My cheap EC pen broke down so I’m after a quality one this time. Something easy to calibrate would be good because that’s how I broke my last one. I’ve had a look at blue lab but I’m not sure which is better out of the truncheon and the EC pen. Give us your recommendations anyway. Thanks
After a good EC meter
- Thread starter Pirate98
- Start date
ZenWolf
Well-Known Member
Blue Lab seems pretty popular and probably for good reason. I've always had good luck with Milwaukee meters though from their cheaper ones to the less cheap.
I just ordered a pH controller and pump from them this time as a first for me instead of just using a portable meter (I'm trying to automate everything I reasonably can with my little setup). But I always keep two different meters to occasionally sanity check the readings of each other.
Calibration is a pretty straightforward affair for every meter I've used before - I'm curious how you managed to break one by calibrating it?
I just ordered a pH controller and pump from them this time as a first for me instead of just using a portable meter (I'm trying to automate everything I reasonably can with my little setup). But I always keep two different meters to occasionally sanity check the readings of each other.
Calibration is a pretty straightforward affair for every meter I've used before - I'm curious how you managed to break one by calibrating it?
twentyeight.threefive
Well-Known Member
Truncheon doubles as a stirrer.
I noticed the pen was slightly out so I tried to adjust it, problem is my up and down adjustment buttons don’t actually work, so when I entered calibration mode and couldn’t adjust it I had to set it as it was. Turned it off and back on, tested it in my nutrient solution and now it just reads 0. I’ve calibrated before so I’d say the pen just had its day, it was just a cheap vivosun knockoff from eBay.
ZenWolf
Well-Known Member
Yeah those are disposable. If you even get a good few months out of them, that's a win. But even if you go with a pricier one this time, I'd keep 2 meters (and/or at least have some drop test kits or some paper strips as backup).
I really like pH meters with a replaceable probe. If you're going to invest in a more expensive one that might be one feature to look for. Especially if you might go some weeks or months at some points without using the meter. People forgetting to upkeep the probe in a storage solution when not in use probably kills more pH meters than anything else.
Yande
Well-Known Member
I bought the Blue Lab PH pen and was so impressed I had to get the truncheon. Should I buy the extras like the cleaning and the 2.77EC standard solutions
Rurumo
Well-Known Member
Blue Lab is best, but I've got a HM Digital Com-100 that cost me around $45 when I got it last year, that has been very accurate. Whatever you do, avoid the cheapy ones, some of them start accurate but they aren't waterproof and it seems like the tiniest bit of moisture that gets inside them will totally mess them up permanently.
Bukvičák
Well-Known Member
I have Truncheon and it is kinda not to my liking. There is no calibration possible. It reads 299 as 0,2, 399 as 0,3... It measures only few seconds after submerging, than it just stops. When I followed their “cleaning and calibration” protocol ended up reading nonsense in EC 2,77. So this solution as well as cleaning kit is useless. It is just dish soap and tooth brusher for pH probes and ciff and leather for EC meter. You can use your finger instead, it is written on the truncheon on the back side, so completely waste of money. On the other hand, I had their pH pen but sold it after buying soil pH pen. This I love the most. If I could I would not buy truncheon but rather look for something, which is easy to calibrate and easy to buy LIQUID calibration solution as well. Now that truncheon is reading 2,4 instead of 2,8 and you can do nothing about that and if it is your only one meter, it can lead to troubles. But its just my opinion.