# Contacts on base of Sky unit

**URL:** <https://community.tempest.earth/t/contacts-on-base-of-sky-unit/1289>\
**Category:** Tempest Owners\
**Created:** [June 15, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/contacts-on-base-of-sky-unit/1289 "2018-06-15T18:50:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jeff\_1158](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee59a6/32.png) [@jeff\_1158](https://community.tempest.earth/u/jeff_1158)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/contacts-on-base-of-sky-unit/1289/1 "2018-06-15T18:50:58Z")

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What are the purpose of the contacts on the base of the Sky unit? I am hoping to be able to use them to provide external power from a solar panel. I don’t really want to open up my brand new weather station I waited 2 years for, but it would be really nice to know if there is a charging circuit built in or if they were planning an external self contained unit with a battery, charge controller, and panel.

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**Author:** ![GaryFunk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/garyfunk/32/5729_2.png) [@GaryFunk](https://community.tempest.earth/u/GaryFunk)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/contacts-on-base-of-sky-unit/1289/2 "2018-06-15T19:12:15Z")

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Start here;

> [@SKY solar battery charge conversion?](https://community.tempest.earth/t/sky-solar-battery-charge-conversion/1272):
>
> Rooftop is my preferable SKY mount location but not so easy to access in my elder age! While i appreciate the engineering allowing 1 year battery life, replacement every year (set for 1s reporting) will be a hassle even if there ARE no moving parts! My old Davis wind unit with solar panel had this advantage. I was thinking about running 2 wires out the bottom of SKY in lieu of AA batteries and powering with an easily constructed 18650 Li-on battery(s), TP4056 solar charge module, and perhaps …

There are several topics here that discuss solar power.

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**Author:** ![WFmarketing](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tempest.earth/wfmarketing/32/62_2.png) [@WFmarketing](https://community.tempest.earth/u/WFmarketing)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.tempest.earth/t/contacts-on-base-of-sky-unit/1289/3 "2018-06-15T20:29:22Z")

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> [@jeff\_1158](#):
>
> What are the purpose of the contacts on the base of the Sky unit?

They are contact points for an integrated solar module (panel, recharge battery, and electrical control circuitry).

Also note, after a massive amount of engineering, the SKY can run on AA batteries for 2+ years in the power save mode which samples wind every 15sec instead of every 3sec in normal mode. Most average home users will notice little difference in the wind data while in power mode.