Email alert - ⚠ Attention [firstname] Your Tempest needs more sunlight 🌞!

Tempest Owners
1

I received the following automated email a few minutes ago, apparently sent by a new Tempest QC-checking test. Nothing has changed with my siting in years that would be blocking sunlight, but this Tempest has been acting wonky with charging since November and even had the battery go flat a few times after several days of the December doldrums. I already bought a PBA anticipating a problem, and have it sitting on the shelf waiting for a break in the winter weather to install it.

Anyway, just sharing the email alert because I believe that it is a new feature that some people here have been asking about…

[ logo-tempest-grey-01 ]

Hello [firstname],

The Tempest quality control system has flagged your Tempest device for: Low Power and Suboptimal Solar Charging

This suggests your Tempest device is not getting enough sunlight to keep the battery charged. Here are some tips to help your Tempest stay powered up:

  • Make sure the Tempest device is exposed to direct sunlight. Solar panels should receive as much direct sunlight during the day as possible.
  • Ensure your Tempest device is properly aligned. See [Orientation & Alignment] for more info*.*
  • Wipe clean the black solar panels if they are dirty.

If you don’t have a location that gets enough sunlight, your Tempest may lose power at times. You may want to consider adding our [Power Booster Accessory] to your Tempest. This simple device will keep your Tempest running strong, regardless of available sunlight. Enter code [REDACTED] at checkout to knock $15 off the regular price.

For more details on battery level and charging, see [Tempest’s Solar Power].

Review the [Siting Guide] for more information on best siting practices.

Best,

Team Tempest

WeatherFlow-Tempest, 921 S. Clyde Morris Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114

2 Likes
2

Nice !!!

It would be great if they had similar notifications if the sensors were detected as failed and the like.

2 Likes
3

I’ve received it a couple of times. Only problem is, it needs to identify which Tempest it is with the issue. If you only have one, no problem, if you have more than one, it is a little harder. In my case, I’m sure the offending Tempest is a field test one which sees the PBA but refuses to charge with it.

@eric, can you send a suggestion to whoever is in charge of this automated email to include the station and Tempest device?

1 Like
4

I have pushed the idea to the data folks for consideration. Thanks for bringing it up.

2 Likes
5

actually I don’t want this email from the sales guys. I’ve got it twice now.

6

I didn’t interpret it as a sales pitch, but rather a good owner/customer service feature that offers a discounted solution if a station isn’t receiving enough sun to charge.

My napkin-math says that WF-T is already losing money on the PBA extension cable add-on, and I suspect the offered $15 off of a PBA for those with poor solar charging is also being sold at a loss…

7

if you do it once, perhaps, but multiple times, not so much.

8

It’s just a standard email template, alerting you to a continuing problem…

9

Five seconds to do a google filter to autodelete them and never see it, if you use gmail.

10

…plus there’s “unsubscribe” and “manage preferences” in the email footer, although the preference choice isn’t granular enough to stop one specific message and not the entire category of alerts…

11

This comes across as 100% a sales pitch, if it was to help me out it would tell me which of the four devices I have were having this issue and provide me with some kind of data as to why they think that is the issue. Currently I have two devices down.