Monitoring temperature is essential in many industries to confirm how long products have been exposed to temperature and at which temperature. Which means you need a robust, but easy method to monitor temperature, and the Temperature Data Logger is the best option available in today’s world for this purpose. From transporting food at correct temperatures to maintaining surgical instruments or medical devices at correct temperatures, you need evidence to prove that you have adhered to the standards. Failing to adhere to temperature regulating standards can cause disasters in many industries. A Temperature Data Logger is the solution for all these issues.
Well, we can’t say the exact number of application where we monitor temperature (it could be hundreds.) In aquariums, the water temperature is monitored to confirm the safety of sensitive creatures such as fishes. In the food industry, the temperature is monitored for food safety. A slight change in the temperature can lead to a bacterial growth on food. Also, uncooked food can cause food poisoning. Well, the general thermometer is the widely used device for measuring the temperature. Anyway, a general meter has limitations such as temperature limit and inability to store the data. So, a system that measures and saves the data automatically is necessary. Also, that system should do the job accurately than us, the humans.
Of course, monitoring temperature was done even before the days of the Temperature Data Logger. But, people didn’t take so long to understand the downsides of manual data storing. We, humans; are not good at doing repetitive tasks. We tend to make mistakes when doing the same task again and again. But, manufacturers and business owners can’t afford to make mistakes as a single mistake can cost you thousands or even millions of dollars.
How does a Temperature Data Logger work?
As the name suggests, it is a data logger that is optimized to monitor temperature. So, temperature probes or sensors are fitted in the data logger. Most data loggers now can monitor more than one parameter such as temperature and humidity. Humidity and temperature are close-related parameters. So, you can save time and money in the long by monitoring both these parameters by one device. Logging devices are electronic devices that do the job without human involvement. Also, you don’t need to connect the device to an external device such as a laptop or a PC. Depending on how it works, we can categorize the Temperature Data Logger:
1) Internal sensor
Modern logging devices come with internal sensors to minimize hassles. A thermocouple or a thermistor is integrated directly to the logging device in this case. Anyway, we should highlight a downside of internal sensor logging devices. You need to place it at the point where you want to monitor the temperature. Is it practical every time? Now, you can understand the downside. You can’t place the device in a place where the temperature is high enough to damage the electronics. So, you can use an internal sensor Temperature Data Logger for applications only where the temperature is mild enough to keep the electronics safe.
2) Thermocouple input
This Temperature Data Logger type accepts one or more thermocouple. Various types of thermocouples are there, and a data logger is designed in such a way to work with many thermocouple types. This type also comes with limitations such as cannot be used for high-temperature applications. Also, not suitable for applications where the temperature can drop below values that can damage internal electronics and batteries. But, you can use a thermocouple input Temperature Data Logger for general applications such as monitoring temperature for a short time period.
3) External probe
This is the invention that came as the solution for the above-addressed issues. As the name suggests, the external probe Temperature Data Logger comes with an attached probe (a flexible probe with a longer probe.) So, you can keep the logging device far from the temperature source to keep it safe from high-temperature or low-temperature. The external probe is designed in such a way to withstand high or low-temperature.
4) Multi-channel loggers
As the name suggests, these loggers are available with many channels (up to 32.)
So, which logging device suits your application the most from the above list? The price of a logging device may vary depending on what it can do. For example, a general Temperature Data Logger is cheaper than an external probe one, but you cannot use a cheap device for extreme applications. Anyway, general types can be used for day-to-day residential applications as monitoring room temperature. You don’t need to buy an expensive external probe device to monitor the temperature in your bedroom. We should discuss high-temperature monitoring in detail here. Any temperatures above 80 degrees Celsius is usually considered high-temperature, and an external probe Temperature Data Logger is a must-have so. Temperatures above 80 degrees Celsius are involved in many applications such as pasteurization, material processing, and food canning. In the food industry, the manufacturers should keep evidence to prove that they have adhered to food standards by reaching accepted temperature levels for killing organisms such as botulism.
Retrieving data from your logger
Well, it is not rocket science today. Modern manufacturers have introduced convenience methods such as USB-interfaced, Wireless data transfer, connecting to the cloud, Bluetooth, via cables, and via Ethernet network connection. Modern logging devices monitor parameters and transfer data to the external device you want at the same time. These methods save you time and money in the long run, also; make the monitoring process a piece of cake.
Well, we should talk a bit about the relationship between humidity and temperature here. Humidity and temperature are close-related parameters. So, you can monitor both the parameters with a Temperature Data Logger that can detect humidity levels too. Monitoring these two parameters is critical for applications such as warehouse monitoring and museum regulation. High humidity levels can damage furniture and antique items.
Some final words
Regulating temperature is crucial in many industries such as food, material processing, steel, and many more. In a time when people needed a reliable method to monitor temperature, the Temperature Data Logger came to this world. Well, understand the limitations of your logging device first. As mentioned, if you use an ordinary logging device for very high or low-temperature applications; the internal electronics and batteries will get damaged.
Talk to an expert in the industry to get advice on which logging device type suits you the most. If maintained properly, you can make use of your logging device for years.