What’s New With The Jackery SolarSaga 100X Vs SolarSaga 100?

Has Jackery Updated Its Most Popular Solar Panel?

In late December of 2021, a new Jackery solar panel was released – the SolarSaga 100X.

Jackery SolarSaga 100X Portable Solar Panel for Explorer 240/300/500/1000/1500 Power Station, Foldable PERC Solar Cell Solar Charger with USB Outputs for Phones (Can't Charge Explorer 440/ PowerPro)

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A lot of questions arose in the solar community and it was unclear if this was an upgrade to the old SolarSaga 100 that we all know and love.

Related Product: Looking for a more powerful solar panel for your Jackery? The EcoFlow 160W solar panel (click to view on Amazon) is a waterproof panel compatible with all Jackery power stations. Connects with an MC4 to 8mm adapter (click to view on Amazon).

But here is the bummer: nothing is new, except the look.

There is no difference in performance or functionality, but it looks a bit more modern now.

How many SolarSaga can you connect to an Explorer power station?

You can connect at least two SolarSaga 100W to every Jackery power station, but not all of them can use all of the electricity generated.

I only recommend using two 100W panels or more panels if you have the Explorer 1000 or larger.

If you have the SolarSaga 60W, I recommend connecting up to two to any of the Jackery solar generators. This is done with an 8mm combiner adapter like this.

The Explorer 1000 can only use 126W, so going over 200 is unnecessary unless you live in an area that is often so cloudy that you don’t see 126W input very often.

One thing to note about the Explorer 1500, is that you need to use either the parallel adapter included by Jackery, or get an adapter like this by SolarEnz (click to view on Amazon).

The reason for that is that Jackery slightly changed the 8mm input on the 15oo and 2000, for some reason.

What’s the best alternative to the Jackery SolarSaga solar panels?

I like the EcoFlow 160W solar panel because it has an IP67 rating instead of a IP65. That means that it’s more water-resistant than the Jackery panel.

EF ECOFLOW 160 Watt Portable Solar Panel for Power Station, Foldable Solar Charger with Adjustable Kickstand, Waterproof IP68 for Outdoor Camping RV Off Grid System

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It comes in different sizes and is compatible with every Jackery power station. You do need an MC4 to 8mm adapter to connect it.

You can combine two EcoFlow panels with an MC4 Y branch, but I only recommend doing this with the Explorer 1500 since it’s the only one that can use up to 300W of solar input per port.

How do I connect two SolarSaga panels to my Explorer?

The Explorer 1000, 1500, and 2000 come with combiner adapters to do this.

If you have a 500 or smaller, you’re going to need a combiner adapter like this that combines the two panels in parallel.

Is there an extension cable for the Jackery solar panels?

They use 8mm connectors, so what you need is an 8mm extension cable. Unfortunately, not all 8mm connectors are made the same, so it can be hard to find a cable with a snug fit.

I did find this one on Amazon which is supposed to be a perfect fit for the Explorer, but I haven’t tested it myself so I can’t promise anything.

Please leave a comment down below if you have any questions.

 

3 thoughts on “What’s New With The Jackery SolarSaga 100X Vs SolarSaga 100?”

  1. Im so disappointed to think i bought the 100w. Just to find out its not rain proof. I see them on top of houses so I thought they would all be okay to stay out in the weather.
    What if it rains on it because yourre not home when youre charging and it starts raining?

    Reply

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