fluker digital thermometer calibrating

[opihiman911]

After a marginal first time hatch using an old 1602 hovabator and it supplied dial thermometer, I decided to buy 2 fluker digital thermo/hygometers. Right out of the package they were both suspect. They both gave me different room temps, and those were different than my dial temp. My dial temp was within 1 degree of what my wall thermometer says, the flukers were 3-5 degrees lower.
In the bator, the dial one goes from 98-102. The digital ones say 94.9 and 97.3.
I am more inclined to belive the old dial one because I tested it agains a baby thermometer in warm water and was within a half degree. But, I posted some 9 day candling pictures and people say the embryo is small and that leads me to believe my temps are too low.
Is there anyway I can test and calibrate these flukers? I bought them to help me with my incubation and all they are doing is confuse me even more.

Thanks for the help,
Cory

 

[Poison Ivy]

You could try taking the battery out and putting it back in. You might have to take them back and get two new ones. Mine are right on the temps I have two and they both give the same readings. It's odd that both would be off on the temps do you have another thermometer to test those two with?

 

[opihiman911]

I did try taking the batteries out and back in to reset it and still different temps. I tried testing it with a baby thermometer. I put the flukers is a ziplock bag and put it in warm water for a couple minutes and it didn't correspond with what I was getting on my dial and baby thermometer, the dial and baby one were within a half degree.
Not sure what else to do.

Cory

 

[skeeter9]

Sure sounds like you got 2 bad thermometers, Cory. That's kinda strange, though. What are the chances of getting 2 bad ones at the same time? Maybe a bad batch from the manufacturer?

Lori

 

[PurpleChicken]

Here is how I'm going to calibrate mine: (I have 3)

1-Place on hard surface

2-smash with hammer

3-throw parts in garbage (recycle the battery for you green folks)

4-Buy a water wiggler with a real probe type thermometer

5-Buy a wet bulb thermometer for humidity


Now seriously all three of mine will give different readings.

 

[Katy]

Have to say tho that mine seem to be pretty consistant. I also have an accurite "attached" to my water wiggler and they agree 99.9% of the time and when they don't they're super close.

 

[Poison Ivy]

This is what I found it might help you out

To calibrate a hygrometer you will need:
1/2 cup table salt
approximately 1/4 cup water
coffee cup
hygrometer
large re-sealable freezer bag
1. Place 1/2 cup of salt in the coffee cup, and add the water. Stir for a bit to totally saturate the salt (the salt won't dissolve, it will be more like really wet sand).

2. Place the salt/water mix in a re-sealable plastic bag, along with the hygrometer, and seal the bag. Note: make sure none of the salt/water mix comes in direct contact with the hygrometer.

3. Let this bag aside at room temperature for 8-12 hours, in a location where the temperature is fairly constant.

4. After 8-12 hours, check the reading of the hygrometer. It is best to read it while still in the bag.

The relative humidity in the sealed bag with the salt/water mix should be 75 percent (mine read about 72 percent)

5. For adjustable hygrometers, adjust to read 75 percent. You will have to do this very quickly, or remember how much you need to adjust the setting (e.g. mine read 72 percent rather than 75 percent, so I would need to adjust the dial up 3 percentage points).

If yours is not adjustable (like mine), simply make a note of how "off" your hygrometer reads. If it reads below 75 percent, you will need to add the difference to your actual readings. If your hygrometer read above 75 percent on the calibration, you will need to subtract the difference from your actual reading.
In my example: after sitting in the bag, my hygrometer read 72 percent, when it should have read 75 percent -- a difference of 3 percent. I now add 3 percent to the readings I take on the hygrometer (e.g. in a tank) to get the actual relative humidity.

Remember: always give a hygrometer about 2 hours to stabilize before taking a reading, as changes in the relative humidity may take a while to register accurately on a hygrometer.

 

[seminolewind]

They can put a man on the moon, but manufacturers can't make a good thermometer!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Uhhhhhh - Almost $100 spent on crap.

Who makes a good one???

 

[speckledhen]

There is an incubator thermometer that is guaranteed accurate to within a very narrow range, sold by Cutler and other suppliers. If I ever buy another one, this is it, no more fooling around. Here is the link:
http://www.cutlersupply.com/store/item.0460.html