Hygrometers

[hotreds]

Confused newbie here! I recently "calibrated" my hygrometers using a 75RH pak in a tupperware container. Two of my digitals were close, a third digital was about 10% high, the manual was about 5% low. I have a 150 cigar humidor with a built in Hygrometer- don't know how to test it, but seems to be about 5-10% lower than the two matching digitals- which stopped matching once I put them in the humidor!.

I understand the salt test is a no-no for digitals. I did this on the digital that reads about 10% high- could the salt test have discombobulated it?! I must say that I never got "correct" readings with the salt test that I tried about half a dozen times with different amounts of salt/water combinations. Nonetheless, never got the magic number to appear on the digital or manual!

After the pak RH test, I put all the hygrometers in the humidor, and the disparity between them was not constant compared to the tupperware container. The two digitals that matched in the tupperware are no longer in agreement. The built in hygrometer appears to be anywhere from 5-10% lower than the digitals that read 75% in the tupperware container depending on when I look. Doesn't seem to be rhyme or reason for it. The small manual is now about 10% lower than the matching digitals. ARG! Am I getting too anal about the whole thing? It bothers me not only that the hygrometers are incorrect, but especially that they are inconsistent!

The temperatures on the three digitals do, in fact, match. About 65 degrees.

Any comments and/or advice would be appreciated- if I spend even moderate sums on cigars, I want to be sure I have these problems resolved and/or know what the heck the RH in the humidor is!!

 

[DePasta]

Welcome to CP

Analog hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate...

How long did you leave the hygros in the tupperware container. they need to be in there for 12-24 hours to get a stabilized reading.

It seems you are getting a little too worked up, you don't have 7 humidors with lots of weatherstripping do you?

Do us a favor and introduce yourself and fill out your profile..then get some beads from Viper and forget about the hygros.

-D

 

[PTownshend]

It seems you are getting a little too worked up, you don't have 7 humidors with lots of weatherstripping do you?
-D

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\
Ummmmm, I was wondering the same thing. ??? :whistling:

 

[hotreds]

In fact, I have already purchased beads from Viper. I have two humidors- the big glass topped one, a small one that was my first that holds maybe 10-15 cigars( now holding glass tubed cigars that probably don't care about humidity levels), and I want to make a small deep well tupperware one as well. Before using the beads I just wanted to get straightened out on the hygrometer readings. Indeed, I am certainly getting too worked up about the whole matter, yet it would be nice to have something reliable to go with. I already threw away the analog hydro that came with the small humidor I purchased- only reason I purchased so many more was to see if I could get some kind of consistent reading- negative on that. Oh, well, anyway, is it fact true that the salt test will ruin digitals? And, where is the best place to put the humidifying element(or beads) in the two story glass top- on the bottom or top? Or does it not matter is such a relatively small space? Again, mercy buttercups for any help!

 

[BlindedByScience]

I understand the salt test is a no-no for digitals.

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Hmmm.....that's news to me. I'm curious where you heard that....??

I salt tested all three of my Little Havana Hygrometers about a year ago and they all tested on the money @ 75%...and are still working just fine.

The method I use for salt testing that always produces consistant results is:
- Use a shot glass for the salt / water mix. That way you can see how much water you have in there. Wet salt, not a pool of water is the goal.
- I use distilled water. Don't know that it's necessary, but it's cheap and I have some around for my beads so I figure what the heck.
- Conduct the test in a double bagged environment; that is, a ziplock bag inside a ziplock bag. This is the single thing I've found to give the most consistant readings.
- Read things after 12-14 hours. That seems to matter a lot.

...don't stress too much... :thumbs:

Good Luck - B.B.S.

 

[DevilsMilk]

I understand the salt test is a no-no for digitals.

[snapback]280847[/snapback]​

Hmmm.....that's news to me. I'm curious where you heard that....??

I salt tested all three of my Little Havana Hygrometers about a year ago and they all tested on the money @ 75%...and are still working just fine.

The method I use for salt testing that always produces consistant results is:
- Use a shot glass for the salt / water mix. That way you can see how much water you have in there. Wet salt, not a pool of water is the goal.
- I use distilled water. Don't know that it's necessary, but it's cheap and I have some around for my beads so I figure what the heck.
- Conduct the test in a double bagged environment; that is, a ziplock bag inside a ziplock bag. This is the single thing I've found to give the most consistant readings.
- Read things after 12-14 hours. That seems to matter a lot.

...don't stress too much... :thumbs:

Good Luck - B.B.S.

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I agree. Salt test on digital, mechanical, astronomical... Anything in between. Test away!

 

[Trek]

hotreds,
I had the same thing happen to me. I have 5 hygrometers (2 digital and 3 analog). After doing the salt test they were within 5% of 75%. I put them all in the humi and the RH readings were all over the place, as much as a 15% difference between them. Put the beads in your humi and don't worry about it. Keep a hygrometer in the humi. If you see the RH drops, it's probably time to recharge the beads.

 

[hotreds]

I understand the salt test is a no-no for digitals.

[snapback]280847[/snapback]​

Hmmm.....that's news to me. I'm curious where you heard that....??

The instructions that came with the digital said to NOT perform the "salt test" or wrap the hydro with a damp/wet towel.