Problems with Western Caliber III Hygrometer?

[BlackDog]

I'm wondering if anyone has had problems with their Western Caliber III hygrometer? Mine doesn't seem to be holding at one point.

A little background:

I have 3 storage devices, all with Shilala HCM beads. All have the quantity of beads Scott recommends for the volume of the storage device. In my coolerdor I have an Acu-Rite Digital Hygrometer you can buy at Walmart for about $7 - $8. The coolerdor has 65% beads, and the hydro holds steady at 66%. No problem.

In my flip top mason jar that Shilala bombed me with, there are 67% beads, and a HygroSet Adjustable Digital Hygrometer that Scott calibrated and included with the bomb. It holds at 67% perfectly.

In my desk top, I've got 65% beads and a Western Caliber III hygrometer. When I calibrated the hygrometer doing the salt test, it came in at 62%, and I marked it with a "-3" so I would remember it was 3 percent low. Recently it had been reading 59%, and I assumed I needed to put some moisture back in the humi, so I put some distilled water in one of those black plastic dealies with the green foam inside, and put it in my humi. The hygrometer crept up to 60%, and then dropped back to 59%. Of course this made no sense as I put more moisture in the humi. So I took the HygroSet that I got from Shilala and put it in the humi. After a couple hours it was steady on 65%, just like it should have been since I have 65% beads in there.

So I can only assume that my Western Caliber III is no good since it 1) won't hold at it's normal deviation from the 75% salt test, and 2) dropped back to 59% even though I had added more moisture to the humi.

Do any of you have suggestions or thoughts? Is this Western Caliber III junk? Thanks for your help!

[bazookajoe]

How old is the battery? A fading battery can give inaccurate readings.

[BlackDog]

I suppose that's possible, although I've only had the hygrometer for about 2 months. I don't know how fresh the battery was that came with the unit.

[NCRadioMan]

Yeah, you don't how long it was sitting in a warehouse or on the shelf. Sounds like batteries to me. I have four of them and I change batteries every 6-8 months along with the fire alarms.

[BlackDog]

Ok thanks, I'll hit the hardware store later for a new battery.

Will the hygrometer need to be re-calibrated after I change the battery? The instructions say not to do the salt test with the hygrometer. Of course I read the directions AFTER I did the test. I am a man after all.

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

Yeah, you don't how long it was sitting in a warehouse or on the shelf. Sounds like batteries to me. I have four of them and I change batteries every 6-8 months along with the fire alarms.

I have 4 or them as well and the only problem I've ever had was battery related. Give it a shot.

I remember BVILCHEZ talking about those. He loves them...matter of fact I ordered 1 as well when I ordered my humi.

Could be a battery talking to some of the guys in the smoke pit. I'm still new to cigars...sorry.

[Bubba - NJ]

I have a few of these as well and only problem I get is a dieing battery . Battery #CR-2032 , just changed 1 only minutes ago and it's the same battery for my car remote key entry .

[bigloo]

You said it read 62% and you marked it as -3% during calibration. The salt test should put you at 75% not 65%, so you are -13%. Was this a typo? -13% of a good digital like a western is not usual.

[BlackDog]

Good catch Lou, thanks. Yes, it read 72% after the salt test.

By the way, changing the battery seems to have resolved my problem. Thanks to everyone for the good advise.