Acu-Rites

Can I get some opinions on these things (~$11 at walmart)? A lot of people seem to like them on these forums. However, I bought one to replace my analogs and the damn thing stopped reading accurate temps a day after I bought it! I have since replaced it, just put the new one in today, and am wary of trusting its readings...
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...mageloader.gif

What were you comparing the temps with?

I knew I'd get that question. It didn't matter. Temps were reading around 40F or 5C, and it DEFINITELY wasn't almost freezing in my tank, let alone in my room. I'd think I'd know if it were that cold.

Currently, tank temps are reading around 80 with the lights off on the Acurite, which is quite reasonable (I know this is a little chilly, this weekend I am getting another small UTH and a different light to fix this problem).

I was just wondering...that's a very good reason to think it's inaccurate. :rockon:

i just got some for my babies and they've been great!

It's a man-made thing....one is bound to fail every once in a while. Nothing's perfect. Is it possible it got peed on, or water spilled/splashed on it? Just this morning, I came downstairs to discover my lovely girl had completely trashed her tub with poop and a gallon or so of pee. :rolleyes: On cleaning it out, I noticed the acu-rite had gotten seriously wet and quit working. I'm hoping it'll dry out and start working again...but if not...it's not a big deal for me to replace it.

I had one accurite that I accidentally got a little wet while misting my tank and it stopped working (it was only good then as a clock :) ). Kept thinking that mybe if it dried out it would work and actually held onto it for about a week, even though this one did not get seriously wet. But no such luck :( . It was no big deal, I actually went and replaced it the same day, but learned that when I am misting the tanks to take the accurites out!! I really like mine, I have one for each enclosure.

I use those in all of my tanks and I love them, although if they get wet they will stop working.

I usually try to keep an extra to spot check around. I just move it from spot to spot to check the other acu-rites and other stuff. I think that spot checking is about the best you can do.
I've run into about two out of thirty or so that have malfunctioned, without being drenched. Sometimes the heat and humidity of the environment can ruin one too(if it's inside the bin, which most of mine are).
Since they are cheap, they'll have malfunctions, but lucky, they're cheap, and easy to replace.

I was explaining to someone else how I got my redneck-engineered setup, but it works! I had a Fluker's thermometer/hygrometer combo at first, then the wal-mart near me was out of the combo Acu-Rite, so I ended up getting two of the temp-only Acu-Rites... but after reading some more threads, it may end up being a good thing! It only cost me $14 for both, and since I still have the Fluker's for humidity, I just use one on each side (ignore temps!):


https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...L-newsetup.JPG


He has pooped on the probes a couple of times (and peed on them who knows how many times!), but since the actual units aren't in there it doesn't hurt them, and so far just wiping the probes with a baby wipe has worked great... I also clean them when I do my weekly tank cleaning.

Next step would be an infrared temp gun.... I live by mine and for back up i bought another. But in my experience accurites are pretty spot on.

For those who said their Acu-Rites stopped working when they got wet, could you define "wet" for me?

I've been misting my tank several times/day since Rocky's about to shed and the Acu-Rite has definetly felt the water. I'd be very disapointed if it broke on me, since my walmarts don't carry it and I had to order it online.

Do you mean it was wet from misting or wet like it fell in the water bowl?

In the case of mine....it was as if it had fallen in the water bowl. I think that corner of the tub was the "epicenter" of her ....release. :rolleyes: :P It was really wet. I even took the battery out and dried that area.

If you do need to get another Acu-rite, ask at your local Walmart if they can order it for you. They can usually special order things like that as long it is stuff that is still carried by the Walmart chain. I've done that at Walmart before.

I've got to take the one I bought a week ago back because it just stopped working. Even the display doesn't work. Such is the case with electronics. (Which is why I obsessively check on my snakes. lol)

The one I bought never got wet. It just randomly started showing wrong temps. My new one seems to be working ok. Good thing I replaced my analogs, anyhow... turns out my temps are kinda low. Thanks for the warnings, though, I will be sure to remove it before I mist.

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Originally Posted by icygirl

The one I bought never got wet. It just randomly started showing wrong temps. My new one seems to be working ok. Good thing I replaced my analogs, anyhow... turns out my temps are kinda low. Thanks for the warnings, though, I will be sure to remove it before I mist.

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You dont have to take it out to mist...Well if you want to be on the safe side...yeah do it...but i never take mines out when i mist...just mist away from it.....


Yeah i had one that stopped working on me when it got wet...sucks..but well worth every penny to keep your herps healthy....

I think mines went loco because i accidently sprayed right on the dials of the accurite...so dont do that...

Right now I have the dials up against the tub wall...with a little bit of double-sided tape..

Good luck.

I love it and wished I could take every(~4) one of those units home...with me...lol..

The only thing I have against accurite is its not waterproof and that darn LOOOOONG wire..Cant get it to luck neat and safe.. :taz:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Krazy99CL

I love it and wished I could take every(~4) one of those units home...with me...lol..

The only thing I have against accurite is its not waterproof and that darn LOOOOONG wire..Cant get it to luck neat and safe.. :taz:

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So do what I did and shorten it... It doesn't take much skill with a soldering iron, and the temp readings are still within 1 degree.