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Hygrometer Help???

jkallen83jkallen83 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 142
in Cigar 101

ok got my new humidor today and got it started seasoning.

got the analog hygrometer in a bag with the salt but it only gets to 50%....i've dissassembled this thing, there is NO adjustment.

i know these suck but its all i have for the moment till i get another one......but to be sure its the hygrometer and not me doing something wrong......

how do i know if i mixed the salt and water right? why does it hit 75% with salt and water? how would i know that i mixed the salt/water wrong and not really at 50%???

any info would help.
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  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    jkallen83:
    ok got my new humidor today and got it started seasoning. got the analog hygrometer in a bag with the salt but it only gets to 50%....i've dissassembled this thing, there is NO adjustment. i know these suck but its all i have for the moment till i get another one......but to be sure its the hygrometer and not me doing something wrong...... how do i know if i mixed the salt and water right? why does it hit 75% with salt and water? how would i know that i mixed the salt/water wrong and not really at 50%??? any info would help.
    4 parts salt, one part water. should be a paste. i dont know why it works... it just does. run with it.
    edit: if it isnt EXACTLY 4:1 dont sweat it. as long as it is a paste-like consistency youll be fine. think of it as damp salt.




    when you get a new hygrometer get a digital one. it is 100% worth the cost.
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  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    It takes about 12 hours or more for the salt test. As far as adjusting the hygrometer look on the back there should be a small hole you need a small flathead to fit in the hole to adjust it.
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  • jkallen83jkallen83 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 142
    I totally took this one apart? No adjustment.

    I'm looking into digital, seen a couple on this site, anyone got any reviews or opinions on the ones from this site?
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  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    jkallen83:
    I totally took this one apart? No adjustment. I'm looking into digital, seen a couple on this site, anyone got any reviews or opinions on the ones from this site?
    I've heard of them but all the ones I've ever seen were made the same. What you got to do then is after doing the salt test for at least 12 hours is do the math subtract whatever the hygrometer reads from 75, then each time you check on your sticks add this number to whatever your hygrometer is showing and that's your RH. But I'm not sure how well it will work now since you took it apart. Good luck brother. I got a good digital off eBay pretty cheap.
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  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    jkallen83:
    I'm looking into digital, seen a couple on this site, anyone got any reviews or opinions on the ones from this site?
    any of the digital hygrometers on this site will be fine. there is one that i dont currently see on ccom that i am actually looking at getting. it is the Xikar digital. it has one step calibration. hell yeah.
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  • The SniperThe Sniper Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,910
    Until you do get a digital hygro (and everyone on here is correct - totally worth the expense and one of the most important purchases you will make in this hobby) here is what you can do.

    Do the salt test as kuzi described (you can use measuring spoons to make sure you get the ratio right - four teaspoons or salt, one teaspoon of water dumped in the middle of the pile of salt - voila! problem solved) and leave the analog hydro in with it for 18 hours to make sure you let it stabilize. Then subtract the hygro reading from 75 and write it on a piece of masking tape. Put the masking tape on or near your humidor, add that number to whatever the hygrometer reading is when its in the humi and you have the true RH in the humidor.

    Hope this helped! :-)

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  • crzydimnd68crzydimnd68 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 136
    I am not saying that this is the case.But while doing research for a recent humidor purchase.I discovered that on more than one account the guy was expecting the salt test to automatically adjust his hygrometer.Thus complaining that no matter what he did the salt test did not calibrate his hygro.And giving a poor review based on a p.o.s. analog hygro.Not knowing he needed to physically make an adjustment.I think it is a common misunderstand amongst beginners.Just throwing that out there.
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  • jkallen83jkallen83 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 142
    yeah, i gave up on the analog, it would only go to 50% no matter what. so today i broke down and went and bought a digital from a cigar shop i passed while working in another state.

    its a Xikar digital. i got it doing the salt test now, and the instructions say its a one button push calibration....so i got it working and its only been in about 15 minutes and already easily passed 50% and climbing.

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  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    Cool , now for the next couple months you'll be getting up every 15 minutes to check the temp and humidity. ??
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  • howtobasshowtobass Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 589
    jkallen83:
    yeah, i gave up on the analog, it would only go to 50% no matter what. so today i broke down and went and bought a digital from a cigar shop i passed while working in another state. its a Xikar digital. i got it doing the salt test now, and the instructions say its a one button push calibration....so i got it working and its only been in about 15 minutes and already easily passed 50% and climbing.
    I couldn't help myself.... I went ahead and just bought the round xikar digital hygrometer... might as well do it right the first time. And I should have just checked-out, but started to browse and got the v cutter on their site since i've never tried one.... Haven't even gotten home yet and have a hodgepodge of goodies.... I can only imagine what the wife is thinking..... LOL
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  • RhamlinRhamlin Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,530
    howtobass:
    jkallen83:
    yeah, i gave up on the analog, it would only go to 50% no matter what. so today i broke down and went and bought a digital from a cigar shop i passed while working in another state. its a Xikar digital. i got it doing the salt test now, and the instructions say its a one button push calibration....so i got it working and its only been in about 15 minutes and already easily passed 50% and climbing.
    I couldn't help myself.... I went ahead and just bought the round xikar digital hygrometer... might as well do it right the first time. And I should have just checked-out, but started to browse and got the v cutter on their site since i've never tried one.... Haven't even gotten home yet and have a hodgepodge of goodies.... I can only imagine what the wife is thinking..... LOL
    Ha ha you might be in for it when you get home.
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  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,349
    That's a good hygro, same one that I have. I have 4 of them actually. two in my cabinet and one in my dome and another in a cooler. I have a analog with my infused gurkha cigars and that one reads 61 and that's right where I like it. Also not sure if you said this but if you don't have beads, get some they are great.
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