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Last post 21 years ago by SteveS. 18 replies replies.
Digital Hygrometer?
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Arrow_34 Offline
#1 Posted: Tue, Mar 25 2003, 7:54 PM EST
Joined: 12-19-2002
Posts: 186
How accurate are they and how long do they take to fully acclimate to a humidor? I just bought a combo unit from my local walmart and i put it in my humidor and and hour later it only read 62% while my analog read 70-72%, I just calibrated my analog. Does it take more time?
xibbumbero Offline
#2 Posted: Tue, Mar 25 2003, 8:45 PM EST
Joined: 01-25-2002
Posts: 12,535
I think "Walmart" says it all. X
Arrow_34 Offline
#3 Posted: Tue, Mar 25 2003, 9:08 PM EST
Joined: 12-19-2002
Posts: 186
You think so? I had just assumed that a digital hygrometer is digital. Well if it keeps reading strange, I guess it goes back.
RICKAMAVEN Offline
#4 Posted: Tue, Mar 25 2003, 9:14 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2000
Posts: 33,248
wal mart items usually made in china. nothing wrong with their products, but you should calibrate the digital anyway. specs might call for + or - 7%.

i believe digital takes a little longer, but if you think it's taking too long, it probably is.

personally i would take it back and get one from radio shack.
Arrow_34 Offline
#5 Posted: Tue, Mar 25 2003, 9:25 PM EST
Joined: 12-19-2002
Posts: 186
That is what I think I will do.
Arrow_34 Offline
#6 Posted: Tue, Mar 25 2003, 9:28 PM EST
Joined: 12-19-2002
Posts: 186
Which one do you think I should get at radioshack, do they have more then one? Also how accurate are they?
THL Offline
#7 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 4:04 AM EST
Joined: 10-22-2002
Posts: 3,044
Radio Shack hygrometers are inconsistent as well. I have 3 of them and they all give a different reading. The new ones are also non-adjustable. However, they are consistent. Do a search here on calibration then do the salt test. That will tell you how much your hygrometers are off by. Once you know that, it's just addition or subtraction to get an accurate reading.
hoagie55 Offline
#8 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 5:26 AM EST
Joined: 03-01-2003
Posts: 909
Do what THL says, do the salt test and then adjust it. Then wait several weeks to a month and do the salt test again. That way you will see if it goes out of calibration and then get an idea of how long it takes to do so.
Robby Offline
#9 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 5:39 AM EST
Joined: 10-30-2002
Posts: 5,067
two words, "Do a salt test"
hoagie55 Offline
#10 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 5:40 AM EST
Joined: 03-01-2003
Posts: 909
That looks like four words to me! :-)
THL Offline
#11 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 6:10 AM EST
Joined: 10-22-2002
Posts: 3,044
Pardon my usage. I should have said they are "inaccurate" but consistent. I said that they're inconsistently consistent. That description is for a politician, not a hygrometer.
lenny4z Offline
#12 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 8:56 AM EST
Joined: 10-29-2002
Posts: 297
I have 4 digital hygros from Walmart and all read the same and all are right-on when I do the salt test. Maybe I'm just lucky and got the only good ones they had. Try the salt test on your unit and see how close it is. In general, digitals are more accurate through a wider range than an analog. It's possible that your analog was off, even though it had been recently calibrated.

-Lenny
Arrow_34 Offline
#13 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 9:27 AM EST
Joined: 12-19-2002
Posts: 186
Just did the salt test again with both my analogs and the digital, the digital won't go above 69rh and the analogs are both spot on at 75rh. Well I will try a radioshack one I guess. Kinda disappointing that it is a crap shoot to get a good one.
Arrow_34 Offline
#14 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 9:35 AM EST
Joined: 12-19-2002
Posts: 186
Actually what do you think of this one?
CALIBER II DIGITAL HYGROMETER $16.95

SteveS Offline
#15 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 2:15 PM EST
Joined: 01-13-2002
Posts: 8,751
do the damp salt test on it ... and yes, as a broad rule of thumb, digitals are a LOT more accurate than analog ...

BUT ... in the final analysis, YOU are the best judge of all ... I can tell by the way my cigars feel and smoke ... I do better than the analog too ... LOL
Arrow_34 Offline
#16 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 2:20 PM EST
Joined: 12-19-2002
Posts: 186
I did and it was off by 6-7 rh. I opened it up to see if there were any adjustment pots, nope!
xrundog Offline
#17 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 2:25 PM EST
Joined: 01-17-2002
Posts: 2,212
I have one of the Don Salvatore mini like the ones sold here. It was accurate out of the box and I like the small size. It may be more costly than the RS model though.
Robby Offline
#18 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 2:26 PM EST
Joined: 10-30-2002
Posts: 5,067
You could always try to take them back and say they suck.
SteveS Offline
#19 Posted: Wed, Mar 26 2003, 6:33 PM EST
Joined: 01-13-2002
Posts: 8,751
after doing the damp salt test on a non-adjustable digital unit, you know how far it's off, so you translate ... if it reads 5 deg low and says 65, you know you're OK ... it's still accurate, you just have to know how to read it ...

You can take them back if you want to, but you'll still have to test the replacement and in all liklihood, make some translation or another ...
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