Do You Want a Better Thermometer?

Ok, so we all know that providing the correct temperatures for our reptiles is very important, and the thermometers on the market aren't great unless you shell out huge amounts of money.

I'm an electrical engineering major in college, and I've been looking into building my own thermometers to use in my enclosures. I think that I can make thermometers that fit our needs as reptile owners better (more accurate, more probes, and hopefully for around the same price as whats on the market today)

I wanted to get some input on what people want in a thermometer and what price they would be willing to pay.

Here are a few points that I would like to focus on, but any input is greatly appreciated.

• number of probes
• accuracy prefered
• form factor (size, shape)
• What to display and what type of display is preferred
• price

Best thermometer to me a temp guns whether it comes to enclosures or incubator. :gj:

It would be nice to be able to mount a thermometer in the center back wall and have 2 probes 1 for cool and one for hot side hides.

It would need to be as accurate as the acu-rites and would need to have a humidity reading.

Also it would be nice to say have an alarm on a thermometer to alert me if the temps go +/- 6 degrees etc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdouglas

It would be nice to be able to mount a thermometer in the center back wall and have 2 probes 1 for cool and one for hot side hides.

It would need to be as accurate as the acu-rites and would need to have a humidity reading.

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The sensors I'm looking at are twice as accurate as the ones as in acu-rites

Thanks for the input.

My suggestions would be similar, probes for humidity, and hot and cold side. Also being able to mount them, or make them stackable. I have no idea if this would be possible, bc im not an engineer lol, but having a thermometer that could display the stats for multiple tubs on 1 unit like on one screen would be cool. Im not sure if im doing a well enough job explaning it though. Let me know if you get what i mean...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

My suggestions would be similar, probes for humidity, and hot and cold side. Also being able to mount them, or make them stackable. I have no idea if this would be possible, bc im not an engineer lol, but having a thermometer that could display the stats for multiple tubs on 1 unit like on one screen would be cool. Im not sure if im doing a well enough job explaning it though. Let me know if you get what i mean...

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ok I think I know what you are saying correct me if I'm wrong:

say you have a 4 tub rack

the thermometer has 4 probes and the screen shows all 4 readings

if this is what you are saying it is very possible, it just adds cost

Yes well technically it would have 12 probes 4 hot side, 4 cold side, 4 humidity probes. Like you could buy the thermometer with 4 probe ports, 8 probe ports, 12 ports etc... And up more for bigger breeders. Im using the word port bc in my head im thinkin usb port even tho i know theyre different.
And then each "probe port" would have 3 probes bundled together that plug into it. A red wire for hot, a cold wire for blue, and another color for humidity. The thing is like i said im not an engineer so i have no idea if 3 probe wires could be connected into one male part that could just plug into one of the female ports on the thermometer. And then each port would be numbered so that way you would read on the screen the stats corresponding to each port coming from each tub.
Sorry this is probably unrealistic and confusing lol... :/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Yes well technically it would have 12 probes 4 hot side, 4 cold side, 4 humidity probes. Like you could buy the thermometer with 4 probe ports, 8 probe ports, 12 ports etc... And up more for bigger breeders. Im using the word port bc in my head im thinkin usb port even tho i know theyre different.
And then each "probe port" would have 3 probes bundled together that plug into it. A red wire for hot, a cold wire for blue, and another color for humidity. The thing is like i said im not an engineer so i have no idea if 3 probe wires could be connected into one male part that could just plug into one of the female ports on the thermometer. And then each port would be numbered so that way you would read on the screen the stats corresponding to each port coming from each tub.
Sorry this is probably unrealistic and confusing lol... :/

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No actually that was very clear and completely possible. I really like the concept. It wouldn't use USB ports but something similar.

Thanks for the great idea.

Oh ok cool, Im glad that made sense lol
And yea as far as price im more than willing to pay for quality. If people are willing to spend $100+ for a quality t-stat then why not go for a quality thermometer/hygrometer.
Somewhere down the road you gotta eliminate the probe wires and just have things setup wirelessly ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Oh ok cool, Im glad that made sense lol
And yea as far as price im more than willing to pay for quality. If people are willing to spend $100+ for a quality t-stat then why not go for a quality thermometer/hygrometer.
Somewhere down the road you gotta eliminate the probe wires and just have things setup wirelessly ;)

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Wireless is possible, but still too expensive for a multi-probe unit, but a 1 or 2 probe unit could be reasonable.