Chtoocy Temperature Sensor (1)

seemed ok at first, although bluetooth connectivity was spotty. i installed the sensor in my crawlspace to monitor temps re water pipes and freezing....not a good combination! Anyways, the sensor itself failed when temps got into the mid 30's....so not much good!

We recently had to renew our roof. Since we removed shake and installed a composite material the ventilation design changed drastically, so I worry about the temperature and the humidity in the attic. Enter the Chtoocy Temperature & Humidity Sensor. I now have this rather tiny little gadget hanging from a rafter in my attic using the included lanyard and can monitor my attic anytime from my phone. It's a 2 story house and the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) connection reaches the ground floor kitchen just fine.The sensor requires that you install the "Tuya Smart" app on your phone. Tuya is a Chinese company that provides small manufacturers with a way to develop IOT (Internet of Things) products. I'm not sure how secure their app is so buyer beware. There is a QR code in the instructions to help you get the app for your iOS/Android device. To use the sensor itself, you first pull out a plastic tab that isolates the button battery, then hold the capacitive button on the sensor for 5 seconds which enters pairing mode (flashing blue light). Then you can connect the sensor from your phone via the Tuya app. This was a painless process for me using my iPhone 13.I like that the Tuya app provides a current readout (updates at 10 minute intervals) as well as a graph of long term historical values and the sensor itself maintains a 25 day history so your phone does not need to be connected all the time. This allows me to see the trends in temperature and humidity over time. Before installing the Chtoocy sensor I was using another brand but the AAA batteries in the attic sensor would need to be replaced after 3 months or so. The Chtoocy uses button batteries and promises 6-12 month life. I'm hoping that is true. Battery condition is displayed in the Tuya app so I can see at a glance when to get out the step ladder :-). So far the sensor is working perfectly and I am 100% satisfied.

It is quite small and does not seem to be built very sturdy. That being said, it did work just fine after installing their proprietary app and connecting it. It does have a battery that I am not used to having on hand. I would have expected a CR2032, but they probably had a space issue. To check the temp and humidity you have to use their app. I tried to set it to show on my phone's home screen, but their instructions did not work. I am guessing that I have to setup an account with them to gain added functionality. Readings were in line with another device that I have, so it seems to be accurate enough.

Overall, I like this sensor and the app. It was easy to set up. You are actually purchasing the sensor, the app is a free download. A QR code to the app is included in the paper instructions included with the sensor. Just scan the QR code with your phone's camera and a link with be available to take you to the app.Once installed, the app will guide you step by step in adding the sensor. Once installed, you will be able to view live readings and historical readings.This temperature and humidity monitor uses Bluetooth to connect the sensor to the app on your phone or tablet. A wifi connection is not available which some may view as a deficiency. However, this could be useful in situations where wifi is unavailable. An example could be a greenhouse or a barn. Keep in mind that your device must be within Bluetooth range of the sensor in order to connect and view readings. You can move in and out of range, without any problems and you only have to set up the connection once to the sensor once, but in order to view the live readings or the historical readings you will need to be within range.The range will vary depending on many variables. Probably the largest factor that will affect the range of the Bluetooth connection is if there are barriers between your phone and the sensor (building walls, trees, metal screens, etc).In my situation, I am using the sensor in a reptile habitat. The Bluetooth signal is strong enough that I am able to connect even with two or three walls between my phone and the sensor.If you need to monitor the temperature/humidity when you are not onsite, look for a solution that uses wifi instead of Bluetooth.

This product is extremely difficult to get linked to your phone I absolutely could not make it happen after hours of trying do not buy this product