I’m planning on installing a remote temperature monitor to monitor engine exhaust, refrigerator compartment, and battery compartment temps. Looking at the Blue Seas 1841 monitor and wondering if anyone has installed this or other units.
Temperature monitor
- Thread starter Pagan Baby
- Start date
Pretty easy to build one with an ESP 8266 board and a couple temperature probes. That will show up on your phone, tablet or computer screen via WiFi. Cost is less than $30 and it can do more and grow unlike most commercial solutions. I have it on a small boat network that isn’t connected to the internet.
Attached is a screen shot from my phone.
Attached is a screen shot from my phone.
I have exhaust, engine, and cabin, but shaft temperature seems like a good addition. Did you just mount the sensor for that one on the stuffing box area?
"Pretty easy to build" = How about parts list and plans. What did you use to house the module, what model(s) of probes, where attached etc. I's like to learn from your obvious experience with this. I think I could build one but could use some guidance. Enlighten us please. PM would be fine if no one else is interested in details.
I found these to be effective in monitoring temps on the boat. They record min/max and current temps. Not a sensor I’d stick in the exhaust but definitely will give you battery storage area temps.
Put them in the engine space and upon return to the boat get a quick read if the space has been at or below freezing.
Put them in the engine space and upon return to the boat get a quick read if the space has been at or below freezing.
I've used the household units sold by Walmart for years. Wireless remote can locate most anywhere on the boat. I lay mine on the bottom of an aft compartment of the hull to display water temp. It takes the remote sensor a moment or so to display the new temp when relocating. Those units here:
www.acurite.com
Thermometers & Hygrometers – Weather Tools | AcuRite Weather Monitoring
Shop basic thermometers, digital thermometers and hygrometers from AcuRite, including multi-room remotely sensed devices with temperature and humidity tracking, decorative thermometers, and more. Track temperature and humidity and rainfall.
I have had them on the boat for 18 months. Simple idea. Got it from @LeslieTroyer who has used them in his refrigerator/Freezer to keep tabs on performance.
At night I'll stick one outside and then check the receiver in the morning to see if I want to get out of bed right away - or maybe wait an hour til the sun pops up and it gets above freezing.
At night I'll stick one outside and then check the receiver in the morning to see if I want to get out of bed right away - or maybe wait an hour til the sun pops up and it gets above freezing.
I personally wouldn't want wireless if you have multiple sensors; that just means more batteries to keep up with. I just bought a $4.00 digital thermometer but it only has an internal sensor and one wired remote. I plan on installing the remote in the engine compartment.
I find the price of the Blue Sea 1841 offensive considering it doesn't even have any network capability. For that price I would expect Bluetooth at a minimum but WiFi would be better to allow remote monitoring. And I'm not sure what "ABYC compliant for engine exhaust" means since it only goes to 120°C.
@brazenarticle I'd like to see more detail on your setup also, even a block diagram or schematic would be great but the source code would be even better.
I find the price of the Blue Sea 1841 offensive considering it doesn't even have any network capability. For that price I would expect Bluetooth at a minimum but WiFi would be better to allow remote monitoring. And I'm not sure what "ABYC compliant for engine exhaust" means since it only goes to 120°C.
@brazenarticle I'd like to see more detail on your setup also, even a block diagram or schematic would be great but the source code would be even better.
If you have a NMEA 2000 network Yacht Devices has exhaust gas and temperature problems. The out put goes to the chart plotter.
www.yachtd.com
NMEA 2000 Sensors: Digital Barometer, Thermometer, Humidity and Exhaust Gas Temperature
Digital sensors for NMEA 2000 networks: atmospheric pressure, humidity, and gases, solids or liquids temperature measurements.
Remote sensor has been on the boat for about three years and have yet to replace the battery. Base unit needs new batteries about every two years. Not so bad, eh?
As long as the beer is cold and the butter has not melted, no need for a sensor in either reefer units. Now if the ice cubes melt, things will begin to get serious on our boat.
I do like the idea of sensing sea water temps as well as cabin temps. The one I have now (no need to ask why) tells me whether conditions are more suitable for either fishing or hunting, neither of which I have done for decades. Go figure.
I do like the idea of sensing sea water temps as well as cabin temps. The one I have now (no need to ask why) tells me whether conditions are more suitable for either fishing or hunting, neither of which I have done for decades. Go figure.
I put together bits and pieces from various websites to build my temp sensor. Most of the Arduinocode is cut and paste, and there is just a little soldering and assembly involved. The website lastminutengineers.com has a good tutorial for a four sensor web server off a little ESP8266. Their updated info is for an ESP32 but it is the same for an ESP8266.
There is good info on the signalk.org blog too. Signal k server is more complex than needed for a simple temperature sensor so don't let the tech stuff scare you away. Other p!aces to look are Internet of Things and Internet of Boats searches.
The Esp boards are two or three dollars each, temp proves are available in 5 packs for less than twenty bucks. You'll need a resistor and a power cord or power board for the ESP. I use micro Usb cables like these - https://www.amazon.com/HitCar-Unive...icro+usb&qid=1578946500&s=electronics&sr=1-21
There is good info on the signalk.org blog too. Signal k server is more complex than needed for a simple temperature sensor so don't let the tech stuff scare you away. Other p!aces to look are Internet of Things and Internet of Boats searches.
The Esp boards are two or three dollars each, temp proves are available in 5 packs for less than twenty bucks. You'll need a resistor and a power cord or power board for the ESP. I use micro Usb cables like these - https://www.amazon.com/HitCar-Unive...icro+usb&qid=1578946500&s=electronics&sr=1-21