Cheap PPM/pH meter?

[bounty29]

I remember seeing somebody's sig a while ago, it had a link to a meter for a lot cheaper than other places, and it was the same model. I think it was a Hanna, but I might be wrong. Does anyone know who the user is, or where I can find this? I know it'll be expensive, but I'd rather not spend $200 on that one piece of equipment.

 

[SomeGuy]

Cheap Equipment Thread

Theres a link to an inexpensive meter in here. Certainly caught my eye.

 

[bartender187]

Hunt ebay. I got to high the other day and slept past my auction. Saw a nice Hanna Combo meter, EC/TDS/PPM/Temp, ended for 62. They is always ppl selling the economical versions for 20$~

 

[bounty29]

SomeGuy - Awesome, thanks. The link in that thread has exactly what I was looking for.

http://sunstoneherbals.com/testers_ph_tds_etc.htm

 

[Guest]

hey bounty, if you got 200, check out the bluelab truncheon. i have a milwaukee but a buddy has a bluelab. i wish i had his , lol. 3 yr warranty/auto shutoff/auto temp compensation/easy calibration/takes AA batt's/waterproof . nice tool.

 

[Guest]

I'm kind of in the middle of working with different meters trying to fix some problems. I don't recommend Truncheons as they are incredibly poor at providing accurate readings unless you use the cleaning kit (EC/TDS meter) almost every time. The kit has a 2.7 standard solution, cleaning compound and a cleaning sponge type thingee. I used 3 side by side, one was new, and with the meter (an older unit) reading 2.4 the EC was actually 4.4 after cleaning it. I used it once, waited a few minutes and it read .2 less. I cleaned it and it was back at the original reading. I think it is important to rinse with something like distilled water after use to immediately remove any residual nute solution.

Seems like Sunstone Herbals is currently selling the Hanna 98129 for $109 + shipping. That's an absolute KILLER deal!!! I'd buy one if I didn't already have my meter situation covered. I got a Hanna continuous monitor 991404 meter and for the money it's pretty damn sweeeet.

I don't recommend cheapie pH meters like Hanna's $20 Checker meter. Don't invest money on any meter with .2 pH accuracy. Go for at least .1 pH variance. I've had a Checker and thought it was cool but now don't recommend them to anyone.

I recently used a friends Oakton pH meter when trying to pinpoint some problems recently and checked against my standard calibration solutions before using and it was dead on. The display was small but the buttons were easy to use.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

^^My $25 hanna checker (98103) does .01...maybe you're referring to a different flavor of the checker?

 

[Guest]

well, i dunno about the truncheon EC meter, but the truncheon ph meter that my buddy has works awesome. i also clean the probe all the time on my ph meter. and then the probe is stored in distilled water. i thought that's what most manufacturers recommend. maybe i'm wrong. but works for my meter(ph).

 

[Guest]

^^My $25 hanna checker (98103) does .01...maybe you're referring to a different flavor of the checker?

25 bucks and reads accurate ph. sounds like a good buy to me. i'll be checkin it out when mine dies. my replacment probe is more than that!

 

[Guest]

I was talking about the EC/TDS Truncheons.

WTF...I just checked on the 98103 Checker and one site says it's accuracy is +/- .02 pH. Yeah...resolution is .01 but it can still be 'off' by more than that. I checked the Hanna site and the Checker's accuracy is listed at +/- .2 pH. That ain't close enough for me. Yes I've used the 2 calibration points, 4.01 and 7.01, and got it dialed in but since I made the move to hydro I want to be dead on and got a 'better' meter after my Checker crapped out.

Oh yeah...I also got pretty tired of constantly calibrating my Checker...I say good riddance.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

Ahhhh...I think I just figured it out. It shows .01, but the closest they can guarantee accuracy is .02 due to it rounding to the nearest .01 - does that sound right?

 

[Pipedream]

Hanna TDS1.

Less than 12 bucks on ebay. ($10 several years ago)

I've been using it for years with great results & no problems.

 

[Guest]

Ahhhh...I think I just figured it out. It shows .01, but the closest they can guarantee accuracy is .02 due to it rounding to the nearest .01 - does that sound right?

Kind of...display resolution is .01 but advertised accuracy is only +/-.2 pH not .02 which is a little silly to make a meter that reads 2 decimal places but can not carry truly accurate measurements out that far. They make a Piccolo, which I thought about but passed, that is accurate +/- .01 pH. Those meters offer bench top accuracy for about $135 best price I could find. The thing is hand held and weighs about 400 grams I think. You could beat someone with that thing

For the Checker from Hanna's website:
Resolution 0.01 pH
Accuracy (@20°C/68°F) ±0.2 pH
pH Calibration Manual 2 points through trimmers
Typical EMC Deviation ±0.1 pH

My old 98129, thought I got a good deal back then but Sunstone's price is KILLER, is accurate +/- .05 pH. I used a Checker for years and would get the thing almost dead on to the 4.01 and 7.01 calibration solutions then check my nute solution then check my standards and it seemed OK but since going hydro I ain't gonna mess around. I've had some pH/EC issues so now have a few meters to double check things every once in awhile just to be sure.

 

[Guest]

but i do hafta chime in again on this, the truncheon is 160 bucks, a ton of dough, period. but the features it has are awesome. the tempature correction alone could be equal to the +-.02. but to honest, the best feature is the auto shutoff, haaaaaaaa.
i can't tell ya how many times i've gone to use my meter and it was still on from 5 days ago. doh! batteries and gas grill tanks......smoke anutha,,,,

 

[Guest]

A truncheon is +/- 4% for the EC/TDS. I use an EC/TDS truncheon and for $160 I think you can do better. I'm prolly gonna phase them out of use as they crap out. If you're not anal about keeping an EC/TDS truncheon clean it goes out of whack really fast IME. For me I won't go 'cheap' with a meter again. I mean like damn...that's what you rely on for basing nute solution adjustments on. It's critical for hydro IMO. Maybe not as much with a medium like coco but for something like DWC??? A bargain's great but don't be penny wise and pound foolish IMO.

 

[Guest]

A truncheon is +/- 4% for the EC/TDS. I use an EC/TDS truncheon and for $160 I think you can do better. I'm prolly gonna phase them out of use as they crap out. If you're not anal about keeping an EC/TDS truncheon clean it goes out of whack really fast IME. For me I won't go 'cheap' with a meter again. I mean like damn...that's what you rely on for basing nute solution adjustments on. It's critical for hydro IMO. Maybe not as much with a medium like coco but for something like DWC??? A bargain's great but don't be penny wise and pound foolish IMO.

ahhmmm redux, this is a thread on ph meters. i feel for ya havin a bad exp w/da meter but don't hijack pleeez.

 

[Guest]

oops, my bad. i went back and read the start. sorry redux! it was a thread on all meters. fekkin stoner. turns red.

 

[bounty29]

Seems like Sunstone Herbals is currently selling the Hanna 98129 for $109 + shipping. That's an absolute KILLER deal!!! I'd buy one if I didn't already have my meter situation covered. I got a Hanna continuous monitor 991404 meter and for the money it's pretty damn sweeeet.

Yup, that's the one I had my eye on. I think I'll be getting that in a few days. That should be the last expensive thing I need to buy. I bought some PBP and Cal Mag today, so I'm just about set.

 

[Guest]

oops, my bad. i went back and read the start. sorry redux! it was a thread on all meters. fekkin stoner. turns red.

LOL...yeah man...halfway through the thread I had to recheck the title to make sure I was on track.

 

[Neptune]

Hanna Combo Pen is the best.

~$100.00 for EC/TDS/PH/Temp
Works a treat, easy to calibrate, easy to clean, and it's WATERPROOF.