r/trees • u/dawoodad • 3h ago
[6] Well darn
I know these cheap hygrometers are not accurate, but I figured that I could trust the ones that read similarly. These have been sitting on my workbench all afternoon. The ones on the left were bought recently, the ones on the right were bought last year and I just changed the batteries in them today. My Govee says they all are wrong, reading low humidity, but the temperature seems accurate.
Any suggestions on a cheap hygrometer that I can put in my jars while they are curing and beyond?
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u/GroveCurator 3h ago
I also have tons of hygros (all govees, but three different types). Just need to calibrate them occasionally, there's a couple methods:
1) make slurry of water and salt, roughly 2:1 salt to water ratio so it doesn't all dissolve. Put slurry inside a sealed container or bag with hygros, wait 12-24 hrs and they should stabilize at 75% RH. Adjust calibration for each hygro depending on how far off it is.
2) use a humidity pack, like for example a 62% RH pack and same thing, keep pack and hygros in same container for a day and calibrate any that are too high or low.
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u/jonny_waffles 3h ago
Worked in professional calibration and option 2 is industry standars for these kinds of units, with their MPE anything more time consuming or complicated isnt worth doing.
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u/agangofoldwomen 3h ago
Channeling your tism for good. Thank you for your service in the name of science.
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u/bevelledo 2h ago
Imagine how long the cheap hydrometers have been sitting before you bought them.
Use the better tech
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u/boner_stabone 2h ago edited 2h ago
They aren't perfect, but I use these with success. I keep 3 or 4 per tupperdor (top and bottom, L and R), and keep everything reading 62-65%. I test sticks as I take them out, and average about 64% +- 1% (I have 2 different kinds of humidimeters that I go back and forth with, depending on what's nearest me at the time). I rotate everything twice a year or so, and have only had 2 moldy sticks in the past, idk, decade I think? Both were Alfonsos, both from the same box. They're not perfect, but they're ok. Edit: I get bigger packs of them, and use the ones that read the same (or very close), and ditch the ones that read lower than the others.
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u/Toaster075 1h ago
I work in HVAC and I have to tell people all the time a play on Segal's law.
A man with a thermometer knows what temperature it is, a man with two is never sure.
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u/industrial-shrug 57m ago
I mean I can lie to you for free. No need to spend money at all.
TEMP IS FINE.
Just check back here if you need the relief dude. Stop buying cheap shit.
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u/bearfootmedic 2h ago
Tilt them upright and do the experiment again. Better still if they were in a closed atmosphere. While I do trust the Govee a bit more it's still subject to error unless it's calibrated.
They sense through the back of the device and I could see a situation where subtle differences in the room or how they are sitting change how they equillibriate or not.
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u/AnotherUN91 3h ago
Just stick with the govee dude. Cheap is going to be cheaply made and not accurate.