analog humi meters

[par]

Here is something i've been pondering...

Assume that i get a analog humi meter instead of a digital. Lets say that i calculate it and i manage to get it into acceptable tolerance. Is there any circumstance when i would have to recalibrate the analog meter?

I don't like the looks of the digital humi meters, and i really like the look of the see-through analog humi meter. But if i can't trust the analog then i won't buy it. So can they be trusted if i calibrate them???

I'll still have the beads and i've found them to be more reliable than the humi meters, whenever they change color i add water. I have fairly rock solid 65% as a result which is why i feel a bit more confident that i can replace my digital gauges with old school analog ones. I don't need exact humi measurements i'm happy with +-3-5% (as long as i know how correct they are then i'm happy).


...but i'm interested in advice! Do the analog gauges need regular maintenance and recalibration?

[Millow]

I still havent got a digital (spent all my money on cigars) but my analog floats between 65 to 70 with the beads in there so I'm pretty sure it's accurate, for now anyway.

[opus]

In my experience analog hygrometers need more calibration than digitals and most analogs are horrendously inaccurate. I have had 2 that froze and would not move no matter what the humidity. I am sure there are some expensive analogs that perform a little better though. Having said that, I have had a few digitals that were inaccurate as well and I have one right now that reads a constant 10% humidity.

I think overall your chances for accuracy are better with digitals.

[Neuromancer]

A word to the wise...get a digital regardless of whether you like their looks...there isn't an analog made that's accurate...although I'm sure you could find one if you wanted to pay several hundred dollars for some kind of precision instrument...

[Stogiefanatic182]

My analog is only 2% off from my digital. It is recommended that you calibrate the analog once a year by wrapping it in a damp towel for 30 min and then it should read 100%. If not turn it so it does read 100 or you can just remember how far off it is.

[TypeO-]

Originally Posted by Neuromancer

A word to the wise...get a digital regardless of whether you like their looks...there isn't an analog made that's accurate...although I'm sure you could find one if you wanted to pay several hundred dollars for some kind of precision instrument...

DITTO! Although my analogs are all dead on at 70%. Always 70%, regardless of the RH. I've wasted my money on six analogs after determining the one included in my desktop humi was broke. The analog hygros were all in the $15 to $20 range, so they're not too cheap.

[Shaggy17sc]

I used the analogs that came with my humis for a long time, both were reading about 70%, and both passed the salt test at a perfect 75%. When taxes came in, I decided it was time for me to get some beads and some digital hydros...i found out that though my analogs were reading properly on the salt test (somehow) my RH was actually only at 40% I did not know better cus i'm the only one i know that smokes cigars. (in person anyway). So dont trust the analog, whether it says its right or not.

[par]

Ok folks you've convinced me. the horror stories of frozen analogs are enough to keep me away...

Originally Posted by opusxox

and I have one right now that reads a constant 10% humidity.

I had one of those 10% readers also. Changed the battery, worked like a champ. And the digital was less than 3 months old when the battery flaked out!! I've almost thrown away several digitals (medium price ranges around $17-20) for what turned out to be bad batteries on each of them!!

Might be worth a try.

Par: As to your question about adjustments on analogs; I have three analogs. Two are in humis with digitals, and mainly fill-up the hole in the door where they originally resided. I have adjusted them to more or less the rh shown on the digitals, but find they tend to need re-adjusting every two or three months! But, of course, they are cheap analogs supplied with humis, so I expect little from them other than to look nice and block up a round hole in the door of my humis!

[billysglitch]

My analog is 5% below after the test but I like the look and know the setting, with that said I also have a digital inside as a secondary measure. Just my

[PassThis]

Go digital, much more accurate.