Accurite Alternatives

Acu-Rites are decent thermometers. They can be inaccurate, but anything in that price bracket is going to be. I'v been experimenting with other thermometers for awhile now and all of the probed digital thermometers in the $10-$20 price range are about the same. I have a few more expensive thermometers now that along with my herpstat I use to test cheaper thermometers/calibrate them (it is possible to calibrate an acu-rite with a variable resistor soldered onto the circuit board -- I want to do more testing before I advise other people on how to do this) these thermometers are probed analogue thermometers used in industrial facilities. They are much more accurate and have a 25 year warrantee but cost $60-$100 each which makes it hard to put one on every cage let along 2. Eventually I might completely switch over as I have found that acu-rites only last a few years so in the long run buying the more expensive thermometers might be cost effective, but if I can extend the useful life of the acu-rites with a few minor modifications that would be preferred.

I have never found them to be accurate but then again to know something is or is not needs to be checked against known accurate tools. In a small sampling I have had 3 units two out side the specs (2ºC up or down) and to the credit replaced under warrantee no questions at all. One was just inside the temp specs of 2ºC not by a lot just a bit. 90% of the sub 40$ units carry specs of at least as good as accurite, and the majority carry specs better. Most are +/-1ºC pick one. I would avoid batteries inside the enclosure personally I don't like the idea of this at all.

The best suggestion I can give is buy an accurate (traceable) highly accurate thermometer (less than 0.5ºC +/-). Sadly these are no inexpensive units at all. I have never seen one with this level of accuracy for less than 300$ and they often are much much more.

Understanding this is not in the budget for most. (myself included I have three units that are this or better but they are used in my work if I was buying for just personal use I would not either.) The best suggestion is to check every unit against a higher accuracy thermometer or T-stat (helix, herpstat, ecos, herpkeeper all have published specs of 1º+/- or less)

The other option is to buy cheap units a bunch of them I would recommend 10 or more but you can get away with 3-5. The more the better. If you check them all against each other the ones in error become quite clear. They can be returned or discarded perhaps calibrated depending. The last set I bought were 98¢ each (shipping inc) from ebay. Of the 15 I bought I found 3 to be off by more than 1ºC (2ºF or so) and 6 more to be off by about 1ºC and the rest were less than 0.6ºC (1ºF basically). This is fairly good well reasonable anyway about the finest that you can control.

Currently the model I bought is running in the 3$ mark. I have decided the digital hygrometers stand up so poorly that I just buy thermometer and high grade analogue ones as they are far more robust.

One Temp Gun...

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Originally Posted by coldbloodaddict

One Temp Gun...

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You know, I have a temp gun, but I don't really like it thaaaaat much. I much prefer to have a probed thermometer there 24/7 so I can just look at it really quick and not have to aim the temp gun at the right spot. I find sometimes if I point it at a reflective surface it gives me a weird reading.

My thermostats tell me the temp at a glance 24/7...

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The Timex TX5170 seems to do exactly the same thing if you're looking for the same function while just switching up the brand

http://www.amazon.com/TX5170-Indoor-.../dp/B000HU8BHM