Help me find my next hygrometer

[Hypersomniac]

When I lived in North Dakota I had my setup dialed in. I have a NewAir, installed some fans, and used 65% humidity beads. I never had an issue with mold, and my cigars smoked wonderfully.

Now that I moved to Arizona, I just can't seem to get my setup where I want it. I've gotten mold popping up from time to time. I've been diligent about not letting it get out of hand. Cigars and boxes get wiped down immediately. But I can't seem to get the humidity where I want it to be. I've tried switching to 65% boveda packs, but I think that might be too high.

I would like to get some new hygrometers to help me figure out what my humidity really is, but I don't know what to go with. I've seen recommendations for Govee and SensorPush.

What hygrometers do you all use, and what are the pros/cons?

[Slayer]

For me Govee, have both the Bluetooth and wifi version. Bluetooth version I find quicker response time, but both work equally well. The wifi one i leave in with the large coolerador, so I can check in on it even if away. The bluetooth ones I use in desktops so I can check when at home, and also for its historical data.

[Rhinoww]

I ended up buying a number of the Bluetooth hygrometers linked below on AliExpress. I now have 10 scattered about. They all read a consistent rh when tested together and against my standard. A poor man’s govee. I have redundant readers from other manufacturers in place as well but really like the Bluetooth as my storage is in a closet in the basement. These are the only ones I can read while sitting nearby in bluetooth range. 
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtg1cDu

As for maintaining rh, that’s heartfelt beads for me. I’m sure you could contact the manufacturer to see how they would do in a cabinet. I would break up the beads for multiple levels even w the fans. 
I wonder if you mold starts in the same place/something up with the circulation now that you are in a drier climate and more water needs to get pumped in and given volume may not be consistent?  multiple rh readers with history in the cabinet may tell a story of different levels of rh. 
 

FWIW, here is what the screenshots look like  Instructions were in Chinese but QR code took me to app where interface is in English  And yes, you can see when I last went in my Coolidor  The longer term boxes almost always show a consistent rh and temp within a few degrees  

 

 

[Cigar Surgeon]

I use Govee's with a wifi bridge so I can pull it up wherever I am and set alerts.  I don't pay much attention to it other than the low humidity alerts as a reminder to add water.

[ha_banos]

I use ORIA bluetooth hygrometers now. Easy to read via BT - I use a raspberry pi. They use a CR2430 battery which is the fat one so lasts a long time. 12 months now and counting. at 10 bucks a piece cheap too. Read about right, says +/-5% on the docs, but my experience is they read about 1-2% over, compared to the other hygros ive got in there that I picked up over the years. (I find 65% bovedas stay hydrated, 69% slowly dry out - so perfect)

[etout00]

For the money, it’s hard to beat Govee. Not to mention the app is actually quite user friendly and useful. 

[jakebarnes]

Govee with a wireless hub. Pretty easy

[LizardGizmo]

Govee wireless for me, but they definitely need to be calibrated. I used the 75rh Boveda kit to dial them in. Mine were pretty far off out of the box.

[Hypersomniac]

For everyone talking about the Govee, do you use the square ones? Or the rectangular ones with the wifi gateway?

[LizardGizmo]

6 minutes ago, Hypersomniac said:

For everyone talking about the Govee, do you use the square ones? Or the rectangular ones with the wifi gateway?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0834SNGQW?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder-t1_k3_1_6&amp=&crid=2K65NK91AWTVR&amp=&sprefix=govee+

These are the ones I use.

[jakebarnes]

38 minutes ago, Hypersomniac said:

For everyone talking about the Govee, do you use the square ones? Or the rectangular ones with the wifi gateway?

The rectangle ones with the wifi gateway. And then also the square ones that are only bluetooth because I like to have variety and MANY data points, 

[SpecialK]

square Govee and bluetooth.. open it up and put in in with a hygrometer you trust for at least 24 hours... then you can calibrate it (you will need to do this)

[MossybackR]

4 hours ago, jakebarnes said:

Govee with a wireless hub. Pretty easy

I started w/ the Govee Bluetooth and added 10 Wi-Fi sensors to a hub. Monitoring containers that use either heartfelt beads or Boveda packs. 
   Your mold problem — could be problematic getting rid ALL spores. I suggest isolating all boxes that have been problematic and “sanitizing” your original Newair.

[MickVanWinkle]

I’ll throw in another vote for Govee (and another for due diligence on calibration) - allows you to set alerts, which gives me peace of mind after having (obsessively) tested and verified

[BossHogg]

I use the govee H5177. I use six of them. I also have an ink bird as well that I can check over wifi. I would have got the govee wifi ones but because I wanted so many of them I went with the cheaper bluetooth ones. I'm happy with them though. I calibrate them about every four months.

[01Vert]

On 4/4/2023 at 5:08 AM, LizardGizmo said:

Govee wireless for me, but they definitely need to be calibrated. I used the 75rh Boveda kit to dial them in. Mine were pretty far off out of the box.

This!   I also recalibrate mine every time I change the battery as they can be off a small amount after a battery change is my experience.   

[iStatiK]

On 4/3/2023 at 5:45 AM, Slayer said:

For me Govee, have both the Bluetooth and wifi version. Bluetooth version I find quicker response time, but both work equally well. The wifi one i leave in with the large coolerador, so I can check in on it even if away. The bluetooth ones I use in desktops so I can check when at home, and also for its historical data.

+1 for another Govee user.  I have 4 Bluetooth Govee's running.  Keeps statistics and everything and the app is nice.  Liked Govee so much, I bought their smart lights for the front of the house.

[Hypersomniac]

So, I ended up getting two Sensor Push HT.w hygrometers. https://www.sensorpush.com/products/p/ht-w. They are expensive ($70/hygrometer), but I like their build quality, battery life, app, and I wanted to support the company. Calibrating was extremely easy (they each came a little under 1.5 degrees off).

I switched to 62% Boveda's in my wineador, and so far, it is holding steady at about 62.7%. The cigars are smoking better, but I still want to play around to get them right where I want. I'll give it a few more months with the 62% Bovedas before I make any more changes, just to make sure everything is acclimated and I am getting accurate results. My first thoughts, however, are that I would probably be best served with 65% Bovedas and a 1-2 day dry box. But dangit, I want to find out how to get them smoking perfectly right out of the humidor.