pop bottle salt calibration

[CaptainQuintero]

So it's that time of year again for me, calibration time!

lat year I did the pop bottle salt calibration: fill a screw bottle top (eg from a wine/pop bottle) with salt, add a teaspoon of water and place in a zippy seal bag along with your hygrometers for 6-10 hours.

Just wondering if anyone has had any issues with this test or found a better way? Currently have two xikars and a calibre III which seem to be doing the job, but the fact you cant calibrate the calibre III leaves a bit of doubt in the back of my mind.

[Colt45]

I use a slightly larger container for the slurry - a plastic can lid, jar lid, or similar. Not saying it's better, just what I use.

You might find this thread of interest (pictures unfortunately missing) :

Link

[CaptainQuintero]

I use a slightly larger container for the slurry - a plastic can lid, jar lid, or similar. Not saying it's better, just what I use.

You might find this thread of interest (pictures unfortunately missing) :

Link

Ah thanks

What is your set up? I was under the impression that you wanted the salt to be damp, like sand on a beach a few hours after the tide has gone out, but it seems some people use a slurry type consitancy. Does it even matter?

[bc8436]

I switched to Boveda calibration packs for the peace of mind. It's easy to use, and seems to be pretty accurate. From my experience, salt tests can be really hit or miss because you have to add the right amount of water for it to work.

[CaptainQuintero]

I switched to Boveda calibration packs for the peace of mind. It's easy to use, and seems to be pretty accurate. From my experience, salt tests can be really hit or miss because you have to add the right amount of water for it to work.

yeah I looked into it but had no luck in the UK at all, not even on websites like eBay Amazon

--

edit

Just looked and found two on eBay $17 for two units including shipping! My lucky day!

Now I just have to get some decent reading out of the salt tests until they arrive!

[bc8436]

yeah I looked into it but had no luck in the UK at all, not even on websites like eBay Amazon

--

edit

Just looked and found two on eBay $17 for two units including shipping! My lucky day!

Now I just have to get some decent reading out of the salt tests until they arrive!

Congrats!

[Plato]

I record the data from my salt-calibration tests which I do once a week (I know, im obsessive) and, on average, my digitals are off by -4.5

And then Ill throw those same digitals in a bag with a 75% Humidity Pouch and they will read 75 on the dot. It makes me wonder how accurate the salt test really is, and if it really causes a RH of between 70 and 71% rather than 75%.

[CaptainQuintero]

I record the data from my salt-calibration tests which I do once a week (I know, im obsessive) and, on average, my digitals are off by -4.5

And then Ill throw those same digitals in a bag with a 75% Humidity Pouch and they will read 75 on the dot. It makes me wonder how accurate the salt test really is, and if it really causes a RH of between 70 and 71% rather than 75%.

I have two salt tests done today and both times they are running at abour 71-73. the only time I got above 75 was after i pressed the calibrate button on one of the xikars and it immediately went up to 77...

Now I dont know what to do at all lol

[zuma]

I have two salt tests done today and both times they are running at abour 71-73. the only time I got above 75 was after i pressed the calibrate button on one of the xikars and it immediately went up to 77...

Couple of questions/comments:

* Did you remove the battery before doing the calibration in saturated salt solution (as recommended by the manufacturer)?

* If you did, it could be that there is a 2.5% RH offset (that you cannot automatically compensate for). So make a note on the unit to remind you to add that RH 2.5% on the reading...

* Your Xikar's have a standard accuracy of 2%, so a RH reading of 77% means that yours is out by 2.7% from slightly out of the manufacturers spec... no big deal unless it keeps fluctuating within the salt test...

Cheers...