Simple compact thermometer

[Heltor Chasca]

Does a simple compact max-min exist?

Greenhouse thermometer. Alcohol, so not perfect, but cheap and should suffice the needs of the OP. Size of a pack of chewing gum.

[Bonefishblues]

Does a simple compact max-min exist?

Greenhouse thermometer. Alcohol, so not perfect, but cheap and should suffice the needs of the OP. Size of a pack of chewing gum.

This then is the closest answer OP.

[mercalia]

Just tested my speedo temperature gauge. Currently on tour in Indonesia. On nias island. In the shade the temperature reads correct at 31* C. After just 5 minutes in the sun the unit read 44* C.

that would be true for ANY thermometer exposed to the sun?

[NUKe]

https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powere ... eter-n60nt
£1.50

[PH]

If you forget the word thermometer and instead look for a temperature logger, you'll find loads of options. The smallest are USB types where you'll need to connect to a PC to download the data. I have no experience of any of these, just came across them while searching for a GPX logger, at the time I thought it might be interesting to tour with one, but haven't got round to it.
This one has no display so it looks robust, it logs at 30 min intervals, I've seen others where you can program that.
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/data-loggers/5363283/

[Aushiker]

Just tested my speedo temperature gauge. Currently on tour in Indonesia. On nias island. In the shade the temperature reads correct at 31* C. After just 5 minutes in the sun the unit read 44* C.

that would be true for ANY thermometer exposed to the sun?

That was my thinking as well ... shade temperature is going to be different from non-shade temperature and then if one is riding on bitumen you need to factor in the heat reflection.

[pjclinch]

Just put your simple compact thermometer in a portable Stephenson Screen and all will be fine!

(I had an altimeter watch for mountaineering, it had a thermometer too. For some reason it was always about the same temperature on the back of my wrist no matter how much snow was lying around...)

Pete.

[simonhill]

You are probably OK for the min temp as there will be no sun about and you are unlikely to be near artificial cold making systems (freezer, air con, etc).

However if you are going to attempt to measure the maximum, you need to be very disciplined where you place it. As said above, direct sun will screw your readings. Leaving it in a tent even in weak sunshine could raise the temperature by many degrees. Likewise in a pannier pocket with the sun playing on it. Also, as per pclinch above, even holding it for more than a few seconds will affect it.

As I guess you are only really interested in the lowest temperature this shouldn't be a problem.

[crazydave789]

sainsburys gave away loads of fridge thermometers that say OK when its cold enough - so lower than 4 degrees C.

I'd just get a simple dial or bar zipper/keyring thermometer, or sleep out then check you local weather station readings afterwards.

if you can see your breath then its colder than 7 degrees C rain falls at 5+ sleet at 2-5 and lower than 2 it can snow. if the ground is below 2 then it will settle.

if you have a bosch fridge they usually have a push in thermometer you can borrow.

[andrew_s]

https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-thermometer-n60nt
£1.50

When you consider the preceding post, does that not strike you as being a rather stupid device to make?

[mercalia]

lidl have some for about £3.50 at the moment record max/min and alsao come with a 3m sensor cable so can test temp else where eg out side

[Gattonero]

If you forget the word thermometer and instead look for a temperature logger, you'll find loads of options. The smallest are USB types where you'll need to connect to a PC to download the data. I have no experience of any of these, just came across them while searching for a GPX logger, at the time I thought it might be interesting to tour with one, but haven't got round to it.
This one has no display so it looks robust, it logs at 30 min intervals, I've seen others where you can program that.
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/data-loggers/5363283/

I wonder if it's going to work with an OTG usb cable on the smartphone?

[Sweep]

lidl have some for about £3.50 at the moment record max/min and alsao come with a 3m sensor cable so can test temp else where eg out side

Thanks for this mercalia.

Was out of the country at the time but managed to pick one up at Lidl Surrey Quays (often good for remaindered specials from past weeks) at £2.99.

Though cheap it looks like a pretty decent device and ideal for my purposes. It's pretty compact - any smaller and it would be hard to do the settings/read it easily.

Not used it camping yet but have had it inside/outside a bedroom window and its readings seem quite credible.

The max/minimum temp (recorded and stored for both inside and outside I think) can be manually reset or left on auto-reset, which means that it wipes its min/max memory automatically at midnight. Have left it on that since fair to assume that the coldest temperatures will be sometime between midnight and 8am.

For anyone looking for one it is listed as a car thermometer - the idea is that the external sensor would be put behind your car bumper.

[andrew_s]

For on the bike use, I've recently acquired a Garmin Tempe, an ANT+ temperature sensor.
It's small and discreet, and adds a (working) temperature option to the Garmin data fields, and gets recorded with the rest of the ride data.
I've got it located under the saddle where it should be mostly in the shade, and the numbers it gives seem to be pretty accurate, based on the weather reports from the local airport.

No good for overnight camp temperatures though, as the Garmin would have to be left on all night, which would play havoc with it's battery life, and the ride distances (unless you recorded and zeros them on arrival at camp).

[pedalsheep]

lidl have some for about £3.50 at the moment record max/min and alsao come with a 3m sensor cable so can test temp else where eg out side

Thanks for this mercalia.

Was out of the country at the time but managed to pick one up at Lidl Surrey Quays (often good for remaindered specials from past weeks) at £2.99.

Though cheap it looks like a pretty decent device and ideal for my purposes. It's pretty compact - any smaller and it would be hard to do the settings/read it easily.

Not used it camping yet but have had it inside/outside a bedroom window and its readings seem quite credible.

The max/minimum temp (recorded and stored for both inside and outside I think) can be manually reset or left on auto-reset, which means that it wipes its min/max memory automatically at midnight. Have left it on that since fair to assume that the coldest temperatures will be sometime between midnight and 8am.

For anyone looking for one it is listed as a car thermometer - the idea is that the external sensor would be put behind your car bumper.

Is yours still working Sweep? The one I bought was fine for about a week but then the outside sensor (I've got it on a window sill) started giving wildly inaccurate readings. Out in the snow and ice at the moment it says 4.2. The inside readings still seem accurate. There is no obvious damage to the outside sensor or cable.