Ph pen maintenance

[DrTentgrow]

Hello, i am about to start growing again and i left my pH pen in some storage solution but it was there so long it all dried up. does this mean my pen is dead or can i just clean and calibrate it? it was only in use about 3-4months and hasn't been used for about 2 years since.

thanks for any help i recieve.

 

[AcesFull]

There is a sticker on my Blue Lab pen that says, 'If it dries, it dies'. I'm not sure for how long it has to be bone dry to kill it, but I'm sure my PH1 died/became very inaccurate from letting it dry out too often.

I can calibrate my PH1 to 7.0, but it's a half point off when compared to higher quality pens now. I consider that broke.

 

[DrTentgrow]

Hmm, i don't think i'll risk using that one then allthou i also read that you can dry it if your storing for long periods so i'm not sure. but i suppose the pH pen is one of those things you reley on.

thanks for the help.

 

[PrairiePoet]

You dry a pH sensor and it won't work. They make storage solution just for that purpose. I use distilled water to store mine in. They have kept well for over a year at times.

 

[TorturedSoul]

The problem with using distilled/RO water to store a pH probe in is that it will tend to leach out the pH7 buffered solution of 0.1 mol/L KCl that is inside the probe (which, in most consumer-level probes, is non-refillable). It really IS a good idea to use the proper storage solution which will not leach. The fact that you have used distilled water without suffering any degradation - or more likely, not enough for you to notice - is really the exception rather than the rule.

 

[PrairiePoet]

The problem with using distilled/RO water to store a pH probe in is that it will tend to leach out the pH7 buffered solution of 0.1 mol/L KCl that is inside the probe (which, in most consumer-level probes, is non-refillable). It really IS a good idea to use the proper storage solution which will not leach. The fact that you have used distilled water without suffering any degradation - or more likely, not enough for you to notice - is really the exception rather than the rule.

Hadn't thought about it leaching out to a lower solution that it is being kept in. I guess I thought the solution in the probe was not accessible to the rest of the probe except by the electronics.

So I googled it, and found you are correct. Thank you, I always enjoy learning something new on here.