Wallyworld Digital Thermometers/Hygrometers

[Intheswamp]

I picked up three thermometer units the other day at wallyworld to do some testing with. I figure that the one(s) I decide isn't "working right" will be returned to the store.

The three I got were an Accurite w/probe, Accurite with no probe, and the Springfield Precise.

Here is a little mumbo-jumbo of what I've been through with them...

Initially when I mixed my salt/water mixture up I had about a 1/4 inch of water on top of the salt. For some reason I felt like I needed to pour this off so that the salt was more at the surface. After running the test like that for a day and the different meters not hardly getting up to 60% I decided I probably had messed up so I added the 1/4" back.

Here are some of today's readings from the different meters:

Accurite w/probe (on left side) 9:30am, 71.1F, 61% (using "outside probe")
Accurite no probe (on upper right) 9:30am, 70F, 66%
Springfield Precise (white case) 9:30am, 70.9F, 64%

Accurite w/probe (on left side) 4:10pm, 73.6F, 64% (using "outside probe")
Accurite no probe (on upper right) 4:10pm, 75F, 66%
Springfield Precise (white case) 4:10pm, 75.7F, 66%

Accurite w/probe (on left side) 11:00pm, 74.8F, 64% (using "outside probe")
Accurite no probe (on upper right) 11:00pm, 74F, 67%
Springfield Precise (white case) 11:00pm, 75.0F, 66%

Well, after web searching some more last night I found some links to instructions on the salt water method and it's stated that the water should not be covering the salt so I removed the excess water once again.<sigh>

Here are the readings this morning at 9:00am (about 10 hours later):

Accurite w/probe (on left side) 9:08am, 70.5F, 67% (using "outside probe")
Accurite no probe (on upper right) 9:08am, 70F, 70%
Springfield Precise (white case) 9:08am, 70.7F, 70%

I like the humidity readout of the small Accurite and it seems that it is showing the highest reading which would be closer to 75% (if I've reached that inside the bag). The only problem with it is that the temperature reading is whole degrees only...no decimal point. It appears though, that the Accurite with the probe and the Springfield are (after settling down a bit) keeping closer readings on temperature. I'm still confused on which to go with, but I'm still experimenting. This evening when I get home from work I'll check them again and see what they've all leveled out at.

Being as temperature precision is more important than humidity precision (I think any of the three would work in regards to humidity readings) I'll next try to do some testing on temperature next. I've got a darkroom thermometer (both dial and large alcohol types) and also a medical thermometer or two that I'm thinking of using to compare with...

Once I get the hygro and temp aspects of these figured out I'll return the "undesireable one(s)" and pick up another one of the best (by my opinion) units being as I need two...one for incubator and one for hatcher. That will involve a whole new round of testing, eh?

Not sure if any of this is helpful to anyone, but it's a good time killer.<grin>
Take care,
Ed

 

[chickens4me]

That is a very interesting experiment!

I have the Accurite w/ probe, but I suspected it was not correct somehow. So I bought one of those reptile humidity monitors at the pet store and found out the Accurite was quite a bit lower than the reptile one.

Ok, this was not very scientific, but I compared their humidity readings with what the weather.com website said my humidty in this area was.

I decided to use the reptile one now in my incubator now. Hope it is correct though!

I will be watching to see more of your findings!

 

[Smokin Silkies]

This is very interesting! I had initially bought a reptile hygrometer and then ordered the Springfield from Walmart. I would've bought the digital first, but I didn't realize how hard they are to find in my area. I figured I would get it a couple days before incubation but.....nobody had them and the only one I could find locally (30 min drive) was a reptile one at a pet store. No local walmart carried it, it had to be ordered. So, I ordered the Springfield. I have been waiting for 2 weeks now for it to arrive? Not sure what happened to it. Im on Day 16 now, so it really isn't going to do me any good this time.

 

[babylady4]

I am using the Accurite without a probe in my bator and I believe it is sometimes off. I have two calibrated thermometers with readings around the 99-100 degree mark (forced air), and the Accurite is bouncing from 97-99. I did put my probe thermometer that I use for cooking in the bator to see if it was accurate and discovered it is about 2-3 degrees off. (I had a reading of 103 and panicked!)

I should have gone out and picked up an indoor/outdoor probe thermometer before I started my eggs but..... well, we will see what happens.

Good luck with the testing!

 

[Intheswamp]

I've decided that any of these units will work for the humidity levels...either increasing the readings by 5 or 8 percent should get me well in the ballpark. Thus I'll be stopping the humidity testing now. Next issue is the temperature factor. The outcome of the temperature testing will determine which unit I decide to use.

The temperature aspect is still bugging the stew out of me. I tend to make mountains out of molehills so why not this time, eh? I feel like I'm reinventing the wheel, but this is how I've got it figured out (for now

).

I can place a medical thermometer in a glass of water that is around 100F and measure it, but I can't stick one of these digital units in the water with it to compare.

Thus, it seems to me the only way to compare these digital thermometers with a submersed medical thermometer would be to have all of the thermometers in a controlled environment. That environment would need a temperature of around 100F, or more favorably...99.5F, and be able to maintain that temperature for an extended period of time so that the temperature for all units and water are stabilized.

Hmmm, now what kind of chamber could that be??? A flour sack wrapped tightly around everything and placed in the oven??? Nah. Could stick'em in Brother Smith's dead cow across the creek...looked like it was warming up nicely...nah, I got in trouble last time we played with explosives. Hmmm, now what could I use...???

I GOT IT!!!! I'LL USE THE INCUBATOR!!!!!! WOW!!!!! WHAT A BREAKTHROUGH!!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!!!

Wow, I'll probably get a Nibble Peace Prize for figuring that out!

Ah well, hold the applause for now. Thank you.

Ok, well I had to go out of town today, but I dropped by the office for a few minutes and this big mysterious box with a Cutler Supply shipping tag on it was sitting there. Looks like I'll be tinkering here in a day or so...got a few irons to get out of the fire first, but when I get the incubator and thermometer testing underway I'll post back with my findings.

Who'd of thought...the INCUBATOR!!! Man, I'm ah regular genius!!! PURE N T GENIUS, I TELL YA!!!!

Ed

P.S.
In case someone is curious about the last reading before I unzip the ziplock for the last time here's the latest data gathered this evening. It appears that things have stabilized in regards to the humidity readings while the temps just happen to be close to this mornings readings:
Accurite w/probe (on left side) 7:51pm, 70.5F, 67% (using "outside probe")
Accurite no probe (on upper right) 7:51pm, 70F, 70%
Springfield Precise (white case) 7:51pm, 70.9F, 70%

I do like the Accurite's (without the probe) humidity readout, and feel it was probably the closest to being right. If it only had better resolution for it's temperature readout (only shows 1/10ths of a degree).

Here's the latest shot of the units:

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Indeed very interesting experiment, shows clearly that digital thermometers are no more accurate that analog thermometers.

Always compare the proven thermometer to others and use more than one in your hatches.

I always use digital and analog therm in my bator.

Never cooked my eggs.

 

[Intheswamp]

Howdy pascopol. Interestingly, the thermometers were closer than I figured they would be. Looking at the last picture the widest range that could would be .9 of a degree. If you took the Accurite w/probe at 70.5F it would possibly fall middle of the pack. Currently I have a darkroom thermometer (mercury) in a glass of water with the three digital units sitting in a insulated water jug...I'll check it in the morning and see how they compare to the darkroom thermometer. Hopefully I can set the Hova 1588 up in a few days and compare them within it's environment.

Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

Here is the results of this mornings readings. As I stated above, the digital units are in an insulated water jug. With the digital units is a mercury(?)/alcohol(?) Vivtar darkroom thermometer (1/2-degree resolution) sitting in a glass of water. The lid is simply sitting loosely on top of the water jug.

Hmm...if you will notice, the Accurite without a probe and the Springfield have parted ways in regards to their humidity readings at this higher humidity level.

Darkroom Therm. 7:05, 69.0F
Accurite w/probe 7:05, 69.3F, HI (using "outside probe")
Accurite no probe 7:05, 70.0F, 86%
Springfield Precise 7:05, 70.0F, 91%

I really wish the digital Accurite without the probe had a higher resolution on it's temperature readout...I like the min/max feature. ...maybe just use it for a hygrometer?

FWIW

,
Ed

 

[conny63malies]

Dont forget the accurite without a probe only shows whole degrees. So 70F might be 70.4F or 70.5F . As soon as this model reaches 70.6F it will jump to 71F. I have this model. I used to have the proobed one and it drove me nuts. It showed one night that my temp went down to 42F in the house, in the spring -with the heater on.

 

[kinnip]

I have a Springfield and an Accurite w/probe. I'm about ready to toss the Accurite in the trash. The Springfield, however, has proven to be pretty reliable. I always keep a mercury thermometer in the bator too, just in case the digi flakes out. The Springfield is always right in step with the mercury on temp. Sometimes I do wonder if it's lying to me about the humidity though. At the rate I'm going, there won't be any room left for eggs, just hardware.