5X TMP36 Temperature Sensors Low voltage Low self-heating Precision Linear Analog Output for Arduino Raspberry Pi...

Came knocking around in a plastic box. No antistatic bag, no padding. None seemed to work, returned temperatures over 400 degrees. Returning for money back, I would not gamble with these as they aren't even that cheap.

The TMP36 is a good choice for an inexpensive temperature sensor, and is much easier to implement in software than a thermistor. Big caveat: These have poor noise immunity. If you are not running your device off a battery or a very good, well-filtered power supply, you will need to bypass the TMP36 power leads with a capacitor (0.1 - 10uf). For instance, if the TMP36 is powered directly from a typical USB supply, the noise from the supply will likely disable the TMP36, giving erroneous readings. I have found this true of most USB connections. Power supply bypassing is good design practice. But, here it may be necessary.

These seem to be quite accurate - maybe within 1 degree Fahrenheit. However, I have had a lot of trouble getting them to work properly when on the same power supply as a microchip. Even if I isolate them from the chip's power supply, they still show quite arbitrary values (like +- 10 degrees Fahrenheit). I haven't totally solved this mystery. To make things even weirder, it works when on the Arduino's power supply! I guess they just did a better job filtering power supply noise than I did.

Happy with TMP36; sensing values are consistent. Bear 2 points in mind: 1.- Place the TMP36 on the breadboard with the lettered side facing the Arduino board, and the rounded side facing away. Connect the left pin of the lettered side to 5Volts, the midle pin to an analog pin, and the right pin to GND. 2.- The TMP36 is very sensitive. For accurate sensing, use breadboard jumper wires (long pieces) to connect all TMP36 pins. Avoid wiring with cables that have a black cap surrounding the tip; sensor may not return accurate voltage values.

These are small, light, and reliable. The interface is simple, direct read, no serial circuit needed. The electronics are encapsulated, useful in dirty or humid conditions. The current draw is small. They are accurate, linear, and fairly quick to react to temperature changes. Plus that, the company offers a complete data sheet for the device. MAKE SURE YOU READ IT. There are a lot of misleading pieces of info around about the pin connections. If you hook Vcc and ground backwards, you will fry the device, burn your fingers, and possibly damage or destroy your Arduino / Pi / etc. Make sure to look at page 1 of the datasheet before you start.