For all shower vocalists and music listeners during the morning routine, Shower Power is a new Bluetooth speaker that never has to leave your shower. Ampere has managed to harness the power of water so that you can enjoy your favorite songs, podcasts, and audio books while your take a shower. With Shower Power, you don’t have to worry about cables and charging the speaker ever again.
Shower Power is wireless Hydropower Shower Speaker that doesn’t use USB charging cables. Shower Power is charged by the water from your shower and it is designed to never run out of power. The Shower Power speaker is waterproof and uses Bluetooth for connectivity.
Shower can install easily to your existing shower head in about a minute. It’s as simple as removing your shower head, screwing in Shower Power, and then replacing your shower head. If you are experiencing any leaking, a bit of sealing tape will help to keep a tight seal.
How does it work?
The Shower Power speaker works like a water wheel in a dam. Before the flow of water reaches the shower head, it rotates the internal turbine (impeller) inside shower power. The turbine is connected to a set of magnets and a mini generator. At the center of the generator is a set of stationary copper coils. The magnets rotating around the copper coils create an electromagnetic field which creates alternating current power (AC). AC is sent to a rectifier on the PCB where it is converted direct current (DC). A DC/DC circuit then converts to power to 5V so it can be used to charge the internal 2600 mAh lithium-ion battery. In an average shower, that takes about 14 hours to charge from 0-100%. This lithium-ion battery is what is used to power all the Bluetooth speaker functionality. When water is flowing and the speaker is in use, the lithium-ion battery can charge and discharge at the same time. As long as you have the shower running most of the time you are listening to shower power, then you will never run out of battery.
If you listen to Shower Power often, without the shower going, you could get to the point that you drain the battery of Shower Power. There is a “Low Power Mode” to ensure that you will never be without music. If Shower Power drops below 25% charged, you will not longer be able to listen to Shower Power without water running. In addition, the max volume will be reduced to ensure the batter recharges quickly.
Technical Specifications
- Lithium-ion battery: 2,600 mAh
- Always on power with water running (PSI of 30 or above)
- Up to 170 hours listening time with water running (PSI of 25-30)
- Up to 14 hours of listening time with no water running
- Impeller generates: 150 mA
- Hydropower charge time: 14-16 hours
- Maximum sound level: 85 dBC (standard mode)
- Maximum sound level: 45 dBC (low power mode)
- Frequency range: 100 Hz – 20 kHz
- Drivers: 40 mm 5W speaker
- Connect up to 2 source devices simultaneously (1x Shower Power and 1x Droplet)
- Bluetooth range: For music playback is up to 10m
- Devices Supported: smartphones, tablets, and other devices with Bluetooth
Pricing and Availability
Shower Power is available on Kickstarter for $59 USD (Retail $99 MSRP). Ampere has already raised >100% of its fundraising goal with $157,000 pledged by almost 1800 backers. The Shower Power has a 1-Year Warranty and it will ship worldwide with estimated delivery of Jan 2021. Ampere also allows you to add on the water-proof remote for $15 USD (Retail: $30 MSRP), an additional regular Droplet speaker for $20 ($50 MSRP).
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