Elitech RC-5+Digital PDF USB Temperature Data Logger Reusable Recorder Refrigerator Thermometer 32000 Points High Accuracy

I initially purchased two units, an RC5+ and an RC-5+TE. I have since purchased two additional "TE" units. These loggers are intended for use in monitoring shipments of food and other goods that need to be kept cold, so of course a record of the shipping conditions is essential. Check the specs to get an understanding of their outstanding flexibility. My use is in monitoring temperatures in rooms in which the air conditioning or heating may have problems, so I need to be able to monitor fairly rapid temperature changes. If you need to monitor for conditions like this, you should buy the "TE" version which adds an external sensor on the end of a cable about 3 feet long. Nothing magic about that sensor, there is another one like it inside the RC-5+ case and you can choose which to use, but the external one has much less mass than the case so it responds more quickly to temperature changes.It took me a little while on line to find the correct application software to download. For a Windows PC that is ElitechLogWin V6.4.0. There is an understandable user manual included in the app, but it has some omissions I found annoying. Most of those have to do with how to transfer data from the logger into the PC, how to configure the logger, and how to choose stored database files to display. This is like any other competent tool that's new for you, not everything is obvious and there is a learning curve. But the hardware and software work just fine, and the plotting routine (PDF only) is marvelously capable. Not only can you overlay multiple data logs, you can even display (and export!) logs that only partially overlap -- and the software takes care of this offsetting and scaling for you! And you can change the X-axis scaling and location of the viewing window; it's a little clunky in my opinion, but workable and I'm making fewer errors now.If I didn't feel these are marvelously capable and well worth their cost, I wouldn't have bought two more soon after the first two! The only reason it didn't get 5 stars from me is what I consider some obvious omissions in the user manual explanations.Martt Harding

A very sparse set of instructions came with the item, so I had trouble getting it to work at first. I looked online and the instructions from the manufacturer there were much clearer. With that info, it is very easy to use.Once I got it running it did just what I wanted. The refrigerator in our new travel trailer wasn't holding temperatures right. I put this in the refrigerator and let it run for a couple of days. Then I plotted the results (done automatically from the vendor software) and was able to show the RV dealer what was happening. The refrigerator would get cold and stay cold for 6-8 hours, then it would stop cooling for 6-8 hours allowing the inside to get way too warm to keep food safely. It would have been very hard to see what was happening without this recorder. We've had some trouble getting repairs done on our trailer due to the factory refusing warranty repairs, but with the detailed data we gathered with this recorder we're confident the problem will get fixed.

Be sure you have it set to "internal" sensor. If you don't, it will appear to be recording but will not have any data when you check it 30 days (or however long you choose) later. That is pretty frustrating. To be clear, I tested it, and it worked fine then when I reset it to use it in again (in an outdoor storage container for 30 days), the software defaulted to 'external" sensor. So, I wasted 30 days recording nothing. In order to avoid this, make sure that the last page you set in the parameters is under settings/advanced. Set the sensor to "internal" then save parameters while still on that page. Go back to settings/advanced again and verify that it is still set to "internal" then unplug it. (You can set it to start recording at a predetermined time or to start recording when the device is pulled out of the USB port.) Once you have unplugged it, check the screen to make sure that it has the "record" arrow and also that it displays the current temperature. If it says "nc" on the screen then it has defaulted back to external sensor and you will have to repeat the process to set it back to "internal". To be fair, it works pretty good once you figure out the software, but it is disappointing to wait 30 days only to find out it hasn't recorded anything. Keywords: problem, mistake, error, failed, nc, -100, pdf, csv, data

This sensor was installed to record temperature on a piece of land at 10,700 feet elevation. We have been using the same model on another piece of property at 10,250’ elevation for over a year. I have been very satisfied with its data logging accuracy. The life of the battery is anwesome - even when taking a measurement every 15 minutes the battery lasts over 300 days.

Previously gave one star because I couldn't reach the website or download the required software. I have a Windows computer; nothing I tried could get it to work. However I was able to access the website and download the software to my iPad, which I then had to transfer over to my Windows computer. After that I was able to make it work, and the device worked well. But I never got a response from their customer support regarding my inability to use my Windows computer. Overall they have a lot of room for improvement.

This device is perfect for anyone who needs to record temperatures over a given period of time.My furnace was acting up and I needed to figure out exactly what was happening. I ordered the data logger, downloaded the software and placed the logger on a register. The next day, I had an extremely detailed report, including the raw data and a perfect graph showing the readings over a 12 hour period.This amazing little tool is a must have for any thermal performance study you might have. It's waterproof, runs for a year on a cheap button battery and takes up almost no space in your toolbox. I can't recommend it highly enough.