Digital thermometer/hygrometer combo, suggestions? Also online food suppliers...

[martin82531]

Personally I am not a fan of accurite they are quite poor accuracy (some are rated at 2ºC up or dow from correct... that is just under 4ºF) this is to far IMO. I also do not like having batteries inside the enclosures they can leak and have nasty out gassing when they do. I prefer a cheap thermometer for aquariums. They are poor accuracy but at a few dollars it is easy to buy a handful they can be tested against each other the average can be guessed to be reasonably close to accurate and the others discarded.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Mini-Aquarium...ht_2371wt_1165

This model is specd at +/- 1ºC twice as accurate as some of the accurite models.

Hygrometers in digital land are fussy rigs you ca see the sensor on Aaron's great pics it is a squiggly carbon pad. If ANY dust dirt or other junk gets on that pad it changes the accuracy. I used to use and test digital ones (cigar hygrometer test kits) and found they came ok (5% RH from accurate) and quickly became inaccurate (the worst I have tested was more than 30% off it had a damaged probe wire)

As a result of my frustration I spoke to a cigar aficionado I know and was pointed at the analogue cigar box hygrometers. I tested and have been using them and discovered that they are out of the box better than 2%RH accuracy and if they become incorrect a simple 'salt test' can be used to correct it. They seem to be unaffected by dust dirt and general junk.

http://www.amazon.com/Analog-Hygrome...rometer+analog

The total of the two is about the same price of the (in) accurite one so many prefer. If you follow my suggestion it is likely you will have accuracy greater than the any accurite I have ever tested.

Bases on this exact recommendation previously, I use the same hydrometer/thermometer. I use magnets to keep the hygrometers in place. When I first got them I did a salt test on both and found before calibration both were off by 3% RH. I plan on calibrating every 6 months to ensure accuracy.


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[PrairieDawn]

The one I got from the pet store has a metal face on it but it does not have a metal screw on the back. What is this salt test you have mentioned twice now. I have lots of salt!

Sierra near by doesn't have a searching website so I went to petsmart/co - http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...AvailInUS%2FNo anyway that's the one I have.

[PrairieDawn]

Do you just glue the magnet on the back of the device or how would that work? I really don't want to stick suction cups inside since I know they are terrible for staying in place. I want something I can remove and magnets sound great. I was also thinking of using velcro...

[PrairieDawn]

Do you just glue the magnet on the back of the device or how would that work? I really don't want to stick suction cups inside since I know they are terrible for staying in place. I want something I can remove and magnets sound great. I was also thinking of using velcro...

Nevermind, I found a metal hygrometer on eBay which has a magnetic back on it - bought that. I thought about using magnets on the digital thermo's but it might mess up the calibration going on inside so I am going to stick with Velcro. I like the analog hygro idea that was suggested over the accurite (no offense to anyone) due to all the crapulent feedback I read on the websites that sell them.

Thanks for being patent with me and pushing me in the right direction. I know I will be back in a few hours searching the site for more answers to my questions!

Anyone heading to the reptile expo in Oregon next month? I am wondering if I should go or wait until it's in my home town in May.

(tried to edit but took longer than 10 mins)

[martin82531]

The one I got from the pet store has a metal face on it but it does not have a metal screw on the back. What is this salt test you have mentioned twice now. I have lots of salt!

Sierra near by doesn't have a searching website so I went to petsmart/co - http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...AvailInUS%2FNo anyway that's the one I have.

http://youtu.be/d7Ap96SlGZA


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[kitedemon]

Video says it all. It likely should not be used with digital units the salt is actually bad for them as I stated they are very fragile items that is the root of the issue with the digital units, fragile sensitive to dirt and junk.

martin82531 I am surprised yours were off that far. I bout two played with them torture tested them and check the calibration three of four times I found they were in 2% given the temp makes a % difference and such salt tests are really only expected to be in the 1% accuracy range.

The only issue I have had with them was the magnet. The supplies one is weak and I never place stick glue objects inside so I toss the sticky back bit and replace often need to re glue the metal disk. I personally use a rare earth magnet through the side of the enclosure.

Additional info on salt solutions they do vary with temp somewhat not too much it gives the exact error amount however unless you have a lab expect twice that rate and as much as a degree in temp error.

http://www.omega.com/temperature/z/pdf/z103.pdf