Recommend a remote temperature sensor

December 10, 2019 10:34 AM

I'll be traveling, it's winter in Maine, I want to make sure the furnace is running, house is basically warm. Wifi is available, land line is not. I can leave a laptop with no cellular service powered on, but not sure about bluetooth-only sensors. I didn't install a Nest thermostat because it would require running a small wire from the furnace to the living room, so I don't think a Nest sensor alone will work. Price is an issue. Getting an electrician to do any installation would take till June, so simple.
posted by theora55 to Home & Garden (13 answers total)

Two webcams, one pointed at the furnace's panel (to see if it is running) and another one pointing at a thermostat (to see current temperature)?
posted by ddaavviidd at 10:40 AM on December 10, 2019 [1 favorite]

I use several SensorPush devices to track temperature deltas in various locations; they sell a BT-to-Wifi bridge for use with their sensors which I don't personally use but given my success with their sensors, I'd buy if I needed it.

They're not free, but I find them to be extremely reliable, unlike ANY of the other cheaper no-name BT temperature sensors.
posted by aramaic at 10:43 AM on December 10, 2019 [3 favorites]

Best answer: FWIW my Nest E thermostat works with just the two regular wires and doesn't need a "common" wire the way my previous Honeywell thermostat did (it's possible yours really isn't compatible, but I mention it just in case you were misinformed!). There are other brands of battery-operated wifi thermostats too, though I don't know any well enough to recommend.
posted by mskyle at 10:48 AM on December 10, 2019 [1 favorite]

The old fashioned low tech backup was to keep a space heater plugged in with the thermostat set low so it wouldn't run unless there is a problem with the furnace. Won't keep a house warm, but it keeps the pipes from freezing. (ancient memory from Minnesota winters).

Way more reliable than anything dependent on wifi or a laptop that might go to sleep or lose power or blue screen.
posted by cfraenkel at 10:51 AM on December 10, 2019 [1 favorite]

I use an Ip camera with web access (I use a dlink brand) pointed at a thermometer so can visually ascertain temp. If temp goes down something is the matter. I have been meaning to get the DCS-825L which is meant as a baby monitor and apparently has built in temp monitoring
posted by canoehead at 11:46 AM on December 10, 2019 [1 favorite]

The Folks at NYC HeatSeek sell their sensors and it helps keep them going as a non-profit that seeks to protect city residents from landlords who keep the heat too low. I don't see information about the pricing available yet, but this is a version 3, so it will be sturdier than the last versions. The second version had a memory card in addition to wifi, so if the wifi went out you could conceivably have a neighbor go get it started again and then it would upload your data again. Contact them to see if this is a good product for you.
posted by bilabial at 12:49 PM on December 10, 2019

The Ecobee is a net-connected thermostat similar to the Nest but comes with something called the PEK (power extender kit) that lets you use the 4-wire setup without running a fifth wire to supply 24V.

Ecobee also comes with and supports extra temperature sensors that you can put around the house, which can be useful in some situations. You can track different sensors at different times in the schedule, or average them together.
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:05 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I have a Twine (made by Supermechanical) that works great for this but, sadly, they've stopped making them. The best option that I know of is the Temp Stick, but it's not cheap (although, comparably priced to the SensorPush+Wireless Bridge).

I think this is not what you're looking for, OP, but I feel I would be remiss if I didn't point out that this is a quite straightforward project for a Rasberry Pi. About $50 total.

My furnace doesn't actually have a common wire, so I had to run a separate 24V AC transformer to power the Nest; fun times.
posted by Betelgeuse at 2:07 PM on December 10, 2019

Best answer: Not totally on-topic but I had the same problem you did with a Nest thermostat; we had only two wires and used a common maker for the third common wire, and it's worked great. Definitely recommended.
posted by kdar at 3:14 PM on December 10, 2019

I use a sensor push via Bluetooth for my fridge. They make a WiFi hub for them to connect online. ETA: subreddits about cigars and humidors had a lot of info about sensor push and others.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:45 PM on December 10, 2019

Response by poster: It's weird that this isn't easier to do. I have ordered a Nest E, and hope it will work as suggested. and I may pick up a webcam to point at a thermostat. Wondering if I can mount it as a monitor if it won't work as a thermostat?

A space heater would not be enough to protect my pipes, and they are not very safe.
posted by theora55 at 8:10 AM on December 11, 2019

Best answer: An Amazon Echo Plus - 2nd Gen has a built-in temperature sensor. You can see real-time temps and set up alerts.
posted by Muted Flugelhorn at 9:39 AM on December 11, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: The Nest E came with a free 2nd sensor, which is handy. I was able to check on the house while I traveled, so, resolved. Thanks.
posted by theora55 at 1:03 PM on January 9, 2020