Wireless thermometer

[frahkn]

There was recently a thread on this but I can't find it.

I want to measure the ambient temperature around my cocooned engine so need something wireless.

Can anyone recommend something simple but fairly accurate. I don't need anything complicated or with too many bells and whistles.

[rusty69]

Was it Dr bobs infrequent red thermomoter thread? 

[frahkn]

Just now, rusty69 said:

Was it Dr bobs infrequent red thermomoter thread? 

No, I have an IRT but the engine is cocooned and I want the ambient temperature while running.

It was mentioned in an earlier thread but not (I think) very long ago.

There are examples on line but they seem rather complex and predominantly for industrial applications.

[harrybsmith]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/15004437489?trdt=0&iid=282905617619&rt=nc

 

What about something like this? 

(Item 282905617619 if the link doesn't work)

[Dr Bob]

23 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Was it Dr bobs infrequent red thermomoter thread? 

Eeeeeeeeeeejut, infrequent red thermometers can't measure cocooned temperatures. Everybody knows that. They can't do everything.

[WotEver]

10 minutes ago, harrybsmith said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/15004437489?trdt=0&iid=282905617619&rt=nc

 

What about something like this? 

That looks like what the OP described but I note that it only goes up to 65C. I’m guessing he might need to measure a bit higher than that?

[harrybsmith]

22 minutes ago, WotEver said:

That looks like what the OP described but I note that it only goes up to 65C. I’m guessing he might need to measure a bit higher than that?

Obviously depends on engine etc. but considering 65C is above the pain threshold for most people i'd hope that the ambient temperature isn't getting that high, but then again if it was then that's a valid reason to measure it to work out what's going on... 

[NB Lola]

[BruceinSanity]

For keeping an eye on battery case temps and the like, I use the adhesive thermometer strips with LCD figures. Loads if you Google for them in a variety of ranges.

[frahkn]

7 hours ago, harrybsmith said:

Obviously depends on engine etc. but considering 65C is above the pain threshold for most people i'd hope that the ambient temperature isn't getting that high, but then again if it was then that's a valid reason to measure it to work out what's going on... 

My cylinder head was taken off and skimmed this winter, quite a lot had to be taken off due to heat distortion.

The yard have put in extra ventilation but also removed a bilge blower which was formerly used.

I want to get some idea of the temperatures with the new ventilation and see if reinstating the blower will help or (as the yard say) hinder the process.

[Robbo]

3 hours ago, frahkn said:

My cylinder head was taken off and skimmed this winter, quite a lot had to be taken off due to heat distortion.

The yard have put in extra ventilation but also removed a bilge blower which was formerly used.

I want to get some idea of the temperatures with the new ventilation and see if reinstating the blower will help or (as the yard say) hinder the process.

Don't you have a temperature gauge for the engine?   A ambient temperature gauge will be no good for monitoring stuff to help prevent "quite a lot had to be taken off due to heat distortion.".

[frahkn]

4 hours ago, Robbo said:

Don't you have a temperature gauge for the engine?   A ambient temperature gauge will be no good for monitoring stuff to help prevent "quite a lot had to be taken off due to heat distortion.".

Yes but it never gets above 80%, seldom that high, so it may be inaccurate. Also, the engine never uses any water or oil between services.

The yard don't seem worried about thermostats, skin cooling arrangements etc, only ventilation (remember it is a cocooned engine) but have disconnected my blower and installed a small vent instead. I have questioned this but they are adamant so I want to see for myself.

[Robbo]

1 hour ago, frahkn said:

Yes but it never gets above 80%, seldom that high, so it may be inaccurate. Also, the engine never uses any water or oil between services.

The yard don't seem worried about thermostats, skin cooling arrangements etc, only ventilation (remember it is a cocooned engine) but have disconnected my blower and installed a small vent instead. I have questioned this but they are adamant so I want to see for myself.

Checking the ambient temperature would be useless for preventing heat distortion of the head tho!   Fix your engine temperature guage!

Ambient temperature / ventilation  is still worth keeping an eye on for fixtures like the alternator.

[IDS]

For the money try one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Mini-Indoor-outdoor-External-electronic-Body-aquarium-Room-thermometer-UK-/123052801572

it's wired but claims to go to 100C

[frahkn]

1 hour ago, Robbo said:

Checking the ambient temperature would be useless for preventing heat distortion of the head tho!   Fix your engine temperature guage!

Ambient temperature / ventilation  is still worth keeping an eye on for fixtures like the alternator.

I have owned the boat for five years but it is fifteen years old - could this have happened before my ownership?

I ask because I have had no evidence of overheating during my ownership - surely there should have been some?

[cuthound]

14 minutes ago, frahkn said:

I have owned the boat for five years but it is fifteen years old - could this have happened before my ownership?

I ask because I have had no evidence of overheating during my ownership - surely there should have been some?

Why was the head taken off and skimmed if there was no sign of overheating and the engine wasn't using any water?

[Bod]

Look for a weather station/clock, with an "outside" temperature option.

I have one from Lidl, it's very handy for checking the fridge temperature.

 

Bod

Edited April 30, 2018 by Bod

[frahkn]

4 hours ago, cuthound said:

Why was the head taken off and skimmed if there was no sign of overheating and the engine wasn't using any water?

 

You may remember last year it started smoking. I said that I had fixed it (following advice on here) but it reoccured and  anyway the yard had flagged it up during some earlier work last year.

 

So I got them to look at it and they had to take off 7 thou, which seems a lot to me (and suggests that the next skim will be the last).

 

It's a Beta 43 like (I think) yours.

 

The problem is that they seem obsessed about ventilation but have disconnected my 'bilge blower' which previously cooled the alternators and presumably, the engine to some extent.

 

I would just like to apply the experimental method to their concept of ventilation.

[Detling]

Use a max min thermometer. You don't get continuous read out but you do know what happened.

[cuthound]

9 hours ago, frahkn said:

 

You may remember last year it started smoking. I said that I had fixed it (following advice on here) but it reoccured and  anyway the yard had flagged it up during some earlier work last year.

 

So I got them to look at it and they had to take off 7 thou, which seems a lot to me (and suggests that the next skim will be the last).

 

It's a Beta 43 like (I think) yours.

 

The problem is that they seem obsessed about ventilation but have disconnected my 'bilge blower' which previously cooled the alternators and presumably, the engine to some extent.

 

I would just like to apply the experimental method to their concept of ventilation.

 When i was at work I used to hire these data loggers to measure temperature over time.

 

http://www.omniinstruments.co.uk/tinytag-talk-2-data-logger.html

 

They will not read high enough to measure engine temperature directly, but will read ambient trmperature in your cocoon.

 

[frahkn]

2 hours ago, cuthound said:

 When i was at work I used to hire these data loggers to measure temperature over time.

 

http://www.omniinstruments.co.uk/tinytag-talk-2-data-logger.html

 

They will not read high enough to measure engine temperature directly, but will read ambient trmperature in your cocoon.

 

 

That looks like what I want.

 

I'd need the data cable and software so not cheap but it would do exactly the job I require.

[cuthound]

You can hire them from equipment hire companies such as Livingstone hire or Andrews Heat for Hire.

 

You can also get cheaper clones on Ebay & Amazon, but they  lack calibration certificates, necessary for commercial use but probably OK for you.