I just got me a digital hygrometer. Are these more accurate than analog? My new one is reading 58% humidity in my big humi (which isn't full enough) but my analog reads about 70.

The paperwork inside the box with the new digital says not to do the "salt test". I did it on the analog and came out fine. Which one do you think is more accurate? I am using 65% climmax in my humis.

Unless you spend a hefty chunk of change, they can be inaccurate by nature. While most give a reading within 1-3 percent, some that I own have been off by as much as 8 or 9.

Do the salt test. If it reads 70% after the 8 hours, tape a piece of paper near the output screen that says 'Add 5%'. If it reads 80% after the 8 hours, write 'Subtract 5%' on the paper.

I have four digitals and I don't trust any of them. I went back to the old timers. JMO

I use a digital myself and have no problems with it. It is pretty darn accurate.

I would recommend always using the salt test, regardless of what type of hygrometer you have. Even retesting your hygrometer a few times a year is a good idea.

anyone have the link to the thread with the directions on the salt test ? i think i should check mine

I have 4 digitals and only one is spot on. One even is off by -6%. Don't trust them do the salt test and like was said before mark them plus or minus.

Alright folks. I'm going to salt test it today. I'll put the digital and the analog in and see which one reads more accurately.

I tested 7 digitals. 6 were within .5% of each other. 1 was 3% low, so I added a +3 sticker to it. It's in my dog rocket desktop.

Analogs are useful for decoration ... I've got one digital that I rotate among my humidors (when I think about it), but by and large, I can tell by the cigars themselves whats going on humidity-wise ...

oops ... too quick on the trigger finger there ...

My point was, that if you're using the climmax media, don't put too much effort into worrying about the hygrometer ... that stuff works and it works well ... you can tell visually when it needs to have a little distilled water added (DON'T EVER add PG or 50/50 to the media)

Thanks for the replies guys.

I am about 5 hours into the salt test. The analog jumped right up into the 70's at the start of the test and is sitting at 77% right now. The digital has been slowly creeping up and is at 72% right now. Maybe it just needed some time to adjust...

I have three digitals that I use, I swap them around my tupperdores. They are all within 3% of each other.

Salt test complete. My digital read 74% at the end of the test. The analog read 80%. I guess it was reading accurately... maybe I need to put more climmax in the humi? I have a soap dish with holes drilled in the top for a 250 capacity humidor. Shouldn't that be enough?

Don't know why they're so adamant in the directions not to do the salt test. I didn't with the first couple I got because I thought for some reason the salt test might cause corrosion or mess up the calibration in some way. I got a third and it was about 8 degrees off the other two. Since then I've always salt tested new ones I've gotten and can't tell that it's had any ill effect on them at all. Maybe they just want us to trust them...............

Should be enough, MACS. Have you added enough H2O?

Yeah, I'm sure I did. I soaked the buggers and then dumped out the excess water. I live in the high desert so the humidity today is about 10%...

I switched to a slightly larger container than a soap dish and added more media. I'll leave it shut until Sunday and then check the RH.

Keep your pants on folks... I got sticks I can smoke in another humi that is sitting nicely at about 66%!!

I've had 4 of the thin flat type digitals, 3 quit working within a month, 1 is still working though off about 6%.

I bought a couple locally....one for $19 that was within 1%, and another just the other night for $13, dead on. they are a little bigger, but much more durable than those others IMHO.

Dave

MACS,

It seems to me that they take awhile to soak up the water. I can sometimes here them singin' the Rice Crispies song for hours on end. I usually give them several hours to soak before I dump the water and re-install 'em.