Hi. Just wondering what people are using for a good ( network stable) and decently accurate temp sensor
Making a recommendation and would like to hear people’s thoughts on what they use and if it stays connected to HE.
TIA
I've used a lot: the Xiaomi/Aqara Temperature/Humidity sensors, the Sonoff Zigbee Temperature/Humidity Sesnor, and the new Aeon aërQ sensor. I probably would not recommend the Xiaomi/Aqara devices due to their tendency to fall off networks that don't use only specific types of repeaters (aka routers), though I've long stopped caring--having stopped using any other Xiaomi device--and mine have still been behaving, so perhaps they don't care as much as others. I don't think Sonoff are certified, but they appear to be standard Zigbee and report reasonably frequently for me. (Some say they have a weak signal, but with a good Zigbee mesh--a good idea regardless--this probably won't be an issue.) The Aeon aërQ also works fine for me; it reports less often for me, but that is supposed to be configurable (it isn't on the others, at least not from Hubitat at the moment) and is still perfectly usable by default for my application.
Also, lots of devices nowadays have temperature as a "bonus" feature--lots of motion sensors, contact sensors, and some "multisensor" (usually bigger motion or contact sensors) devices. So, you might not need a dedicated temperature sensor. Many of these have configurable reporting--even in Hubitat with recent firmware--but it's not always possible to place them in a location that gets a good temperature reading, and some people don't like the idea of "wasting" the extra features if that's all they use it for.
So...my recommendation is probably the Sonoff or Aeon, and I'd probably let my protocol preference (Zigbee vs. Z-Wave), price point (Sonoff = cheap, Aeon = not so much), or appearance (Sonoff = arguably ugly, Aeon = slightly pretty) guide that. Or just see if another device you'd already want to use includes this as a bonus feature.
See also:
(more on the Sonoffs there)
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Thanks. A multi sensor would be fine.
Main attribute is reliable connection.
Cheers.
Throwing in another vote for the Aqara sensor. I use several of theese myself.
Nodemcu/konnected/dht22.
I have a house full. Plus the same with ds18b20 's in place of the dht22' s for hot tub and fridge/freezer temps.
/ predictability.
I've been experimenting with zigbee sensors in a small building we recently purchased for my wife's "art space"/shop in the nearby village , and find that both Sonoff and Aqara fall off the network more often than I'd like, with Sonoff being just horrible and falling off even in sight of the HE device (I won't be purchasing those again). I'd say the jury is still out on the Aqara sensors, although they seem to be reasonably accurate and consistent.
At home we have Z-wave, and the best temp sensors I've found have been from Homeseer. They make a large multi-sensor that can be AC- or battery-powered and that also allows for a "rope-like" leak detector. I've found it to be remarkably accurate and stable, and it acts as a repeater if AC-powered, while reporting temp every minute or with temp changes as small as 0.1 degree F. This is by far the best device I've found. They also make a battery-powered leak detector that does temperature as well, and that is remarkably good about staying connected. I even use one in an outdoor generator housing to detect if/when the generator is running. The biggest downside is that it takes 1/2-AA batteries, which I can't find locally and must order. Also, neither of these does humidity, which is a big drawback and my reason for trying the zigbee sensors at the shop.
Finally, I have a couple of Zooz 4-in-1 motion sensors that report temp and humidity. They're not horrible, but take CR123 batteries and are expensive for just temp sensing
I have a dozen Konke temperature/humidity sensors. They’ve worked without any issues for 2 years. And are pretty accurate.
That ls great intel. Thank you.
Thanks for that.
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Just one caveat that I forgot to mention. They only work on Zigbee channels 15, 20, and 25.
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I've used the old ST contact sensor as a temperature sensor with good success. It even works in the fridge! I also use Aeotec trisensors a lot and they also monitor temperature. I've recently installed an Ecowitt wifi gateway (local integration!) and am using their temperature sensor. It has a 3m cable and probe on it. Great for those situations where you need to monitor temperature but the transmitter has to be a distance from what you're monitoring - hot tub, freezer, etc.
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I use Ecowitt sensors with their hub. They are the most reliable sensors I have. They are accurate and have great range plus never disconnect. The downside is I’m limited to seven or eight per hub. In addition to these I have an Aeon 6 on 1 multi sensor which reports wildly incorrect readings 10% of the time (-999 degrees) and I have an Aqara temp and humidity sensor which is a complete joke because it constantly drops from the network.
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I also have quite a few temperature sensors. They all work equally well:
Sinopé Zigbee thermostats (also repeaters)
Smart Things Contact Sensors (Now from Aeotec)
Smart Things Motion Sensors (Now from Aeotec)
Inovelli 4-in-1 multi-sensors (Unfortunately discontinued - could be plugged in and at a good price)
Aquara (I have those on their own Hubitat hub with a lot of Mi repeaters as they don’t play well with my Sinopé thermostats, and need a strong mesh to avoid their dropping off…)
