Chart Recorders vs. Data Loggers

[ebjjwilson]

Occasionally, we have problems with our chart recorders marking the paper or with techs forgetting to change the charts every 7 days. so we are looking at the idea of replacing our frig/freezer chart recorders with USB data loggers.  Has anyone had any experience with these?  If so, any particular one better than another?  

[DPruden]

Dickson has a wide variety (and price ranges) of data loggers, but you need to be careful about the +/- on the temperature ranges!

[cthherbal ☆]

We've used the Lascar EZ loggers for about a year or so and I have no complaints. I have them set to record the temps every 5 minutes. We have them for all the equipment: refrigerators, freezers, and platelet incubator. Cheaper than going with a monitoring system. We do still also use the chart recorders and take daily temps manually using the internal/chart/digital temps. Probably overkill but since the battery could run out mid cycle there's a backup to the backup.

[Auntie-D]

Data loggers are great - especially when linked to an alarm. They also allow you to tell to the minute, how long the temp has been out. Just stay away from Comark - there are others with much better functionality out there (if your internet is down they don't work)

Edited January 8, 2016 by Auntie-D

[AuntiS]

Interesting!  Does anyone else have any experience with these?  I won't even look at Comark (thanks Auntie-D!), I see Lascar has a bunch of different options as does Dickson...

I need to purchase new thermometers for our fridges/freezers/incubators now anyway, so this is an exciting option!

s