Calibrating Inkbird Humidity Controller.

[Mmmm Meat]

I'm looking for some guidance on how to calibrate my two Inkbird humidity controllers. Since installing them, they have reported around a 5 - 7% difference in RH in my curing chamber, and neither match my two other hygrometer devices.

I watched a couple vids and read a few more articles on calibrating humidity controllers, which all seemed in agreement on the best method: using a small amount of slightly wetted salt (moist but not fully liquid) in a bowl or small open container which is then placed and sealed (along with the humidity sensor) inside a ziplock bag or jar and allowed to equilibrate over a few hours or up to a full 24 hours. At that point, the controller should be adjusted from it's current display RH to a value of 75%

I messed with several different set ups this morning and afternoon sealing my sensors up with the prescribed salt solution, but my humidity controllers which were reading believable numbers of 77 - 82% in the chamber now reads in the high 80s to mid 90% levels when sealed in with the salt. It seems to me that my two new controllers (which were supposed to be calibrated by the manufacturer) should show RH moving towards 75%, not farther away from that level, but I see no improvement over several hours of testing. It may be that I'm just being impatient though I believe it is more a procedural error on my part.

Anybody have any ideas why I'm getting crazy numbers?

 

[BCSmokenBrine]

I had to calibrate my new Inkbird humidity controller right out of the box as well. It was off by 13% so I put the sensor in a jar of rice overnight and that closed the gap a little. It may be worth a shot.

 

[indaswamp]

 

[indaswamp]

Where in your chamber are you putting the sensors? RH% can vary 5-7% from the top down midway where your salamis are hanging...

 

[indaswamp]

...can be 89-90%RH within 1-1.5" of the salamis.....

 

[Mmmm Meat]

I had to calibrate my new Inkbird humidity controller right out of the box as well. It was off by 13% so I put the sensor in a jar of rice overnight and that closed the gap a little. It may be worth a shot.

Interesting.... How does that work?? I assume you get to almost zero in that situation. (?)

 

[Mmmm Meat]

...can be 89-90%RH within 1-1.5" of the salamis.....

That was the first video I watched. There was one more similar video and one where the person put the sensor in 100% humidity to calibrate for mushrooms. I decided to get busy with calibrating them this morning because I was going to move the salamis into the curing chamber in the afternoon. I thought it would be a quick and easy process ........

So all these issues came up while the chamber was empty. The sensors were placed side by side in later tests after I found that the temperature can be five or more degrees colder depending on where the temperature sensor is placed. I found that my little $7 battery powered stick-on temp/hygrometer unit intended as a double check on my sensors calibrated to 74% within a couple hours when sealed in the salt/H2O - only off by one percent. Later in the afternoon, I gave up on the calibration for the moment. I wanted to get the salami in there, figuring that their moisture would raise the humidity well above 80% The sensors have been at least 12 inches and below any hanging meat since the salamis were introduced into the mix.

After watching the numbers off and on all afternoon, I eventually put just one of the two probes back into the sealed salt/H2O bag and left one out. The numbers on the sealed probe went to 94% immediately and have since been drifting back to a more reasonable number - currently 79%. Perhaps it is trending towards some number near 75% - something I can reasonably work with.

It seems way more difficult that I would expect. I have trouble believing that it takes 24 hours for the sensor to accommodate to the sealed environment and give an accurate reading. In the last minute or so, I checked again and the sensor is again showing above 80%. Perhaps it is off by 5 percent or so, but it should be having wide swings in a closed environment. I'm guess I'm just frustrated with a simple situation that should be straightforward but is proving to be otherwise.

 

[Mmmm Meat]

Interesting.... How does that work?? I assume you get to almost zero in that situation. (?)

or is the probe placed in rice to remove internal humidity that shouldn't be there?

 

[BCSmokenBrine]

or is the probe placed in rice to remove internal humidity that shouldn't be there?

I read somewhere that putting the sensor in rice would remove residual moisture (kind of like back in the day when you dropped your cell phone in the toilet). I tried it, put the sensor back in the chamber the next day and I only had to compensate by around 4% when I calibrated the unit against the hydrometer that I have mounted next to the sensor. Seems like it helped.

 

[Mmmm Meat]

I read somewhere that putting the sensor in rice would remove residual moisture (kind of like back in the day when you dropped your cell phone in the toilet). I tried it, put the sensor back in the chamber the next day and I only had to compensate by around 4% when I calibrated the unit against the hydrometer that I have mounted next to the sensor. Seems like it helped.

I sensed that's what you were talking about after letting my brain think on it for awhile. The salt trick with the cell phone works pretty well too. My daughter dropped hers in the toilet when she was eight. Mom saved the day and put a smile back on the girls face once the rice had a chance to work. Good idea. I may experiment with that technique soon. Thanks!

 

[indaswamp]

The numbers on the sealed probe went to 94% immediately and have since been drifting back to a more reasonable number - currently 79%. Perhaps it is trending towards some number near 75% - something I can reasonably work with.

The sensor was colder than room temperature and so moisture condensed on it when you put it in the bag...As it warmed, the the moisture evaporated and it started coming down to true RH%. Let it go 24 hours, then check it. Note the offset and calibrate it in your settings on the Humidity controller.
My two Inkbird Controllers were off by -5.8 and +4.3.....

 

[indaswamp]

It seems way more difficult that I would expect. I have trouble believing that it takes 24 hours for the sensor to accommodate to the sealed environment and give an accurate reading. In the last minute or so, I checked again and the sensor is again showing above 80%. Perhaps it is off by 5 percent or so, but it should be having wide swings in a closed environment. I'm guess I'm just frustrated with a simple situation that should be straightforward but is proving to be otherwise.

The sensors are very touchy...takes a while for them to settle. I found that if I move the air around inside the bag that it helps. I try to have the bag about 60-80% full of air so I can grab the bag and move it up and down on one corner to get some air movement over the sensors......

 

[Mmmm Meat]

The sensors are very touchy...takes a while for them to settle. I found that if I move the air around inside the bag that it helps. I try to have the bag about 60-80% full of air so I can grab the bag and move it up and down on one corner to get some air movement over the sensors......

That helps. It just seems crazy how finicky the sensors are. I can watch the levels swing 3% over an hour or so without opening the fridge or touching anything. I'd expect that a sealed environment would level out quickly and not fluctuate but that is clearly wrong.

I'm learning a ton from your past threads. Thanks again for your help.

 

[indaswamp]

Mmmmm Meat, What size is your chamber? How many Cu.ft.?

 

[indaswamp]

That helps. It just seems crazy how finicky the sensors are. I can watch the levels swing 3% over an hour or so without opening the fridge or touching anything. I'd expect that a sealed environment would level out quickly and not fluctuate but that is clearly wrong.

I'm learning a ton from your past threads. Thanks again for your help.

You also need to make sure and seal that bag VERY WELL! Just zipping the zipper on a ziplock bag is not enough. Need to use clear packaging tape and make sure no air exchange happens or you will not achieve a stable environment....A jar like Cajuneric uses is better IMO. as you can seal the hole easier...

 

[Mmmm Meat]

You also need to make sure and seal that bag VERY WELL! Just zipping the zipper on a ziplock bag is not enough. Need to use clear packaging tape and make sure no air exchange happens or you will not achieve a stable environment....A jar like Cajuneric uses is better IMO. as you can seal the hole easier...

I was using masking tape to seal it. For whatever reason, the setup finally decided to settle down and I managed to get both humidity controllers calibrated, one late last night, the other first thing in the morning. It's starting to smell a lot like salami in there too. Thanks all for the advice.