Nicotine Storage Temp and Alerting Musings

[avpx1]

So I have a bit of nic stored in a relatively affordable freezer (Freezer Model: EdgeStar CMF151L-1 1.1 Cu. Ft. Medical Freezer with Lock) that is rated for minimum temperatures of -20°C (-4°F) under room-temperature conditions.

There are more expensive freezers available rated for "LOW" -40°C, and some rated "Ultra Low" -80°C. I'm wondering if the benefits of storage at those deep freeze temps are worth the heavy investment of a medical\pharma designed freezer as opposed to an inexpensive one like I'm currently using.
What are your thoughts?

Also, I don't like just trusting an appliance to do it's job and hoping I discover if it fails on a whim. Some come with audible alarms if a certain temp is reached but I'm not even on the same floor as the appliance and wouldn't hear it so I'm looking at monitoring and alerting so when a configurable temp is reached lets say 20°F I'll get a notification either by text on my phone, email, or a phone app.
Below are contenders I've found on Amazon but not thrilled with any of them along with the non Amazon solution I'm going with.
Note: sensors can vary in design meaning some can connect directly to the internet via your home's wireless router and others require a separate device (Gateway) which they communicate with, and the gateway connects to the internet via your wireless router.
*La Crosse Alerts Mobile 926-25101-GP Wireless Monitor System Set with Dry Probe (~$30)
Sensor is inserted from outside the freezer through door seal which I do not like.
*SensorPush Wireless Thermometer and Gateway (~$150)
Thumbs up for wireless sensor + free monitoring + separate device (gateway) for internet communications but the sensor uses a tiny coin battery. Looks like changing the sensor battery will be a regular routine.
*Temp Stick Wireless Remote Temperature & Humidity Sensor (~$150)
Thumbs up for wireless sensor that uses 2x AA batteries but it is also the gateway which looks like it will burn through batteries as well requiring regular battery replacement.
*Winner*....
Monnit Wireless Temperature Sensor + Gateway + Basic Monitoring (~$325)
I'm going with the solution from "monnit.com" because they obviously provide commercial solutions with lots of technology development and appear to have quality products.
I'll use a wireless sensor + gateway + free monitoring. They have different levels of monitoring but the basic level is free for one user account with one network and since I have one freezer with one gateway I have one network. However if I had multiple freezers all talking with one gateway it would still be one network.
**ALTA Wireless Temperature Sensor - AA Battery Powered (~$105)
The sensor is wireless running on 2x AA batteries but it only needs to talk to the gateway so the batteries should last a very long time between changes.
**ALTA Ethernet Gateway 4 (~$220)
Gateway plugged in to your wireless router that communicates to the internet.
**iMonnit Basic (Software) (Free)
Mobile app that provides...
Wireless Sensor Monitoring
Remote Monitoring Solutions
Online Remote Monitoring

What are your thoughts?

Thanks all, hope this thread is helpfull.

 

[Eskie]

IMHO, investing in something like a Revco freezer is a bit of overkill for nic storage. As to monitors, I have zero experience with any, but would suggest something either integral to the unit if you want to invest in a new one, or something that doesn’t force you to physically modify what you have.

Be aware that any of the wireless solutions will burn through batteries and may fail without you realizing it.

Hopefully someone who’s actually done what you’re looking to do will be around.

 

[Rossum]

There are more expensive freezers available rated for "LOW" -40°C, and some rated "Ultra Low" -80°C. I'm wondering if the benefits of storage at those deep freeze temps are worth the heavy investment of a medical\pharma designed freezer as opposed to an inexpensive one like I'm currently using.
What are your thoughts?

Based on what I've personally seen at "normal" freezer temperatures of around -20°C -- no perceptible degradation of nic base over 5+ years -- I would say, no, it's not worth it. Others have reported no perceptible degradation over even longer time frames, up to 10 years.

When I was in the early stages of stockpiling, I too looked at fancy, really low temperature freezers. They're very expensive to buy, and they're inefficient; they consume copious amounts of electricity, which means high running costs.

As for monitoring, that gets complicated. Many batteries won't perform well at freezer temperatures. Plus, most freezers have a metal skin on the outside, making them a very efficient Faraday cage. So I don't think a wireless temperature transmitter that's entirely inside your freezer is likely to work very well. If I wanted to do that, I think I would find a solution that had the temperature sensor inside the freezer and transmitter outside. But that would mean drilling a hole in the freezer itself, or at the very least, the door gasket.

 

[puffon]

I was surprised my cheepo (non medical) freezer is able to go down to -15f just by setting the dial only slightly past "normal".
Have gone through a 10 day no power time (hurricane), nic was fine.