DS18B20 digital temperature sensors are extremely popular among both electronics hobbyists and commercial manufacturers. Many applications require these sensors to be used in a waterproof, encapsulated form factor inside a protective metal sleeve. However, there are several prevalent issues with the cheap, pre-packaged sensors currently flooding the market:
- The use of substandard or counterfeit sensor ICs by suppliers (most commonly, these fake chips fail to operate correctly in the 2-wire “parasitic power” mode);
- The use of cheap wiring with a maximum temperature rating that is significantly lower than the sensor’s actual measurement range.
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