diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/lakeshore_218.sct b/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/lakeshore_218.sct
index 64a87296..d16b9647 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/lakeshore_218.sct
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/environment/temperature/lakeshore_218.sct
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
+#
+# Template driver for the Lakeshore 218 Temperature Monitor
+# vim: ft=tcl ts=8 sts=2 sw=2 expandtab autoindent smartindent nocindent
+#
 driver lakeshore_218 = {
   vendor = lakeshore; device = ls218; protocol = std;
   class = NXdetector; simulation_group = detector_simulation;
+  make_args = '{num_chans 8}';
 
   group = {
     data = false;
@@ -11,28 +16,34 @@ driver lakeshore_218 = {
     var krdg = {
       type = text;
       read_command = "KRDG? 0";
-      value = "0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0";
+      read_function = read_krdg;
+      value = '"Hidden in real_data property"';
+      property real_data = '0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0';
     }
   }
 
   group sensor = {
     priv = user; mutable = true;
     type = float;
-    readable = 1;
+    readable = 15;
     fetch_function = getTemp;
-    var ch1 = { read_command = '0'; }
-    var ch2 = { read_command = '1'; }
-    var ch3 = { read_command = '2'; }
-    var ch4 = { read_command = '3'; }
-    var ch5 = { read_command = '4'; }
-    var ch6 = { read_command = '5'; }
-    var ch7 = { read_command = '6'; }
-    var ch8 = { read_command = '7'; }
+    var ch1 = { read_command = '0'; conditional = '${num_chans} > 0'; }
+    var ch2 = { read_command = '1'; conditional = '${num_chans} > 1'; }
+    var ch3 = { read_command = '2'; conditional = '${num_chans} > 2'; }
+    var ch4 = { read_command = '3'; conditional = '${num_chans} > 3'; }
+    var ch5 = { read_command = '4'; conditional = '${num_chans} > 4'; }
+    var ch6 = { read_command = '5'; conditional = '${num_chans} > 5'; }
+    var ch7 = { read_command = '6'; conditional = '${num_chans} > 6'; }
+    var ch8 = { read_command = '7'; conditional = '${num_chans} > 7'; }
   }
 
   code fetch_function getTemp = {%%
-    set temps [split "[hval ${tc_root}/krdg]" ","]
+    set temps [split "[hgetpropval ${tc_root}/krdg real_data]" ","]
     sct result [lindex ${temps} ${cmd_str}]
     set cmd "@@NOSEND@@"
   %%}
+  code read_krdg = {%%
+    sct real_data "${data}"
+    set data "Hidden in real_data property"
+  %%}
 }