Comparing the Best RV Pet Temperature Monitors

RVs can heat up pretty fast in the hot summer months if your air conditioning stops working. This can be deadly for your pets if you aren’t there to constantly monitor the temperatures inside your RV.

And since most of us can’t take our pets into football games (or restaurants or many of our other RV adventures), we need a way to remotely monitor the temperatures inside the RV.

Thus, RV Pet Temperature Monitors.

RV Pet Temperature Monitors protect your unattended pets from the dangers of high heat and even cold temperatures too. Also useful to protect the RV during winter from freezing pipes. Protect your RV pets!

Cellphone Based RV Temperature Monitors

Cellphone based systems have their own cellphone service to communicate with the temperature monitor’s manufacturer’s servers who then communicate with you. This means that the monitoring is location independent and not dependent on spotty campground WiFi.

Those RVers out boondocking in spotty cellphone coverage may have difficulties getting consistent alerts in cases of problems at the RV. However, most monitors transmit minimal data meaning that alerts may still get out in marginal cell coverage (kind of like how text messages can work at football games even if Facebook won’t because of the heavy data use).

Cell based RV pet temperature monitors may send you alerts for high or low temperatures or humidity via text, email, call, or smartphone application, depending on specific service and options.

Waggle RV PetSafety Pet Temperature Monitor

Waggle RV Pet Temperature Monitor
RV PetSafety Pet Temperature Monitor was designed specifically with the RV pet owner in mind.

Pros:

  • Real-time updates on conditions through smartphone app
  • GPS tracking in case your RV is lost or stolen
  • Includes 1 year cell subscription when purchased from Amazon

Cons:

  • Monthly subscription costs after first year
  • Fee for starting or stopping monthly subscriptions
  • Only one sensor and only monitors temperatures

Ideal For: Full-time RVers with pets that are regularly left alone for long periods while RVer is at work or on excursions during extreme temperatures (heat or cold). The GPS tracking is also an ideal feature for travel trailer owners as travel trailers are at a higher risk of being stolen than Class A or Class C RVs.

Currently, the annual plan is $120/year ($10/month) while the monthly plan is $15/month with $5 fees for every time you start or stop service, quickly running up the total cost for part-time or seasonal RVers.

Buy Now: RV PetSafety Pet Temperature Monitor




MarCELL PRO Cellular Monitoring System with Water Sensor

MarCELL PRO Cellular Monitoring System with Water Sensor for temperature monitoring in your RV
The MarCELL cellular temperature monitors are more robust and intended for a greater variety of uses beyond simple RV pet temperature monitoring. Used by real estate professionals, HVAC monitoring, and server rooms, the MarCELL is tested in a variety of conditions. The water sensors, also known as SPucks, can be converted into a “normally open” dry contact which can be used to alert you to things like entry into a room (think thieves during storage).

 

Pros:

  • Additional Flooding and Lost Power Alerts
  • Powered via 120V adapter or USB which lets you use 12V RV system
  • Can turn off monthly monitoring without fees, so long as you use it 4 months per year
  • Can add additional water sensors to detect possible flooding issues

Cons:

  • Monthly subscription costs
  • No GPS tracking for the RV
  • Only one temperature/humidity sensor

Ideal For: Full-time or part-time RVers that will leave their pets unattended in the RV and are also worried about potential flooding/pipe bursts and indoor humidity. With a less likely chance of being stolen, Class A and Class C RV owners may be less interested than travel trailer owners in the GPS tracking that the RV PetSafety monitor offers. Meanwhile, the option to convert SPucks into an entry alarm may be useful in case of thieves attempting to gain entry to steal the contents of your RV.

Buy Now: MarCELL PRO Cellular Monitoring System with Water Sensor




MarCELL Cellular monitoring with Water SPuck

MarCELL Cullular monitoring with water SPuck for remotely monitoring RV temperatures to protect your pets
The original MarCELL monitor does not have a smartphone app that lets to monitor conditions in real time. Despite this, the MarCELL monitor continuously monitors the conditions and will send an update immediately upon a trigger (temperature, humidity, flooding, power).

 

Pros:

  • Additional Flooding and Lost Power Alerts
  • Powered via 120V adapter or USB which lets you use 12V RV system
  • Can turn off monthly monitoring without fees
  • Can add additional water sensors to detect possible flooding issues

Cons:

  • Monthly subscription costs, although lower than the MarCELL PRO plans
  • No smartphone application to see real-time conditions
  • No warning when battery completely discharges
  • Only one temperature/humidity sensor

Ideal For: Seasonal RVers that may occasionally leave their pets (particularly RV tailgaters during football season) but don’t need constant coverage for their pets.

Cheaper subscription plans make the MarCELL ideal for cost conscious RVers. Currently, there are three plans, with monthly being $14.95, seasonal (4-8 month plans) being $11.95/month, and annual being $99/year ($8.25/month). There are no stop/start fees for MarCELL, unlike the RV PetSafety monitor, as long as you don’t leave it suspended for more than 6 months.

If you are traveling in Canada, then make sure you get the AT&T version. The Verizon version does not work in Canada.

Buy Now: MarCELL Cellular monitoring with Water SPuck




DeWalt MobileLock DS600 Portable Alarm System

The DeWalt MobileLock is designed primarily as a security system but it also has high and low temperature settings and alarms, serving multiple purposes. Added GPS tracking and accessories, like a cable lock, make it great all-purpose security plus temperature monitoring system.

 

Pros:

  • High and Low Temperature Settings and Alarms/li>
  • GPS tracking
  • Can turn off monthly monitoring for a low fee
  • Can add door and window sensors and motion sensors to detect intrusions into your RV. A cable lock can also be added to secure generators, bikes, and other gear and will alert you when unlocked or the cable cut.

Cons:

  • Monthly subscription costs
  • No smartphone application to see real-time conditions
  • One-time activation fee of $20 in addition to product costs
  • Limited GPS locate services included in standard plan; additional fees for more location requests or high volume tracking.

Ideal For: Part-time or weekend RVers that need security between trips and temperature monitoring all the time. Built-in batteries mean that this works without a power source, so the system will work even if you have to store without power hookups.

But if you do have power hookups, you can set an alert to notify you if power has been disconnected. This can act as an early alert system if the power goes out with your pet inside, before the temperatures rise from the A/C being out.

Buy Now: DeWalt MobileLock DS600 Portable Alarm System





See Also: Pets Disaster Preparedness: RV Edition

WiFi Based RV Pet Temperature Monitors

WiFi RV pet temperature monitors use a local wireless network to connect instead of a cell network. This means that you either need to be stationary or have a supplemental internet connection, like from a MiFi or other WiFi hotspot, like a second cell phone or cell activated tablet.

The benefit is that many people already have these, meaning no additional monthly fees for monitoring the RV conditions, even when away from home. With the limited data transferred, you won’t use up limited hotspot bandwidth for the limited hours that most RV tailgaters need the monitoring for (during the game).

Unfortunately, the WiFi temperature monitoring systems typically will not work with RV campground WiFi systems or those that require web browser login.

Without the cell phone connections, the WiFi temperature monitors typically have longer battery life, with each lasting over a year. The sensors typically have user replaceable batteries, either AA or watch style batteries commonly found in grocery or big box stores (like Wal-Mart) or even pharmacies.

Most WiFi temperature monitor systems will send an alert when they lose contact with the internet. So while you may not have GPS tracking with these systems, you can be immediately alerted if the sensors, and thus the RV, move outside your WiFi network.

Smart Air Quality Monitor

The Amazon Air Quality Monitor works with your Ring Alarm Pro system to monitor temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, and VOCs inside your RV (or home). Great dual purpose for carbon monoxide and temperature for both humans and pets.

 

Pros:

  • Connects with the Ring Alarm Pro system
  • History by week, day, hour available on app
  • Easy setup.
  • Can add routines with Alexa-enabled devices when certain conditions met (temperature, humidity)

Cons:

  • Needs Ring or Alexa apps to operate as part of the larger system.
  • No GPS tracking
  • Few RV-specific Alexa-enabled devices so far.

Ideal For: RVers that have Ring security system in their RV.

This is a great add-on to the Ring Alarm PRO RV security system. Easily integrate in with other Alexa-enabled devices to monitor not just temperature, but also different aspects of air quality and then create routines that can automatically start when certain conditions are reached (ie turn a heater on with a plug during winter, turn on a dehumidifier, etc).

Can also add the Flood and Freeze Sensor which is great for monitoring for potential burst pipes in winter or just regular old water and plumbing mishaps.

Highly recommend the Ring Alarm Pro system for remote monitoring, including cameras, and basic automation of the RV. The system itself does require subscription for most remote monitoring capabilities, but include its own cell-based connection.

Buy Now: Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor




SensorPush Wireless Thermometer and Hygrometer

SensorPush Wireless thermometer and hygrometer lets you remotely monitor the temperature and humidity in your RV using a WiFi connection
SensorPush WiFi Gateway lets you expand the SensorPush RV pet temperature monitoring system to add additional sensors and connect to the internet
The SensorPush system is made by a team of Internet and technology geeks in New York. This system is accessible via Bluetooth or WiFi and is easily expandable to add additional sensors. Pairing the sensors with the gateway allows you to disable Bluetooth for improved battery life on both the sensors and your phone.

 

Pros:

  • Easily expand system to add additional sensors for RV wet bay, fridge, etc.
  • Use Bluetooth for local readings if WiFi not available
  • Maintains 20 days of data between syncs
  • Gateway can plug directly into Ethernet cable if hard-wired connection is available

Cons:

  • No water sensors for flooding/burst pipes
  • No GPS tracking
  • Sensors are not waterproof so outside applications need to be protected from rain, dew, etc

Ideal For: Full-time or part-time RVers that leave pets unattended only occasionally and for limited periods (ie not daily work).

Meanwhile, the Bluetooth and expanded system let you monitor additional spots, like the fridge and freezer (for food safety purposes) and the wetbay (during winter to prevent pipes from freezing). With the long-range system of the SensorPush sensors, you can easily monitor an RV parked in a garage, outside your house, or even in a detached building on your property during winter.

One sensor and one gateway is approximately the same cost as the Temp Stick system. The advantage comes from the additional sensors that are a third of the price of the Temp Stick.

Buy Now: SensorPush Wireless Thermometer and Hygrometer | SensorPush WiFi Gateway




Temp Stick Wireless Temperature Sensor

Temp Stick Wireless Temperature Monitoring for your RV using WiFi
One device to monitor temperature and humidity inside your RV with no monthly subscription fees.

 

Pros:

  • No monthly subscription fees
  • No gateway device required
  • Unlimited history of readings on App or web account

Cons:

  • No phone call alert options; only text and email
  • No AC/DC power options; only AA batteries
  • Full price for additional sensors

Ideal For: RVers that want a simple system to monitor temperatures while your pet is left unattended in your RV without monthly subscription fees.

Buy Now: Temp Stick Wireless Temperature Sensor




La Crosse Wireless Monitoring System with Dry Probe

La Crosse Wireless Monitoring system with dry probe for monitoring inside temperatures in your RV
All the above options can be pricey for a budget conscious RVer that needs remote temperature monitoring. La Crosse has a more budget friendly option but may be more difficult to setup and be less nomad or travel friendly.

 

Pros:

  • Dry probe lets you extend wire to secondary location (outside or wetbay)
  • Easily add up to 5 additional probes, including water sensor
  • Weather resistant case with on-sensor temperature display

Cons:

  • Subscription required for continued email and text alerts
  • Gateway must be hooked directly to router
  • Short battery life

Ideal For: Stationary RVers or for offseason storage where an ethernet connection is available for the gateway. Cheapest option for remote monitoring. May be an option for part-time RVers to monitor conditions in their sticks and bricks home rather than their RV.

Currently, the first three months of email and text alerts are free. After that, a one year subscription is $11.88 ($0.99/month) making it much cheaper than the cellular based RV pet temperature monitoring systems.

Buy Now: La Crosse Wireless Monitoring System with Dry Probe | Add-on WaterLeak Probe



See Also: Tips for Tailgating with Man’s Best Friend

“Other” RV Pet Temperature Monitors

There are quite a few weather stations and similar temperature monitors that can help in a pinch. However, these are generally not recommended for monitoring pets in your RV. They are better suited for monitoring conditions while the RV is in storage at your home between trips.

AcuRite Indoor Temperature and Humidity Station

AcuRite Temperature and Humidtiy Station for monitoring conditions in and around your RV
Leave one sensor inside the RV, one in the wetbay, and one in the fridge with the base station in your garage. Monitor temperatures to prevent freezing pipes during the winter. Cost effective solution to check temperatures without going into the RV. See basic information at a glance from inside your garage or home.

 

Pros:

  • Three additional sensors each with their own displays
  • No subscription fees
  • Battery powered (AA and AAA)

Cons:

  • Additional purchase required for offsite remote access to current conditions
  • No GPS tracking
  • No sensors for busted pipes or flooding

Ideal For: Offseason RV storage at your home where you can regularly check temperatures inside the RV. Since both the display and the sensors are battery powered, you don’t have to worry about plugging the RV into home electric to monitor conditions inside the RV.

Not recommended for remote monitoring with unattended pets left inside the RV unless sensors paired with the pricey Acurite Access. At that price, you should purchase one of the above systems made specifically for remote access.

Buy Now: AcuRite Indoor Temperature and Humidity Station




Alfred Home Security App

 

Use the camera on a spare cellphone to setup a monitoring application. Point the camera at a temperature station, such as the AcuRite Indoor Station above. Then use your primary phone to check-in regularly. You can also tell the dog to get off the couch even if you aren’t there.

Pros:

  • Free app although it contains ads
  • Motion sensor and low light capabilities
  • Two-way communication possible

Cons:

  • Data heavy which can be difficult in some scenarios
  • Need to set alarm or remember to check-in regularly; no temperature alerts
  • Easily bumped or knocked over to prevent seeing temperature

Ideal For: the most price conscious RVers or those that will only leave pets unattended on a very infrequent basis to make investing in a more reliable system a good idea. Better than not having any remote viewing to check on your furry family members.

Download Now: Alfred Home Security App



See Also: Tips to Stay Cool at the Tailgate

How Do You Monitor RV Temperatures?

RV Pet Temperature Monitors protect your unattended pets from the dangers of high heat and even cold temperatures too. Also useful to protect the RV during winter from freezing pipes.

Do you have another way of monitoring the temperature (and perhaps humidity/water) conditions in your RV? What’s the best RV pet temperature monitoring system?

Let everyone know if you have any other ideas that should be considered by commenting below.

Don’t forget to pin for later reference!

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8 Comments

      1. Thanks Kimberly! We also got a MarCEL PRO with the temp probe and works great!! We even use it for the freezer when the pets are with us!!

        1. I’ve been known to stick the temp sticks in the wet bay during winter so I can keep an eye on the temps there to make sure the pipes don’t freeze! Always looking for ways to make the most out of our gadgets in small spaces – multiple uses are the best!

  1. Thanks very much for the comparison!! We also went with the Marcell PRO a few weeks ago and its been awesome!! Love the ability to use the temp probe if we want more accurate readings and being able to view realtime temps whenever we want!

    1. You are welcome Jessica. Glad to hear the Marcell is working out great for you. I wouldn’t travel with my dog without a temperature monitor in the RV now that I know that they work so well. Especially in the South during the summer months.

  2. I love this Nimble Temperature Sensor! First, I had trouble setting monitor up, but tech support helped me with that. It has a built-in 4G cellular network that allows me to keep track of temperature and humidity within my rigs in real-time. The product’s built-in rechargeable battery was another intriguing attribute. I was pleased to see this inclusion because it’ll ensure the device remains usable even during power outages. As for its notification process, this cellular pet monitor will send out alerts via text and email whenever the temperature rises or drops below predetermined limits.

  3. We have a Class B camper van and take our Great Dane and Lab. We are now able to walk them in the am and leave them without worry. This Nimble RV pet temperature monitor works better than I expected. I receive messages on my phone and apple watch to alert me if power crashes or if the temp is higher than what I program for alerts.