How Long Will the Jackery Explorer 500 Run String Lights?
Updated 2026-10-17 · Yes
About 22 hours. The Jackery Explorer 500 stores 518Wh, and string lights average about 20W. At 5 hours of use a day, one charge lasts about 4.4 days.
The numbers
| Battery capacity | 518Wh (NMC) |
|---|---|
| Usable energy | 440Wh (85% via AC outlets) |
| Continuous AC output | 500W |
| Surge rating | 1000W |
| String lights running watts | 20W |
| Startup watts | 20W |
| Average draw | 20W |
| Estimated runtime | 22 hours |
| Energy per day of typical use | 100Wh |
518Wh × 0.85 = 440Wh usable ÷ 20W average = 22 hours
Station specs: source, checked 2026-10-17. See how we calculate runtime.
Adjust the numbers
Check the label on your string lights and enter its real wattage.
Recharging with solar
The Jackery Explorer 500 accepts up to 100W of solar input. In real conditions that harvests about 375Wh on a sunny day (5 peak-sun hours).
Solar can keep up. String lights use about 100Wh a day at 5 hours of use, so with enough panels and good sun the Jackery Explorer 500 can run it indefinitely.
Tips
- LED string lights for a campsite or patio use 5–25W per strand.
- You’ll still have about 480W of AC capacity left for other devices at the same time, though they’ll share the same battery.
- The Jackery Explorer 500 uses NMC cells, which are lighter but rated for fewer cycles (typically 500–800) than newer LFP models.
Other power stations running string lights
| Power station | Capacity | Output | Runtime | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackery Explorer 300 Plus | 288Wh | 300W | 12 hours | Yes |
| Goal Zero Yeti 500X | 505Wh | 300W | 21 hours | Yes |
| EcoFlow River 2 Max | 512Wh | 500W | 22 hours | Yes |
| Anker 535 PowerHouse | 512Wh | 500W | 22 hours | Yes |
| DJI Power 500 | 512Wh | 1000W | 22 hours | Yes |
| EcoFlow River 2 Pro | 768Wh | 800W | 33 hours | Yes |
| Anker SOLIX C800 Plus | 768Wh | 1200W | 33 hours | Yes |
| Bluetti AC70 | 768Wh | 1000W | 33 hours | Yes |
FAQ
Will the Jackery Explorer 500 run string lights overnight?
Yes. Eight hours uses about 160Wh, roughly 36% of the Jackery Explorer 500’s usable capacity.
How long does the Jackery Explorer 500 take to recharge with solar?
With its maximum 100W of solar input it refills in about 6.9 hours of strong sun. A single 200W panel is enough to max out its solar input.