge. It expands toward 60kWh. It also weighs about 134.5 lb, so plan the lift.
The accessories that actually change the setup
- DC-DC Alternator Charger — 600W from the vehicle alternator while you drive, roughly 1kWh per two hours and about six times faster than a cigarette lighter socket. This is the piece that gets you to camp with a full station.
- Manual Transfer Switch 120V 30A — pre-wired, L5-30 inlet, for the 2000 Plus and 3600 Plus. The safe way to feed house circuits instead of running cords.
- Smart Transfer Switch — automatic handover within 20ms, Explorer 5000 Plus only.
- 10m DC Extension Cable Plus — lets the panels sit in the sun while the station stays in the shade.
FAQ
Which Jackery is best for a travel trailer?
For weekend use, the Explorer 1000 v2. For a trailer with a 30-amp shore cord that you want to plug in directly, the HomePower 3600 Plus, because of its TT-30 outlet.
Can I expand any Jackery later?
No, and this catches people out. Only certain models accept expansion batteries. See which battery pack fits which station before you buy the base unit.
Are the batteries lithium iron phosphate?
Across the current range, yes. Jackery rates most models at 4,000 cycles and the 6,000-cycle EV-grade cells appear in the HomePower expandable units.
Do I need Jackery solar panels?
They are the simplest match, and the cables are included. See the SolarSaga panels explained for which panel suits which station, including one compatibility trap on the small units.
Every Jackery unit we list ships direct from Jackery's US warehouse with the manufacturer's warranty, and we price the range at or under the lowest price we can find online. Questions about a specific setup? Talk to a parts person before you order.