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WHO USED ALL THE HOT WATER!!! Need a simple temperature data logger ** UPDATE **
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Brumby:
Scenario: "Who used all the hot water?!!!" - typical domestic situation.

My idea is to have a temperature sensor mounted on the main hot water pipe before it splits off to the various taps, with temperatures recorded at regular intervals, including timestamp.  This will show when hot water was used - and for how long.

I've looked at various offerings and an off-the-shelf example which appears to have the functionality that will serve the purpose is the Inkbird TH2, which captures the data and allows me to monitor via bluetooth - which is enough.

However, I am uncertain as to whether it will operate completely stand-alone.  I could possibly tolerate a one-off registration exercise, but I DO NOT want internet dependence for ongoing function.  Not at all, never, ever.  It's a completely unnecessary restriction for what I want to do.
 
General reading hasn't made it clear at all. 

First concern is whether my old Galaxy S5 would be able to run the app, so I downloaded the App and installed it.  So far so good.  Then I started looking for the T&Cs.

I found the set up path through the App really oppressive.  It seems you cannot proceed without entering into a subscription for all the "really good extras" (NONE of which are of any interest for this exercise) - even if it is just the 3 day free period.  Of course, you can "cancel at any time" - but that's a dance I'm not at all keen about.  It also asked for permissions that I really didn't want to give it and weren't necessary for what I wanted.  And then there is the Privacy question.

So, I found the T&Cs and came across a couple of details that stopped me in my tracks.  Specifically (and I paraphrase):
 1. You must accept all updates
 2. We do not guarantee the App will continue to work
That just wreaks of the potential for a problem that I have already encountered in other Apps - where the App is updated to the point where my hardware and O/S are no longer capable of running the App.  (Don't anybody suggest I should buy a new phone.)

Options:
1. Just buy it and see how it goes (price range AUD$20-30 internal vs external sensor)
2. Buy it and see if I can write an App of my own
3. Build a DIY project. (Is there a design available, with code?  I could do it myself, but I don't have enough time to do the things on my list as it is.)
4. Suggestions.....
floobydust:
When I was young, my dad used to use up all the hot water so I would close the valve on the hot water supply until I heard him cuss and swear and leave the shower. Then I had a chance of a warm shower.
Once I lived with a roommate that was first in the shower in the morning. He would then fall asleep leaning against the shower wall, until he used up all the hot water... and the cold water then would wake him up. He would fall down and I knew after the big kabang, my turn in the shower next and it was going to be cold. I almost murdered him.

I think you need to know the water heating system's status, on/off and log that as well? In Canada we use a hot water tank that is heated by natural gas. So a household always has at least 40L of hot water but once that is used up there is a "recovery time" to heat it up again, that is often a good portion of an hour. You wouldn't know where your system is at only by looking at temperature.

Is your water heating gas or electric or solar? The reason I ask is a common problem with a hot water tank is the dip tube (and sacrificial anode) corrodes. So incoming cold water no longer comes in at the bottom, but instead at the top of the water tank where the outlet port is. You end up with a hot water tank that acts like it has low capacity (cold water) at high flow. Also, plumbers don't use galvanic isolators properly causing premature corrosion.

Just to make sure your system works, instead of the long Hollywood showers being the problem.
vad:
Tankless water heater is one of the best solutions.
IanB:
Tape a thermocouple to the pipe and use a data logger?

Simplest option, use a logging multimeter like a Fluke 289 or an EEVblog 121GW, leave it logging for a week and then dump the data.

Less simple option, use a single board computer like a Raspberry Pi and have it log onboard or have it send the data to another computer over wi-fi.

I guess you will need cooperation of the residents, or they might simply disconnect the logger. But if the residents are cooperative, why not simply ask them who used all the hot water?
NiHaoMike:
Try the simple solution of partially closing the valve? Then it would take longer to use too much hot water.
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