Exo-Terra Hygrometer

[Yemen08]

Yesterday I received a brand new digital Exo Terra Hygrometer, I set up the salt test yesterday to establish a base line and check accuracy. I was expecting a slight inaccuracy of +/- 5% but its reading 91%. Why on earth would they sell something so S**T.
Does anyone else use these with reasonable readings?

 

[Citizen Snips]

Maybe you got a bad one. However, I do believe there are better alternatives to every reptile product on the market (besides supplements). There is one company starts with Zoo that really boils my blood.

 

[Sodbuster]

dude I have one of the combo ones and the temp works fine but they hydro part never moves from 10% its weird. I do have one of the plain hydros that works great, I think exo-terra has some serious quality control issues, I'm really not sure why.

 

[espressodude]

This is something I've been meaning to write about for some time. It seems that everybody knows that the analog ones are crap. The problem is that everybody thinks that because it's digital it's accurate. As yemen08 has related their not all ways so accurate. For people that don't know the salt test should read 75% not 91%. The good news is that most digital's are inaccurate evenly across the board. So if it says 91% at 75% it will usually be +16% across the board. That's no big deal when it's only a couple of per parentage points off but it not very comforting when it 16% off. As cham keepers we care about humidity levels but cigar aficionados and owners of really expensive acoustic wood instruments are militant about humidity. Not to surprising when some violin's can set you back a few million dollars and humility or the lack off can rip them apart. So I've checked out some of their forums and one of the most used and trusted gauge is the Caliber III. I have two of them and they display the exact same temp and humidity, your mileage may vary. So if your in doubt about your own gauge you can either do the DIY salt test or buy the Boveda Pack.

 

[zerpda]

western cal

This is the one that I use. I love it, when I first got it I was shocked to see the differences not only in humidity, but in the temps themselves. I promptly dumped my old guages and upgraded to the western cal III. Like the writer said, cigar aficionados are militant about their cigars. When your paying a couple o hundred for a single cigar, you have to be.

 

[Solid Snake]

Ive noticed as much as a 15% difference from my digital, what is this salt test? Sounds interesting

 

[Yemen08]

Ive noticed as much as a 15% difference from my digital, what is this salt test? Sounds interesting

The Salt test

• Clear zip lock bag
• Plastic bottle cap
• Table Salt
• H2O

Fill the bottle cap 2/3 full with table salt, add a few drops of water (just to dampen the salt not dissolve it) place the cap in a ziplock bag with your hygrometer, seal the bag and leave it at room temp for 8 - 12 hours.

The humidity inside the bag is now 75% (not sure of the science behind it)

So my hygrometer is reading 91% in a 75% environment. Unfortunately you cant adjust the readings on mine like you can on analogue ones or higher end digital ones.

 

[espressodude]

Just FYI there are some hygrometers that have a button you push while in the salt test that just sets them to 75% like they should be. I like the caliber III,s as they also record min & max, although they can not be adjusted.

 

[Yemen08]

Just FYI there are some hygrometers that have a button you push while in the salt test that just sets them to 75% like they should be. I like the caliber III,s as they also record min & max, although they can not be adjusted.

I wish that were the case for the exo terra piece 'o' junk lol

 

[heartben]

i have the caliber III and it seems pretty good so far, its numbers actually change which is nice. hahaha. i have an analog one that works okish too but i feel a lot more confident with the caliber III. i think i got it for like 16-18 dollars on ebay new so you should be able to find one for 20 or less pretty easy.

 

[Sodbuster]

Flucker farms makes the same basic thing as the caliber lll and thats what I use to supplement the exo-terras. I wonder if the flucker one is as acurate at the calibers are.

 

[Yemen08]

I would get a caliber but I doubt they are water proof, one session of misting and it would die for sure

If they are super accurate though, I guess you'd put them in for a few minutes, let it settle, take the reading and then take it back out again??

 

[zerpda]

Wc iii

I have a Mistking set up in my enclosure that goes off 8 times a day for 2 minutes. I just have mine set up permanently in a spot that doesn't get the mist. I have my misters set up so that they spray the plants and not the entire cage. No problems yet and I've been doing it for a couple of months. However, yes they are very easy to move if that is the way you want to go. They come with two magnets for easy moving.

 

[Yemen08]

So I've now taken the hygrometer out of the zip lock and left it in my living, now its reading 92% What the heck lol

I emailed exo terra customer services (if that's what you can call it) who just said I should get a replacement Duur!