Hygrometer Calibrating and Suggestions on Digital

[toasty]

Anyone have any suggestions on a good brand that monitors temperature and RH? I tried calibrating my analog, but I'm a little unsure if I did it right. I did exactly as was directed....Filled a cap with salt, got it damp with distilled water, let it sit for 24 hours. Now it's at the 58% mark. Is it really possible for it to be off by 17 points??

[basil]

If what you write is all you did, all you've done so far is find out where exactly you hygro reads in an environment where 75% rh is known. Yes, it is possible for your hygro to be that much off. Now, set it so it reads 75. If you have a cheap analog, there'll be no way to set it.

You can find an accurate, digital hygrometer here

[Bkcloud114]

Try it again....... this time use two ziplock bags and see what type of reading you get.

[toasty]

sorry, i left that part out. I did use 2 ziplock bags and pushed out the air from both of them. I'm sure the hygro was just way off now after reading online all day. I ordered that Humigauge Perfecto, so hopefully that was a good one.

[mauied1101]

You know what - my digital was coming up with some odd (but consistent) numbers so I put it to the salt test - it's sitting at 59% RH. Temperature is accurate... How the heck could a digital be off by that much?

A little background - the digital hygrometer is about 8 years old - hadn't used it in 5 years(?) - no battery, so I took it to Target and the watch person just found one that fit. Screen lit up so I assumed it was ok. Temperature is accurate - but again, my questions:

1. Can a digital really be off by 16%?
2. Is it that my hygro is just old?
3. Does the size (and thus the power) of the battery affect the reading (and then only the RH and not the temp)?

Gonna go look for a hygro...

Happy Easter all.

[Desert Rat]

Is it really possible for it to be off by 17 points??

1. Can a digital really be off by 16%?

Yes, it is entirely possible for a digital or analog hygrometer to be off by 16 or 17 points (or more). The technical term for such a hygrometer is "junk"- my garbage man has been the recipient of several fine examples of "junk" hygros.

My little $20 hygros came from Radio Shack, but I think they quit offering them, so you might try Basil's site.

Good luck

[cameroncouch02]

Yes, it is entirely possible for a digital or analog hygrometer to be off by 16 or 17 points (or more). The technical term for such a hygrometer is "junk"- my garbage man has been the recipient of several fine examples of "junk" hygros.

My little $20 hygros came from Radio Shack, but I think they quit offering them, so you might try Basil's site.

Good luck

I use the wireless one with the sensor for my big humidor and I think its readings are quite accurate. Only problem is that the product is only offered in store, and our store had it for 15 bucks over what the website said it was selling for.

[Monk]

I have a couple of the Little Havana style ones, seem great so far...

Hey Basil, is that a new style of the Little Havana Perfecto? Mine has the buttons all to one side.

-W.

[basil]

If you have the Little Havana, it probably looks more like this one. "The Perfecto" is by Humiguage, and has the buttons on one end. They both work pretty well.

[Monk]

If you have the Little Havana, it probably looks more like this one. "The Perfecto" is by Humiguage, and has the buttons on one end. They both work pretty well.

Yup, almost.. just those wierd ribs aren't on mine... that must be the "ribbed for her pleasure" version

-W.

[mauied1101]

So I went to my local B&M and picked up a Madelaine round digital hygrometer for $9.95 (sorry Basil - the perfecto one looked great - I'm just impatient ). Came back, did the salt test and it showed up as 70-71% RH. Called the shop, they swore by it and so I'm taking it in tomorrow to put in their walk-in for 1/2 an hour (and asked if I'd like to come and smoke) to test. So I said "sure, why the hell not?"

Anyone have any experience with these? If it winds up being kosher, I'll let y'all know and pick up a couple for anyone interested.

[WOXOF]

I have the same hygrometer and it seems pretty accurate. I have the 65% beads and the hygrometer reads between 63 and 68%. I've gotten in the habbit now of just looking at the beads to tell if I need to add water.

[mauied1101]

So I bought the little round hygrometer - did the salt test, off by 5%, took it to the B&M, they put it in their humi, said it was off by 1%...

So just for fun, I did the salt test last night - at around... 1AM. Looked at it this afternoon at 4PM - said 73% - all happy, left it in, closed the light. After a couple hours, it read 68%... and now it reads 72%... what gives?

And yes... I'm gonna order 70% beads now... finally given in...

[toasty]

Is it possible to be doing the salt test wrong? I tested my father's 2 days in a row, and came out with different results each time. Followed the directions exactly. A cap full of damp (not wet) salt, and double bagged. With the HumiBeads, you know it's going to be 70%, could you calibrate it based on the HumiBeads??