Outdoor temp probe connected to indoor zigbee unit, AC powered?

There are plenty of threads asking what outdoor temp sensors to use, but I never found anything that could answer my needs.
I have a whole bunch of 10K outdoor probes like this one: https://monitrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2004-10K-01-3.png

I’m looking for a zigbee unit to connect it to that will report temperature readings to SmartThings. The unit would be placed in my garage and be AC powered. Like you can see on the picture, the probe has 3 wires: ground, positive and negative.

I have no idea what to search for when searching for the unit.
Something not too expensive that I can buy in Canada.

We would need technical specs, not just a picture. But there are certainly some options that can work with probe sensors, for example, with a DS18B20 probe, that’s commonly used in areas with very cold temperatures where you want to keep the radio unit sheltered inside and run the probe outside. I’d have to think about a Zigbee option, though, most of the ones that work with smartthings use zwave. But there’s probably something for a similar use case, I just don’t know if it would work with those exact probes. Again, we need the specs.

First rule of home automation: “the model number matters.“ :sunglasses:

Just did a search with DS18B20 probes on Amazon Canada and its only $19 for 5. That’s pretty cheap, I could use those instead, since the ones I have are sold by a local company and might be made in China especially for that company. Product number is 2004-10K but I doubt it’s really helpful.
So yeah, I’d probably go for the DS18B20 probes if it’s easier.

Also, I was wrong about the wiring. I think it’s more like ground, 5V, and data.

Yeah, that’s why I asked about the specs. There has to be a data cable in there somewhere. :wink:

Anyway, OK, DS18B20s are standardized and widely available. So that’s good. How about the Z wave versus Zigbee question?

I never had to deal with Z-Wave devices, so I don’t know. I only have Zigbee and wi-fi devices, As long as it works with my V3 hub, there’s a driver for it, and it’s reliable enough. Ideally something that won’t require soldering, flashing firmwares, etc…

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I have used a number of devices outdoors and it gets very cold here in NEPA down to -30 F sometimes.

I have used the Sensative Strips which are Zwave and there is a driver for Smartthings. They’re a little hard to pair but not impossible. They work fairly well and are battery operated and it is supposed to last 10 years, the longest one for me lasted 4 years. You can’t change the battery so you would have to purchase another when the battery dies. Looks the best just a thin weatherproof strip you hang outside someplace. Detects temperature and lux

I have also used the Aeotec 6 Multisensor, my fav. Its battery powered or Usb powered. Senses Temp, Humidity, motion, lux, uv, tamper. These are weather resistant not weather proof, you have to put these under something like an eave, overhang, window AC just something where it doesn’t get directly rained on. Also, currently running a routine on any temperature device only lets you select as low as -4 F. If you’re just looking to monitor the outdoor temperature you will be fine. Also, Zwave and works with Smartthings. The motion on these doesn’t work well outside but you can disable it or ignore it. If you power this with Usb it will act as a Zwave repeater.

Iris motion sensor , its Zigbee and battery operated but you would have to get it on Ebay or Mercari or something because they don’t make these any more. Motion, Temp and humidity. Their very easy to make weather proof with a little silicone around the motion sensor and some scotch tape across the battery compartment. These are the most accurate in my testing and the battery last more than a year. I have several of these outside for motion and temperature.

You mentioned that you have no Zwave devices. If you choose Zwave you are going to need at least one powered Zwave device between your hub and the sensor unless the sensor is very close to your hub. This way the device in-between will repeat the messages from the hub to the sensor. I have experimented with a lot of sensors that you’re not supposed to use outside but if you can seal it up and keep it dry on the inside, then they should work fine.

As the OP described the desired setup, the Z wave device would be inside the house running probe sensors (which don’t have a radio, they are hardwired to the Z wave device) outdoors. So the distance is only the distance from the interior zwave device to the hub. That means that, depending on the exact set up, they may not need any other Z wave devices. Z wave signal doesn’t have to reach the outdoor sensor, just from the interior radio device to the hub.

JD, I was refering to if he decided to go with a regular Zwave sensor instead of the Temp probe. I think it would be a lot easier and a whole lot cheaper.

I think it’s just a case of whether it works in a location where you want to put it. :snowman_with_snow:

Sensative strips, have the following specs:

sealed units with operating temperatures ranging from -20°C (-4°F) to 60°C (140°F), Sensative Strips are ideal for either indoor or outdoor use.

We have previously had community members in Canada and Northern Europe who found that the Sensative strips as well as other battery operated sensors just couldn’t handle the winter conditions. They would be OK for the first day or two but after four or five days of -30 degrees Celsius they would just stop reporting. So they would often switch to a probe sensor alternative.

So if it works for you, that’s great. But once you go outside of manufacturer specifications, there is a possibility that it just isn’t going to function reliably. :thinking:

Yeah… this. :wink: It reached -47°C a few days ago, that’s why I’m trying to avoid anything battery operated.
I know having a probe would be the best option because I use it at work and they work in colds like that.
For Z-wave, I don’t think distance from the hub would be an issue. I have endless runs of unused wire made for the probes I talked about in my first post that I could use in order to put the device in the house instead of putting it in the garage.

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