In olden times, checking food storage temperature in refrigerators was done manually by people. They had to stick to a schedule of tracking the temperature at a specific time. The delay in noting the temperatures at a specific interval resulted in damage to contents kept in cold storage. It not only wasted food and money but also put consumers at risk of consuming rotten items.
It is difficult to control, measure, and document temperature manually in a cold storage area. The best way to record temperature is through a data logger. Data loggers display temperature data at specified intervals so that the conditions of the freezer or refrigerator are safe. They are a huge upgrade to the human monitoring approach.
They show accurate data throughout the day and with the help of USB the data can be directly downloaded to the computer. However, it is difficult to download the data manually through a traditional data logger as one has to either bring the device from the cold environment or take the computer to the cold storage area which can be freezing.
In this situation, data shuttles can be very helpful. They are small handheld devices attached to the logger for collecting the data. Shuttles can be carried around easily and the data can be collected from all the loggers without removing them. The shuttle’s memory fills up after physically collecting data by the day’s end.
If the shuttle’s data is collected at the day end and the temperature is out of range the storage contents need to be discarded. It can be a big mistake to throw out all the contents of the refrigerator, warehouse, or walk-in.
Depending on the required interval rate, data can fill up the shuttle even before somebody can download the information on the computer. This may lead to loss of readings which makes temperature history unavailable and you cannot know of any mishap. Users will not be able to prove temperature history to regulators. An employee has to daily check the routine shuttle. But with the clipboard, an employee should remember to check the data shuttle.
Network-connected or automated data loggers can prove to be a solution to this problem. They remove data loss and human elements through real-time monitoring, alerting, and internet connections. It is also cost-effective. Technical improvements have reduced the price of connected data loggers to the extent that their cost is nothing when compared to complications arising by not monitoring in real time.
These data loggers reduce risks and work with the user’s schedule. The user can specify the time intervals and there is no need to walk around these loggers before they fill up. A network-connected logger is dependable because it can notify the user through the cellular network or connection if the temperature goes out of the selected range. The loggers can connect to LAN or Wi-Fi for connecting with the cloud depending on the need and infrastructure.
If automated data loggers are used with wireless connection users need a radio connection to a router, data collector, or some access point. At G-Tek, we provide data loggers that are suitable for cold room temperature monitoring at affordable rates.
