ThermoPro TC65C compared to Campbell Scientific CS215

[nuts]

Owner Review:
ThermoPro TP65C  vs. Campbell Scientific CS215
indoor/outdoor sensor          professional grade temperature sensor

Both were mounted on the north side of a wooden garden shed, approx. 4 feet above ground.

The CS sensor is mounted in a 'pile of plates' type instrument shelter, and is connected by a cable to an indoor datalogger.
The Thermopro outdoor sensor comes as a 'fag packet' sized plastic box containing the sensor,  This was attached to the shed with a screw.  There are small ventilation holes beneath.
It transmits to the indoor display via radio waves.
Manufacturer claimed accuracy:
  ThermoPro  + or - 1.1 deg C.
  CS         + or - 0.4 deg C. 5deg to 40deg C.

The Thermopro has an unknown sensor.  The CS has a Sensirion SHT75.  Both instruments also record relative humidity. However this is not the subject of this review.

The Thermopro allows you to view daily maxes and mins on the indoor console. (touchscreen buttons). You cannot send the data elsewhere, however, as you can with a budget weather staion, e.g: Bresser 7002585.

Results:
 
               CS215                         ThermoPro 
            Max    Min                  Max  Min

Day 1       18.8   10.0                 19.2  9.4
Day 2       18.3   10.5                 18.2 10.2   
Day 3       16.5   12.4                 16.4 12.2
Day 4       18.4   10.6                 18.4 10.8
Day 5       16.4    9.2                 16.3  9.2
Day 6       19.7    9.3                 19.8  9.2 
Day 7       17.9   11.2                 18.0 11.2

All within specification.

Note 1:
Shielding your temperature sensor in a screen of some type: stevenson, gill, (pile of plates), or ClimeMET CM6068 small instrument screen, shields the sensor from short, and long wave radiation, therefore providing a more accurate shade temperature.
The screens provided on budget AWS's are often too small to be effective. (Source: S.Burt, The Weather Observers Handbook, Pg 65).
Its particularly important to do this, if you position your instruments in direct sunlight.
This test was done without direct sunlight falling onto the instruments.  The radiation shields used for the CS215 and the Davis 7714 for the Themopro are large, (6" x 9").

Note 2:
When I started this comparison, it quickly became apparent that I was not comparing like with like in terms of instrument shelter.
On Day 1, I moved the Thermopro, (previously attached to the shed) to inside a Davis 7714 Instrument Shelter, also attached to the shed.
Similarity between the readings from Thermopro and CS215 improved.

Conclusions:
My original reasons for doing the review, was to, (hopefully), recommend a cheap temperature sensor for amateur meteorological purposes.
Neither the Thermopro, or the Rainwise Rainew rainguage, I mentioned in an earlier post report information digitally, so you cannot upload to a site like WeatherUnderground.  You can, however, note your day maxes and mins, and rainfall onto paper. This is how it was done in the past!
Of course,if you just want your data to be comparable to nearby stations, eg: weatherunderground, accuracy of sensors, and exposure may not matter to you, and may be similar to many other stations.  A budget AWS would be an appropriate choice.

My conclusions are, that for serious amateur purposes, you will need to buy a radiation screen, if you wish to produce correct shade temperature readings.
The Thermopro is accurate enough, when shielded.

Themopro TP65C £25 approx.
Davis 7714 Radiation Shield £100 approx.
Hope this is useful info.

One Drive link below:

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Edited October 12, 2023 by Paul
Added the onedrive text into the post so it's easier for people to view.

[Paul]

@nuts - I've copied and pasted the text from the document you linked into your post, so it's easier for people to view it  

[nuts]

Much appreciated Paul.

The OneDrive link can be removed now, please.

G.