2004 22' International CCD
Penticton
, British Columbia
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 133
Wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer, nope
So i bought 5 wireless thermometers, i started with 1, it would communicate with the outside transmitter at first but then after a few hours it would quit. I returned it, well long story short this is #5 of 3 different brands and exact same story. It will communicate at first then stop communicating. All had brand new batteries. Whats weird is there will be communication for 6 hours + - then nothing. Its evident that the double aluminum shell is responsible but why work for a while. It should either work or not at all. I wonder if the frequency of the near by solar charge controller is scrambling the wireless frequency of the thermo.
The frequency is 433 mhz for anyone who is interested.
Very strange......
Any input appreciated.
Could be several things Solar flares, interference, transmitter or receiver overheating even antenna polarized wrong. Is your solar charger transmitting a signal to a remote indicator? You are dealing with a line of sight signal. It probably is having trouble with the double wall aluminum. It could even be a heat problem from the shell working on the signal also. Garage door openers are also in this same frequency range. They could affect it from a few hundred feet away.
Is it happening always during the day or anytime?
Have you tried it just going directly through a window. It should be able to transmit at least 50'.
Start out with the units close together and see how they function, then move them farther apart inside. See if it will transmit from one of the trailer to the other. If so try going through the window.
Hi, we bought a cheap thermometer from Wal-Mart for about $10.00 and it has worked well for a few years now. We put the outside sensor on our steps or on the tongue frame near the battery box. [I don't have a solar system] We try to put it where it will be in the shade all day.
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Bob 2005 Safari 25-B
"Le Petit Chateau Argent" Small Silver Castle
2000 Navigator / 2014 F-150 Eco-Boost / Equal-i-zer / P-3
YAMAHA 2400 / AIR #12144
The sensors are not waterproof on the ones I've found and I don't want to take it in and put it back out all the time, so I just sue a wired one that is permanently installed.
2004 22' International CCD
Penticton
, British Columbia
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 133
Right now i am trying the unit in the house with trans about 25' away around the corner of the house.Works perfectly. When in the AS the trans was only about 2 feet away and would operate initially but after a while outside trans will not communicate with inside reciever. I am going to forget about the wireless and find a hard wired unit.
I do know that multiple wireless thermometers can cause these units to get messed up. I once took my outdoor unit down to replace the battery and found the indoor unit was still reporting outdoor temperatures but no humidity. After some checking I realized it was picking up my neighbors unit. Once I got the outdoor unit back into service, I turned the indoor unit off and on and it resynced with my outdoor unit.
Also note that some indoor units have the ability to sync with multiple sensors. I've sometimes seen my outdoor temp and humidity settings go away only to note that the indoor unit display got changed to display the second sensor data, rather than the first sensor data.
I use an wireless unit in the Airstream. I typically place the outdoor sensor on top of the wheel lock that sits between the tandem wheels. This keeps it shaded and out of any direct weather. It works great for me.
Jack
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Jack Canavera
STL Mo. AIR #56 S/OS#15
'04 Classic 30' S.O.,'03 GMC Savana 2500
I have to think that it has something to do with your solar set up.
I had an inexpensive set that I used on our old trailer. When we got the Airstream it continued to work very well until I ran over the sending unit. I placed it on top of one of the tires to keep it out of the sun and.......well you can imagine.
When I placed the main unit on my basement workbench, it automatically picked up the sending unit at home which is a different brand all together. Now when I am in the basement, I can check the outside temperature.
Picked up a very cheap set and it works just fine. If I were you I would check into mounting a wired unit. Friends make fun of me but I do like to know how cold it got during the night. Just returned from a fishing trip where it was 31 during the night.
A friend parked next to me at a rally was mystified by the readings he was getting from the sender he had placed on his step. We finally figured out that he was reading my refrigerator temperature. Even inside my fridge, my signal was stronger than his from the step.
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John W. Irwin
2018 Interstate GT, "Sabre-Dog V"
WBCCI #9632
I too use the Accurite from Walmart. I put the outside unit in a small mesh bag I bought at REI and placed it on the hold down rod between my propane tanks. Seems to work just fine.
I have a LaCrosse WS-9160U-IT that will work with 2 wireless remotes. I have one remote in the refrigerator and it works fine. I have another one to place outside but haven't set it up yet. Check out Weather Instruments
__________________ - wayne 2010 Interstate 3500 Twin Bed (2008 Freightliner CRD Sprinter) AIR #44779 TAC AK-1 !!
2004 22' International CCD
Penticton
, British Columbia
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 133
After checking the thermo today it works perfect in the house with transmitter 50' away around the other side of the house this time. yup. something in the airstream is causing either the transmitter or the reciever to mess up and quit communicating. I used to run a lacross wired unit in my Boler and it worked great.
I think this time i will place the transmitter on the other side of the trailer away from the solar charge controller and see what happens.
The wife says" why do we need an outside thermometer anyways" ?. And i say .So i know what to get ready for when i step out of the trailer.
I tell ya.
We have a cheap one too. We place the sending unit in the rear bumper compartment so we can't lose it. If the sun shines on the bumper, the temp skyrockets, but mostly I want to know the outside temp early morning and at night. The signal travels through 2 aluminum panels and one steel. I can leave the sending unit in the trailer and the monitor in the house—100+ feet away—and check the temp remotely so I know when to turn the heat on when we have summerized but it got cold again. We have a solar controller also.
2005 30' Land Yacht 30 SL
Oakland County
, Michigan
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 506
Quote:
Originally Posted by zedex
The wife says" why do we need an outside thermometer anyways" ?. And i say .So i know what to get ready for when i step out of the trailer.
I tell ya.
Zedex, I'm with you. I love to know the outside temp, especially at morning and night, also. My DW is OK with that.
We have a Sharp SPC373 atomic clock with remote sensor that works well.
I usually put the sensor on top of a tire in the wheel well, out of the sun. Just like aftermath, I ran mine over once. Had to do a little surgery on it and now it works fine.
Good luck.
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Bob & Nancy
2005 ASLYG 30 SO
2009 Wrangler Toad
Michigan
We have used a wireless in the Clipper Fridge since 2008 and it saves a lot of opening the fridge to see how its doing. In the hot weather these RV fridges just can't keep up if you are opening the door often. The master unit is mounted in the cockpit and is easy to monitor. No wires and the sending unit can be double taped anywhere in the fridge so it does not take shelf space.
Only way to go.
Our inside/outside unit is a wired unit as it is somwhat exposed to the elements and not accessible to change batteries.
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveFL
For my refrigerator I used a wired one, would the wireless thermometer work thru the walls of refrigerator?
I don't remember the brand of mine, but I have never had any issue. My sender unit is mounted under the AS so my signal passes mostly through wood. Maybe that's why I haven't had an issue?
2004 22' International CCD
Penticton
, British Columbia
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 133
Thanks for all the replies. I have since placed the transmitter on the front hitch under the cover and it is still communicating . So if it remains working by tomorrow it was the solar charge controller causing the problem as the charge controller was in the path of the receiver /transmitter . I am so excited i can hardly contain myself.
2005 30' Land Yacht 30 SL
Oakland County
, Michigan
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 506
Quote:
Originally Posted by zedex
Thanks for all the replies. I have since placed the transmitter on the front hitch under the cover and it is still communicating . So if it remains working by tomorrow it was the solar charge controller causing the problem as the charge controller was in the path of the receiver /transmitter . I am so excited i can hardly contain myself.
I'm sure your wife is excited, also! Keep us posted.
__________________
Bob & Nancy
2005 ASLYG 30 SO
2009 Wrangler Toad
Michigan
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