Thermometer/hydrometer which ones are accurate
 

Hi everyone,

just wondering what type of Thermometer/hydrometers people out there use for there incubators?
I have had one Hova-bator and one Jeager 50 set up for the last two months. Having had to cover up most of the holes on both to establish the right Humidity I also had four or five different types of thermom/hydrom in there to see how the readings were. The most expensive one was £25 and all were reading different humidity levels with temperature readings nearly all the same.
The other day a bought an expensive one at £70 CEM DT-615 this is a hand held one which looks to be very accurate and the probe can stay in the incubator all the time. So far this has been very accurate and shows the big difference in the cheaper types. Below is a list of some of them and there readings in the same incubator.

Cheap white one from ebay £6 30.2c 59%hum
Lucky reptile LTH-32 29c 82%hum
Digi tech 28.9c 83%hum
CEM DT-615 29c 84%hum
Repti zoo 30c 65%hum
Komodo 86%hum
Thermo meter 30c 96%hum

The one mistake I did make when I got my new one was, because I had them at the side of the egg containers the lid caught on one of the wires and it fell on too two of my fertile Herc eggs!! Totally gutted, but managed to put some super glue on the hair line cracks so fingers crossed they will be okay.

As for the meters I think I will invest in another CEM DT-615 and continue with these ones instead.
As mentioned at the start it would be interesting to see what other people use.

Cheers Andy

This is the new one.
http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/...ps620aa779.jpg

Andy

I think where meters are concerned you do pay for accuracy. Can you get these meters recalibrated to ensure they remain on the mark.

Mark

I use a German made dial hair hygrometer which can be calibrated and I think is quite accurate. But I looked at the spec a.nd just had to order one of those electronic ones that Andy has for myself. I don't think there would be any need to calibrate the CEM.

Hi Jonathan,
Been using the CEM for a couple of days now and can highly recommend it. I can now get rid of the rest inside the incubators and just keep the more accurate one in there all the time. I think your right that you don't need to calibrate the CEM.
Forgot to ask what did you think of the D3+ t5 flood lights? I bought a couple and they give of a great area of UV, but not as strong as the T5 canopy lights.
Cheers
Andy

Santa left one of these meters with me.

Very impressed with the unit although the probe is a bit cumbersome.

The incubator is only fluctuating .2c, which is impressive :-P

Question for Andy - how did you end up setting the probe up with in the incubator

Mark

It looks like the Lucky Reptile and the Digi tech ones were pretty accurate when compared to the more expensive one you got Andy. How much were each of those as they seem like they would be fine for someone on a budget.

Danny

I've got the cem dt 165 like Andy. I think this is very good as a humidity meter so long as it's not an issue that it's really quite large and only shows a reading when you poke it rather than all the time.

My other comment about the cem is that I've found the thermometer to be rubbish. The first one I had the temp indicated on it was very badly wrong the whole time, to such an extent that it was funny. I sent that one back and got a replacement and the thermometer with that is very wrong as well.

This helped me realise I don't need it to be a thermometer as I've got an infra red beam one and a couple of cheapo digi ones with probes and they cover what I need.

Maybe I was unlucky to get 2 CEM's that were both rubbish on the thermometer side of it.

Despite all that I think its worth having as a good humidity meter.

Hi Mark,
I set the probe very close to one egg, this container was close to where there was enough space for the lead to go on the lid, The meter just sat directly outside the incubator all the time. I used this since the time I bought it with out moving it possibly about four months or more. As for accuracy I never had any problems with the temperature and found both the temp and hum very accurate. I also had the cheaper ones in the incubators as well so I could compare, as Dan said these are very good as well and only cost between £15-£25.
I was thinking of getting another one for next year, but after reading the problems Jonahan had with his ones I might try a different model.
Andy

I should have persisted and sent the second one back as well but I couldn't be bothered! Its good as a humidity meter though.