Recording / Logging Greenhouse Temperatures

Anyone got a good solution?

I want to record temperature in both greenhouses and outside for comparison.

In the early days I used AREXX loggers. Back in those days I think the receiver was a serial-port device, now they have Base Stations with either USB or LAN. Need to run a PC 24/7 to log the data and, for me, the distance involved and the presence of hedges and brick walls rule out that type of direct-transmit solution.

Rapid Electronics sell the Arexx Temperature Sensor (with External Probe, which would be handy) for £32.34 ... but not the base station Conrad have the "Kit" which has two sensors and the USB base station for € 90.99 and also various other base stations etc. All looks quite dear though.



Then I graduated to battery operated loggers with USB connection, typically Lascar



Plug in to USB, run the CONFIG (to set logging interval and so on), put it in place and press the "start" button. Retrieve, plug in to USB and download the data. Typically the software for this device (and other Chinesium makes) was rubbish - very frustrating to use. They failed after not very long too (probably not intended for damp Winter greenhouse environment)

So having now done a Google I think I have solved my problem ... and that I am in love

Google turned up LogTag - a New Zealand company that has been making these things for 20 years (where were they on my Google Searches before?)

Anyone heard of / used LogTag ?

These are actually intended for e.g. monitoring conditions during transportation of temperature sensitive products, such as medicines, and as such may be more intended for Max/Min over the whole monitoring duration - but if they will download Log Data at reasonable intervals, I'm All Good


Basic model £16 , just logs data (same but also with humidity £46). Also available with features like eternal probe and Display ...


... but needs a Base Station £38 to download. (There is a Temperature and Humidity with Display model £80, but not with USB connector, so needs the base station)

Next up comes basic model with a USB interface £20



or with a display £30


and a 30-day display variant £36 "30 day On-screen summary in calendar-like summary"


WiFi variant £145 - which also includes Max/Min reset etc.




Wall bracket £3


Protective Enclosure £6 "Dust and Waterproof resistant" (I have no idea what "Waterproof" and "resistant" mean when used in the same phrase! - but I am sure I need one )

LogTag Analyzer Software £free

 

I just look at mine and write it down

 

I have 2 USB temperature data loggers that can be downloaded into Excel, etc.

Greenhouse temperature data loggers

 

Ah ... Staff ... that's what I need, thanks

 

Useful thread thanks. So I need below-staging, above staging, and soil/compost temperatures ... cost and complexity rising nicely, I'm like a Pig-in-Poo!

 

Hi,

Think you can drive yourself crazy watching the temperature fluctuations of a greenhouse.

The catch with those LogTags is that they are just loggers, not real time displays.

We used to use an Oregon dual remote temperature display but have now made up a little Arduino unit to record more info and via a cable connection to a screen in the house to show all the current temps and the min/max over the last 24 hours.

It could also feed the info to Excel etc via cable or BT /Wifi depending on distance etc.

Thought that kind of thing might have been a natural for you ?

 

These are the ones I have Mini Temperature Datalogger – Mindsets Online I don't know if they've produced new software since I purchased them, but mine will only work with a laptop/PC and not on phone/tablet with OTG lead, which is a PITA when using at a remote plot.

 

Yeah, takes too much time though, of which nowadays I have very little - supposed to be retired but software production now more intense than ever before.

Some years ago I did create a 1-wire system with dozens of connectors on it. Dirt cheap - just a few £quid for each sensors compared to typical household thermostats £70 and up each. My Arduino kit is still in the box ... haven't found the time to have a go as yet :(

I'm not sure I'm too bothered with that (although LogTag do have models with Display, but of course not "from my armchair"). Should have run a CAT5 in with the Water and Electricity when I dug that trench ... although "Mobile-to-Cloud" is probably the more modern solution.

I'm interested in how reality compares to forecast ... and also to understand how my new greenhouse behaves. My assumption is that temperature will fall faster in the small one, but I don't know how much, and what level of protection they both provide on nights at this time of the year when the outside temperature falls - often for only an hour or two close to dawn ...

But an alert in the house e.g. in the morning when temperature climbs - if I forget to open the greenhouse - and if temperature is falling in the afternoon to judge when to close it, would be helpful. A cloud-based data capture solution and an APP on my phone to alert me might be the answer. I have that sort of stuff on my phone for charging the car, seeing where the mowers are, the temperature on all the thermostats in the house, and gawd knows what else ... greenhouse temperature would be more useful than most of those!

"Alexa: What temperature is the greenhouse" ...

 

Thanks. That's been my problem with that type of "USB Stick" that I have had recently - all the Chinesium connectivity and software was below expectation. I'm more hopeful for the LogTags ... I'll report back

 

I chose the Mindshift loggers because my plot is a 500m walk from home, I wanted 2 and they were cheap enough to leave there overnight. At home I can easily check on greenhouse/external temps, but those loggers enabled me to see how temps inside polytunnels could fall below that outside (previously thought to be a calibration problem with my max/min thermometers).

How much are the LogTags?

 

"Sorry, I didn't find a device named Greenhouse" ... clearly a CONFIG opportunity there then!

If Alexa can tell you the temperature in your blow-away, now in next door's garden, that would be scary/impressive!

 

£16 for Dumb ones, but you need a £38 base station to "read" them.

£20 for stand-alone with USB connector, and £30 for same but also with a Display.

Plus £6 if you want a proper waterproof cover.

e.g. here LogTag Temperature Data Loggers - TRIX8, SRIC4 & More

and Manufacturer site: Browse Temperature Loggers | Indicators | Temperature Data Recorders

I suspect this type of "medical monitoring device" will come up as a bulk throw-away on eBay, probably after only being used once for an experiment ...

 

Might be a dumb question but why do you need to log the temps in the greenhouse i have brought myself a traditional thermometer today will be putting up my new greenhouse whem i get back from woek hopefully pictures to follow

 

Assume you have got the Min / Max type ?

Don't be too surprised if you see temps up into 40c+ on a strong sunny day this time of year.

Thats why auto top vents and louver bottom vents are so handy.

Soon be time for shading to go up, usually use Vitax liquid Shading, if you can find it at a sensible price, a bottle lasts many years.