calibrating my new hygrometer

[siva66]

just got this new hygrometer:

new hygrometer

and i salt tested it and found it to be about 6% off (69% vs the salt test of 75%). i double checked it with my old hygrometer which i already knew was off about 2% abd that reading is correct (unfortunately). i've read about being able to adjust some of the radio shack hygrometers by opening them. has anyone ever adjusted this type of radio shack model (#: 63-1032)? thanks in advance.

 

[smallg]

6, 8, or 12 hour test? tupperware, ziplock, glass jar? shot glass, bottle cap, or other to hold the salt? damp salt, not very damp, or soupy salt?

a lot of factors with salt tests from what I've learned and experienced. I would get some beads, put that hygrometer in there and like ron popeil once said, "set it and forget it".

 

[cgarlvr]

My understanding was the salt would show equilibration at 70%, not 75%..Am I wrong here??

 

[cgarlvr]

BTW, is Ron Popeil that guy who sells rotisserie chickens and spray on hair on late night TV?

 

[viper139]

My understanding was the salt would show equilibration at 70%, not 75%..Am I wrong here??

[snapback]252443[/snapback]​

Salt test will give 75% if done correctly.

 

[Zeebra]

My understanding was the salt would show equilibration at 70%, not 75%..Am I wrong here??

[snapback]252443[/snapback]​

Salt test will give 75% if done correctly.

[snapback]252454[/snapback]​

I'm doing the salt test on my hygrometer now too. I didn't realize that I had the sponge in the humidor before when the needle was dead on 70. Now with only the beads it's sitting at 68% (which is fine). I just want to make sure it's really 68 and not actually 70. If the hygrometer doesn't go right to 75 I can assume it's off by 2% (I might have had it at 72 before and not 70). We'll see!

 

[jabba]

anything between 65 and 70 is fine, especially is the RH is stable.

 

[BlindedByScience]

My method:

- Use a shot glass so you can < see > how much water you have in the salt.
- Make sure the salt is wet top to bottom, but no "puddles"
- DOUBLE BAG the test environment. I think this is very important. Has to be sealed up very tightly.
- Wait 12 hours. No more, no less.

Last time I checked my three Little Havana hygros with this method, they were all on the money @ 75%....but, get some of Viper's beads, anyway.... :laugh:

Good luck - B.B.S.

 

[Zeebra]

My method:

- Use a shot glass so you can < see > how much water you have in the salt.
- Make sure the salt is wet top to bottom, but no "puddles"
- DOUBLE BAG the test environment. I think this is very important. Has to be sealed up very tightly.
- Wait 12 hours. No more, no less.

Last time I checked my three Little Havana hygros with this method, they were all on the money @ 75%....but, get some of Viper's beads, anyway.... :laugh:

Good luck - B.B.S.

[snapback]252510[/snapback]​

Why is the time so important? I put the salt in the bag with the hygrometer, it's been just about 1 hour and it's already at 75%. Can I expect this to change over time?

 

[BlindedByScience]

Why is the time so important? I put the salt in the bag with the hygrometer, it's been just about 1 hour and it's already at 75%. Can I expect this to change over time?

[snapback]252529[/snapback]​

I haven't had that experience. I have done this about three times, and I watch the humidity rise up to 75% slowly over a couple of hours. I figure 12 gives you enough time for the enviroment to reach equilibrium. I've let it go longer to see what would happen (damn engineers....) and after 15-20 hours, it seems to start wandering around a bit. Not sure why but my guess is that the seal on the bags isn't "perfect". I helped a buddy test his stuff and we threw one of my hygros in there as a "control". Sure enough, 12 hours later, it was rock solid.

Nothing magic about the time - it just seems to work for me.

Regards - B.B.S.

 

[siva66]

6, 8, or 12 hour test? tupperware, ziplock, glass jar? shot glass, bottle cap, or other to hold the salt? damp salt, not very damp, or soupy salt?

a lot of factors with salt tests from what I've learned and experienced. I would get some beads, put that hygrometer in there and like ron popeil once said, "set it and forget it".

[snapback]252352[/snapback]​

checked at 6 and 12 hours, double ziplock bags, small finger glass bowl to hold the salt (no larger than a large mouth bottle cap - think 32 oz aquafina bottle), salt damp from top to bottom, no real excess water. double checked it agains my other hygrometer which i know the calibration of. as for my other question, does anyone know of any way to adjust my new hygrometer? or do i just have to add 6% from each reading?

thanks

 

[Great King Rat]

Sounds like to much water, you need 5 drops.

"salt damp from top to bottom, no real excess water."