Elitech RC-5+ Digital PDF USB Temperature Data Logger Reusable Recorder Refrigerator Thermometer 32000 Points High Accuracy (5 Packs)

I initially purchased two units, an RC5+ and an RC-5+TE. I have since purchased two additional "TE" units. These loggers are intended for use in monitoring shipments of food and other goods that need to be kept cold, so of course a record of the shipping conditions is essential. Check the specs to get an understanding of their outstanding flexibility. My use is in monitoring temperatures in rooms in which the air conditioning or heating may have problems, so I need to be able to monitor fairly rapid temperature changes. If you need to monitor for conditions like this, you should buy the "TE" version which adds an external sensor on the end of a cable about 3 feet long. Nothing magic about that sensor, there is another one like it inside the RC-5+ case and you can choose which to use, but the external one has much less mass than the case so it responds more quickly to temperature changes.It took me a little while on line to find the correct application software to download. For a Windows PC that is ElitechLogWin V6.4.0. There is an understandable user manual included in the app, but it has some omissions I found annoying. Most of those have to do with how to transfer data from the logger into the PC, how to configure the logger, and how to choose stored database files to display. This is like any other competent tool that's new for you, not everything is obvious and there is a learning curve. But the hardware and software work just fine, and the plotting routine (PDF only) is marvelously capable. Not only can you overlay multiple data logs, you can even display (and export!) logs that only partially overlap -- and the software takes care of this offsetting and scaling for you! And you can change the X-axis scaling and location of the viewing window; it's a little clunky in my opinion, but workable and I'm making fewer errors now.If I didn't feel these are marvelously capable and well worth their cost, I wouldn't have bought two more soon after the first two! The only reason it didn't get 5 stars from me is what I consider some obvious omissions in the user manual explanations.Martt Harding

A very sparse set of instructions came with the item, so I had trouble getting it to work at first. I looked online and the instructions from the manufacturer there were much clearer. With that info, it is very easy to use.Once I got it running it did just what I wanted. The refrigerator in our new travel trailer wasn't holding temperatures right. I put this in the refrigerator and let it run for a couple of days. Then I plotted the results (done automatically from the vendor software) and was able to show the RV dealer what was happening. The refrigerator would get cold and stay cold for 6-8 hours, then it would stop cooling for 6-8 hours allowing the inside to get way too warm to keep food safely. It would have been very hard to see what was happening without this recorder. We've had some trouble getting repairs done on our trailer due to the factory refusing warranty repairs, but with the detailed data we gathered with this recorder we're confident the problem will get fixed.

These temperature data loggers work great, that is after I figured out how to work them. The cryptic instructions/data manual that came in the box was of limited help and no help at all in getting started. The first step in the instructions is "Connect the data logger to a computer to set configuration parameters" The devices won't work properly until you do this. It doesn't say you need special software on the computer you hook it to or where and how to get it. I searched the Elitech website for some software and couldn't find any software downloads, so searched and downloaded a better user manual for this model which explained the software needed to be downloaded and even gave a url for downloading the software. You have to fill out some information before downloading, which was kind of annoying at this stage. Once the software was downloaded and installed on my computer, I had to download the user manual for the software to figureout how to use it. The software works fine although a bit kludgy and not thoughoughly explained in the software manual. Once the devices were configured, they worked as the original box instruction manual describes. Once I got the two I bought working, I put them in my two freezers to try to figure out why my ice cream was melting, sometimes, and the loggers worked great and were very helpful. As for my ice cream, well, that's another story.

This device is perfect for anyone who needs to record temperatures over a given period of time.My furnace was acting up and I needed to figure out exactly what was happening. I ordered the data logger, downloaded the software and placed the logger on a register. The next day, I had an extremely detailed report, including the raw data and a perfect graph showing the readings over a 12 hour period.This amazing little tool is a must have for any thermal performance study you might have. It's waterproof, runs for a year on a cheap button battery and takes up almost no space in your toolbox. I can't recommend it highly enough.

It's fine for its intended application -- monitoring food shipments and the like -- but is a bit slow for more dynamic environments. The time constant is about 10 minutes -- that's the time it takes for a step change in temperature to rise to 63% of its final value. I stuck in my freezer for a few hours and then pulled it back out, and those are the time constants I measured.Other than that, the device and its app are easy to use.

Day one it solved the problem it was purchased for, saved a $250 service call. Resident reported his refrigerator was failing. It was rock steady.Day two and on it is just a bonus, already know which unit it will be in on Monday. Best $$ I have spent on the job.Note: read the manual to find the website to download the software. after that it is simple to use.