Digital Hygrometers

Smoke=Fire

I am tired of humidity problems, but a decent reading though is the first place to start. It is common knowledge that a digital is the way to go, as analogs are just not reliable/constant. But in my searches for a digital hygrometer, I decided to go wireless, as I did not want to be constantly opening my humidor to see where it is at (150 ct desktop). I have come across a couple of things that I thought folks might like to see. Here are two links to different brands.

http://www.2ndstreet-cigars.com/fm-wirelesshygro.html

http://bcspecialties.com/cigarasp/hyg.asp

And this little gem, though not wireless, might serve the same function if it fits your humidor faceplate.

http://www.donsalvatore.net/products/product.php?id=138

If folks have any experience or knowledge with any of these products, give me a shout here. I myself am leaning to the wireless from 2nd St, but cannot seem to find specs on it anywhere, not find it on any other site.

btmisles

No experience with the wireless so can't help ya there but I have been looking for a new digital hygrometer and love the look of the Analog Style Digital Hygrometer. Thanks for the links smoke.

jihiggs

I bought a wireless package from radio shack a while ago, it comes with a base that has an alarm clock, reads humidity and temp and comes with one remote sensor that reads temp and humidity. You can buy two more sensors and switch them to the different channels. only downside is the remote sensors are kinda big, about the size of a deck of cards. works well, I think the main pack was 30 bucks, and 10 bucks per sensor after that.

Smoke=Fire

btmisles:

No experience with the wireless so can't help ya there but I have been looking for a new digital hygrometer and love the look of the Analog Style Digital Hygrometer. Thanks for the links smoke.

My pleasure...and let us know how it works for you if you go that route, bt.

Smoke=Fire

jihiggs:

I bought a wireless package from radio shack a while ago, it comes with a base that has an alarm clock, reads humidity and temp and comes with one remote sensor that reads temp and humidity. You can buy two more sensors and switch them to the different channels. only downside is the remote sensors are kinda big, about the size of a deck of cards. works well, I think the main pack was 30 bucks, and 10 bucks per sensor after that.

Which is why I am seriously considering the one from 2nd St, even though I can find nothing on it on the web. I want a sensor that is small, and the robusto size fits a humidor perfectly. If only they made an adjustable round digital with the sensor on the back side, but the reading on the front to retrofit all these crappy analogs, someone would make a killing

*hint, hint, nudge, nudge, C.Com *

jlzimmerman

I couldn't find any hygrometers at the two Radio Shacks near me. I bought a Caliber III (comes pre-calibrated from the factory) and it seems to working just fine. I'm amazed how off my analog one is. It reads 78% humidity and my digital reads 67%.

kuzi16

many people get their wireless remote view hygrometers from pet shops. Many reptiles need the right humidity.


jlzimmerman
though it came "pre-calibrated" i would still do the salt test. it couldnt hurt. Plus, who knows what could have happened to it during shipping.

Smoke=Fire

kuzi16:

many people get their wireless remote view hygrometers from pet shops. Many reptiles need the right humidity.

Dang! Who'd a thunk? Thanks, Kuzi...I'll look into that one for sure

carmike22

Those seem awesome. I didn't knwo they made them wireless, but I guess everything is wireless now huh. I might have to pick one of these up because I defnitaly like the idea of not have to open my humidor to check on the humidity.

jlzimmerman

kuzi16:

though it came "pre-calibrated" i would still do the salt test. it couldnt hurt. Plus, who knows what could have happened to it during shipping.

I took you advice, went home and drug my digital hygrometer out of my humidor, which at the time, read 67% humidity. My non-removable analog hygrometer read 77%.

I did the salt test which emits 75% RH like you guys said. I put salt in a 20 oz bottle cap and added distilled water until the salt was just wet enough, not soaked. I sealed the hygrometer and cap in a gladware container and set it aside. Two hours later I check on it for giggles....it reads 79% humidity and 74 degrees F. I think WTF. At least the temp seems right because that's what I had my house set on at the time.

I thought that maybe the temperature played a role in the humidity spike so I decided to do a short experiement and set the sealed container in the garage where it is much warmer. I go the gym and come back and the hydrometer read 67% with the temp at 80 degrees F. The temp seems correct.

I scratch my head, say whatever, and put the container inside again. Approx 8 hours later when I wake up (this morning) the hygrometer again reads 79% with a temp of 73 degrees F (which was what house was test at). WTF??

If anything, within this closed container, I would assume a cooler temperature would yield a lower RH reading because molecules vibrate slower at lower temps, therefore creating less generation of humidity. Make sense? Well, to me it does, but the opposite seems to be the result. *sigh*

So, if the hygrometer reads 79% RH when it is actually 75%, to get it down to the proper 68%-70% in the humidor the hygrometer would need to read @ 74%. Here's the problem....when the hygrometer was in the humidor it read 67%. If I need to get it up to a reading of 74% (which would actually be @ 70%) the analog hygrometer will most likely spike to a reading of about 83+/-%. When I had the mold problem my analog hygrometer read just above 80%!!

: ( I give up....

6clicks

I'm wondering if the digital meters are really more accurate. Like so many inexpensive (read cheap) meters of all sorts available today, many are Chinese junk (no pun intended). Are we certain that the digital units are really accurate? Just because it reads 72.865RH might not mean that it isn't actually 62. Juat a curious newbee.

kuzi16

i salt tested my digital 3 times. each time it was in my desk drawer right next to where i keep my humidor. each time it was 4 points low. iduno...

thats all i got.

j0z3r

6clicks:

I'm wondering if the digital meters are really more accurate. Like so many inexpensive (read cheap) meters of all sorts available today, many are Chinese junk (no pun intended). Are we certain that the digital units are really accurate? Just because it reads 72.865RH might not mean that it isn't actually 62. Juat a curious newbee.

When you do the salt test, you have an established baseline humidity. Now, if a digital hygrometer reads consistently but is 3 points off, that is just the error correction factor and will simply need to be taken into account at further readings to get an accurate read.

pilot711

I have used them both and the digital is definitely the way to go as long as you calibrate it. Salt test or the Bovida calibration pack. If you use beads such as Heartfelt in your humi I think you will find everything so stable you will hardly ever have to worry about humidity.

Bartolomeo

I suggest the Boveda as there is no guessing and its pretty accurate, leave in for 24-36 hours is my suggestion

Bart