Milk-tank temperature
See the stored milk temperature and receive high/low alerts.
Local farm monitoring across Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire
Has your farm monitoring gone quiet since 3G was switched off?
Older dairy bulk-tank alarms and remote temperature-monitoring systems can stop sending data when the mobile technology inside them is retired, even when the tank controller still appears to work normally.
InTheCold provides modern, locally supported monitoring for West Wales farms. We assess what is already installed, test the connectivity available at your farm and, where practical, replace only the monitoring or communications layer rather than everything around it.
If reliable farm Wi-Fi is already available, the system can use it, avoiding an unnecessary mobile SIM and data charge at every monitoring point.
Low or no upfront equipment-cost plans are available, subject to survey and service plan.
No hard sell. We first establish what has stopped, what still works and the simplest reliable route forward.
- West Wales support
- Use existing Wi-Fi
- No SIM per sensor
- Three temperatures, one system
3G update
The UK's 3G networks are now switched off. A 3G-only modem can no longer report. Some 2G-capable equipment may still connect for now, but UK 2G retirement begins from 2029 and all remaining 2G services are due to close by 2033 at the latest.
The problem
The controller can look fine while the remote protection has disappeared
A legacy system may continue to cool, wash or display a temperature locally while no longer sending readings, graphs or alarms to the internet. That can leave a farm relying on someone noticing a problem at the tank.
Signs worth checking
- the online dashboard has stopped updating;
- alarm texts, emails or calls no longer arrive;
- the last reading is hours, days or weeks old;
- the communications box is labelled 3G, UMTS, HSPA or 2G/3G;
- the system works at the tank but cannot be viewed remotely;
- your supplier says the modem, SIM or communications service is obsolete.
Existing dairy systems
Using Arbel EasiData, MilkMinder or another established dairy system?
Arbel's EasiData platform was designed to record milk-vat refrigeration, pre-cooling and cleaning data and make it available through a web browser. MilkMinder is a separate cooling and wash controller. The communications equipment fitted alongside these systems can vary by installation and age.
We do not assume the whole system needs replacing. We identify the controller, data logger, modem, SIM and available outputs separately. Where the original controller remains serviceable, an independent monitoring layer may be the more economical and less disruptive option.
InTheCold is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Arbel Electronics. Product names are used only to identify equipment that may already be installed on a farm.
The replacement
A replacement designed around the farm, not a coverage-map assumption
Mobile coverage varies sharply across West Wales and can change between the farmhouse, yard and dairy. We therefore assess connectivity where the equipment will actually operate.
Depending on the site, the monitoring gateway can use a suitable modern mobile connection, the farm's fixed broadband/Wi-Fi, an external antenna or another appropriate route. Sensors and gateways are selected around the tank, cold room or other monitored asset rather than forcing every farm into the same design.
Sensor
Temperature point at the tank, chiller, wash or cold store.
Gateway
One on-farm gateway collects nearby sensor readings.
Internet route
Use reliable Wi-Fi, broadband, antenna or mobile data as appropriate.
Alert
Readings, missed data and alarms route to the people who act.
Connectivity costs
Why pay for a SIM in every monitoring box?
InTheCold sensors report to one on-farm gateway. Where the farm's Wi-Fi and broadband are reliable, that gateway can use the connection you already pay for. Multiple monitored points can share the gateway, so adding another tank, fridge or temperature point does not automatically mean another SIM contract.
Three practical savings
- no mobile-data subscription for every individual sensor;
- fewer separate SIMs, renewals and network accounts to manage;
- easier expansion across more temperature-critical equipment.
We still check whether Wi-Fi reaches the dairy reliably. If it does not, we assess better gateway placement, a suitable network extension or a modern mobile connection rather than installing something that drops offline.
Useful upgrade
Three temperatures. One view. One useful upgrade.
Replacing an old remote link creates an opportunity to monitor more than the headline temperature.
Milk tank, plate chiller and tank-wash temperature: three useful checks through one locally supported monitoring system.
Plate-chiller performance
Compare the temperature entering the tank and spot deteriorating pre-cooling performance.
Tank-wash temperature
Record whether the wash cycle reaches the target set for that tank, chemical and cleaning programme, rather than relying only on a manual check.
With all three points sharing the same gateway and farm internet connection, the managed monitoring service may cost little more than a standalone data-SIM subscription, depending on the installation and selected service plan.
The return is not limited to the saved SIM cost. AHDB says a correctly configured plate heat exchanger can reduce milk-cooling costs by as much as 50%. Monitoring does not create that saving by itself, but it can show whether milk is leaving the plate cooler at the expected temperature and reveal when performance deteriorates. Tank and wash records can also make a missed cooling or cleaning cycle easier to spot.
Continuous records
Temperature readings, history, missing-data alerts, battery state and signal visibility.
Practical alerts
High and low temperature alerts routed to the people who need to act.
Local support
Setup, testing, documentation and ongoing support when something changes.
Process
A practical route from "not reporting" to protected again
- Identify what is installedSend us photographs of the controller, data logger, modem and their labels, together with a screenshot of the last online reading if available.
- Check the failure and connectivityWe establish whether the problem is the sensor, controller, SIM, modem, online service or local signal.
- Keep what is still usefulWhere practical, we leave the functioning tank controls in place and add or replace only what is needed for dependable remote monitoring and alerts.
- Install, prove and supportWe test readings and alerts with you, document the installation and remain available locally when something changes.
Managed plans
Modern monitoring without a large replacement bill
Replacing an entire tank controller can be unnecessary when the real failure is an old communications unit. Paying for a separate SIM at every monitored point can also be unnecessary when dependable farm Wi-Fi is available. InTheCold offers managed options intended to reduce both the initial equipment cost and avoidable recurring connectivity costs.
The recommendation and price depend on the number of monitored points, existing equipment, connectivity and travel. We explain those costs before work starts.
Service area
West Wales coverage needs local judgement
4G coverage has improved across the region, including new and upgraded masts around Cardigan and along the A487 and A44. But farm buildings, valleys, distance from a mast and the network used by a SIM can all affect whether a system works reliably indoors.
That is why we test the dairy or plant-room location and consider more than one connection method. A local supplier can also return when buildings, broadband or monitoring requirements change.
Service area: Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. Enquire for neighbouring areas.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Have all UK 3G networks really been switched off?
Yes. Ofcom confirms that Vodafone, EE, Three and O2 have completed their UK 3G switch-offs. Equipment that requires a 3G data connection needs a compatible modern connection or an alternative route to the internet.
Will every old farm monitor have stopped?
No. A device may also support 2G or 4G, use Wi-Fi or a wired connection, or operate only locally. The correct test is whether it is still sending current data and alarms, not simply its age.
Is every Arbel system affected?
No such claim should be made. Arbel systems have been installed in different configurations over many years, and the public product information does not identify the modem used at every farm. We check the installed controller and communications hardware before recommending changes.
Do I need to replace my milk-tank controller?
Not necessarily. If the cooling and wash controls remain sound, it may be possible to add independent sensing and a modern gateway. Compatibility and safe installation must be confirmed on site.
What if 4G is weak inside the dairy?
We first check whether the farm's existing Wi-Fi can provide the gateway connection without another SIM charge. Where it cannot, we assess better gateway placement, an appropriate network extension, available mobile networks and external antenna placement. No single connection method is assumed to suit every farm.
Does every sensor need its own SIM card?
No. InTheCold sensors connect to an on-farm gateway rather than each needing a separate mobile contract. Where reliable Wi-Fi and broadband are available, the gateway can use the farm's existing internet connection. A mobile connection remains an option for sites where Wi-Fi is unavailable or unsuitable.
Can one system monitor the tank, plate chiller and tank wash?
Yes, subject to a site survey and suitable sensor positions. Bringing these three temperatures into one view can show not only whether milk is cold, but how effectively it is being pre-cooled and whether the hot-wash cycle reaches its target.
What can be monitored?
The core service covers temperature, missing readings, sensor battery and connection health. It can be expanded across multiple tanks, fridges, freezers and other temperature-critical areas. Additional inputs are assessed individually.
Is there a large upfront charge?
Low or no upfront equipment-cost options can be offered with an appropriate managed-service plan. The exact proposal depends on the site survey and agreed service term.
Request a check
Find out why your monitoring stopped and the simplest way to restore it
Tell us what is installed and when it last reported. We will help you separate a failed communications link from a controller that still has useful life.
Evidence used for this page includes Ofcom guidance on UK 3G switch-off and 2G retirement timing, public Arbel EasiData and MilkMinder product information, mobile coverage updates for West Wales, AHDB guidance on plate heat exchangers, Welsh Government raw milk cooling guidance and Farming Connect notes on hot-water temperatures. Claims are intentionally limited to inspection-led recommendations and do not imply Arbel affiliation or guaranteed compatibility before survey.