Remote thermometer alarm for greenhouse

[RichardG 11]

With Winter approaching I'm thinking of investing in a remote thermometer that'll sound an alarm if the temperature drops below 10*C. It's for my Nepenthes greenhouse which is up the top of the garden, so would need to be a wireless unit with a station in the house.

I've done some research, but can't find a unit which fits the bill (or at least their online descriptions aren't that specific).

Just wondering if anybody here uses such a thing and whether they have any particular recommendations?

Cheers,

Richard

[naryn 0]

second this question, i would like to know any good suggestions as well.

[NepGrower 10]

Thirded.

[manders 612]

Been looking for one as well, plenty of expensive units available, found this one which is cheaper but not tried it...

TipTemp

[jimfoxy 15]

This one looks exactly like the one I bought from Oregon Scientific (name correct?) a few years ago. Probably is same model differently badged. It works well but the distance is the problem. It doesn't communicate more than about 10m line of site with one house wall in between. The distances quoted by the manufacturers for these kind of units are usually a load of crap.

I would like to find one that has a decent proved range.

Edited October 2, 2010 by jimfoxy

[Phil Green 73]

I can't help with the alarm, but -depending on what species your growing, I wouldn't worry to much when temps drop to 10C. I don't even close the door on my outside Nep house until temps start to drop below 10C. My outside highland house regularly goes down to about 5C, with no harm to the plants. I have the temp set to 10C, but that is so it has some heat reserve to try and keep it from going below 5C on the coldest nights(which it doesn't always manage). So for an alarm, that is going to mean you having to go outside in the middle of the night and do something, I would set it around 6-7C. But as I said, that does depend on what your growing, which may explain a higher temp.

[RichardG 11]

I ended up getting one of these from Maplins:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=34745

Must admit I am struggling getting it to keep the signal from 30 m up the garden (but haven't given-up hope; I intend to move the receiver and base station so that they are in a direct line of site). It certainly has the max/min alarm I'm looking for. Now if I can only get the thing to work

Phil, a couple of years back I lost a good number of highlanders at 5*C, and last year upgraded to a dedicated octagonal Nep house (with 9*C min). To be honest even some of my 'highlanders' (well ok truncata Pasian 'highland') struggled/died at 9*C. Mind you I don't give them optimum daytime temps in winter; they just get 9*C and whatever extra the sun can give them

I've just insulated the greenhouse today. Like last year I've wrapped it externally with bubble insulation; trying x40 bulldog clips this year to hold it in place (last year the supposed waterproof clear tape didn't stand up to Welsh rain ).

Cheers,

Richard

[Phil Green 73]

Richard - do you give them any extra light over the winter ? I've found this makes a much difference (if not more) than the temps. Plants that nearly died with low temps and only natural day length, only slowed their growth when given added light with the same temps.

Good luck, hope it works out well for you.