A power station only helps in a blackout if it’s ready before the lights go out. The Explorer 500 v2 has a feature that makes it genuinely useful for outages: a UPS mode that switches over in under 10 milliseconds — fast enough that your Wi-Fi and laptop never notice. Here’s how to set it up.
How UPS mode works
Plug the 500 v2 into the wall, then plug your essentials into the 500 v2’s AC outlets. It passes grid power straight through while keeping itself topped up. The instant the grid drops, it switches to battery in <10ms — faster than a router or modem can reboot. Built-in surge protection up to 3,000V also shields your gear from storm spikes.
What to keep plugged in
- Wi-Fi router + modem — stay online through the outage.
- Laptop — keep working or finish the call.
- A lamp or the built-in LED — the 500 v2 has a dual-mode light with an SOS setting.
- Phone chargers — keep everyone connected.
A 10W router plus a small load can run for many hours on 512Wh, so for short and medium outages a single charge goes a long way.
One important caveat
The 500 v2 is a fast-switching backup, not a true zero-millisecond UPS. Don’t use it for equipment that cannot tolerate any interruption at all — data servers, certain medical devices, or workstations with no power tolerance. For everyday home gear like Wi-Fi, computers, and lights, the sub-10ms switchover is seamless.
Stay charged and ready
- Keep it plugged in so it’s always near full when you need it.
- It charges from 0–100% in about 1.3 hours on wall power.
- Cold-region homes: it operates down to -20°C, with stable AC output even in freezing weather.
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