Stupid and Embarrasing

[DRed409]

So I have quite a few digital hydrometers (xikar, a few caliber IV's, etc.)
It seems they have all gone crazy, I use Boveda packs so I know where my RH is at, but my Hyrdo's are all over the place.
I have attempted to calibrate them at 75% and 65 and 62% respectively. So my question is:
When calibrating a hydro should it be at 75% with the boveda pack and make adjustments upon 75, or should i Calibrate it to the pack I am actually using (in an airtight container). It seems when I make one click of the adjustment wheel, the reading will spike 8%. I am loosing my mind.

 

[irratebass]

From what I have been told the hygrometer should read what it says on the Boveda for instance 69% boveda - 69 on the hygro.....if the hygro is not reading what it says on the Boveda, then just make a note either on the hygro or somewhere..........is that right everyone?

 

[mitetak]

From what I have been told the hygrometer should read what it says on the Boveda for instance 69% boveda - 69 on the hygro.....if the hygro is not reading what it says on the Boveda, then just make a note either on the hygro or somewhere..........is that right everyone?

Yep - doesn't *have* to be 75. As long as you have a known humidity level - that is sufficient for calibration.

So sealed container + boveda is just fine @DRed409

 

[mitetak]

I realize that I never addressed your concern though.

Are you saying that the readings are off - you stick them in a sealed container with a boveda (one at a time) for 24hrs + and then based on that reading you make a single adjustment (that should be like 1-2%) but instead you're now off like 6% in the other direction?

 

[DRed409]

I realize that I never addressed your concern though.

Are you saying that the readings are off - you stick them in a sealed container with a boveda (one at a time) for 24hrs + and then based on that reading you make a single adjustment (that should be like 1-2%) but instead you're now off like 6% in the other direction?

That is exactly it.

I assumed it was because I was trying to calibrate to a 65 pack instead of the 75.

 

[mitetak]

That is exactly it.

I assumed it was because I was trying to calibrate to a 65 pack instead of the 75.

Nope just sounds like your hydros are all being dumb.
I hate to tell you to get a new one - but thats likely your best course of action to rule anything out.

 

[RobJW]

You should calibrate your hygrometer to the rH you intend on using. The bigger the difference in calibrated rH and current rH, the bigger the margin of error on the hygro.

If you want 62%, calibrate the hygro to 62% using a Boveda.

 

[WatchmanUSA]

Calibration is one thing and reading the RH in a container is something totally different. In a container you have it’s total air volume, air leakage, humidity level of the contents and if it is a wood humidor you have loss or gain of RH depending on external factors. On top of all that it depends how often you open the humidor. With Boveda you can’t over humidify so I tend to put more packs in than needed. The humidor recovers more quickly after opening. I have two, 320gm packs (640gm total) in my 150 count wood humidor. (converting that into the number of 60gm pack would equal about 10.6 packs) The RH level is spot on the rating of the packs. It fluctuates a couple of tenths of a percent up and down every day as the temp fluctuates. The air temp changes and within a few minutes the RH adjusts. I can see it on my SensorPush readout if I care to check it out.

 

[DRed409]

I had used the oxo vacuum seal containers with 60g Boveda packs to calibrate/check. It appears pulling the batteries to reset the hygrometers solved the issue.

Both units are caliber IVs (one round and one standard). Although in the scheme of things I guess they are pretty cheap tech. A little try to reset it doesn’t brother me in the least bit.

 

[Glassman]

You should calibrate your hygrometer to the rH you intend on using. The bigger the difference in calibrated rH and current rH, the bigger the margin of error on the hygro.

If you want 62%, calibrate the hygro to 62% using a Boveda.

Makes good sense as I don't think that RH is directly linear.

Calibration is one thing and reading the RH in a container is something totally different. In a container you have it’s total air volume, air leakage, humidity level of the contents and if it is a wood humidor you have loss or gain of RH depending on external factors. On top of all that it depends how often you open the humidor. With Boveda you can’t over humidify so I tend to put more packs in than needed. The humidor recovers more quickly after opening. I have two, 320gm packs (640gm total) in my 150 count wood humidor. (converting that into the number of 60gm pack would equal about 10.6 packs) The RH level is spot on the rating of the packs. It fluctuates a couple of tenths of a percent up and down every day as the temp fluctuates. The air temp changes and within a few minutes the RH adjusts. I can see it on my SensorPush readout if I care to check it out.

These are great answers. Had the issue not been the need for a battery reset, I would have thought maybe adjustments in open air to be playing a role. And recommend making as minor an adjustment as possible and placing back in the container with boveda to balance out and recheck.