Best location for outside temperature sensor

[clydeps]

I'm trying to work out the best place to put a temperature sensor to measure the air temperature outside my habitat. Currently I have a sensor underneath the habitat, but it's clearly being affected by the warmer mass around it, and warm air from the engine when moving so is not giving an accurate reading of the air temp.

It needs to be:

* Protected from sun
* Away from engine or other heat sources
* As unaffected as possible by radiated heat or convection from the mass of the habitat or truck.

The last requirement is going to be impossible to satisfy completely (it would need to be several metres away) but as good as possible would be nice.

Where do other vehicles mount their outside air temperature sensors?

I am thinking of putting it on top of the habitat in a radiation shield but rising warm air is still going to affect it.

Anyone got any other suggestions?

 

[Jackem]

Have a popup truck camper and haven't figured out a full time home for the outside unit. It usually ends up on the foldable stairs used to get in and out of the camper so it won't be forgotten when breaking camp.

 

[kmacafee]

On topic, does anyone have a recommendation for a decent indoor/outdoor monitor? They dont last long for me.

I have the outside monitor attached to the front wall of my truck camper, in the gap between the camper and the truck.

 

[Roam.Wild]

I haven't found a good spot for ours, right now its mounted next to the entry door, but during the day, unless the awning is out the temp always reads way high due to the sun. I was thinking underneath would be a better spot.

How accurate do you really need it to be? Close enough has gotten us by fine for a few years now. I'm not so sure that radiated heat from the habitat is going to make it read that much off ambient.

 

[86scotty]

The happiest place I've found for mine is inside my front winch bumper. For the last year or two it's been velcro'd to the top of the winch. This is an Aluminess winch bumper with a lockable door on top of the winch. Works great unless the rig is parked in sun since the bumper is black and the space is enclosed, though in no way airtight.

I have had varying degrees of success mouting them to the rear of a van as well underneath a storage box or somewhere on the bumper that isn't in direct sunlight but not under the vehicle.
The front bumper mounting has lasted the longest and been the most accurate.

I use these guys from Amazon. I currently have 4 or 5 of them in various refrigerators, camper interiors and exteriors. I like the bluetooth phone app types vs the older school indoor/outdoor types.

 

[clydeps]

How accurate do you really need it to be?

Well, better than it is now. I'm currently in a campground where I can see some Bluetooth sensors on other sites - one is reporting 10C overnight, mine 14.7C. That's a significant difference.

I had thought of the front bumper, but it's black so will be affected by solar gain - not an issue overnight though, which is probably the most important.

I might have to end up with more than one and take the lowest reading as the most accurate.

 

[clydeps]

does anyone have a recommendation for a decent indoor/outdoor monitor?

Wireless versions have a lot of advantages - look at Ruuvitag if you want something waterproof.

 

[JaSAn]

I have a La Crosse indoor/outdoor thermometer with remote outdoor sender. I put a rope loop on the sensor and hang it anywhere I can find. It gives the same temp whether in the shade 100 ft from the camper or on a table in the shade <1 ft from the camper.
Temp is within ±2ºF of a calibrated mercury lab thermometer in the shade.
If one wants waterproof put a baggie around it.

 

[rruff]

I'm trying to work out the best place to put a temperature sensor to measure the air temperature outside my habitat.

What exactly do you do with this information, and when do you need it?

Where I live and camp, clear, dry, high altitude are common, and I usually park in the open. At night the air is often very still, and radiation is a big factor. I'll sometimes check the temp of various surfaces with an IR thermometer, and the range is huge. The roof of the camper can easily be 20F cooler than low on the sides, and underneath will be several degrees warmer yet. The low on the sides number is probably closest to the air temp.

During the day, the sun is going to have a major influence.

 

[Roam.Wild]

Well, better than it is now. I'm currently in a campground where I can see some Bluetooth sensors on other sites - one is reporting 10C overnight, mine 14.7C. That's a significant difference.

I had thought of the front bumper, but it's black so will be affected by solar gain - not an issue overnight though, which is probably the most important.

I might have to end up with more than one and take the lowest reading as the most accurate.

Wait so where is it attached now? Our is directly mounted to the outside of our camper and within 1 degree true ambient overnight. You're showing a huge variation, and if you're assuming its the camper causing that, then you're experiencing massive thermal loss in your habitat to affect the sensor that much, which would be a much larger concern IMO.

 

[NOPEC]

On topic, does anyone have a recommendation for a decent indoor/outdoor monitor? They dont last long for me.

I have the outside monitor attached to the front wall of my truck camper, in the gap between the camper and the truck.

Cydeps

Another user of the camper/truck bed gap here.

You probably already know this but the remote sensor transmits just fine through a watertight plastic container. I have used the same baking powder jar with a screw lid for 10+ years. Initially, I made an extra lid gasket out of a bike inner tube and the sender and container have never missed a beat in all of these years. As far as brands go, I have used the same "low features" La Crosse hardware store version for those same 10+ years.

 

[shortbus4x4]

I know on International trucks the ambient air temp sensor is usually on the right front just behind the bumper/frame rail junction, sometimes it's in the left mirror. Kenworth trucks also have it in the mirror. The manufacturers have some smart guys they pay fairly well to figure out the best place to put the various sensors required for modern diesel trucks.