Can someone recommend a good hygrometer (to measure humidity) and
min/max thermometer that I can place near my orchids? I want to monitor
their growing area as the weather moves into winter.

Thanks,

-Munir

P.S. For those who remember my greenhouse questions, I did build a
small one using an old desk we had and $14 in materials from Home
Depot. It worked really well and included small windows at different
levels to facilitate ventilation...until a storm last week ripped off
the plastic sheeting and knocked over one of the orchids. The plants
are now back in the house and I'm looking for new, stronger wall
material; it was a three little pigs type of experience. ;)

On 5 Dec 2005 10:15:19 -0800 in <1133806519.320718.293460 [at] z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> Munir <cloudgiant [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> Can someone recommend a good hygrometer (to measure humidity) and
> min/max thermometer that I can place near my orchids? I want to monitor
> their growing area as the weather moves into winter.
> material; it was a three little pigs type of experience. ;)

Are you looking for analog or digital?
If you want digital, try wally world, a big box home improvement place,
or (and it sounds crazy) a cigar shop.
I've found that wally world and the big boxes tend to want to sell the
whole weather station monstrosity. Cigar shops will sometimes have
$6-$9 hygros/thermometers.


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

These items are available at a lot of different places. Carter & Holmes
(online) has min/max thermometers ($27), but so does Home Depot, which
is where I got mine. Most online orchid supply places have hygrometers,
but my experience has been that they vary in accuracy. My most accurate
hygrometer is a cheap one that I got at a local nursery. BTW,
Charley's Greenhouse is a good Internet source for orchid tools.

Another tool that you might consider is a meter that measures light
from various sources--daylight, HID, and flourescent. It was a real
eye-opener for me--I didn't have nearly as much light as I thought I
had.

If you belong ot an orchid society, they may have some tools on loan to
measure light, water quality, etc., or perhaps they can recommend local
sources for the tools you are seeking.

OrchidKitty wrote:
> These items are available at a lot of different places. Carter & Holmes
> (online) has min/max thermometers ($27), but so does Home Depot, which
> is where I got mine. Most online orchid supply places have hygrometers,
> but my experience has been that they vary in accuracy. My most accurate
> hygrometer is a cheap one that I got at a local nursery. BTW,
> Charley's Greenhouse is a good Internet source for orchid tools.
>

Charley's Greenhouse is a great place to overpay for things....by a
huge margin.

I have been using a max/min digital hygrometer/thermometer that I got
from Farmtek for $22. It seems to be pretty accurate when compared to
my 'olde tyme' cheap dial hygrometer....it drifts a little at the low
range, but if my greenhouse is at 20% humidity, do I care if my
hygrometer says it's 10%???

The Farmtek item # is 102447 (the new catalog arrived today).

Dave

Dave S wrote:
> OrchidKitty wrote:
>
>>These items are available at a lot of different places. Carter & Holmes
>>(online) has min/max thermometers ($27), but so does Home Depot, which
>>is where I got mine. Most online orchid supply places have hygrometers,
>>but my experience has been that they vary in accuracy. My most accurate
>>hygrometer is a cheap one that I got at a local nursery. BTW,
>>Charley's Greenhouse is a good Internet source for orchid tools.
>>
>
>
> Charley's Greenhouse is a great place to overpay for things....by a
> huge margin.
>
> I have been using a max/min digital hygrometer/thermometer that I got
> from Farmtek for $22. It seems to be pretty accurate when compared to
> my 'olde tyme' cheap dial hygrometer....it drifts a little at the low
> range, but if my greenhouse is at 20% humidity, do I care if my
> hygrometer says it's 10%???
>
> The Farmtek item # is 102447 (the new catalog arrived today).
>
> Dave
>

And don't forget about the temp/humidity gauges that report from the GH
to your house via radio. I have one by the bedside and couldn't live
without it. Especially in the cold rain when the GH heater goes out and
I get to run outside in my pajamas to re-light the heater.

I got the Farmtek catalog too. Looks interesting, good prices and stuff
(like thermostats)

Don't forget about Grainger's.com either, for cheap thermostats. and
other supplies. The heater froze solid one year than they had the
replacement parts.

K Barrett

K Barrett wrote:
> Dave S wrote:
>
>> OrchidKitty wrote:
>>
>>> These items are available at a lot of different places. Carter & Holmes
>>> (online) has min/max thermometers ($27), but so does Home Depot, which
>>> is where I got mine. Most online orchid supply places have hygrometers,
>>> but my experience has been that they vary in accuracy. My most accurate
>>> hygrometer is a cheap one that I got at a local nursery. BTW,
>>> Charley's Greenhouse is a good Internet source for orchid tools.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Charley's Greenhouse is a great place to overpay for things....by a
>> huge margin.
>>
>> I have been using a max/min digital hygrometer/thermometer that I got
>> from Farmtek for $22. It seems to be pretty accurate when compared to
>> my 'olde tyme' cheap dial hygrometer....it drifts a little at the low
>> range, but if my greenhouse is at 20% humidity, do I care if my
>> hygrometer says it's 10%???
>>
>> The Farmtek item # is 102447 (the new catalog arrived today).
>>
>> Dave
>>
>
> And don't forget about the temp/humidity gauges that report from the GH
> to your house via radio. I have one by the bedside and couldn't live
> without it. Especially in the cold rain when the GH heater goes out and
> I get to run outside in my pajamas to re-light the heater.
>
> I got the Farmtek catalog too. Looks interesting, good prices and stuff
> (like thermostats)
>
> Don't forget about Grainger's.com either, for cheap thermostats. and
> other supplies. The heater froze solid one year than they had the
> replacement parts.
>
> K Barrett

Oops the radio gauge is from radio Shack.

K

OrchidKitty wrote:
[snip]
> Another tool that you might consider is a meter that measures light
> from various sources--daylight, HID, and flourescent. It was a real
> eye-opener for me--I didn't have nearly as much light as I thought I
> had.
[snip]

Could someone recommend a good light meter?

My GH is a bit too far from the house for the Radio Shack units to reach, so
I bought an Oregon Scientific unit - temperature (with alarms and max-min)
and RH from 300 feet, AND it has a radio controlled clock that is updated by
the atomic clock broadcasts.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"K Barrett" <mormodes [at] hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1didnfekW8yhnwjeRVn-tQ [at] comcast.com...
>K Barrett wrote:
>> Dave S wrote:
>>
>>> OrchidKitty wrote:
>>>
>>>> These items are available at a lot of different places. Carter & Holmes
>>>> (online) has min/max thermometers ($27), but so does Home Depot, which
>>>> is where I got mine. Most online orchid supply places have hygrometers,
>>>> but my experience has been that they vary in accuracy. My most accurate
>>>> hygrometer is a cheap one that I got at a local nursery. BTW,
>>>> Charley's Greenhouse is a good Internet source for orchid tools.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Charley's Greenhouse is a great place to overpay for things....by a
>>> huge margin.
>>>
>>> I have been using a max/min digital hygrometer/thermometer that I got
>>> from Farmtek for $22. It seems to be pretty accurate when compared to
>>> my 'olde tyme' cheap dial hygrometer....it drifts a little at the low
>>> range, but if my greenhouse is at 20% humidity, do I care if my
>>> hygrometer says it's 10%???
>>>
>>> The Farmtek item # is 102447 (the new catalog arrived today).
>>>
>>> Dave
>>>
>>
>> And don't forget about the temp/humidity gauges that report from the GH
>> to your house via radio. I have one by the bedside and couldn't live
>> without it. Especially in the cold rain when the GH heater goes out and
>> I get to run outside in my pajamas to re-light the heater.
>>
>> I got the Farmtek catalog too. Looks interesting, good prices and stuff
>> (like thermostats)
>>
>> Don't forget about Grainger's.com either, for cheap thermostats. and
>> other supplies. The heater froze solid one year than they had the
>> replacement parts.
>>
>> K Barrett
>
> Oops the radio gauge is from radio Shack.
>
> K

I use a digital one from Phytotronics and have had it for years. No need to
give a model number (PLM) cause it is most likely discontinued. Hanna also
makes some good ones. Avoid analog ones such as the GE as they slowly will
get out of calibration and you will not know it or have the means to
recalibrate it. Plan to spend over $100, I have never found a cheap model
that is anything but trouble. Things to look for in light meter; uses
common batteries, water tight, protective boot, reads in foot candles, light
source option, maximum light reading.

Pat


"SriBikeJi" <user [at] example.net> wrote in message
news:kT8lf.554$FP6.94 [at] newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> OrchidKitty wrote:
> [snip]
>> Another tool that you might consider is a meter that measures light
>> from various sources--daylight, HID, and flourescent. It was a real
>> eye-opener for me--I didn't have nearly as much light as I thought I
>> had.
> [snip]
>
> Could someone recommend a good light meter?
>

If you want a cheap light meter, you already own the most reliable one on
the market -- your hand. Hold it above the plant and judge the shadow.

We tried a model (about $50) from Charley's, the results were so obviously
inaccurate we never used it. Kenni

"Pat Brennan" <orchidsNOT [at] rica.net> wrote in message
news:11pb7ll3h0f443 [at] corp.supernews.com...
>I use a digital one from Phytotronics and have had it for years. No need
>to give a model number (PLM) cause it is most likely discontinued. Hanna
>also makes some good ones. Avoid analog ones such as the GE as they slowly
>will get out of calibration and you will not know it or have the means to
>recalibrate it. Plan to spend over $100, I have never found a cheap model
>that is anything but trouble. Things to look for in light meter; uses
>common batteries, water tight, protective boot, reads in foot candles,
>light source option, maximum light reading.
>
> Pat
>
>
> "SriBikeJi" <user [at] example.net> wrote in message
> news:kT8lf.554$FP6.94 [at] newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>> OrchidKitty wrote:
>> [snip]
>>> Another tool that you might consider is a meter that measures light
>>> from various sources--daylight, HID, and flourescent. It was a real
>>> eye-opener for me--I didn't have nearly as much light as I thought I
>>> had.
>> [snip]
>>
>> Could someone recommend a good light meter?
>>
>
>

SriBikeJi wrote:
> OrchidKitty wrote:
> [snip]
> > Another tool that you might consider is a meter that measures light
> > from various sources--daylight, HID, and flourescent. It was a real
> > eye-opener for me--I didn't have nearly as much light as I thought I
> > had.
> [snip]
>
> Could someone recommend a good light meter?

There are lightmeters used by photographers and set designers which
measure in footcandles or lux. They are accurate, but not cheap. Be
prepared to pay a minimum of about $130-150 . High-end meters can cost
about $600.

They can be had at various photo supply outfits such as B&H Photovideo.


One footcandle model is the Sekonic L-246. It goes for about $135.


J. Del Col

You can use that old 35 mm camera that you never use since you bought
your digital camera! It needs to be a camera you can set the F stop on
as well as the ISO setting for the film. The Ortho book on orchids has
the information on how to convert the result into foot candles.


Kenni Judd wrote:
> If you want a cheap light meter, you already own the most reliable one on
> the market -- your hand. Hold it above the plant and judge the shadow.
>
> We tried a model (about $50) from Charley's, the results were so obviously
> inaccurate we never used it. Kenni
>
> "Pat Brennan" <orchidsNOT [at] rica.net> wrote in message
> news:11pb7ll3h0f443 [at] corp.supernews.com...
> >I use a digital one from Phytotronics and have had it for years. No need
> >to give a model number (PLM) cause it is most likely discontinued. Hanna
> >also makes some good ones. Avoid analog ones such as the GE as they slowly
> >will get out of calibration and you will not know it or have the means to
> >recalibrate it. Plan to spend over $100, I have never found a cheap model
> >that is anything but trouble. Things to look for in light meter; uses
> >common batteries, water tight, protective boot, reads in foot candles,
> >light source option, maximum light reading.
> >
> > Pat
> >
> >
> > "SriBikeJi" <user [at] example.net> wrote in message
> > news:kT8lf.554$FP6.94 [at] newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> >> OrchidKitty wrote:
> >> [snip]
> >>> Another tool that you might consider is a meter that measures light
> >>> from various sources--daylight, HID, and flourescent. It was a real
> >>> eye-opener for me--I didn't have nearly as much light as I thought I
> >>> had.
> >> [snip]
> >>
> >> Could someone recommend a good light meter?
> >>
> >
> >

Or, if you already have an SLR camera, use that meter. Here's how:
http://www.firstrays.com/measurelight.htm

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"jadel" <delcolja [at] mail.ab.edu> wrote in message
news:1133965759.709030.55260 [at] g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> SriBikeJi wrote:
>> OrchidKitty wrote:
>> [snip]
>> > Another tool that you might consider is a meter that measures light
>> > from various sources--daylight, HID, and flourescent. It was a real
>> > eye-opener for me--I didn't have nearly as much light as I thought I
>> > had.
>> [snip]
>>
>> Could someone recommend a good light meter?
>
> There are lightmeters used by photographers and set designers which
> measure in footcandles or lux. They are accurate, but not cheap. Be
> prepared to pay a minimum of about $130-150 . High-end meters can cost
> about $600.
>
> They can be had at various photo supply outfits such as B&H Photovideo.
>
>
> One footcandle model is the Sekonic L-246. It goes for about $135.
>
>
> J. Del Col
>

On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 05:43:59 -0500 in <AOKdnWr9xq0X9gjeRVn-qg [at] comcast.com> Ray <raybark [at] firstrays.com> wrote:
> My GH is a bit too far from the house for the Radio Shack units to reach, so
> I bought an Oregon Scientific unit - temperature (with alarms and max-min)
> and RH from 300 feet, AND it has a radio controlled clock that is updated by
> the atomic clock broadcasts.

Being a geek, I've looked at some of the dallas semiconductor one
wire sensors and have contemplated using one of the standard
microprocessor prototype boards to do data collection and dissimenation
from several such sensors.

Unfortunately, work has me doing way too much overtime destroying
the North American phone system[1], so I don't have time to tinker.

[1] Actually I'm just upgrading equipment. The Telcos,
FCC, and congress are already quite effective at destroying
the phone system.


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

"?" <pakrat [at] localhost.private.neotoma.org> wrote in message
news:slrndpgj1b.9sl.pakrat [at] mouse.private.neotoma.org...
> On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 05:43:59 -0500 in <AOKdnWr9xq0X9gjeRVn-qg [at] comcast.com>
> Ray <raybark [at] firstrays.com> wrote:
>> My GH is a bit too far from the house for the Radio Shack units to reach,
>> so
>> I bought an Oregon Scientific unit - temperature (with alarms and
>> max-min)
>> and RH from 300 feet, AND it has a radio controlled clock that is updated
>> by
>> the atomic clock broadcasts.
>
> Being a geek, I've looked at some of the dallas semiconductor one
> wire sensors and have contemplated using one of the standard
> microprocessor prototype boards to do data collection and dissimenation
> from several such sensors.
>
> Unfortunately, work has me doing way too much overtime destroying
> the North American phone system[1], so I don't have time to tinker.
>
Chris,

When you DO find the time to tinker, you might look at motes (a bleeding
edge technology from Intel, and how you might connect these sensors you
mention to the motes. That would mean that you could have your data
collection and dissemination hardware scattered over several hectares, and
they'd configure themselves into a wireless network. The all you'd need is
a base station to connect to that wireless network and to your desktop
computer. I'd assume that you could also add controllers to the mix so that
you can have fine grained control over the environment your most valuable
plants experience. You can't get motes directly from Intel, although they
have several web pages devoted to it. I believe you have to go through a
company called Crossbow. You might enjoy reading about motes anyway.

Cheers,

Ted
--
R.E. (Ted) Byers, Ph.D., Ed.D.
R & D Decision Support Solutions
http://www.randddecisionsupportsolutions.com/
Healthy Living Through Informed Decision Making

On Thu, 8 Dec 2005 14:51:10 -0500 in <x5mdnS9f0pQsEwXenZ2dnUVZ_t6dnZ2d [at] rogers.com> Ted Byers <r.ted.byers [at] rogers.com> wrote:
> Chris,
>
> When you DO find the time to tinker, you might look at motes (a bleeding
> edge technology from Intel, and how you might connect these sensors you
> mention to the motes. That would mean that you could have your data
> collection and dissemination hardware scattered over several hectares, and
> they'd configure themselves into a wireless network. The all you'd need is
> a base station to connect to that wireless network and to your desktop
> computer. I'd assume that you could also add controllers to the mix so that
> you can have fine grained control over the environment your most valuable
> plants experience. You can't get motes directly from Intel, although they
> have several web pages devoted to it. I believe you have to go through a
> company called Crossbow. You might enjoy reading about motes anyway.

The only wireless technology that works reliably for me is my cordless
phone. Reading about motes may doom it as well :-).
I think I'll end up waiting for the mote to appear in a hackable
commodity :-).


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil