Hello from WeatherFlow. Our team is working hard to deliver the best home weather station you’ve ever seen. Many of you have asked about the possibility of a solar panel – here’s an update. We’ve gone to great lengths to engineer the devices to operate with minimal power consumption and run on batteries alone for years. Even so, many of you have asked for an alternative power source such as a solar panel for the SKY so it can operate indefinitely. Our engineering team has been evaluating a numerous options.
First, we are testing a system which includes a small indoor receiving device which plugs into an outlet and off loads a majority of the power consumption within the outdoor devices. If feasible, this would effectively triple the expected battery life in both the AIR and the SKY for everyone. To be crystal clear, we are still testing this system and have not made technical commitments either way yet.
Second, we have been testing solar power options which requires not only a solar panel, but also a voltage regulator and rechargeable battery. A solar option is not required to operate the SKY. But for those who really really do not want to ever need a battery change, we are considering offering an a simple attachment at a modest additional cost. Pictured below are a couple design concepts we are testing – both snap right into the base of the SKY device.
We will keep you posted with results of our testing, and with technical product decisions once final. - the WeatherFlow team.
Yes, progress is being made! We are moving forward but have not firm dates yet. Here’s a sneak peak at the latest desig (it’s much smaller than we originally thought it would need to be):
I would hope there is some pivot room for those who may have shade in either the morning or evening due to mountains/trees/etc to get an optimum angle on the panel. What about tilt angle for extreme northern/southern locations? Hopefully the panels are oversized so that as they degrade over time they will still produce enough energy.
That would be nice but it looks like it’s fixed. However, to keep the cells charged it should only need a couple of hours a day of sunshine. So even two or four days with little sun, it should keep going. Solar panels are so much better today than last year.
Sheesh! Can you believe all of these people trying to cut the line in front of me? Remember, my “Carnac the Magnificent” act during the summer gave me the spot at the front of the line as the grand prize. All y’all are in a scrum for the #2 spot.
(Did I just use southeastern USA slang and a rugby term in the same sentence???)
I have concerns about wind pushing it around like a wing.
If it was horizontal it will cause less wind induced movement.
Or 2 vertical narrow panels up the east and west facing sides virtually wrapping the Sky.
cheers Ian
