The worst thing about extended power outages is what happens to the contents of your fridge. Bluetti’s new FridgePower power solution hopes to address this problem directly, though it’s not adverse to taking on a few other tasks if you need it to.
The brand, which has a local presence, is currently punting its new FridgePower gadget via a Kickstarter campaign. Bluetti was looking for R820,000 ($50,000). It has demolished that goal, with more than R14 million ($850,000) pledged so far. So yes, it’s coming. It’ll be cheaper if you snag one during the crowdfunding effort, too.
Out of the Bluetti
The concept isn’t too dissimilar from Tesla’s Powerwall and others, just on a smaller scale. The FridgePower unit is designed to be compact, stick to your walls, and send power to your food-preserver via its 2,016Wh LiFePo battery. This capacity can be expanded via Bluetti’s BlueCell 200 bolt-on batteries, up to a hefty 8,064Wh.
Each unit measures 580 x 350 x 75mm, which isn’t much at all. It is enough for the FridgePower to weigh a touch over seventeen kilograms, though. The system is plug (into a wall socket) and play (wait for it to click over when Eskom does what it does). It doesn’t need specialist installation either, making it somewhat more convenient than a Powerwall.
Smart features, like app control, are included with the package. The FridgePower can send updates on power and charging status to your phone, plus it’ll keep an eye on the weather. You know, since extreme storms can knock out your electricity for indeterminate periods? It’ll also integrate into existing smart home systems based on Alexa, Google, and Apple’s ecosystems. Uptime, according to the company, should exceed 21 hours of outage. That may not be enough for South Africans, but it’s better than having your snacks start to decay immediately.
Here’s where it gets tricky. If you have R12,500 on hand for the early price (it’s normally R21,500), you’ll still have to get it here. The Kickstarter outing only ships to limited countries. South Africa, sadly, isn’t on that list. But Bluetti does have a local presence, so it could well show up at retail… at the increased price, of course.
