My Digital Hygrometer and Me

[ghostrider]

Not sure that it makes much difference, unless you are constantly using the salt test, but my digital hydro recommends NOT using the salt test as it may corrode the electronics. That being said, I did it anyway, and was within 2-3 points. I have the radio shack with the remote display.

[fl0at]

My anal retentive and enquisitive nature will not let me let this die..

I know everything is fine, and I trust the Humidi-Puck, I just can't friggen see why I can't make the salt test work. I'm just going to have to go with the +/- 4 industry standard of the digital hygrometer and feel pleased that my humi currently reads 74 RH.

[larryinlc]

I just let my four sit in the house air for 24hrs. The Oregon Scientific measured 45% while the remote sensor was at 47%. My Caliber III registered 51%. Lastly, my Radio Shack was 54%. On a positive note, all registered the same temp at 78 degrees. I suppose a salt test is in order to determine which of the four is the most accurate. I'm starting to use these things for entertainment purposes only. I haven't had this much fun since I used on of those portable breath-o-lies-ers .08 after one, .19 after two, and .22 after 3. Meanwhile, my buddy had been drinking all evening - a half bottle of gin - and he was less drunk than me at .19.

Larry

[White97Jimmy]

That's why portable breathalyzers are "preliminary" tests. If you fail that, that gives probable cause.

[ColdCuts]

Originally Posted by ghostrider

...my digital hydro recommends NOT using the salt test as it may corrode the electronics. That being said, I did it anyway, and was within 2-3 points.

OK, check this out: I've got a digital Western Caliber III. I had planned on doing the Salt Calibration Test when I first got it, but the instructions read, "To maintain the warranty of this product...DO NOT attempt to perform the salt test...should anyone suggest [the salt test], we recommend that you run from them immediately!" It actually said that. It didn't explain why. I thought it was a little weird. So, I contacted the retailer (JR Cigar) via their website to see what I could find out, and they responded, 'don't perform the salt calibration test because the hygrometer is automatically set.'

I wasn't completely satisfied by that answer so I posted about this 'calibrate or don't calibrate' issue on a cigar forum on myspace (this was before I found CS). The group's moderator told me, "[The Western Caliber III is] one of the best on the market, what JR has informed you is correct. The Westin [sic] is preset and calibrated. They are guaranteed to be within a tolerance of +/- 2% which is pretty accurate."

Another member said, "Awhile back I wanted to test out all of my hygrometers. I was too lazy to salt test 'em all, so I bought a Boveda test pack. The Western Calibers worked the best of all my hygrometers. I have 3 Western Caliber III's. The Boveda pack is set to 75.5% relative humidity. Each of my Western Caliber III's read at 76% rh. I truly believe they would have read the 1/2% difference, but they only show 1% increments and not fractions."

So, I decided that I better not salt test my Caliber III, and that it's probably reasonably accurate. But here's the thing; I have a 65% Heartfelt Humi-Tube in my humidor and the hygrometer is holding steady at 70%. The beads are neither saturated nor dry, so I know that's not the problem. The only thing I can figure is that either I got sent a 70% Humi-Tube by mistake, or my hygrometer is off by exactly 5%. What do I do? Try the Boveda calibration packet? Do a salt test anyway? Any idea why the instructions to my hygrometer said to 'run away from anyone who suggests a salt test'?

[ColdCuts]

So, I was looking at the Boveda Hygrometer Calibration Kit at seriouscigars.com and it says, "The One-Step Calibration Kit utilizes Humidipak's 75.5% relative humidity standard — widely used and accepted by chemists and lab professionals to determine the accuracy of any hygrometer (also known as the Salt Test)." So, is this saying that the Boveda Calibration Kit is actually the SAME THING as the Salt Test?! Anybody know? If it's the same thing, I can do a Salt Test myself, and keep the $10.