Remote Thermometers

21 years ago

Hi,

Some folks have asked about the remote thermometers I use in my low grow tunnels.

I bought my remote thermometers from Walmart. I'm not sure of the brand, but they were about $14 each. I saw the same units in the store last week. I've also seen something similar in Kmart and Home Depot.

Each thermometer has two "halves". The receiver and the sending unit. I keep the receivers inside and the sending units outside.

The sending units (i.e. the ones I have outside) come with a built in temperature sensor. My particular model also came with a "remote" sensor with about 3 foot of wire that can optionally be plugged into the outside units.

I put each outside unit in a zip lock bag (from grocery store) with just the wire and remote sensor outside the bag. The instructions warn against putting the sending units outside, saying that the batteries don't work in cold temperatures. The old carbon zinc batteries had that problem, but not akalines. The zip lock bags help keep the electronics in the sending units dry. One of the sending units got a little wet from condensation, but I used a hair drier on it for about 5 minutes and it was as good as new.

I also put the end of one of the remote sensors in it's own zip lock bag and buried it about 2-3" under the soil. I use this for soil temperature. Another trick is to keep the remote sensors out of direct sunlight. Otherwise they read about 10 to 20 degrees F. too high, even in the winter. The sun is warm!

Note, these "cheapie" units have limited range. The instructions claim up to 100 feet. I'm lucky to get 30 feet, and I don't have aluminum siding on my house. They are also fussy and stop transmitting/receiving properly (I.e no temperature info) after the batteries have been used for 2-3 months. I have replaced the batteries twice this winter. Each receiving unit uses 2 "AAA" batteries. Each sending unit also uses 2 "AAA" batteries. However, akaline batteries are relatively cheap.

I may try lithium "AAA" batteries next year if I can find them cheaper that $2 a piece on the Internet. The lithium batteries should last twice as long as the alkalines. It's somewhat of a hassle to change the batteries in the outside units on a cold or snowy day!

Finally, the units I bought have 3 channels. I use one channel to measure the outside air temperature. I use another channel to measure the air temperature inside the grow tunnel. Finally, I use the 3rd channel to measure the soil temperature inside the grow tunnel. The units also track min / max temperatures. I try to record this each day in a notebook, and then reset the min / max temperature.

I saw some units somewhere in a garden magazine designed specifically for greenhouses, etc. Gotya was that they were almost $75 a piece. I'd rather go with the cheapie units, even if I have to replace them every once in a while.

I hope this helps anyone that may have had questions.

Ken

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Comments (8)

Codywalker
Original Author
21 years ago
Hi,
I was in Walmart today. The remote thermometers I use are made by Springfield.

Ken
swanz
21 years ago
The Unit I bought at our local Walmart is made by Acurite.
It comes with a sending and a receiving unit, automatic clock
setting which receives a signal from the National Atomic Clock
and updates time. You can use several channels but the
only problem is that they don't sell separate extra remote
sensors.

Swanz
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bobb_2002
21 years ago
I have an Acurite from Walmart that I've been using for a few months. Alkalines work well in cold weather, heavy duty or rechargeables don't. Range is about 50' if the receiver is near a window. Range is reduced in very cold weather since my hoophose has no heat. I am going to put the transmitter in a an insulated box with vent holes in the side so the sun doesn't give inflated readings, also to prevent the device from being damaged by high temps.

I like being able to see the min/max from inside my house and also being able to reset it without having to go into the hoophouse during a snowstorm.

Bob B.
wakerry
21 years ago
I couldn't find anything like this in our Walmart. What section are you finding it in?
bobb_2002
21 years ago
AHA! I was in WalMart today and found them, not in the gardening section, but in the hardware department where all the other outdoor thermometers are. The Acurite which I have was about $19 but there was also a different brand (maybe Springfield, which is what codywalker has) for 4 or 5 dollars less. There probably isn't a significat difference in performance so read the specifications and go with what looks best to you. They both seem to allow up to 3 remotes but WM doesn't seem to sell extra remotes by themselves, only the base + remote combo.

Bob B.
moranj92_comcast_net
20 years ago
I purchased a accurite 592W wireless weather thermometer. However it only came with a single remote unit. It does list a 800 number to call to order additional units. However the extra unit is $19.99 + S/H. This means the single remote unit cost as much or a bit more then the main unit w/ remote sensor. Off I go to buy another one to obtain the other remote sensor I require. BTW, purchased it at wal-mart. If I knew this I would of never purchased this in the first place.

Joel
Codywalker
Original Author
20 years ago
Hi,
I found that Lithium Batteries work better in the cold weather than Alkalines. The only gotya is price. It cost me $10 for four AAA batteries. I am using them in the outside sensors this year. Last year I had to replace the Alkaline batteries a couple of times during the winter. I also occasionally bring in a remote sensor if I'm having problems and place it on the hot water baseboard heat units in the house. This drives away any internal condensation that may be causing problems. (Don't try on electric baseboard heat - it may get too hot). Usually one day on the heat vent is plenty to dry out the unit.

Ken
Pudgy
20 years ago
Cool beans, I think I'll run down to Wally after next
paycheck and pick up a remote temp sensor. I have
been thinking about weather stats more as I have
become a veggie gardener (and a winter one at that), now
it seems feasible to buy a temp sensor. Rain around here
(Plano TX) seems to be non-existant this year, so the
complete weather station can wait until next Xmas.

Pudgy