Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

[Lindsay & Linda Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lindsay & Linda]

Hi All,

Looking at buying a wireless thermometer for the fridge, so that the fridge temp can easily be monitored whether the fridge is in the back of the prado or in the camper trailer. Does anyone have any experience with these? If so any feedback would be great.

I know that engel sell one for about $30 and two-zone also sell one although dont know what their price is yet.

Yes I did use the search function and it didnt return anything so hopefully I'm not covering old ground again - my apologies in advance if I am.

Thanks
Lindsay

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

Hi Lindsay

I recently purchased the TwoZone for $35.00. It works very well and has an excellent operational range. I have an Oregon Scientific weather station and the TwoZone kills it for range. I haven't seen the Engels wireless one but the TwoZone has time, ambient temp and fridge temp on three lines of its display.

FWIW - Cheers - John

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

I too have a Two zone aprrox $35 at BCF - wireless is the way to go after having a wired one getting caught and cut

cheers

Greg

[ValleyGXL120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ValleyGXL120]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

At $35 the two zone unit sounds ok. Any pics or links to suppliers ?

[ValleyGXL120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ValleyGXL120]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

Thanks Trojan, all the info I was looking for, did a google search " two zone wireless thermometer" but did not get that link.

[Golly Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Golly]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

http://www.all4x4.com.au/d182-111/fridg ... ter-clock/

[Lindsay & Linda Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lindsay & Linda]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

Thanks everyone for your input - ARB in Newcastle have the Engel version and BCF at Bennets Green have the TwoZone one so will check them both out during the week before making a decision. Both my neighbours want one as well now so maybe I can get some sort of discount when buying three!

Thanks
Lindsay

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

Bought one of the twozone units today at BCF (last one).

It has a wire that goes into fridge and the sensor is placed outside.

The unit that reads fridge sensor can be used up to 100 metres away according to box it came in.

I tried about 30 metres and no trouble.
Was able to transfer sensor from one fridge to another without any adjustment other than to reset the min/max button.
Will buy a second one so that I can check on waeco and van fridge whilst travelling

Much easier than having to go out to see what the temp is on each of them

Pedro

[Daz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Daz]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

If you look at the ARB link on Gollys post (which just happens to be the Busselton ARB where a mate of mine works) you can see the display unit is being held by a Two zone holder that allows you to put it on the windscreen. Used mine today on way back from Augusta, monitoring camper fridge Temp.
http://www.all4x4.com.au/d182-111/fr...mometer-clock/

The holder is multi adjustable, and can also hold phones, small GPS etc while offroad.

When not using the two zone thermometer in the car, I have it set up with one inside house, and the other monitoring the back patio temp

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

I saw the Engel version at ARB yesterday. It's neat as you don't have any wires hanging out of the fridge just a wireless sender inside the fridge. I'll probably get one as the wire from my Waeco is giving me the sh!ts.

[Signature035 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Signature035]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

I bought an Engel wireless unit from Ebay last week ($38). Looks great, but is occassionally dropping the connection to the fridge. Anyone else experienced this? Wondering if I mounted the sender under the lid of the Engel whether it would improve reception.

[Grey Nomad Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grey Nomad]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

Hi all

Re the Engels unit inside the fridge. It kind of defies the laws of physics to expect a (legislately restricted) very low power transmitter to be able to emanate a radio signal outside of what is, essentially, a Farady screen (i.e. closed tin box). I have not seen nor tested the Engels wireless unit but would find it hard to believe that it can have a reliable and long reaching range. The Twozone, on the other hand, has a fantastic range but has the inconvenience of a wire running into the fridge (and possibly susceptable to damage). You choose which one.

FWIW - Cheers - John

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

I don't think you can call a fridge a Faraday cage. Yes it restricts EMF but not to the level of a Faraday cage. Put your mobile phone into your fridge and call it from another phone, it still has reception and will ring. The Engel thermometer I saw in the ARB showroom had the receiver on the counter 10m away from the transmitter in the fridge and it was working fine. If the truth be known there's probably more of a problem with EMF radiation from the compressor effecting the transmission rather than the fridge construction itself.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

Not a wireless solution, but I got a little fridge thermometers from Jaycar, which has an alarm.
You can set the a high temp and low temp threshold and the alarm will go off if the fridge goes beyond those limits. It's quite loud, can easily be heard from the front seats.
I find this quite convenient - not having to watch the temp all the time. Also quickly warns you if you ( or anyone else in the family ) leaves the lid open too long.

[Lindsay & Linda Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lindsay & Linda]

Re: Wireless Thermometer for Fridge

Would have commented earlier but have been in Malaysia learning how to park 350m container ships on a simulator. I eventually decided on the engel thermometer mainly because the two zone still had a wire coming out of the fridge to the transmitter. None of the ARB stores in Sydney had them (in fact one told me they didn't exist), think ARB are getting out of the engel stuff becauese they now have their own fridge. The only ARB store that I could find that had them was the newcastle store.

Anyway once i got rid of the crappy batteries that were supplied with the thermometer etc it has been going well. It has been running now for 2 weeks in our fridge in the kitchen with the receiver unit in the lounge room (very useful for checking beer temperature while watching tv). I have no doubt that the range will be more than adequate regardless of the whether the fridge is in the back of the Prado or in a camper trailer. Only paid $30 for the unit, although I did buy 3, one for each of my neighbours as well.

Cheers
Lindsay