Customer Reviews

Honeywell TM005X Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Thermo-Hygrometer

5 star:		(128)
4 star:		(61)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

I was most interested in the humidity measurement. I conducted a calibration****(See update at end of review) with a sling psychrometer. A sling psychrometer measures wet bulb/dry bulb temperature and is the least expensive (albeit a bit tedious to use) and most accurate way to determine relative humidity (RH).

I needed to know relative humidity for curiosity indoors and for a chamber in my basement used to dry cure sausage (I needed a 70%RH environment). The Honeywell unit was spot on with the sling psychrometer (and temp. was accurate as well).

The unit is new; I need to check it over time for accuracy. However, it's running very well so far and the price is right. I'll be buying more remote sensors [...] I found the remote sensor part no. is TS33C, can find them on Amazon with that search).

The majority of complaints say the humidity is "off." However, I didn't see a single valid calibration conducted.

Update 01-March-2009
I just took the main unit, the sensor and sling psychrometer. The conditions in my home at time of testing were 68F and 30% relative humidity.

Main unit read 68.4F/30% RH
The Sensor: 68.0F/30% RH
Sling Psychrometer: 68F/31% RH

The sling psychrometer consists of two sealed thermometers and will never need a calibration, it is an accurate standard. This Honeywell Unit is pretty darn good.

Update 13-Dec-2009
Someone contacted me and corrected a big point. I did not calibrate the unit by adjusting it to a known standard, I simply compared the values. My apologies for this rather serious error.

As an engineer, I am particular about accuracy. Some others have complained about differences between the temperatures and humidity reported by the base and remote when left adjacent to each other. I recognize that the base and remote can have different response time and under varying conditions could be expected to report different numbers even when next to each other. So I decided to perform an informal test. I placed the base and remote in a large picnic cooler with a gallon jug of water (for its thermal mass) and waited about 24 hours for everything to come to equilibrium. The temperatures were then identical between the base and remote and the humidity readings were an indicated 5% different. To take the readings I had to open the cooler. A better test would be done by cutting a window in the cooler and taking readings over time without disturbing the sealed environment surrounding the base and remote.

The temperature readings were accurate to about 0.5 degrees of a bulb thermometer that I trust to be accurate. The humidity readings made sense and a difference of only an indicated 5% I think is very good for an inexpensive instrument.

I like that the display can be set to alternate between the base and remote readings. I like the large numerals. I am able to leave the remote out on a screen porch and read the data upstairs. For home use, I don't think this product could get any better.

This thermometer/hygrometer has a large, easy to read display. I bought this primarily for the hygrometer and it's proven to be sensitive and accurate, both indoors and out. The product comes with a wireless outdoor (or other location) sensor that is easy to set up. You can add two additional sensors (not included). Although it's designed to sit on a table or shelf, it can also be hung on the wall. This might affect the hygrometer's sensitivity since the sensors are on the back. Haven't tried the wall mount.

Works well except for slight differences in temperature and humidity between base and remote unit. Remote sender is being used for reporting conditions in my greenhouse. It serves that purpose very well.

It is a real bargain also.

I have purchased this due to the high reviews. It however turned out to be a disappointment. First of, I did followed the instructions to put batteries in remote unit first, reset it, then put batteries in the main unit. Every time the main unit gets reset, it seems to start from 80F temperature & 20% in humidify, and very slowly adjust from there. After numerous resets, I was still unable to get the main unit to display same info shown in the remote unit, even when placing them side by side. The main unit seems to always be 4-8% off in humidity compared to the remote unit. As for temperature, the main unit also varies from the remote unit. It can differentiate from 2.6 F to as accurate as 0.1 F, compared to data shown in remote unit. The remote seems more accurate then the main unit. The main unit and the remote unit have buttons (requires paper clip to reach) to adjust the display from Fahrenheit to Celsius & vice versa. I however, was unable to get the remote to display in Fahrenheit. It was stuck displaying in Celsius.

Other than these negatives, the unit itself is pretty nice. It has a big display; the digital numbers are about 1 inch in height in the main unit. The remote unit also has a digital display, although it's much smaller than the main unit. I guess if you're looking for a unit to just display the temperature, this may not be a bad device. However, as a hygrometer, this definitely is not the unit to be using for accuracy. I will be returning this unit, since I am looking for a hygrometer...

Purchased it based on positive reviews here as I wanted to measure mainly humidity in my living room and bedroom (got SPT SU-4010 humidifier from Amazon, great unit btw.). Was excited to see that the display is large and easily readable even from opposite side of the room (it is not illuminated, however). Temperature measure with both main and remote unit is comparable with just 0.1-0.3C difference and is almost the same measured with any other digital thermometer in my house. Unfortunately, I can't same the same about humidity. Main unit usually display 15-20% less than remote unit, even they are located 5 inch away from each other. And main unit measures almost 35% less humidity than my old meter which is almost impossible as it is definitely not 5% humidity inside my house. I put Honeywell devices outside and they even can't measure the humidity ("--" displayed). Online weather station shows that humidity in my area should be about 40%, not "--"!

I wish the remote sensor information was displayed on the main screen all the time...I should pres a button to get it. You must get 4 AA batteries as thy are not included. FYI, main unit is 4.5x5x1 and remote is 2.25x4.25x1 in.

I'm going to return it for replacement (it was sold via Amazon by ANTonline so I have to send it to them) and will update my review.

Update [a week later]: ANTonline policy doesn't cover replacement of defective units - you must send it to them, pay for shipping, they will inspect the unit and will decide what part of original price they will refund!!! I spoke with CS representative on the phone today and he confirmed that they don't exchange defective units - the only thing they offer is refund. I guess it is better to wait a little bit and send it to manufacturer for replacement (manufacturer will not repair/replace your unit if its within 30 days of purchase date, I asked them already).

Again, if you want this unit, look at any other seller than ANTonline with better return/replacement policy.

I purchased this sytem to monitor the humidity in a basement from the main level. It works great and the base system allows several other remote stations to make keeping track of temperatures and humidity simple.

I was disappointed. For starters, "Honeywell" did not make this product; some no-name company that is simply licensing the Honeywell name did. As someone else mentioned, the indoor and outdoor units display different readings - even when sitting next to each other; makes me wonder how accurate either gage is. It has a very noisy mechanical button to 'click' between indoor and outdoor units, and since it is designed for more than one remote outdoor unit, you need to always click through blank screens to get back to the indoor reading. There are better and cheaper electronic gages out there.

The item comes comes with a main unit and a remote sensor. The main unit(displays inside Temp/RH) should be placed inside and the remote sensor(displays outside Temp/RH) be placed outside or inside. Distance between both of them should not be more than 100 feet(30 metres) and no obstacles between them.

I feel both show temperature correctly but relative humidity(RH) incorrect to a great extent. While the weather.com says RH to be around 70%, remote sensor when placed outside shows it to be around 25%. Of course, its common sense, outside RH will never be that low. Even the main unit which says 40%-70% RH is good, never reaches that level. It displays around 30% RH most of the time, I tested in many different conditions where the RH is definitely supposed to be high. I have been using this unit since 4 months.

I thought Honeywell would be a name to be trusted: but I was mistaken. I bought two of these units. Both of the transmitters were defective..neither reported the humidity with any reasonable degree of accuracy unless you would agree +/- 50% was within an acceptable range. Two requests asking for help from their website went unanswered.

Save your money.