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subzero temp monitoring — Parallax Forums

subzero temp monitoring

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2001-01-20 00:13 in General Discussion
Hi Fellow Stampers...

I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old) whose
reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal of food
stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so that it
don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It would
be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME instruction, or
a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some type of
temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I have a
couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or flash a
light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all this is I
have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I can't
think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the rubber seal
and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the freezer is
set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability of
electronic components and battery life? Could some type of wireless link
penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to these
questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase something
already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack, perhaps?

Thanks,
Aaron

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 15:16
    Freezer alarms are about 25 bucks ( buy one )

    agarb@j... wrote:
    >
    > Hi Fellow Stampers...
    >
    > I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old) whose
    > reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal of food
    > stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so that it
    > don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It would
    > be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME instruction, or
    > a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some type of
    > temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I have a
    > couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or flash a
    > light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all this is I
    > have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I can't
    > think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the rubber seal
    > and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    > wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the freezer is
    > set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability of
    > electronic components and battery life? Could some type of wireless link
    > penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to these
    > questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase something
    > already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack, perhaps?
    >
    > Thanks,
    > Aaron
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 16:20
    I'm not an expert on refrigerators. A temperature sensor inside the refrig
    might set off an inside audio alarm when the temperature falls below
    freezing, but may require some research on electronic-device characteristics
    related to temperature. Good luck.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 16:40
    RE: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] subzero temp monitoring

    I was testing a thermistor with the basic stamp and a wireless link.· I found that if I put the unit in my refigerator that the wireless transmitter could not penetrate the metal shell of the fridge.· Almost all of the wireless units are such low power that they have little chance of getting a signal through an enclosed box of metal.· Also, I tried it in the freezer portion of my fridge, and the 9V battery while in the freeqer would start dropping it's voltage and after a couple of hours, it didn't run the stamp anymore.· Once it thawed the battery worked OK again.· I think you would have to run a wire.· It might be possible to use one of those X-10 type signal and send the signal over the AC power lines.· If your freezer has a light inside of it, this would give you a place to attach to and also to get power from.· You would just have to disable the light switch so that the light was on all the time.


    Original Message

    From: agarb@juno.com [noparse]/noparse][url=mailto:agarb@juno.com]mailto:agarb@juno.com[/url
    Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 5:37 PM
    To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] subzero temp monitoring


    Hi Fellow Stampers...

    I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old) whose
    reliability I am starting to question.· Since I have a great deal of food
    stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so that it
    don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it.· It would
    be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME instruction, or
    a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34.· It would also be easy to do some type of
    temperature readout on 7 segment· display (somewhere, I think I have a
    couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or flash a
    light if the temp exceeds some setpoint.· The problem with all this is I
    have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I can't
    think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the rubber seal
    and visual appearance.· What would be really nice is some sort of
    wireless method.· Is this possible?· The temperature in the freezer is
    set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability of
    electronic components and battery life?· Could some type of wireless link
    penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer?· If the answers to these
    questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase something
    already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack, perhaps?

    Thanks,
    Aaron
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 16:49
    Aaron,

    A non-wireless idea. If you have access to the inner liner from the outside
    (perhaps through the compressor area), you could put your temp sensor on the
    insulation side of the inner shell.

    Regards,
    Daniel McGlothin



    Original Message
    From: agarb@j... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=XTf-QiCWAIEPH04caXCaOQSVjnC_0lQgDGvUzVGZe1pO5Y2TGWEqT3W68q6ZBp2H_D36691F1w]agarb@j...[/url
    Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 8:37 PM
    To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] subzero temp monitoring


    Hi Fellow Stampers...

    I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old) whose
    reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal of food
    stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so that it
    don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It would
    be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME instruction, or
    a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some type of
    temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I have a
    couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or flash a
    light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all this is I
    have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I can't
    think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the rubber seal
    and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the freezer is
    set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability of
    electronic components and battery life? Could some type of wireless link
    penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to these
    questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase something
    already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack, perhaps?

    Thanks,
    Aaron
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 16:56
    Larry, You're just TOO practical. There's nothing like throwing $100 at a
    project you can do yourself, regardless of whether someone's already done
    it. <g>

    -- Mitch

    Original Message
    From: LarryGaminde [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=znCQyE5uhUWl2-UJZDvnbomqXv79qyMrug7qUhAR75jiXveyqpuUKQpJKMxlX-rRlfMCFL4cVWZTChkV]lgaminde@t...[/url
    Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 9:16 AM
    To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] subzero temp monitoring


    Freezer alarms are about 25 bucks ( buy one )

    agarb@j... wrote:
    >
    > Hi Fellow Stampers...
    >
    > I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old) whose
    > reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal of food
    > stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so that it
    > don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It would
    > be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME instruction, or
    > a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some type of
    > temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I have a
    > couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or flash a
    > light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all this is I
    > have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I can't
    > think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the rubber seal
    > and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    > wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the freezer is
    > set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability of
    > electronic components and battery life? Could some type of wireless link
    > penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to these
    > questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase something
    > already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack, perhaps?
    >
    > Thanks,
    > Aaron
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 17:45
    Oh man, that's way too practical ;-) What fun is buying something when you
    can spend four times as much in parts not even considering the opportunity
    cost of your labor? This kind of project defines the original meaning of the
    word "hack": to re-purpose object in way that creates a whole greater than
    the sum of the parts that is at once elegant yet unecessary. That was before
    journalists used the new derogatory meaning of hack as defining the unlawful
    and destructive breaking into networked systems.

    Right on and big Tim-Taylor Tool-Time grunt Aaron.

    Original Message
    From: LarryGaminde [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=MZ6mVDXjOdz475-lMvT5HwQld0IpKx1o4ugoGBg4f6GjPeH0hw9pKfMsJVRDviv8LGzH59OpCipUSqirnm-k]lgaminde@t...[/url
    Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 7:16 AM
    To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] subzero temp monitoring


    Freezer alarms are about 25 bucks ( buy one )

    agarb@j... wrote:
    >
    > Hi Fellow Stampers...
    >
    > I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old) whose
    > reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal of food
    > stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so that it
    > don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It would
    > be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME instruction, or
    > a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some type of
    > temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I have a
    > couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or flash a
    > light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all this is I
    > have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I can't
    > think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the rubber seal
    > and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    > wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the freezer is
    > set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability of
    > electronic components and battery life? Could some type of wireless link
    > penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to these
    > questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase something
    > already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack, perhaps?
    >
    > Thanks,
    > Aaron
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 22:08
    just hang a block of ice from a micro switch.. if the ice melts, the
    switch will go, and tell you that it's not cold enough..
    seeing as it should never happen, you wouldn't have to keep setting it
    up..

    Jason Lavoie

    agarb@j... wrote:
    >
    > Hi Fellow Stampers...
    >
    > I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old) whose
    > reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal of food
    > stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so that it
    > don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It would
    > be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME instruction, or
    > a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some type of
    > temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I have a
    > couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or flash a
    > light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all this is I
    > have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I can't
    > think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the rubber seal
    > and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    > wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the freezer is
    > set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability of
    > electronic components and battery life? Could some type of wireless link
    > penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to these
    > questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase something
    > already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack, perhaps?
    >
    > Thanks,
    > Aaron
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 22:10
    > the AC power lines. If your freezer has a light inside of it, this
    > would give you a place to attach to and also to get power from. You
    > would just have to disable the light switch so that the light was on
    > all the time.

    careful.. you'd be amazed how much heat a lightbulb can produce..

    Jason Lavoie
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-17 23:10
    go for the gusto, add a web connection and a keypad so when you take
    out a turkey you can order one and have it delivered. Don't forget
    to get a web address so you can check the temperature from the
    office. We all know that it's coming to that so it looks like you
    can get a jumo on it. GO FOR IT !! [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Dave




    --- In basicstamps@egroups.com, "Mitchell D. Miller" <mdmiller2@h...>
    wrote:
    > Larry, You're just TOO practical. There's nothing like throwing
    $100 at a
    > project you can do yourself, regardless of whether someone's
    already done
    > it. <g>
    >
    > -- Mitch
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: LarryGaminde [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:lgaminde@t...]
    > Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 9:16 AM
    > To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    > Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] subzero temp monitoring
    >
    >
    > Freezer alarms are about 25 bucks ( buy one )
    >
    > agarb@j... wrote:
    > >
    > > Hi Fellow Stampers...
    > >
    > > I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old)
    whose
    > > reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal
    of food
    > > stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so
    that it
    > > don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it.
    It would
    > > be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME
    instruction, or
    > > a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some
    type of
    > > temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I
    have a
    > > couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or
    flash a
    > > light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all
    this is I
    > > have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I
    can't
    > > think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the
    rubber seal
    > > and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    > > wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the
    freezer is
    > > set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability
    of
    > > electronic components and battery life? Could some type of
    wireless link
    > > penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers
    to these
    > > questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase
    something
    > > already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack,
    perhaps?
    > >
    > > Thanks,
    > > Aaron
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-18 15:17
    Hi Aaron,

    In regard to the freezer, I worked for an appliance repair shop at
    one time, and one method we used to monitor the refrigeration cycle
    of a freezer was to route our wires through the drain line found at
    the bottom. This saves the headache of wireless transmission as well
    as door sealing.

    Many older refrigerators have a small drain hole in the bottom that
    connects to the drip pan underneath. Some freezers have this too.
    It would be a relatively simple matter to route your sensor or 9 volt
    power wires through this hose (if it is there). The drain hole is
    sometimes hidden behind a false-panel, frost, or behind/under the
    drawers, so if you don't see it it doesn't mean it isn't there.
    Sometimes they are plugged with cotton or other water-permeable
    materials to prevent heat loss; don't be afraid to poke that stuff
    aside.

    A rule of thumb - if you have a drip pan (visible as a yellowish pan
    underneath the condensor coils on the bottom of the fridge/freezer),
    you probably have a drain hole.

    --- In basicstamps@egroups.com, agarb@j... wrote:
    > Hi Fellow Stampers...
    >
    > I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old)
    whose
    > reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal
    of food
    > stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so
    that it
    > don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It
    would
    > be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME
    instruction, or
    > a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some
    type of
    > temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I
    have a
    > couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or
    flash a
    > light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all this
    is I
    > have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I can't
    > think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the rubber
    seal
    > and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    > wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the freezer
    is
    > set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability of
    > electronic components and battery life? Could some type of
    wireless link
    > penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to
    these
    > questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase
    something
    > already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack,
    perhaps?
    >
    > Thanks,
    > Aaron
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-18 17:02
    except for sublimation (spelling?) which will cause the ice to go away
    without any freezer fault. craig

    On Wed, 17 Jan 2001 17:08:00 -0500 Jason Lavoie
    <jlavoie@e...> writes:
    > just hang a block of ice from a micro switch.. if the ice melts, the
    > switch will go, and tell you that it's not cold enough..
    > seeing as it should never happen, you wouldn't have to keep setting
    > it
    > up..
    >
    > Jason Lavoie
    >
    > agarb@j... wrote:
    > >
    > > Hi Fellow Stampers...
    > >
    > > I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old)
    > whose
    > > reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal
    > of food
    > > stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so
    > that it
    > > don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It
    > would
    > > be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME
    > instruction, or
    > > a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some
    > type of
    > > temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I
    > have a
    > > couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or
    > flash a
    > > light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all
    > this is I
    > > have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I
    > can't
    > > think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the
    > rubber seal
    > > and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    > > wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the
    > freezer is
    > > set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability
    > of
    > > electronic components and battery life? Could some type of
    > wireless link
    > > penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to
    > these
    > > questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase
    > something
    > > already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack,
    > perhaps?
    > >
    > > Thanks,
    > > Aaron
    >
    >
    >

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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-18 18:11
    The presence of the ice cube will tell you nothing about the freezer's
    ability to preserve food. The temp needs to be around 0 to -10 F to keep
    most foods from going bad. I had a freezer that I thought was working fine
    until I took some food out after a few months and found that it had spoiled.
    Even though the freezer was still icy and frosty inside, the temp was in the
    20's.
    Pat


    > except for sublimation (spelling?) which will cause the ice to go away
    > without any freezer fault. craig
    >
    > On Wed, 17 Jan 2001 17:08:00 -0500 Jason Lavoie
    > <jlavoie@e...> writes:
    > > just hang a block of ice from a micro switch.. if the ice melts, the
    > > switch will go, and tell you that it's not cold enough..
    > > seeing as it should never happen, you wouldn't have to keep setting
    > > it
    > > up..
    > >
    > > Jason Lavoie
    > >
    > > agarb@j... wrote:
    > > >
    > > > Hi Fellow Stampers...
    > > >
    > > > I have an older chest freezer (I'm guessing about 25 years old)
    > > whose
    > > > reliability I am starting to question. Since I have a great deal
    > > of food
    > > > stored in it, I am trying to come up with a way to monitor it so
    > > that it
    > > > don't go out on me and everything spoil without my knowing it. It
    > > would
    > > > be relatively to hook up a thermistor and use the RCTIME
    > > instruction, or
    > > > a DS1620, or ADC with an LM34. It would also be easy to do some
    > > type of
    > > > temperature readout on 7 segment display (somewhere, I think I
    > > have a
    > > > couple of sample MAX7219's sitting around) and sound a buzzer or
    > > flash a
    > > > light if the temp exceeds some setpoint. The problem with all
    > > this is I
    > > > have to run some sort of umbilical cord into the freezer and I
    > > can't
    > > > think of any elegant way to do this without compromising the
    > > rubber seal
    > > > and visual appearance. What would be really nice is some sort of
    > > > wireless method. Is this possible? The temperature in the
    > > freezer is
    > > > set to stay around zero -- how would this affect the reliability
    > > of
    > > > electronic components and battery life? Could some type of
    > > wireless link
    > > > penetrate the metal 'shell' around the freezer? If the answers to
    > > these
    > > > questions pose no problems, would I be better off to purchase
    > > something
    > > > already on the market (if such an item exists)? From Rat Shack,
    > > perhaps?
    > > >
    > > > Thanks,
    > > > Aaron
    > >
    > >
    > >
    >
    > ________________________________________________________________
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    > Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
    > Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
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    >
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-19 00:27
    Message-ID: <20010118.172706.3830.1.premzee@j...>
    X-Mailer: Juno 1.49
    X-Juno-Line-Breaks: 0-23

    X-Status: Unsent

    A popular topic... if you want something that melts
    at a lower temperature than water to close some
    contacts try salted water adjusted to work - and
    I'd suggest a magnet and reed switch instead of
    micro switch.

    I made a freezer alarm using a $20. module which
    ran on 1.5v with LCD had max/min alarm outputs and
    readings... Radio Shack - of course they discontinued
    it :-( . In practice it was used in a chest freezer
    with skinny wires going by the seal gasket... of course
    that's where the rodents tried to get in and chewed
    through the thermistor sense wires :-( .

    Bimetal strips can work at these temperatures - the
    problem being keeping the contacts clean.

    Good luck with the project... for a simple alarm
    with hysteresis it can be done with a thermistor
    and op amp and some resistors and a piezo buzzer.

    premena

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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-19 01:56
    To whoever started this thread (I'm sorry I don't remember).

    As for running wires through the door of a freezer:

    How about thin strips of tinfoil, used just where you transfer from the
    inside to the outside of the freezer?

    Would be fragile, but perhaps a bit of packaging tape over them would do
    the trick. These "wires" would probably still allow a very good seal as
    they are so thin.

    Have a nice evening,
    Paul




    On Thu, 18 Jan 2001, s premena wrote:

    > it :-( . In practice it was used in a chest freezer
    > with skinny wires going by the seal gasket... of course
    > that's where the rodents tried to get in and chewed
    > through the thermistor sense wires :-( .
    >
    > premena
    >
    > ________________________________________________________________
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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-19 05:00

    Original Message
    From: Paul J. Csonka [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=y3IgqerGIf2BCc92g2liKat7HD7INFxu_F3EjPDqUOChsqWlnUE6GbEJ_8BdcGCeE1rEJF1N-ZY]csonka@e...[/url
    Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2001 5:57 PM
    To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: subzero temp monitoring


    To whoever started this thread (I'm sorry I don't remember).

    As for running wires through the door of a freezer:

    How about thin strips of tinfoil, used just where you transfer from the
    inside to the outside of the freezer?

    Would be fragile, but perhaps a bit of packaging tape over them would do
    the trick. These "wires" would probably still allow a very good seal as
    they are so thin.

    Paul - A commercially available version of this idea are flat speaker
    cables, designed to be fastened to a wall and then painted the wall color.
    Dennis
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-19 12:21
    I think one step better then the flat speaker wire, there is a flat wire
    used for wiring electricity into doll houses. It is the thinnest wire I
    have seen and it has a sticky side for sticking it to the freezer. You can
    get it at most hobby shops, or craft stores.



    >
    Original Message
    > From: Dennis P. O'Leary [noparse]/noparse]SMTP:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=P4cxuz39FKaj7umD2AxzqIjSPKw_N9SHc5ihAsHPm7hRFujtl3jNNWhp4AffqsQB6TT2fLlGloTG6A]doleary@h...[/url
    > Sent: Friday, January 19, 2001 12:01 AM
    > To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    > Subject: RE: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: subzero temp monitoring
    >
    >
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: Paul J. Csonka [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=DlIW5PvRrWZIgzYzdjgspxeCso1loPh5p4drtUnc3ImMSaetoyPI5UvahOt1jbAO6iC28WiH]csonka@e...[/url
    > Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2001 5:57 PM
    > To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    > Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: subzero temp monitoring
    >
    >
    > To whoever started this thread (I'm sorry I don't remember).
    >
    > As for running wires through the door of a freezer:
    >
    > How about thin strips of tinfoil, used just where you transfer from the
    > inside to the outside of the freezer?
    >
    > Would be fragile, but perhaps a bit of packaging tape over them would do
    > the trick. These "wires" would probably still allow a very good seal as
    > they are so thin.
    >
    > Paul - A commercially available version of this idea are flat speaker
    > cables, designed to be fastened to a wall and then painted the wall color.
    > Dennis
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-01-20 00:13
    Thanks to all who replyed (something like 16-18 messages at last count!)
    to my earlier question about monitoring the temperature in my freezer. I
    think I am going to look for a commercial unit first -- after all, my
    time's worth something. If that don't pan out, I will bear in mind the
    suggestions to find a drain line or use flat speaker wire or flat
    "doll-house" wire to get my signals into the freezer. Thanks again. --
    Aaron
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