Remote Temperature and Humidity Monitoring

I've been experimenting with a remote internet based temperature and humidity monitoring system. This is currently in a remote 'home' about 1,800 miles from where we are.  I may also use it to monitor the Roadtrek when it is "stored"via a Verizon jetpack.

I'll post more info including manufacturer's data after I'm satisfied with the performance and reliability. After a month, looks good so far.

The system consists of battery powered sensors with wi-fi connectivity and a wi-fi/internet gateway. For this to work one must have a good internet connection. The data is pushed into the "cloud" and can be accessed with an android or apple smart phone, from virtually anywhere.

The reliability seems good. That's one of my concerns. But after a month there have been no data disruptions. The sensor does work from within an operating refrigerator. However, colder temperatures reduce battery life. One of the uncertainties is sensor battery life, which is reputedly a year or more under normal "ambient" conditions. Battery life is reduced under colder conditions. I would like to get 5-6 months.

I'm currently monitoring the kitchen temperature, the refrigerator internal temperature, and the temperature of a heated storage room which is about 60 feet from the wi-fi gateway.  The amount of data per sensor is about 20 days. That's fine for me.

The system includes smartphone alerts for settable alarms. For example, I've set the refrigerator temperature alerts at higher than 46F. I don't care about the "low" temperature and so I did not set a "low temperature" alert.

I'll publish more data after a few months and I would like to determine the battery life before posting again. Here are a few photos of the smartphone screen:

Current" room and refrigerator temperatures at 2:20pm CST

Past week room temp and humidity. Low tem 65.3F and high temp on graph 67.9F

Past week refrigerator temp and humidity. Low temp 38.0F, high 42.9F. Daily defrost spikes.

Heated utility room temperatures past week, average 82.3F

Refrigerator Thermometer Upgrade

I added a simple bulb-style thermometer to the RT to monitor the inside temperature. It worked well hung over a door shelf edge. But the other day I dropped it on the carpeted floor and the darn bulb cracked.

I had purchased an inside/outside digital thermometer for another purpose but decided to try it in the refrigerator. It works great. Here's a photo of the display unit and the remote sender. I had taken the remote out of the refrigerator about a minute prior to taking the photo. "Out" is the temp on the top door shelf  of the refrigerator.

It is frustrating that the simple bulb type broke. I prefer simple. But the remote does have the advantage of allowing display of the temperature with the refrigerator door closed. 

Here's a photo of the type which broke, before the glass bulb was fractured: