With its (optional) 40,000-mAh battery capacity, Zero Breeze
can beat back the outdoor heat for up to five hours of continual
use (Credit: Zero Breeze)
With
global temperatures reaching new record highs, it's as
important as ever for individuals to mind the sun and heat.
A San Francisco-based startup has launched a Kickstarter
campaign for a portable air conditioner that packs more than
just a rotary compressor. The Zero Breeze is designed to
illuminate, play music over Bluetooth, power devices, and
last up to five hours on its rechargeable battery.
Portable air conditioners are widely available in sizes
ranging between that of a toaster oven to an upright garbage
can. While most any of these can effectively chill interior
spaces to a point, the need for a continual power source
limits outdoor options. The team behind Zero Breeze has
managed to cut the cable requirement without significantly
sacrificing the cooling power.
Zero Breeze uses rotary compression refrigeration
technology along with an "environmentally- and
ozone-friendly" Dupont R-134a refrigerant. Since the system
is closed, users won't need to worry about adding
refrigerant over time. Zero Breeze's cooling output is
listed at 1,000 BTU per hour and designed to handle areas up
to 50 sq ft (4.6 sq m). In closed quarters, it could
reportedly be possible to bring the ambient temperate down
to 44.6 F (7 C).
What makes the Zero Breeze appealing is the optional
battery for portable operation. With the added 40,000-mAh
battery capacity, Zero Breeze can beat back the outdoor heat
for up to five hours of continual use on the medium fan
setting (3.5 hours on high). Given that the unit's 18.3 x
6.4 x 3.8 in (46.4 x 16.2 x 9.6 cm) size and 8.8 lb (4 kg)
lets it carry like canister vacuum, Zero Breeze joins the
ranks of convenient outdoor/camping gadgets like the
Little Luxury Cooler and
Cinch! pop-up tent.
This portable air conditioner adds some utility with its
built-in Bluetooth speaker, a pair of 5 V / 1 A USB charging
ports, and LED light ring around the fan exhaust. Although
the 3 W speaker and 250 lm aren't the biggest and brightest
out there, they may certainly work in a pinch and eliminate
the need to pack extra devices. And with a noise level
rating of 48 dB, you can converse about the Zero Breeze
without having to shout.
The team behind Zero Breeze claims to have developed
multiple working prototypes and is poised for production.
Just remember, anything can happen when it comes to
crowdfunded campaigns – we've seen promising projects
succeed at first, yet fail even harder later on. Almost
three years after
helping raise millions for the Coolest Cooler on Kickstarter,
the majority of backers are still left empty-handed as
Amazon sales slowly bridge the financial gap.
The Zero Breeze
Kickstarter campaign has raised 147 percent of its
US$100,000 goal in two days, with another 43 days of funding
left to go. Early-bird pledges for a single Zero Breeze air
conditioner start at $349, saving $150 off the planned
retail price. Each unit comes with a power adapter, exhaust
pipe, and drain pipe. Additional tiers offer to bundle in
the separate battery pack.
If molding, tooling, and manufacturing go according to
plan, backers can expect shipments of Zero Breeze to start
as early as March, 2017.
Source:
Zero
Breeze