Hygrometer Discrepencies

[SportChick]

So, I am still testing out my equipment. I have 4 thermometers which all seem to agree within a degree of each other. I have only 2 hygrometers. 1 is a dial type that I bought at the pet store. It is intended to make sure lizards have the correct humidity in their environment. Today I bought a small, digital hygrometer/thermometer combination at a cigar shop. It certainly looks cooler and is easier to read and was a bit more expensive. Here is my question. . . my 2 hygrometer readings differ by about 10% points. Is this within acceptable limits? During lockdown, do I try to keep the lower one at 60 and the higher one at 70 or do I just use the digital one figuring people may demand more accuracy for their humidors than they do for their lizards??? My eggs arrive in a few days. I don't really want to order anything else on the internet but I will if I need to.

 

[Kittymomma]

Hygrometers are often off by quite a bit so you need to calibrate them. Take a 1/2 cup of salt and add a 1/4 cup of water to it (in a small bowl or cup) place the bowl with the salt mixture in a large ziploc bag and put the hygrometer beside it and seal the bag. After 12-24 hours the hygrometer should (but prob. won't) read 75. Mine read 71 so I add 4 to whatever it says in the bator to get an accurate reading. If it had read 85 I would -10 instead.

 

[kelliepulido]

the salt thing works great and my hygrometers were way off until I calibrated and I was having lots of poor hatches.Now I am having good hatches

 

[underground chickenman]

Digital hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate and unreliable. Even the same brands and models will vary among themselves. Definitely check the calibration with the salt slush method and make adjustments from there as pointed out in an earlier post.

UGCM

 

[SportChick]

Thanks! That is exactly what I needed. Doesn't it matter what the room temp is?

 

[Kittymomma]

I've never heard that it does. It seems like it could possibly be a problem if the temps were extreme, but I doubt if it would be an issue in the 50-80 degree range.

 

[SportChick]

I am doing it now. Thanks for your help. here'a to a happy hatch.