Protect Your Dog With Remote Temperature Sensor

I previously posted about a device by Motorola that sends alerts about temperature and humidity via cellular network. It worked well but the product has been withdrawn.

Fortunately there is another device that works very well. Iwish I had known about it instead of wasting time with the Motorola unit.

It is called the Marcel by "Sensored Life" If the following link does not work just search for Marcell by SnesoredLife

https://www.meetmarcell.com/?_ga=2.123306190.452975794.1717878614-1885916765.1717878614

This is a new model but I do not see any difference between my older model and the new one.

The device reports every 30 minutes to a server from which data can be downloaded. Alarm points can be set and text messages will be sent immediately when the alarm point is reached. However this does not offer the degree of protection that I want. If any part of the system went down (battery charge, cellular network etc) there would be no notification even though a hazardous condition existed.

You can purchase bundles of instant access tokens so you can use the phone based application to interrogate the device. However you need to check regularly and keep purchasing tokens. I found a way around this:

The device reports whenever power is cut to the device or restored. My solution is to use a programmable cycle timer which turns power on and off to the device alternating every 5 minutes. This forces the sensor to send reports every 5 minutes without my having to remember or pay for tokens. 

If I do not hear a SMS notification for 5 minutes I know something may be wrong and I should check on the dogs. 

This is a fail safe solution. If five minutes has expired without a notification a physical check is required. 

The temperature and humidity are included with the power off/on message so you can check every time you get an alert.

You do need to be aware enough that you notice if no report has been sent for more than five minutes.

I post a sign on the curb side window to let passersby know that the dogs are safe in the car. "Well meaning" people may call the police or break a window if they think your dogs are unsafe in a locked car with the windows partly up. Hopefully they will call the number on the sign instead. I did have a nasty note left on the car before I posted the sign.

 
Saffie and Darcy will be safe this summer thanks to Marcell