Customer Reviews

La Crosse Technology WS-9013U-CBP Wireless Temperature Station

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

Inexpensive, works well. Previous people noted that their outdoor sensors died on them. I have mines wrapped in plastic wrap inside a ziplock bag. Has been raining so much in Michigan, and just started snowing. Temp has been very accurate inside and outside. Just make sure to protect the outdoor sensor from water. It might look cheesy wrapped in plastic, but that's better than it breaking.

The remote feature works well. Even through a couple of walls. However the units are not accurate or even consistently inaccurate. When co-located outdoors, they (very) occasionally agree within a couple of tenths of a degree. Mostly they vary by 2 or more degrees. Often they vary by up to 4.9 degrees. You can't even just figure on adding or subtracting a certain amount, or even percentage. The variations are all over the place!

Customer service responded quickly, but I certainly didn't like the answer. They said that behavior is normal and to be expected, stataing "All electronic devices have similar tolerances." (I wonder if the health care industry is aware of that!)

If you just want a generalized idea of temperature, the product is fine; if you want anything like a real reading, look elsewhere.

Temp registers 4-7 degres off actual temp. Usually too high.
Clock consistently 5 minutes ahead of actual timeLa Crosse Technology WS-9013U Wireless Temperature Station

This base station is a nice basic unit with a un-cluttered display that is easily read when external light is present. The sensor has held up for at least two months mounted under an eve in the rainy Pacific Northwest and the readings agree well with local public temperature reports. Living approximately 1000 miles from the Boulder CO signal, I have found the weather station clock will only synchronize with the atomic clock signal if left overnight within 2 feet of an outside wall facing Boulder. The clock loses about 1 second/day (3-5 minutes over the daylight savings time period (Mar-Nov)) unless it is in a location that can receive the synchronization signal. For comparison of clock accuracy, my $7 Wal-mart wrist watch (non-atomic) will lose 5-10 seconds over the same 8 month period.

UPDATE: After 14 months the sensor is still going strong on the original battery. I use 1 temperature sensor with 3 receivers (base stations) with no problem. However, it is not possible to use multiple sensors with multiple receivers. The receivers become confused. I still wish the clock was inherently accurate, and didn't depend so much on getting regularly synchronized with the atomic clock signal.

The automatic-set clock is a very nice feature. If you change the batteries, it takes a few minutes to set itself, assuming it can get a signal from the Ft. Collins broadcast station. That's no problem in Colorado, but it might be a problem in, say, Florida. You may need to take it outside to get a signal.

The central unit has channels for three outside sensors. Mine gets three signals, but I only have two sensors. Maybe a neighbor has one, but it's a little mystifying.

You have to manually reset the max/min values for each channel. Personally, I'd prefer a "last 24 hours" reading, but others might disagree. No big deal either way.

The date reads day.month and is not configurable, unless I read the manual wrong and missed an option somewhere.

The double-stick mounting tape is weak. Use the screws.

Adding another sensor - or changing the batteries in one you already have - means taking the batteries out of the main unit and letting it reset. Give it 15 minutes to find the sensor and reset the clock. Then you have to go through the configuration process again to set time zone, DST, etc.

Figure on precision in the +/- 3-5 degree range. My two sensors read a couple of degrees different even when sitting in the same place. I haven't used a calibrated thermometer to measure accuracy. They seem close enough - within 2-8 degrees of the weather stations in my area.

For the price, this is a bargain. I bought two of them, each coming with one outside sensor and both units see both sensors.

I ordered this product and with usual Amazon speed it arrived in a few days. The product was as ordered and worked well for a about a week. Unfortunately, the outside temperature stopped working. I tried new batteries, etc, etc, but after determining that I could not get it to start working again, I contacted Amazon who replaced the unit within two days.
The replacement unit worked for less than 3 days exhibiting the same problem with the outside remote sensor.
I have replaced this unit with a different model from a different manufacturer.
Amazon was very responsive and refunded my purchase price and paid for the return shipping.

The accuracy and features of this were just what we wanted, but we were no prepared for how poor the LCD display was. You must mount this in a very well lit area to see it.

Note to Amazon: The photo above is misleading. The LCD is NOWHERE NEAR as bright and high contrast as the product photo above. I think I'll post a customer photo that shows it a little more accurately.

I'm wishing I'd have spent a little more for a nicer unit, but not dissatisfied enough to go through the return hassles.

Did you try changing the contrast? It is adjustable. See Page 13 of the manual for instructions.

I bought this in June along with the TX3U (wireless waterproof probe) to use with my hot tub. It's worked out really well; it allows me to see the indoor temperature and the hot tub temperature at a glance, and one press of the button to view the outside temperature. The atomic clock feature is great especially at this price point, it's always right and I don't have to worry about keeping it set. I've had no issues at all with contrast or readability, and all 3 items (the station, the outdoor sensor, and the probe sensor) are still going strong on the same batteries after 6 months.

I know people who spent 3 times as much on setups to get the same functionality with atomic clock, 3 temperature monitoring points, etc. There's no weather prediction on this model, but for covering all the basics, there's just no way to beat this unit.

I have had my model for a couple of years and other than a battery change, it has been great. Mine has 2 stations, one that I keep in the kitchen and one in the family room. My only advice is to find a place for your outdoor sensor so that it is out of the direct sun or that will skew your outdoor readings severely. Love it and would buy again in a second.