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Salt test weirdness..........

KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
in Cigar 101
So I'm testing 2 hygrometers, one analog, and one digital
Both have been out of commission for a while, sitting in dry humis.
I swapped in a new battery in the digital, and it fired right up.
I noticed BOTH hygros pegged on 61% while sitting on my desk!
I'm stoked right....this is gonna be a breeze....so I start the test.

Well I'm 1.5 hours into the test (not nearly enough I know....BUT) - the analog is at about 71% - about right - hopefully it will stay close to 75% by tomorrow.
But, the digital dropped to 55%??

Anyone ever have this happen?
It looks like an older digital unit - no adjustment option. If it's within 4% or 5%, I'll stay with it. Hopefully the digital one will start climbing

I was going to do a 24 hour test, but given this development, maybe longer?

Any ideas, comments, experiences??
Thanks

Comments

  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    Salt test can be weird in the first few hours; when I salt-test my 4 hygro's, they typically all read differently like yours did, then start approaching 75% within a day. I'm guessing the RH isn't distributed evenly when it first starts and takes time for it to all equalize
  • The SniperThe Sniper Posts: 3,910 ✭
    Cant hurt to wait and see what comes up, but electronics DO go bad. Make sure to keep this thread updated and let us know how it goes - enquiring minds want to know!

  • jlmartajlmarta Posts: 7,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When you take into account that the principal mechanism controlling an analog hygro is a hair - sometimes human, sometimes horse - you soon come to the cinclusion that an analog hygro is useless in terms of accuracy. Toss it. Get yourself a couple adjustable digital hygros and have things work as they should.

    That brings us to the salt test. 24 to 36 hours is what's recommended to do the salt test properly.

  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    5 hours into test
    Analog at 72%
    Digital at 56%
    So at least there's some movement still

  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401 ✭
    Hmm... consider me very curious to see how this ends up?

    JDE

  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    15.5 hours into test

    Analog at 74% -(looking good)
    Digital at 59% - (there's still hope)

  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    jlmarta:
    When you take into account that the principal mechanism controlling an analog hygro is a hair - sometimes human, sometimes horse - you soon come to the cinclusion that an analog hygro is useless in terms of accuracy. Toss it. Get yourself a couple adjustable digital hygros and have things work as they should.

    That brings us to the salt test. 24 to 36 hours is what's recommended to do the salt test properly.

    Maybe older ones, but if you open up the hygro that comes with most humi's, it's a coiled metal strip that expands/contracts with the RH; you adjust it by loosening or tightening the screw/tension on the coil
  • jlmartajlmarta Posts: 7,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
    So, are you saying an analog hygro is a worthwhile thing? IMHO, it's still a useless item with regard to caring for cigars. Just sayin'......

  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    xmacro:
    jlmarta:
    When you take into account that the principal mechanism controlling an analog hygro is a hair - sometimes human, sometimes horse - you soon come to the cinclusion that an analog hygro is useless in terms of accuracy. Toss it. Get yourself a couple adjustable digital hygros and have things work as they should.

    That brings us to the salt test. 24 to 36 hours is what's recommended to do the salt test properly.

    Maybe older ones, but if you open up the hygro that comes with most humi's, it's a coiled metal strip that expands/contracts with the RH; you adjust it by loosening or tightening the screw/tension on the coil
    One of my analogs (not the one I'm currently testing) is an older French made unit, and it is very good.
    Always comes in at 1 or 2% over 75% on the salt test - that's nearly as good as most under $50 digital units.
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    jlmarta:
    So, are you saying an analog hygro is a worthwhile thing? IMHO, it's still a useless item with regard to caring for cigars. Just sayin'......

    As a primary? No, digital is still the way to go, but it never hurts to have multiple hygro's - better to put it to use as a backup/2nd opinion than toss it out IMO
  • DiamondogDiamondog Posts: 4,171 ✭✭
    Don't get hung up on the digital being off, after 24 hours hit the callibrate button, it will move it to 75% and you're done, it's accurate.
  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    Diamondog:
    Don't get hung up on the digital being off, after 24 hours hit the callibrate button, it will move it to 75% and you're done, it's accurate.
    I'll look again when I get home in an hour - but I'm pretty sure there was no adjustment option on this digital unit - it's an older one.
  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    24 hours into test
    Analog still pegged at 74% - (this unit appears to be good enough to use)
    Digital at 60% - (this unit may be fried - I'm going to give them both another 24hrs)
    Doesn't appear as though the digital has any adjustment option - so unless it climbs 15% or so in the next 24 hours (which I doubt) I'll be dissecting it to see if maybe I can adjust it somehow.
  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    28 hours into the test
    Analog steady at 74%
    Digital steady at 60%
    Test halted.
    Looks like I have a decent analog, and a digital that's off by 15% (easy to remember at least!)

  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    Sounds like they're ready to go - if they haven't moved in the past few hrs, you can take them out. I'd recommend against dissecting the digital - unless you're a programmer and can change the software, I doubt there's anything you're going to be able to do with the hardware to change it :/
  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    xmacro:
    Sounds like they're ready to go - if they haven't moved in the past few hrs, you can take them out. I'd recommend against dissecting the digital - unless you're a programmer and can change the software, I doubt there's anything you're going to be able to do with the hardware to change it :/
    yeah, you are right - I don't know what I was thinking............
    After doing more research on the net, I discovered that there is no way for me to adjust anything. The good news is the unit is still serviceable, just 15% off.
    Once it starts giving inconsistent salt test readings, I'll ditch it (then maybe dissect it - heh!)
  • The_KidThe_Kid Posts: 7,869 ✭✭✭
    KingoftheCove:
    xmacro:
    Sounds like they're ready to go - if they haven't moved in the past few hrs, you can take them out. I'd recommend against dissecting the digital - unless you're a programmer and can change the software, I doubt there's anything you're going to be able to do with the hardware to change it :/
    yeah, you are right - I don't know what I was thinking............
    After doing more research on the net, I discovered that there is no way for me to adjust anything. The good news is the unit is still serviceable, just 15% off.
    Once it starts giving inconsistent salt test readings, I'll ditch it (then maybe dissect it - heh!)
    The problem with a hygrometer being off is that it may not be a logarithmic constant. Meaning just beacause its off by 15% at 75 % rh doesnt mean it will be off by 15% at 60% rh. I would suggest getting another that you can calibrate and rely upon. Im sure you tried doing a power recycle, meaning pulling the battery and re-inserting to see if the readings changed? Also that you have the right battery,, Meaning an increase/decrease in miliamps by a more or less powerful battery may also be affecting your readings.
  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    The Kid:
    The problem with a hygrometer being off is that it may not be a logarithmic constant. Meaning just beacause its off by 15% at 75 % rh doesnt mean it will be off by 15% at 60% rh. I would suggest getting another that you can calibrate and rely upon. Im sure you tried doing a power recycle, meaning pulling the battery and re-inserting to see if the readings changed? Also that you have the right battery,, Meaning an increase/decrease in miliamps by a more or less powerful battery may also be affecting your readings.
    I installed a new battery (the correct one) - but didn't do a power cycle since then - gonna give that a try.
    I have a new digi hygro coming Monday.
    You're right, it may not be a logarithmic constant, but it will be close (most likely) - and I can test that by subjecting the unit to different known RH environments, and seeing how it reads - my guess is it will be close.
    Besides, I'm lucky where I live (Santa Cruz) as far as cigar storage. I could probably leave my sticks in a shoebox in my shed for much of the year.
    Right now it's 69% RH and 66 degrees in my back yard (fog is trying to burn off).

  • roland_7707roland_7707 Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭
    Right now it is 104 degrees.
    One God, One Truth
  • The_KidThe_Kid Posts: 7,869 ✭✭✭
    KingoftheCove:
    The Kid:
    The problem with a hygrometer being off is that it may not be a logarithmic constant. Meaning just beacause its off by 15% at 75 % rh doesnt mean it will be off by 15% at 60% rh. I would suggest getting another that you can calibrate and rely upon. Im sure you tried doing a power recycle, meaning pulling the battery and re-inserting to see if the readings changed? Also that you have the right battery,, Meaning an increase/decrease in miliamps by a more or less powerful battery may also be affecting your readings.
    I installed a new battery (the correct one) - but didn't do a power cycle since then - gonna give that a try.
    I have a new digi hygro coming Monday.
    You're right, it may not be a logarithmic constant, but it will be close (most likely) - and I can test that by subjecting the unit to different known RH environments, and seeing how it reads - my guess is it will be close.
    Besides, I'm lucky where I live (Santa Cruz) as far as cigar storage. I could probably leave my sticks in a shoebox in my shed for much of the year.
    Right now it's 69% RH and 66 degrees in my back yard (fog is trying to burn off).

    For sure!!, And you really know how to get under my skin with the whole Santa Cruz thing,,ARRRGGGHHHH..lol
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