Calibrated hydrometer crazy results!

[daisychick]

So I let my 2 thermometer/hydrometers "dry" out on the counter for 24 hours and then I did the salt test on them. One is the little white Springfield one from Wal-Mart and the other is the black Accurite one from Wal-Mart. The Springfield one is showing 94% humidity and the test says it should show 75% so that means it is 19% off!!! Is that possible??? The Accurite one shows 80% so that makes it 5% off which to me is more believable. Has anyone else tested these exact ones and got such crazy results???

 

[needtohatch]

I have the acurite from Walmart and it reads 10% low. When I tested mine I had people tell me their was off by 2% to 15%.

 

[al6517]

I want to follow these comments, as I have the same exact situation and the same types of devices. with very close to the same results.

AL

 

[daisychick]

Quote:
Was your Springfield one the one that was off a lot?

 

[Poison Ivy]

Quote:
I had the white springfield one had the same problems it went in the trash. I bought the accurite one from walmart that has the big digital display it was around $8. It keeps perfect temp/humidity with my sportsman 1502. Plus it keeps perfect temps and humidity in my hova 1588. I like the big display and it keeps the lows and highs displayed too.

 

[daisychick]

Yes that is the exact Accurite one I have and according to the salt test mine is about 3 to 5% off....which is not bad at all. I think my Springfield one will be going to the trash and I will get another of the good ones, because I would like to compare 2 of the same type and see how close they are in readings.

 

[patandchickens]

Non laboratory quality hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate. 19% off sounds COMPLETELY believable to me!

My cheapie walmart dial hygrometer is off about 12-15%, but I am not sweating it as it is not clear to me that the 'magic' target humidity is really well known (for homemade incubators) *anyhow*

Pat, who now that I am trying to get an incubator stabilized and hatch some eggs REALLY wishes I were still a professional biologist with access to the sort of equipment that goes with it, it is aggravating not to have the 'right tools'

 

[daisychick]

Pat, if you ever find a lab accurate hydrometer will you get me one too!

I bet you could be rich just selling them to BYC members. And if anyone ever figured out the "magic number" and stuck to it for humidity that would be great too.

It sure is fun trying to figure it all out. It gives me an excuse to hatch more eggs....cause it is just a "Test" batch!

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Was your Springfield one the one that was off a lot?

I am not sure which one is accurate, my chicks are hatching right now 7 out of 35 are already out, I had good temps and humidity and just worked the middle numbers from what I thought seemed like the best. so far no dry chicks, good development and right on time, so I don't know it seems the springfield is more accurate to me, but I use the accurite with the probe for my water wiggler, so I like you am a stuck on what's what.

AL

 

[Wynette]

I have FOUR hygrometers that I've used during different hatches, and they all vary. The best results I got was when I actually singled out a few eggs from a hatch and weighed them. The weight method tells you what's actually going on with your eggs - how much they are drying down. You can easily figure out how much they should be losing each day, and if you weigh each 3-4 days, you know right where you stand.