Guide: How to salt test / calibrate your hygrometer

[claphamsa]

bump for bad link

 

[MoeCizlak]

HERE is a pretty good link to the discussion.

 

[Kid Montana]

The link in the OP redirects to the CP front page.

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Noob question.... Does anyone know if less sodium salt will work correctly? I used 33% less sodium salt (thats all I had in the house) and I'm getting around 64% on an analog hygrometer after 7 hours. I just cant find any info on if less sodium makes a difference or not.

 

[Rod]

Just saw this thread. Link has been updated, try again...

 

[thecatch83]

Noob question.... Does anyone know if less sodium salt will work correctly? I used 33% less sodium salt (thats all I had in the house) and I'm getting around 64% on an analog hygrometer after 7 hours. I just cant find any info on if less sodium makes a difference or not.

Shouldn't make a difference.......pay 20 bucks and get an adjustable digital hygro!

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Thanks, I will.....

 

[MattNJ]

so my hygrometer has been in the bag for 2 day now and its at 52%.

Should I adjust the screw in the back to make it 70% or do you think that is just to far off?

 

[bluue13]

so my hygrometer has been in the bag for 2 day now and its at 52%.

Should I adjust the screw in the back to make it 70% or do you think that is just to far off?

Get a digital one. Less headache.

For now I wouldn't touch the screw. Those things are just way too fussy and not worth the hassle. Just make a note of how far off it is and use it like that until your digital comes in.

 

[thecatch83]

so my hygrometer has been in the bag for 2 day now and its at 52%.

Should I adjust the screw in the back to make it 70% or do you think that is just to far off?

No, adjust your hygro so it reads 75% then put it in your humidor an you're all set. That's the entire purpose of doing the salt test, to calibrate your hygrometer to 75%. You definitely want to get some type of gels, beads etc. and Propylene Glycol solution making your hygrometer essential as a back up because the gels will regulate humidification perfectly.

 

[tomthirtysix]

so my hygrometer has been in the bag for 2 day now and its at 52%.

Should I adjust the screw in the back to make it 70% or do you think that is just to far off?

No, adjust your hygro so it reads 75% then put it in your humidor an you're all set. That's the entire purpose of doing the salt test, to calibrate your hygrometer to 75%. You definitely want to get some type of gels, beads etc. and Propylene Glycol solution making your hygrometer essential as a back up because the gels will regulate humidification perfectly.

You're not supposed to use PG with the beads. Only distilled water. Also, you're spinning your wheels trying to get an analog hygro to work or even be close.

 

[thecatch83]

so my hygrometer has been in the bag for 2 day now and its at 52%.

Should I adjust the screw in the back to make it 70% or do you think that is just to far off?

No, adjust your hygro so it reads 75% then put it in your humidor an you're all set. That's the entire purpose of doing the salt test, to calibrate your hygrometer to 75%. You definitely want to get some type of gels, beads etc. and Propylene Glycol solution making your hygrometer essential as a back up because the gels will regulate humidification perfectly.

You're not supposed to use PG with the beads. Only distilled water. Also, you're spinning your wheels trying to get an analog hygro to work or even be close.

According to the President of Xikar, you can use either distilled water or PG when refilling the humidification device.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0qw6N3K2uI&playnext=1&list=PLCCD35148B73FA761

The folks at Thompson also recommend using solution with their gel jars. What beads are you referring to?

 

[tomthirtysix]

Heartfelt beads, which is generally what is meant when referring to "beads" on CP.

 

[grateful1]

The folks at Thompson also recommend using solution with their gel jars. What beads are you referring to?

I bet they want to sell you something too!?

Beads are silica beads.

They retain and release H2O.

Make sure you use the proper beads....as some are dangerous.

 

[thecatch83]

The folks at Thompson also recommend using solution with their gel jars. What beads are you referring to?

I bet they want to sell you something too!?

Beads are silica beads.

They retain and release H2O.

Make sure you use the proper beads....as some are dangerous.

I hear anal beads can be dangerous........ ???

 

[bnbtobacco]

Got this from a cigar website.




SALT TEST

With Winter here, the cool, crisp conditions have likely altered the environment inside your humidor. So, you'll want to keep a close eye on your humidor. But how do you know that your hygrometer is reading the humidity accurately? A simple calibration will do the trick. Here are a couple of ways to calibrate your hygrometer:

1) The Towel Test:
Dampen a towel (not dripping wet, but good and damp), then wrap the hygrometer in the towel for 30 to 45 minutes. Then unwrap it and read the humidity (quickly). If your hygrometer is perfectly calibrated (few are) it will be reading exactly 100% humidity. Most likely, it will be reading somewhere between 80 and 90%. At this point, whatever the hygrometer reads, you can either set the needle to exactly 75% immediately after the test, or if you're a little lazier, make a mental note of how far over or under the actual humidity is from the reading from your hygrometer.

2) Wanna get a little more technical? Try the Salt Test:
Luckily, as nature would have it, when salt and water (NaCl and H2O for you studious types), are in a saturated solution at equilibrium, the resultant humidity is 75%. This gives a fantastic reference point to calibrate our hygrometer. There is an easy way to determine if your hygrometer is accurate. Here's the procedure you should use: you need a ziploc bag, a screw-on beer bottle cap (or other small container) a small amount of salt (regular 'ole table salt), and water.

Place the salt in the bottle cap (or other small container).
Dampen the salt with water. Do not put so much in that the salt gets "sloppy". You want a damp pile of salt in the bottle cap.
Place both the hygrometer and the bottle cap full of damp salt in the ziploc bag and seal it well. (It is important not to let air on or out while the test is going on.)
Keep it like this for over 8 hours.
After 8 hours in the damp salt environment, the actual humidity inside the bag will be 75%. Compare it to your hygrometer, your hygrometer should also read 75%. If not, you will then know exactly how far off your hygrometer is. If it's off, note the amount and direction that it actually reads and be sure to add or subtract that amount when reading the hygrometer. If the hygrometer has a control to adjust it (either the needle or the display), you can set the hygrometer to 75% immediately after the test.

You should salt test your hygrometer every 6 months or so to be sure of the accuracy.

 

[grateful1]

edit - didn't noticed this was a pinned topic.

 

[MrAnderson41]

Dumb question and I'm not sure where this belongs, but what kind of a battery does the round Xikar hygrometer take? The batter that mine came with says CR 1225 on it but it doesn't seem to fit very well (need to jam a small piece of paper in the compartment to get it to make contact). I've seem some things on the net that suggest that maybe I need a LR44. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[MrAnderson41]

Fwiw, Xikar finally got back to me today and confirmed the correct battery to use is an lr44.

 

[Tall Paul]

Ok so I have read this thread and directions over and over how ever I keep having the same results I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts or has had this happen to them.

I tried the salt test with just a bottle cap full of the salt sotution and after 24hrs the Hygo and my Fluke humidity meter read exactly the same. 65% and 70F It would not come up over 65%. I know that the Fluke Meter is perfectly accurate to the 10ths of a %. So I can only assume since they are both reading the same thing my hygro is correct. To take it one step further I put a larger amount of the solution in the bag and retested. Same results!

I just got a new Avallo for Christmas from the misses and set it up last week. I set the control for 70% and it brought the humidity up to 70% and has been maintaining it for 5 days now. This is based on the reading of the Avallo. But my hygro only read 65% so I assumed it was off seeing as how the Avallo is brand new hense the reason for the salt testing. Now that I have done the salt testing I belive that the Avallo is off alittle.

What do you guys think?

Thanks Paul