Honestly, the original Jackery 240 was the "old reliable" of the camping world for years. You’ve probably seen that gray and orange handle poking out of a Subaru at every trailhead since 2018. It was basic. It was slow. But it worked.
Then the Jackery Explorer 240 v2 showed up recently, and it’s a completely different beast under the hood.
If you're still looking at the old specs—the ones with the 500-cycle battery and the glacial 8-hour wall charging—you're looking at a relic. The v2 is basically Jackery’s admission that the competition was starting to eat their lunch. They’ve swapped the guts, fixed the charging speed, and finally moved to the battery tech everyone actually wanted.
The Big Battery Swap: Why LiFePO4 Actually Matters
The headline change for the Jackery Explorer 240 v2 is the move to Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4).
The old version used standard Lithium-ion (NMC) cells. Those were fine, but they’d start to lose significant capacity after about 500 full charges. If you used it every weekend, that battery was "tired" in three years.
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With the v2, they’re claiming 3,000 cycles to 80% capacity.
Think about that.
That is six times the lifespan. If you drained this thing every single day, it would take over eight years to even hit that 80% health mark. Most people will probably lose the unit or upgrade to a "v10" before this battery actually dies. It’s also inherently safer because LiFePO4 is way more thermally stable. It won't catch fire if you accidentally poke it or leave it in a hot trunk as easily as the old tech.
Weight vs. Longevity
There is a tiny catch. LiFePO4 is heavier. The unit now weighs about 7.9 lbs (3.6 kg), which is a slight jump from the old one. Is it a dealbreaker? No. It’s still a "backpack" power station. But you'll feel that extra pound if you’re trekking deep into the woods.
Charging Speed: No More Overnight Waits
One of the biggest gripes with the original 240 was the "recharge anxiety."
You’d go for a quick camping trip, drain the battery, and then have to plug it in for 7 or 8 hours to get it back to full. It felt like charging an old flip phone.
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The Jackery Explorer 240 v2 fixes this with what they call "Emergency Charge" mode. You toggle it in the Jackery app, and it can go from 0 to 100% in about an hour. Even the "normal" wall charging is down to about 2 hours.
That’s a game changer.
You can literally charge it at a coffee shop while you grab lunch or top it off in the morning while you're packing the car. It also supports 100W USB-C input/output. That means if you have a beefy MacBook charger, you can use that to juice it up too. No more carrying that specific, bulky proprietary brick everywhere if you don't want to.
Real World Power: What Can It Actually Run?
Let’s be real: this is a 256Wh unit with a 300W inverter (600W surge).
Don't try to run your hair dryer on it. It’ll just go beep and shut down.
I’ve seen people try to plug in coffee makers or space heaters and get mad when it fails. This is a "small electronics" station.
Here is what it actually does well:
- Phones: You’ll get about 20-24 full recharges.
- Laptops: A standard MacBook Air will get 3 to 4 full charges.
- CPAP Machines: This is a big one. Without a humidifier, you can usually get one full night (7-8 hours). If you turn the heater/humidifier on, it’ll be dead in three hours.
- 12V Fridges: In a pinch, it’ll run a small 12V portable cooler for maybe 5-10 hours depending on the ambient temp. It’s better as a "buffer" battery between your car and the fridge.
The pure sine wave inverter is standard here, which is great. It means your sensitive electronics—cameras, drones, laptops—won't get that weird electrical hum or "dirty" power that cheap modified sine wave inverters produce.
The UPS Mode: A Surprising Home Backup Tool
Jackery added a 20ms Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) feature to the Jackery Explorer 240 v2.
Most people think of these as just camping gear.
But if you work from home and your power flickers, this thing can sit between the wall and your router. When the power cuts, it switches to battery in 20 milliseconds. That is fast enough that your Wi-Fi won't even reset. It’s a nice "set it and forget it" feature for a home office, though I wouldn't rely on it for a high-end gaming PC since the 300W limit is pretty tight.
How It Compares to the "Big Two" Rivals
The market is crowded now. Jackery isn't the only player.
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Jackery v2 vs. EcoFlow River 2
The River 2 is the most direct competitor. It’s slightly lighter and also has LiFePO4. The Jackery v2 feels a bit more "rugged"—the plastic is thicker, and the folding handle feels like it could take a beating. EcoFlow’s app is arguably a bit more polished, but Jackery has finally caught up with its own app support for monitoring the v2.
Jackery v2 vs. Bluetti EB3A
The Bluetti has a bigger inverter (600W), which means it can run slightly more powerful stuff. However, Bluetti has had some "quality control" complaints in the enthusiast forums (Reddit’s r/knifemaking or r/camping are full of people debating this). Jackery generally wins on brand reliability and customer service if things go sideways.
What's Still Missing?
It's not perfect.
I really wish they had included a wireless charging pad on the top. The top is flat now (the handle folds down, which is a massive improvement for packing), so it would have been the perfect spot to just toss a phone.
Also, the 12V cigarette lighter port doesn't have a cover. If you're in the desert or at a sandy beach, that port is going to get gunked up eventually. It’s a small detail, but for a brand that prides itself on "outdoor ready" gear, it’s a weird omission.
Actionable Steps: Getting the Most Out of Your 240 v2
If you just bought one or are thinking about it, don't just leave it in the box.
- Firmware first: Download the Jackery app immediately. These units often ship with older firmware that might have bugs in the charging logic. Update it over Wi-Fi before your first trip.
- The 20/80 Rule: While LiFePO4 lasts forever, it still hates being stored at 0%. If you aren't using it, keep it around 50-80% charge. Don't leave it plugged into the wall 24/7 for months on end unless you’re specifically using the UPS mode.
- Solar Pairing: The Jackery Explorer 240 v2 loves the SolarSaga 100W or 80W panels. On a sunny day, the 100W panel can actually charge this thing faster than the old wall chargers could. Just remember you need the 8020 to USB-C adapter if you're using older Jackery panels with the new v2 input.
- Cold Weather Care: LiFePO4 batteries hate the cold. If it’s below freezing, the battery won't take a charge. If you’re winter camping, keep the unit inside your sleeping bag or an insulated box until you need to use it.
The Jackery Explorer 240 v2 is a massive leap over the original. It’s no longer the "slow" option. It’s a modern, fast-charging, long-lasting little brick that finally justifies its price tag in a world full of cheap knockoffs. Just know its limits: it’s for your laptop and your lantern, not your toaster.
To get the longest life out of your unit, make sure to perform a full discharge and recharge cycle at least once every three months. This helps the Battery Management System (BMS) stay calibrated so your percentage display remains accurate during critical moments.