Hygrometer frustration

J

jamz

Elitist a-hole
How is it that I can individually salt test and calibrate 3 hygrometers (one digital 2 analog), yet when I put them in the same humidor, they read ten or fifteen percent apart from one another?

Salt testing was done with damp (not wet) non iodized salt in a bottle cap, sealed in leakproof baggie, given 6-12 hours to stablize.

Add to this the new hydra which sends things to 85% humidity according to 2 of the other hygrometers. What am I doing wrong?
 
Is this a cabinet humi? Are you taking readings in different areas? Try putting the hydos close to each other and see if they read near the same.
 
With a humdor that small the Hydra sounds like overkill, I am buessing the Hydra has to be blowing straight onto the wood somewhere and that could lead to mold too. You shouldn't need 3 hygrometers and a Hydra, buy some beads and spread them throughout, use one hygrometer or maybe one on each level and you should be fine. :2

If you are set on the Hydra, although I wouldn't be sure why, the Hydra's are notoriously terrible for having the hygrometers on them being very innacurate, you need to be sure they are calibrated to a hygrometer that is dead on so you know exactly how much it it off. Mine was off 7% but I knew it was from my digital hygrometer and the situation was easily rectified.
 
chippewastud79 said:
With a humdor that small the Hydra sounds like overkill
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I tend to agree on the hydra being overkill.

I have a Oasis XL in my Daniel Marshall 165 count and I know it's a bit overkill, but I do like active humidification with fans and all.
It's where I keep my best sticks and boy do they smoke nice.

I would just use some beads on different levels and be done with it.

SAVE the hydra for when you get a cabinet!
 
Scrap the analog ones and go all digital. They are crap and will never give you a correct reading. And I agree, the Hydra is way overkill. I use two small water pillows for a humidor that size.
 
Well I ordered beads that should come in this week, maybe I'll put the hydra in the coolerdor and beads in the humi. Thanks for the advice, all!
 
So one more silly question- when my 70% beads arrive, after I make 75% of them damp (clear), if I put them in a sealed box with my hygrometers.... after a while I should adjust them to read 70%, right? This is just as good as a salt test?
 
jamz said:
So one more silly question- when my 70% beads arrive, after I make 75% of them damp (clear), if I put them in a sealed box with my hygrometers.... after a while I should adjust them to read 70%, right? This is just as good as a salt test?
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I'm no expert but you're still better off doing the salt test. There are too many variables with trying to calibrate them in your humidor with 70% beads. Plus alot of vendors that sell the Hygroset Hygrometer such as Taboo will sell you a Calibration kit for $2 more.
 
I think a lot of places will throw in the calibration bag for you.

I have used beads to calibrate in a hygrometer in an already seasoned humi, I would not be as confident using beads to calibrate a hygro in a NON-seasoned humi.
 
AD720 said:
I think a lot of places will throw in the calibration bag for you.

I have used beads to calibrate in a hygrometer in an already seasoned humi, I would not be as confident using beads to calibrate a hygro in a NON-seasoned humi.
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You're right I just checked. Taboo is including the calibration kit for free right now.
 
jamz said:
Hrm, I ordered from heartfelt. Wonder what they do.
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Heartfelt charges $2 for the bags, but they charge $2 less for the hygro than most places so it evens out.

Call them, maybe if they haven't shipped it yet you can add a bag to your order.
 
I have a no adjustable analog that is perfectly accurate and I have a digital in my 100 count humidor. when there near each other there the same but when I put my digital on the bottom under the tray it reads about 3%RH less.
 
could be the hygros, analogs are horribly inaccurate and maybe the digital is "flakey." I have a digital (wal-mart) that I calibrated and used for more than a year and it was right on the money, until recently. I noticed it was about 10 points low with my beads but the beads were 60% clear. I tested it both with salt and bovedas and it flops between 9 points low and 2 points high. I have changed the battery with no prevail so I have come to the conclusion sometimes they just go bad.
 
It was they hydra overpowering the humi, I think you guys were right. I took it out and put it in the cooler, let the humi dry out for a couple days, got my 70% beads in, and when I put them in, BLAM my digi hygo stopped right dead at 70% and hasn't budged since. :)
 
When I salt test I actually use tupperware. This gives me a more accurate reading, it is more airtight.
 
I'm having hygo frustration myself. Just changed all the batteries and one shut off and won't come back on.

I am using the Boveda calibration kit and they are all showing way different rh and the adjustable calibration is giving me fits.

Oh well, all part of the hobby I guess.
 
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