# Can one buy digital clocks/thermometers that work outdoors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 18, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435 "2019-09-18T14:00:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/21 "2019-09-18T19:44:10Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Even if it’s a remote sensor, wireless or wired, you don’t have to place the readout device inside, but can leave it right by the temperature sensor. Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. There’s no law that says the sensor has to be outdoors, and the display indoors. Put both in the damn garage. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/22 "2019-09-18T19:45:02Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Looks like a winner except as you said it’s unavailable. Here is the same thing from the manufacturers web site: [Thermometer](http://www.tiptemp.com/Products/Large-Display-Instruments/TELMTR001-4-Large-Display-Thermometer-2-Digit-Model-.html) ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/23 "2019-09-18T19:48:25Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Here is the same thing from the manufacturers web site: [Thermometer](http://www.tiptemp.com/Products/Large-Display-Instruments/TELMTR001-4-Large-Display-Thermometer-2-Digit-Model-.html) Nice find. But as many of you have posited, such a device appears to be way more expensive than I imagined. Thanks to all. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/24 "2019-09-18T19:49:36Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. There’s no law that says the sensor has to be outdoors, and the display indoors. Put both in the damn garage. The issue was that many sensors can handle the low temps, but the display cannot, hence the long wire probe to a display safely in a warm house. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/25 "2019-09-18T19:52:23Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Almost all of those are the type that has an outside sensor, which the OP didn’t want. ALMOST all, but not ALL. I did read the OP. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/26 "2019-09-18T19:53:36Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > The issue was that many sensors can handle the low temps, but the display cannot, hence the long wire probe to a display safely in a warm house. How about you put the display in a warm house, set up a cheap video camera to stream an image of it to an 85" TV in the garage? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/27 "2019-09-18T19:56:11Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > I want the physical readout to appear in the garage, not be read indoors by an outdoor sensor. It occurs to me that presuming you can find one with what’s supposed to be the “indoors” readout the way you like it, you could probably just keep both the sensor and the base station in the garage. It shouldn’t need to be waterproof, after all, just to work in the cold – and as I said earlier that’s partly a matter of what batteries you use. IME the “indoors” readouts I’ve got work fine in the cold; they’re just too small for what I think you’re after, as they’re not designed to be readable from across a sizeable room. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/28 "2019-09-18T19:57:21Z")
Here’s another one: [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32805887604.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.49d75264iMlivy&algo\_pvid=ae655319-84da-4971-980c-3cc99ebfb291&algo\_expid=ae655319-84da-4971-980c-3cc99ebfb291-3&btsid=2a40dbd4-c0b2-4026-84c6-f90d65d6ccc4&ws\_ab\_test=searchweb0\_0,searchweb201602\_2,searchweb201603\_53](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32805887604.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.49d75264iMlivy&algo_pvid=ae655319-84da-4971-980c-3cc99ebfb291&algo_expid=ae655319-84da-4971-980c-3cc99ebfb291-3&btsid=2a40dbd4-c0b2-4026-84c6-f90d65d6ccc4&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2,searchweb201603_53) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/29 "2019-09-18T20:17:39Z")
What exactly is the end goal? If you want to be alerted to the garage being below (or above) some threshold, you can use a temperature controller [like this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011296704/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and connect a colored lamp to the output, so the lamp would turn on when the temperature is below (or above) the setpoint. If you really need the actual temperature displayed in big letters, and the $375 unit discussed above is too expensive, you could get a cheaper one with a wired sensor, and attach a heater to the display unit (like a silicone strip heater). Or maybe a [Bluetooth temperature sensor](https://www.amazon.com/SensorPush-Wireless-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Android/dp/B01AEQ9X9I/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=sensorpush&qid=1568837777&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUlhKQVVDSjlDTEJTJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzMxNDMwM0dKWjRRSFc5WUNTQyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjk1MjYxMlhHNko5UzE2UFVVUCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=)? The display will be in your pocket (i.e. your smartphone) rather than mounted on the garage wall. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/30 "2019-09-18T20:38:49Z")
Another option of using a indoor type of display and a outdoor temperature sensor both in the garage is to build something that can keep the display part warm. If it’s a plug in it may produce enough heat on it’s own to be happy in the garage, or add some insulation to the back of the display. Maybe clear plastic or glass in the front, or a clear ‘box’ around it,something like this [Custom Size 5 Sided Clear Acrylic Box | shopPOPdisplays](https://www.shoppopdisplays.com/CS001/5-sided-clear-acrylic-box-custom-size.html?v=19123&gclid=CjwKCAjwq4fsBRBnEiwANTahcCmLQ1SGe8NC9jXs4F3oF1UU1LnhibpF9KWkmluMSxuaBdP3pwy2WRoCJSgQAvD_BwE) . It may be needed to add some form of heating element inside this, or attached to the back. But as long as you have power in the garage it would cost far less than those commercial signs, even with a ongoing electric use, which those signs will also have to use. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/31 "2019-09-18T21:11:44Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > It occurs to me that presuming you can find one with what’s supposed to be the “indoors” readout the way you like it, you could probably just keep both the sensor and the base station in the garage. It shouldn’t need to be waterproof, after all, just to work in the cold – and as I said earlier that’s partly a matter of what batteries you use. IME the “indoors” readouts I’ve got work fine in the cold; they’re just too small for what I think you’re after, as they’re not designed to be readable from across a sizeable room. Eh, just buy a box of them and place one every few feet along a wall. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/32 "2019-09-18T22:54:57Z")
I must admit I’m puzzled: The very first reply, by the same person as the OP, seems to be saying that he already has the device that he’s looking for. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2019, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/33 "2019-09-18T23:04:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I must admit I’m puzzled: The very first reply, by the same person as the OP, seems to be saying that he already has the device that he’s looking for. Display isn’t big enough, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/34 "2019-09-19T12:00:07Z")
It’s too bad you’re not interested in analog readouts, because otherwise this problem could be solved with an inexpensive wall clock and a bimetallic coil thermometer. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/35 "2019-09-19T12:53:29Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > It’s too bad you’re not interested in analog readouts, because otherwise this problem could be solved with an inexpensive wall clock and a bimetallic coil thermometer. Exactly. I really like digital readouts. I spend alot of time in my garage which is not heated. I want to be able to glance up at see the exact temp on a digital display. I might just chance an indoor unit that is temp rated to below freezing and use lithium batteries. The industrial models that seem to do what I want are too expensive. And yes, the Oregon Scientific unit I use as a remote sensor is not readable unless you walk right up to it. Again, many thanks to all who cared to answer and help. Mods can consider the issue closed. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/36 "2019-09-19T14:31:30Z")
Large displays lime this are sometimes called scoreboards. A google image search for thermometer scoreboard brings up some possible candidates. In particular, check [dhgate.com](http://dhgate.com). There’s one called 2019 HD LED large screen wall clock that looks good. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/37 "2019-09-19T17:37:19Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Large displays lime this are sometimes called scoreboards. A google image search for thermometer scoreboard brings up some possible candidates. In particular, check [dhgate.com](http://dhgate.com). There’s one called 2019 HD LED large screen wall clock that looks good. I think the gatekeepers on that site do not understand the difference between LCD and LED. That clock you mentioned is clearly LCD, not LED. We have that exact clock in our office. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/38 "2019-09-19T18:15:27Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > I spend alot of time in my garage which is not heated. I want to be able to glance up at see the exact temp on a digital display. I have a extension to my house that’s not heated - so I bought a space heater, which works really well. Apologies if that’s not possible in your case. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/39 "2019-09-19T23:28:34Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > I think the gatekeepers on that site do not understand the difference between LCD and LED. That clock you mentioned is clearly LCD, not LED. We have that exact clock in our office. I couldn’t ink to it earlier but this looks like LEDs to me: [https://www.dhgate.com/product/hd-led-large-screen-wall-clock-home-desktop/462935797.html](https://www.dhgate.com/product/hd-led-large-screen-wall-clock-home-desktop/462935797.html) ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435/40 "2019-09-25T14:38:17Z")
That is the clock we have at work. I don’t care what their website says, it’s an LCD clock. LED digits are quite distinctive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-one-buy-digital-clocks-thermometers-that-work-outdoors/840435.md?page=3)