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Humidity Gauges?

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  • 07-19-2011, 12:17 PM
    Minpin1985
    Humidity Gauges?
    I just got a humidity gauge a few days ago for my ball python, but I was wondering if you might tell me if it is broken like I think it is. I have never had one before. I put it in there, it went up to 50 (I need to to be steady above 60) but then it went down to 20 then back up to 30 then back down to 20 all in like one day?
  • 07-19-2011, 01:15 PM
    llovelace
    What type of guage is it? digital or analog
  • 07-19-2011, 01:17 PM
    Jessica Loesch
    Guessing you got an analog one, that's why, they are not accurate or reliable
  • 07-19-2011, 01:24 PM
    Minpin1985
    Re: Humidity Gauges?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jessica Loesch View Post
    Guessing you got an analog one, that's why, they are not accurate or reliable

    Ok, would a digital one be more accurate?
  • 07-19-2011, 01:33 PM
    cmz1234
    I have this Accurite it works great for me. Comes with a probe. They are fairly accurate, but until you spend some $$ you are going to get decent. What's cool about this Accurite it measures at humidity and temp at the probe and at the reading station so you get ambient and localized. I would suggest you get something digital instead of analog.
  • 07-19-2011, 01:44 PM
    kitedemon
    That sounds like a bad connection with a digital one take it back get another.

    Analogue styles with cardboard sometimes the needle will stick on the cardboard and jump. Take that back too.
  • 07-19-2011, 01:57 PM
    kitedemon
    The most accurate gauges you can buy simply will not work nor would you like the price (or need that kind of accuracy) Digital ones are often not any better than analogue ones, I have one that is over 50% low. The best ones are calibratable ones they are inexpensive and are very accurate (1%) if calibrated yearly. The calibratable digital ones are easily adjusted I started with one and my snake just loved to re-calibrate it. LOL.

    http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digita.../dp/B0007VWEQA

    Google salt test hygrometer and there are tons of versions it is easy and simple and quite accurate. (1%)
  • 07-19-2011, 07:12 PM
    Minpin1985
    Re: Humidity Gauges?
    Well thanks for the advice but you said I wouldn't like that kind of price? How do you know that? Can you at least recommend a good accurate thermometer that has does both humidity and temps? And doesn't have to be calibrated? Thanks.
  • 07-19-2011, 09:24 PM
    kitedemon
    My apologies few are interested in accurate and fewer still are willing to pay for it.

    This is the one I use at work it is very accurate and very good. I have no complaints but the price tag. It isn't something you might leave in the enclosure at all. I have not seen an accurate dual one most are moderate accuracy at best.

    http://www.bkprecision.com/products/...ygrometer.html

    +/-1ºF and 2.5% accuracy it isn't horriable but not great either.Semi-Reasonable price you get what you pay for.

    https://ecat.fishersci.ca/(S(hj1tev4...spx?cid=200619

    or

    http://us.flukecal.com/products/temp...duct_details=2
  • 07-20-2011, 08:47 AM
    ODoyle90
    It might be right (as right as analogue can get), but may be influenced by anything such as heating vents etc that might zap the humidity. I'd go with the digital, but I'd check for anything around the area that could be affecting it.

    Either that or it's busted. Regardless, digital is king.
  • 07-20-2011, 09:27 AM
    kitedemon
    Re: Humidity Gauges?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ODoyle90 View Post
    Regardless, digital is king.

    Have you checked the specs on your instruments? Most cheap digital ones are +/- 2ºF or worse some are +/-4ºF and +/- 10% humidity.

    My cheap analogue one is +/- 2% Humidity and I don't use my analogue thermometer with my snakes but it is specd at +/- 0.5ºF. Yes you can get that accuracy in digital but it costs. I have never found a digital hygrometer/thermometer that was as accurate for anything close to the 35$ I spent on them.
  • 07-20-2011, 09:44 AM
    ODoyle90
    I haven't checked the specs, but those numbers speak for themselves. My $25 one has done me well and has matched well whenever I spot checked it. I guess this is my time to take back that part and I personally prefer my digital meter
  • 07-20-2011, 10:49 AM
    Minpin1985
    Re: Humidity Gauges?
    Is there any brand that anyone would recommend for a digital one?
  • 07-20-2011, 11:53 PM
    kitedemon
    OP personally I buy the cheapest digital thermometers I can (I always use analogue hygrometers as the digital ones are so poor) but the same can be true for combos. The guts of digital ones are very sensitive to manufacturing variations so the result is few digital ones will read the same unless you buy ones that have better manufacturing and are hand calibrated as they leave (traceable).

    If you buy 3 or 5 if the price is right, and use the best 2 you can be fairly confident of having ones that are reasonably good. The thermometers I use come from ebay and are designed for aquaria. I pay about $1.90 for them and the last batch I got 20. I check them against a very accurate thermometer and mark the poor ones (9) and use them for something else or not at all. The others I check every 6 months and stop using the ones that have drifted (3 last check) I have tried many others and found they all are about this kind of spread (3 accurites, 5 zoo med, 2 zilla, and 6 flukers) I still use two of the zoo meds and 3 flukers.


    I likely go zoo med as they have a probe and are the best of the cheaper ones I have found (still not saying much) Lots like the accurites but perhaps I had a bad batch but 2 were really far off out of the box (beyond the stated specs of +/-2ºF and 5%) and the last sat on the margin it was 2ºF high and 5% low so I could not return it as it was ok according to the specs, I gave it away)

    ODoyle90 sorry, I reacted quickly, it is a myth that digital is better it simply is not true, good analogue is just as good and in the low price range it is very debatable. All anyone as to do it look at the range of what the manufactures accept as 'accurate' and the truth comes out, especially talking of hygrometers.
  • 07-21-2011, 01:20 AM
    Justin Hatton
    http://mobile.walmart.com/ip/Accurit...nitor/16888914

    I got this one at walmart that has an indoor and outdoor temperatures and humidity...so you can get humidity readings and temperature readings on warm and cool end...it is also very acurate...alot of local brreders use this one also...and it only cost me $12:)
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