First incubator, humidity issues HELP!

[micheleomal]

I just set up a new Hovabator Genesis 1588 a couple hours ago. Separately, I bought a free standing thermometer and hygrometer. An hour after I set up the incubator, the temp was stable on the digital incubator readout and the freestanding one. However, the incubator"s humidity reads 45% and the freestanding one reads 65%. I had filled the #1 reservour with distilled water (we have horrible hard water here). I dumped out the water and filled only the #4 (smallest). Now the incubator reads 42% and the freestanding reads 62%. My altitude is 5200 feet if that makes any difference. HELP! I wanted to order eggs today

 

[vehve]

Hygrometers are known for being really inaccurate. You can calibrate them quite easily though, google "calibrating a hygrometer" and you should get a lot of helpful links. I'm guessing the real humidity is somewhere in between those too though.

Short version of calibration is that you seal the hygrometer in a airtight container together with a some salt that you've put some water on, after about 6-8 hours the humidity should be exactly 75% in there. So if your hygrometer shows 85% in there, you now it's about 10% units off.