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problem when calibrating hygrometer

Vikder

New Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2002
Messages
109
I've got a weird thing happening when I try to calibrate my hygrometers. I'm curious if anyone can help me figure this out.
I put my three hygrometers into a clear Tupperware container with the proper salt and water mix. After 24 hours here is what is read:

Hygrometer #1=72%
Hygrometer #2=73%
Hygrometer #3=78%

Ok. By the above hygro #1 is 3% under, #2 is 2% under and #3 is 3% over. Cool, no problem.
Here is the issue. When I put each one separately into the Tupperware here are the results after 24 hours.

Hygrometer #1=74%
Hygrometer #2=76%
Hygrometer #3=80%

Now how the heck can this be? This just makes no sense at all. I have even repeated the above results by doing the tests 3 times each! Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Vic
 
I'd do them each separate. I think there may be an issue when your trying to calibrate 3 at once. Not sure about the whole chemistry thing, but I'm sure someone like, ohhhh, Emo will be able to give a better answer :p He's really good with these things

But I'd do each one by itself just for kicks.
 
I agree with the Tonester. If there is some weird interaction going on with the hygros, doing the test separately will eliminate that. And you'll only have one in a given box at a time anyway, right?
 
FT: true that i only have one in a box at a time, but the reason i was testing them all in one box is to verify the deviation. I suppose i'm anal like that :p

But i am starting to think that i should only rely on the data from seperate tests.

Vic
 
From what I understand of Hygrometers, they're all going to be off by a few, sometimes even a lot. I have one hygro that is 10 points off no matter what I do. I just put a tiny sticky on the bottom with a +- and the number it's off. Simple, easy to remember.

Just my opinion.
 
Doing the three in 1 container isnt a problem. The meters don't interact with the atmosphere, just react to the moisture. But since tupperware isnt air tight all the time, you "could" get some variance. The key to all of this is ambient RH. If one day is drier by a good few degrees than another, that could swing the needle by 1 percent.Here is what I do now, I average over 48 hours. It really doesnt matter if the RH reads %65 , all my smokes feel like silk to touch.
 
This is very frustrating for me. I'm not skilled in the ways of feeling the cigar for proper humidity :(
I'm just trying to find a way to get the most accurate reading on these gauges so i know what their offset is. So far i have not been able to get any results that i can count as accurate. I have a Cigar Oasis in my humidor and i'm trying to get the best reading so i can set it at 65%. At this point i think i'm only guessing :(

Vic
 
distribute your cogars among the members of this forum.
i'm sure we could tell you if they're allright to smoke. ;) :p
 
Vik...Here is the another way to calibrate them. Change out tupperware for a mason jar. Put the salt solution into the jar with the hydrometer. Then put the whole thing into a gallon ziplock. I calibrate my analogs right next to my humi. I do this as I know temperature can affect RH. After you dial in the RH a couple times and get it within +/- %2, I either write with a grease pencil or regular pencil the error on the back. Also keep in mind you can get a little variance in RH inside the humidor itself.

Emo
 
Also, if you compare the first to the second test you can see that all 3 went up by the same percentage. If you did the second test 3 times and it came out the same, it would be a safe assumption that is your final reading. Trust what you see and don't over complicate it.

Emo
 
Mmm, trust in Master Emo you will. Strong in the humidity he is. Mmmm
 
Here's a new one for ya. I put Hygro #1 & #2 in a tupperware container with some 65% climmax beads. Then i put the tupperware in a gallon zip lock bag. After 11 hours they read:

Hygrometer #1=69%
Hygrometer #2=66%

Now remember when i put hygro#1 & #2 in the same tupperware with salt i get:

Hygrometer #1=72%
Hygrometer #2=73%

This just sucks :(

Vic
 
I would trust the salt water test, as there is more room for variance when it comes to the climmax media.

Emo
 
Sounds like your trying to make things more difficult than they need to be Brotha Vic. Trust in Emo, and trust in yourself, even if they flucuate +-5 points, I truly don't see anything bad happening to your smokes.

But I'll tell ya this much, when I first came on the board, I asked the same questions, and everyone told me the same thing above :)

My personal stash goes from 65-70% all the time.
 
Rather than getting into a huge debate about RH just buy your hygrometer from someone that precalibrates them. Too many variables involved to get anywhere near accurate at home. Will offer one solution, put them in the humi with the Oasis, it comes preset at 70%. ;)
 
Hygrometer #1=69%
Hygrometer #2=66%

Now remember when i put hygro#1 & #2 in the same tupperware with salt i get:

Hygrometer #1=72%
Hygrometer #2=73%

This just sucks

thats not too bad. Its nice to have them show perfect but just make the labels like Tony said and you're perfect.
 
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