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Last post 21 years ago by SteveS. 37 replies replies.
P230 Mini Hygro-Thermometer Problem
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cruiser Offline
#1 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 4:22 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2001
Posts: 739
Anybody else having a problem with the P3 Hygrometer.I have 2 and the tempratur differs only 0.3 however the hygrometer differs a wooping 11% when putting them next to eachother,called service today they told me to take out the batteries wait a minute and put them back in still the same I would appreciate any feedback thanks!
E-Chick Offline
#2 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 6:35 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
I have 2 of those, too! Only, I seem to go through so many batteries while visiting this site...hmmm?



Never thought about waiting a minute and reinserting them...I'll try it now...



Oh, silly-chatter-box-goofy-blonde-female me...I thought you were talking about the P3 Vibometer. My bad...really...
Mr.Mean Offline
#3 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 6:52 AM EST
Joined: 05-16-2001
Posts: 3,025
UNBELIEVABLE.
SteveS Offline
#4 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 7:06 AM EST
Joined: 01-13-2002
Posts: 8,751
I know ... I've missed her too
E-Chick Offline
#5 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 7:07 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
Sounds like Mr. Mean is also experiencing the same problem...almost left him speechless!
E-Chick Offline
#6 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 7:08 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
Hi Steve...
E-Chick Offline
#7 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 7:09 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
And now, back to the original post by cruiser...



Anybody else having a problem with the P3 Hygrometer.I have 2 and the tempratur differs only 0.3 however the hygrometer differs a wooping 11% when putting them next to eachother,called service today they told me to take out the batteries wait a minute and put them back in still the same I would appreciate any feedback thanks!
xibbumbero Offline
#8 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 7:44 AM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
UNBELIEVABLE! HE HE X
cruiser Offline
#9 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:02 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2001
Posts: 739
ones in a blue moon i post a cigar relatet problem on this board,and those are the responses, I would say this sucks! AMEN
E-Chick Offline
#10 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:16 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2002
Posts: 4,877
No, Cruiser, what you should have said is...suck this, not this sucks...LOL! I tried to get it back on topic, no offense!
Mr.Mean Offline
#11 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:19 AM EST
Joined: 05-16-2001
Posts: 3,025
Sorry Cruiser, I don't have the same hygrometer that you have so I don't have a solution for you. Only thing I can think to ask is, is there a petiometer that can be adjusted? someone around here has the test you can do to determine your true humidity.
SteveS Offline
#12 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:21 AM EST
Joined: 01-13-2002
Posts: 8,751
re; the hygrometer problem ... in an effort to give some serious information, I contacted a dealer for those units who told me that there is no adjustment ... the units are, he said, guaranteed to be +/- 5% ... I told him that I thought 5% was a huge almost unacceptable variance, but that even so, they were 11% apart ... his response was that if one were 5% high and the other 5% low, that would explain everything ... bottom line, he said, is that these are as good a hygrometer as he is aware of and that if one is dis-satisfied, one should seek a refund ...

I know this is not a whole lot more actual help than the attempts at humor above and perhaps even less entertaining, but at least I tried ... sorry 'bout that.

makes me wonder about the accuracy of my own (I have the same unit) and whether there really IS something better and more reliable out there ... I'll share anything I learn.
cruiser Offline
#13 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:32 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2001
Posts: 739
Thanks Steve now you really confused me I thought only one is bad,however after your explanation they both are garbage,got them from CI,now I got to purchase another one to see whats going on!
goldengoose7 Offline
#14 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:39 AM EST
Joined: 06-28-2002
Posts: 310
E-Chick,

This crap is getting really old! Give it a fricking rest already!

Who makes this brand that is so inaccruate? I want to know so that I can avoid it in the future. I just bought one of those Csonka units from CB. Are those decent? I surely hope so!
SteveS Offline
#15 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:40 AM EST
Joined: 01-13-2002
Posts: 8,751
OK ... here's the latest ... confirming what I learned from the dealer I contacted first, 3 more vendors have told me that those are as good as it gets and that there is no adjustment ... however, each of these others has told me that +/- 3% is what should be expected and that an 11% variance indicates one of yours is a bad unit ... question is - which one?

If they're fairly new, best advise seems to be to return them to where you got them and exchange them ... otherwise, find an independent means of establishing which is the one out of whack and make a note of how far it is out, then allow for that margin when checking your humidors ...

Still not all one might hope for, and I'm gonna ask a couple of local guys when I get the chance ... I'll let you know what they have to say ...
SteveS Offline
#16 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:47 AM EST
Joined: 01-13-2002
Posts: 8,751
Cruiser ... re your statement "I thought only one is bad,however after your explanation they both are garbage ..."

not necessarily true ... one might be accurate and the other total crap, one might be pretty good, but a LITTLE off with the other being ALMOST total crap ...

I think if they were mine, what I'd do is check 'em both by using the wet salt method ... in fact, I AM going to check mine that way when I get home tonight. Then, at least you'd have a pretty good idea of where you stand and if one or both of them is bad, I'm sure CI will stand behind it as they do everything else they sell.
br> and if you don't know how to use the wet salt method to check 'em, write me ... [email protected] ... and yes, 'from' IS part of the addy ... I screwed up when getting that, it confuses everyone but me ... lol
goldengoose7 Offline
#17 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 8:49 AM EST
Joined: 06-28-2002
Posts: 310
Determining which unit is bad shouldn't be too tough. Just do the SALT in the cap trick in a baggie and see how far off of 75% it reads.
Mr.Mean Offline
#18 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 9:02 AM EST
Joined: 05-16-2001
Posts: 3,025
Salt in the cap in the baggie thingie................To calibrate your hygrometer you will need table salt, a see through container such as a Ziplock baggie, and a small shallow open container, like a bottle cap. Place a teaspoon or so of salt in the shallow container and add a few drops of water to get it wet. You don't want to dissolve it, just get a good damp pile of salt in your container. Remember, you don't want a salt water solution, just damp salt. Place the shallow container in the baggie along with the hygrometer. Seal the baggie with some air trapped inside (so it is not tight against the hygrometer) and let it sit. Allow this to stabilize for at least 6 hours (don't rush it). After it has stabilized, check the hygrometer reading without opening up the baggie. It should be exactly 75%. If not, you can simply adjust the reading by turning the dial on the back of the hygrometer with a small screwdriver
Mr.Mean Offline
#19 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 9:04 AM EST
Joined: 05-16-2001
Posts: 3,025
Salt in the cap in the baggie thingie................To calibrate your hygrometer you will need table salt, a see through container such as a Ziplock baggie, and a small shallow open container, like a bottle cap. Place a teaspoon or so of salt in the shallow container and add a few drops of water to get it wet. You don't want to dissolve it, just get a good damp pile of salt in your container. Remember, you don't want a salt water solution, just damp salt. Place the shallow container in the baggie along with the hygrometer. Seal the baggie with some air trapped inside (so it is not tight against the hygrometer) and let it sit. Allow this to stabilize for at least 6 hours (don't rush it). After it has stabilized, check the hygrometer reading without opening up the baggie. It should be exactly 75%. If not, you can simply adjust the reading by turning the dial on the back of the hygrometer with a small screwdriver
Mr.Mean Offline
#20 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 9:09 AM EST
Joined: 05-16-2001
Posts: 3,025
damn hiccups are going around
xibbumbero Offline
#21 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 9:13 AM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
I have both the Csonka and Don Salvatore. I rec ether one X
5augie5 Offline
#22 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 11:22 AM EST
Joined: 12-02-1999
Posts: 165
This may sound a bit simplistic, but I check the humidity level on mine by leaving it outside for a few hours, then turning to the weather channel to get the relative outside humidity. Mine was within 2%, so I figured it was fine. Is this method flawed? Maybe I'll do the salt test to see..
cruiser Offline
#23 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 11:44 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2001
Posts: 739
Thanks MR.Mean they're both in the ziplock with salt,lets wait and see!
Mr.Mean Offline
#24 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 12:09 PM EST
Joined: 05-16-2001
Posts: 3,025
Keep us posted.
cruiser Offline
#25 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 12:24 PM EST
Joined: 06-15-2001
Posts: 739
OK the latestet news and I dont get it,77.9 and 75% and the other one 78.1 and 70% lets wait and see I am not Einstein and i dont get it in the same place before they where 11% apart and now only 5 is there a mathemathical explanation?
Mr.Mean Offline
#26 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 12:38 PM EST
Joined: 05-16-2001
Posts: 3,025
It means....STOP LOOKING AT IT!!!! Instructions say at least 6 hours
Mr.Mean Offline
#27 Posted: Thu, Jul 11 2002, 7:22 PM EST
Joined: 05-16-2001
Posts: 3,025
Your six hours is up. Whatcha find?
cruiser Offline
#28 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 2:45 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2001
Posts: 739
O.K. after 5 hours i went to bed and the measured 75 and 80 however this morning it was 79 and 84 maybe to much water in the salt, so i repacked this morning only with 5 trops of water and wait another 6hours,well after that i will let you know maybe I get a Phd for this research!
eleltea Offline
#29 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 4:34 AM EST
Joined: 03-03-2002
Posts: 4,562
Wrap both units in large, wet towel. Not dripping wet, but very damp. Wait half an hour. Humidity should read 100.
goldengoose7 Offline
#30 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 7:34 AM EST
Joined: 06-28-2002
Posts: 310
The salt method is fool proof.

The salt should be damp to the touch like wet sand. Not runny or syrupy, just damp. The reading you are getting after 5-6 hours is the amount your gauges are OUT of adjustment. They should read 75% if they are accurate.

The towel wrapped around the gauge is much less precise and not recommended for analog gauges if they are set too high already.
SteveS Offline
#31 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 7:43 AM EST
Joined: 01-13-2002
Posts: 8,751
the wet towel is better than nothing, the damp salt is better than the wet towel .. the key to the salt method is to realize that it is DAMP salt that is required, not salty water or really, even TOO wet salt ... I take the plastic cap from one of the spice bottles in the cupboard, pour salt into it and add just barely enough water to make it DAMP and no more ... it works like a charm. It is FAR more accurate to do this than to use the wet towels ...
cruiser Offline
#32 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 10:44 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2001
Posts: 739
here we go final result 78%and82% now they are only 4-5% apart yesterday it was 11% whats going on ,maybe one more time the saltcure and they will be equal!It seems like a old womentale that salt cures the Hygrometer.You guy's have a nice weekend!
goldengoose7 Offline
#33 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 10:49 AM EST
Joined: 06-28-2002
Posts: 310
YEOW! Thats pretty bad for a digital hygro!

Well, just make a note about how many percentage points they are off and you will know what the REAL RH reading is when the over reading is subtracted from your display.

You might want to bid on a Csonka on CB if you would prefer to get one that is accurate enough to see the real RH on the display.
GetYourOwn Offline
#34 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 11:04 AM EST
Joined: 04-05-2002
Posts: 734
I have bad news for you. Using the accepted %tolorance formula your meters are 4% and 9.33% off. Earlier someone stated that 3% is acceptable. You need to find out what that humidity that the 3% is at. I would send the 9% one back. All of you get a lesson in how off meters can be even if they are supposedly good.
eleltea Offline
#35 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 11:17 AM EST
Joined: 03-03-2002
Posts: 4,562
I have never understood why someone does not sell a pre-calibrated hygrometer that is accurate. Makes me doubt the reliability of the things in general. I have an analog and a digital. Neither is within 5 points of actual.
cruiser Offline
#36 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 11:37 AM EST
Joined: 06-15-2001
Posts: 739
Thanks again and the Hygroproblem is out of my head,just heatet up my grill2go 2 nice lean NY.Strips are waiting seasoned with canadian steak seasonig,got a Hollandia Beer half finished and a cool Krombacher Pils is waiting ( maybe i am a pig 2 strip steaks?)and finish it off with a esteban cruz torp! Life is good Amen!
goldengoose7 Offline
#37 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 11:44 AM EST
Joined: 06-28-2002
Posts: 310
Sounds like a good meal to me! :o) As for the hygro accuracy, the problem is, most of these gauges are sold for home use and the NEED TO KNOW down to the percentage point in that capacity isn't there.

However, those hygros (Digitals in particular) for cigar humidor use really need to be within that +/- 3 degree rating or better. The one I have now, (got it off EBAY for 20 bucks) is perfectly accurate. I put it in a salt baggie and it reads 75% on the nose. I just bought a Csonka off of CB based on recommendations from a few friends locally that it was as accurate as the one I already own. I sure hope so. I am spoiled by the one I already have, and didn't realize that some of these digital hygros were no more useful than something you would get out of a box of Cracker Jacks! ;O)
SteveS Offline
#38 Posted: Fri, Jul 12 2002, 11:46 AM EST
Joined: 01-13-2002
Posts: 8,751
Hey, Cruiser ... if you run into any difficulty in dealing with the strips, the beer or the Esteban Cruz torps, you let me know and I'll be right on over to help out ... you know the old saying about a friend (with strips/beer/torps) in need ...
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