Just a vent...

[sam_gordon]

Our local Emergency Management Agency sent all homes a "Advisor Alert Radio". Actually this was the second one they sent us. I don't think we ever hooked up the first. It's about the size of two packs of cards placed end to end. Put a AA battery in for backup, plug it in, and it's supposed to notify the homeowner in case of weather or other disaster.

We got the latest version in April I think. So I set it up. It's gone off once or twice for storms that went through. Hey, great idea, it's personalized to your address, so you shouldn't get alerts that don't affect you.

After a couple weeks, we start hearing a "chirp" (like with a smoke detector). We finally trace it down to this receiver. Oh, look, the battery is dead. Huh. That seemed to go quick, maybe they sent out a bad battery with it. So I replace the battery. A couple weeks go by and it chirps again. So I replace the battery again. This time, I mark the date I changed the battery. 6/4. The chirps started again on 6/18 (but the battery indicator is full). Today, 6/21, it shows the battery is dead and chirps.

Keep in mind, the unit is plugged in (yes, it shows AC power). The battery should just be for power outages. So the battery, on a device that is plugged in, lasts about two weeks.

It's now unplugged. Decent idea, bad execution.

And before someone says "how will you know if there's danger"...
A) Can look outside and see if storms are coming.
B) There's still warning sirens that we can hear from the house
C) Apps on phones alert us to upcoming storms
D) We can look at radar ourselves and see what's heading toward us (knowing this can be a couple minutes delayed).

Anyway, just a vent.

 

[tvguy]

A) Can look outside and see if storms are coming.
B) There's still warning sirens that we can hear from the house
C) Apps on phones alert us to upcoming storms
D) We can look at radar ourselves and see what's heading toward us (knowing this can be a couple minutes delayed).

Well, speaking from California where the danger is from wild fires not storms, we learned a few things in the past few years.

"A" may not be reliable.
"B" may not be reliable either. But, communities here like Paradise have installed warning sirens since the fires.
"C" and "D" Forget it. We learned in the wild fires that cell phones and tablets were basically paper weights because the cell towers burned up, and WiFi went down.

So you do have the above options, but the radio system you have, and good old fashioned AM radio are the best options. Their signals can be received 100 miles or more away so less chance those transmitters were be knocked off line.

Another lesson from the wild fire in Santa Rosa. Cell towers were knocked out, we had the hospital there calling us in the Newsroom asking us to broadcast that employees should contact the hospital via the LANDLINE NUMBERS, not their supervisors CELLPHONE. Landlines are buried in Santa Rosa and the phone company has their own power supply independent from the grid, the landlines never went out.

 

[nw6675]

***chirps***


Kidding. I assume you mean thunderstorms/tornadoes and I generally agree with you based on my experience. Though, the sirens are a bit too delayed here.

 

[sam_gordon]

Well, speaking from California where the danger is from wild fires not storms, we learned a few things in the past few years.

"A" may not be reliable.
"B" may not be reliable either. But, communities here like Paradise have installed warning sirens since the fires.
"C" and "D" Forget it. We learned in the wild fires that cell phones and tablets were basically paper weights because the cell towers burned up, and WiFi went down.

So you do have the above options, but the radio system you have, and good old fashioned AM radio are the best options. Their signals can be received 100 miles or more away so less chance those transmitters were be knocked off line.

Another lesson from the wild fire in Santa Rosa. Cell towers were knocked out, we had the hospital there calling us in the Newsroom asking us to broadcast that employees should contact the hospital via the LANDLINE NUMBERS, not their supervisors CELLPHONE. Landlines are buried in Santa Rosa and the phone company has their own power supply independent from the grid, the landlines never went out.

We're not in danger for wildfires, at least where we live. Yes, cell towers can go down, and power can go out. But these radios are unreliable if they use up a battery every two weeks. I bet you we aren't the only ones who won't put up with it.
I'm not faulting the idea, I'm faulting the execution. The radios should have been set up with a 6 month battery at the least. Then you (government) markets the "change the battery in your smoke detector AND your warning radio".

 

[tvguy]

We're not in danger for wildfires, at least where we live. Yes, cell towers can go down, and power can go out. But these radios are unreliable if they use up a battery every two weeks. I bet you we aren't the only ones who won't put up with it.
I'm not faulting the idea, I'm faulting the execution. The radios should have been set up with a 6 month battery at the least. Then you (government) markets the "change the battery in your smoke detector AND your warning radio".

Only suggestion I can make is to try different brands of batteries. I have found with my blood pressure cuff, which uses AA batteries, the "Utlimate" and other Extended life batteries can last three times as long.

 

[sam_gordon]

Only suggestion I can make is to try different brands of batteries. I have found with my blood pressure cuff, which uses AA batteries, the "Utlimate" and other Extended life batteries can last three times as long.

The last two sets were "name brand" 'extended life' batteries.

If you want someone to use something, make it easy and convenient.

 

[tvguy]

The last two sets were "name brand" 'extended life' batteries.

If you want someone to use something, make it easy and convenient.

I hear yeah. Don't get me started on my dual string weedeater. More like dual tangled.

 

[_19disnA]

Keep in mind, the unit is plugged in (yes, it shows AC power). The battery should just be for power outages. So the battery, on a device that is plugged in, lasts about two weeks.

Sounds to me like the device is defective and running full-time off of the back-up battery instead of being powered by electricity. Maybe try to contact the group who sent you the device to let them know you are having issues. If a batch of units have some sort of manufaturing defect, then likely yours isn't the only one having this problem.

Can you just remove the battery or will that cause some other issue with using the device?

Do you live in some area of the country with a lot of weather issues? Didn't know that any agency sends out these devices to everyone who lives in a certain area. Clearly with tornadoes there isn't much advance warning no matter the method used, but for things like hurricanes the general path is known well in advance and gets continually updated.

My cell phone has a weather app that provides timely information when storms are in the area and tends to be fairly accurate regarding timing and severity.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'd send the device back to let them know it was defective. It reminds me of our smoke detector that did the same thing and the remote for our new Christmas tree. Costco alerted us to the remote issue which was short circuiting the batteries making them run out fast and sent us a replacement. Chances are yours isn't the only one and they won't know unless people notify them.

It sounds like they are trying to use a device that will help those who are not as tech connected as well as increase the ways someone can be alerted.

Our county's system is through text and e-mail and you sign up to be alerted to it. Admittedly in the last storm we had (about 2 weeks ago) it had already been hailing for 10 mins before I got the text from the county and the National Weather Service issuing a severe thunderstorm warning (which I got via Alexa) but normally it's very good timing.

The sirens here are zone oriented meaning only ones activated for a particular zone will go off. It improves accuracy and preparedness. They can be turned on by the county or by National Weather Service.

Looking outdoors isn't going to tell you if there's been lightning in a specific radius plus we've had times where it's raining and it's sunshine (actually happened a week and a half ago). Then the times where it's raining in the front but not the backyard. Severe storms can happen so fast too.

Sirens are not designed to be heard inside though it is nice when you can (I can hear the ones closest to us as well). This is something they remind us every time they do the testing on the first Wednesday of the month. They want people to notify them if a particular siren isn't working but the fact that so and so couldn't hear indoors does not mean it wasn't working and they tell you the purpose isn't to be heard indoors but rather for those outdoors already.

Bottom line just because it's not something you want to fuss with doesn't mean it's not an attempt to help others in your area. Send is back saying you think it's defective and if they send you a new one then just don't use it

 

[Dan Murphy]

We've used the Midland Weather radio for years. AC power, AA battery backup. I replace the batteries once a year. Works great. I can select my county and whatever other nearby counties I want. We have no counties to the east but I've selected the neighboring counties, north, west and south, one and two out from mine. Wonderful safety device. You can also program what emergencies you want to be notified of.

Has awaken me more than once in the middle of the night, generally tornados.

And inexpensive also.

https://midlandusa.com/products/wr-120-weather-radio

 

[starry_solo]

Why not remove the battery but keep the unit plugged in?

 

[GAN]

Our local Emergency Management Agency sent all homes a "Advisor Alert Radio". Actually this was the second one they sent us. I don't think we ever hooked up the first. It's about the size of two packs of cards placed end to end. Put a AA battery in for backup, plug it in, and it's supposed to notify the homeowner in case of weather or other disaster.

We got the latest version in April I think. So I set it up. It's gone off once or twice for storms that went through. Hey, great idea, it's personalized to your address, so you shouldn't get alerts that don't affect you.

After a couple weeks, we start hearing a "chirp" (like with a smoke detector). We finally trace it down to this receiver. Oh, look, the battery is dead. Huh. That seemed to go quick, maybe they sent out a bad battery with it. So I replace the battery. A couple weeks go by and it chirps again. So I replace the battery again. This time, I mark the date I changed the battery. 6/4. The chirps started again on 6/18 (but the battery indicator is full). Today, 6/21, it shows the battery is dead and chirps.

Keep in mind, the unit is plugged in (yes, it shows AC power). The battery should just be for power outages. So the battery, on a device that is plugged in, lasts about two weeks.

It's now unplugged. Decent idea, bad execution.

And before someone says "how will you know if there's danger"...
A) Can look outside and see if storms are coming.
B) There's still warning sirens that we can hear from the house
C) Apps on phones alert us to upcoming storms
D) We can look at radar ourselves and see what's heading toward us (knowing this can be a couple minutes delayed).

Anyway, just a vent.

Couldn’t you just plug it in and not use the battery? If you lose power, toss the battery in. If you‘re concerned about sleeping through an event, add a power failure monitor. It sounds like your local government got a “deal” on this lot of devices with a known issue ….better than nothing I suppose.

 

[sam_gordon]

Can you just remove the battery or will that cause some other issue with using the device?

Couldn’t you just plug it in and not use the battery?

Tried it. It chirps to let you know the battery needs replaced.

 

[_19disnA]

Yea, some smoke alarms are that way too unfortunately.

 

[rajak73]

We've used the Midland Weather radio for years. AC power, AA battery backup. I replace the batteries once a year. Works great. I can select my county and whatever other nearby counties I want. We have no counties to the east but I've selected the neighboring counties, north, west and south, one and two out from mine. Wonderful safety device. You can also program what emergencies you want to be notified of.

Has awaken me more than once in the middle of the night, generally tornados.

And inexpensive also.

https://midlandusa.com/products/wr-120-weather-radio

This ^^^^^^^ We keep one in our camper and plug it in when we get to a campground. Works great. We do take the batteries out when not camping but only replace them maybe once a year. ETA: we have one in our home too.

 

[GAN]

Tried it. It chirps to let you know the battery needs replaced.

Oh boy.... sounds like an extremely advanced piece of technology