Any reason a wireless thermometer wouldn't work in a freezer?

[Brian Elfert]

I will be hauling a chest freezer full of food cross country in a few weeks. I have power for the freezer, but I want to monitor the freezer temps from inside the vehicle.

Is there any reason a $10 wireless thermometer from Walmart wouldn't work for this? It can certainly get below zero outside so I doubt it would be a problem.

[Phil Thien]

Welll the freezer probably has steel walls, which may prevent the transmitter from getting enough signal to the receiver.

You probably would have to test it.

[Jason Roehl]

I've successfully used mine similarly before. Stuck one of the two remote sensors in the freezer, and could read it on the main display unit upstairs.

[Brian Elfert]

My main concern is if the temperature sensor would have issues in the freezer. I didn't think about transmitting range and I would need to test that. I'll probably get a cheap one and see if it transmits far enough. They make special freezer models, but they are $30 to $50.

[Jason Roehl]

My main concern is if the temperature sensor would have issues in the freezer. I didn't think about transmitting range and I would need to test that. I'll probably get a cheap one and see if it transmits far enough. They make special freezer models, but they are $30 to $50.

Mine was in a chest freezer 2-3 days, so it was at ~0ºF for that whole time. Probably the only issue would be battery life--if it's a weak battery, it might not make the trip, but with a fresh battery, you shouldn't have any issues. I'd say it's not much different from leaving one of those sensors outside in winter in MN during a cold spell.

[Mark Engel]

Make sure you use LION batteries. Alkaline batteries don't like to work in low temperatures.

[Jerome Stanek]

Here in the north they work all year round even when it is below -0 for extended periods at a time.

[Matt Marsh]

Welll the freezer probably has steel walls, which may prevent the transmitter from getting enough signal to the receiver.

You probably would have to test it.

Some of them have their thermistor on the end of a 2 to 3 foot long lead, so you could mount the transmitter outside the freezer cabinet, and just close the door on the lead.

[Larry Frank]

I use the ACU_RITE Refrigerator/Freezer Wireless Digital Thermometer that I got at Amazon for about $30 and is actually two wireless remote sensors. They recommend using the Lion batteries but if you are only using for a few days the alkaline batteries will probably be fine. The data shows that alkaline batteries in cold temperatures only have about half the normal service life.

[Brian Elfert]

It looks like the $10 Acurite wireless thermometer I bought at Walmart won't work. It won't transmit more than a few feet through the steel of the freezer. It will work if I move the receiver to the top of the freezer so the transmitter is working.

Walmart has a $30 Acurite wireless freezer thermometer, but not sure I want to spend that much versus walking back to check a regular thermometer instead.

[Dan Hintz]

I don't normally recommend such things, but...

Buy it, use it, then return it.

[Brian Elfert]

I'm not that unethical to buy something and return it in a condition where it couldn't be resold unless it was truly defective.

[Brian Elfert]

What I am doing is I have a motorhome towing a trailer. The trailer will have a chest freezer full of food in it and will get power via a cord run from the motorhome to the trailer. We need to check the temp every four hours. My friend suggested a wireless thermometer with the receiver in the back of the motorhome instead of opening the trailer and freezer to check the temps.

We typically stop about every four to five hours to switch drivers so going to the trailer isn't that big a deal. We should do a complete walk around at every stop anyhow.

[John M Wilson]

For less than the price of a thermometer, you could buy a chunk of dry ice. This will keep the food frozen even if the power is interrupted.

[Brian Elfert]

We are required to record the temperature periodically.