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Review on 🌑️ [ISO 17025 Certified] Elitech RC-5 USB Digital Data Logger - 10 Pack Temperature Recorder for Vaccines and DDL by Carlos Barete

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Good but very slow response time of 25 minutes

This is a good device for the price and the latest software and instructions are easy to follow, but the response time is too slow for many applications. In addition, this slow response time is not even mentioned in the listed specifications. So let the buyer beware. Don't expect the actual response time to be close to the fastest sample interval, which is 10 seconds. Looking at the attached chart, I tested this unit by quickly moving it from the freezer to a warm spot in the house, which resulted in the unit temperature increasing from 0.9Β°F to 72.0Β°F almost immediately changed. However, the device did NOT react immediately to this change. In fact, it took almost 25 minutes to get within 99% of the new ambient temperature. My heating response curve shows a very predictable "exponential response" and the "time constant tau" of this curve, ie the time it takes to reach 63% of the new temperature, is 4.8 minutes. Such a slow response is due to the temperature sensor being encased in a waterproof plastic case, which is a pretty good thermal insulator. If you are unfamiliar with this type of reaction, understand that regardless of the starting and ending temperature, the same rule applies: it takes almost 25 minutes to reach the new temperature, regardless of the change from 0Β° to 0Β° 72Β° or from 40Β° occurs to 50Β° or from/to other measured temperatures. If a more responsive device is required, an external sensor device should be considered, for example: Supco LT2 LOGiT temperature data logger, 3" long, 2-1/2" wide, 1-3/32" tall Note. Designer : For a few bucks, you can add an aluminum insert through the case for faster external heat dissipation, place that insert next to the thermal sensor, and thermally bond the two with a small amount of thermal paste or glue Update 8/15/2016: Additional timing test answers show that even with the case open and the temperature sensor fully exposed, the response time wasn't much better!So the problem isn't that the sensor is thermally isolated, it's the sensor electronics itself responding very slowly.Disappointing.Or maybe I just have a bad one Blocking?

Pros
  • Universal temperature data logger, 32,000 recording points, wide measurement range -30℃~70℃ / -22℉~158℉. Up to 6 months battery life, replaceable battery, low power consumption.
Cons
  • Some bugs