Review Request: pH & PPM Meters

[McBudz]

Thanks for the advice. I would have purchased that cheap one at Lowes and been upset when it didn't do what I needed it to. This site is great. Always nice to have people helping people. Do you recommend any specific temp and humidity meter?

I use a "weather station" that uses a remote thermometer/hygrometer. Forget what I paid but I picked up at home depot. The station gives temp/humidty inside and the remote does outside. I put the remote in my tent and keep the station in the living room where I can monitor. Just look closley when you buy, not all do humidity.

 

[o2much4me]

I like this thread but which are people having best luck with? Milwaukee or Hanna? the HANNA 98301 about $41 USD on the high end HANNA HI 9813-6 about $180 USD.
The Milwaukee T76 is $55 or so.
I am just wondering which people are liking most Milwaukee products or HANNA products.

Prices seem competitave Milwaukee SM801 SMART pH/EC/TDS Combined Meter/Tester $150 or so.

 

[Tyrone Hamilton]

I like this thread but which are people having best luck with? Milwaukee or Hanna? the HANNA 98301 about $41 USD on the high end HANNA HI 9813-6 about $180 USD.
The Milwaukee T76 is $55 or so.
I am just wondering which people are liking most Milwaukee products or HANNA products.

Prices seem competitave Milwaukee SM801 SMART pH/EC/TDS Combined Meter/Tester $150 or so.

Ummm, not to be harsh, but did you read the thread? Hanna is crap. Get the cheapest milwaukee models.

 

[o2much4me]

Yes I read the thread, You have a Hanna, & Ordering a Milwaukee.... from your thread... "I have the Hanna GroChek combo meter - it has NPS pipe threads, designed to mount through a hole in the tank, and give constant 24/7 measurements"

Just checking... Relax..... Thanks though for your insight. Let us know how you like it after some use. The Milwaukee your getting gonna be 24/7 ?

 

[Tyrone Hamilton]

I've had the Hanna for 4 months now, the PH no longer works, so I have a $150 TDS & Temp meter.

The Milwalkee PH 600 is the deal.

 

[o2much4me]

Thanks obxgardner,
Hanna champ 98106 ph meter & Hanna TDS 98301 were included so was wondering if I should eBay them and purchase a more quality meter. They (HANNA) have a one year warranty if that means anything at all. {I will not 24/7 ph} Cash is short now a days & Milwaukee SM 802 runs aprox $150 via eBay. Not sure which is one or if it matters, SM801 or SM802.
801 0-1990 PPM mS/cm = 0 - 1990
802 0-4000 PPM mS/cm = 0 - 6.0
above seems only difference. Is the SM802 would be more applicable???
[Milwaukee SM801 & 802 have 2 year warranty]
Do you advise selling the 2 & purchasing an Milwaukee SM? Anyone know of any good deals?

Not sure which mS/cm {milliseimens per centimeter} 0-6.0 or 0-1990. Is needed

--------------------------------------- BELOW IS A CUT & PASTE I FOUND REGARDING mS/cm ---------------------

[USA] 1 ms/cm (EC 1.0 or CF 10) = 500 ppm
Calculating the conversion factor

If your meter allows you to switch between EC and TDS units, your conversion factor can be easily determined by dividing one by the other.

Place the probe in the solution and read TDS in ppm. Change to EC on the meter and read EC in ms/cm.

Conversion factor = ppm / ec.

[Note: ms must be converted to us: One millisiemen = 1000 microsiemens (1.0 ms/cm = 1000.0 us/cm)

According to the chart below:
1.0 ms/cm = 500 ppm (USA Hanna)
1000 us/cm = 500 ppm

Conversion factor = ppm / (ms/cm * 1000)
.50 = 500ppm / (1000us/cm) ]

The answer is your meter's convertion factor and should be a number between 0.50 and 0.72 To improve accuracy, take ec and ppm readings from your res daily for about ten days. Average the conversion factors. The more data points that you use, the closer you will be to finding your true conversion factor.

When reporting your PPM in a thread, please give the conversion factor your meter uses. For example: 550 PPM @0.7 or give the reading in EC, which should be the same meter to meter.

It may also be advisable to give the starting value of your water; there is a huge difference between RO and distilled water with a PPM of approximately 0 and hard tap water of PPM 300 @.5 (notice the conversion factor so others can work out the EC) or well water with a conductance of 2.1 ms/cm.


A note to Organic Growers:
An EC meter has fewer applications for a soil grower because many organic nutrients are not electrically charged or are inert. Things like Superthrive or Fish Emulsion, blood meal, rock phosphate or green sand cannot be measured with a meter reliably when they are applied or in runoff. Meters can only measure electrically charged salts in solution.

"The solution"...
When reporting your PPM in a thread please give the conversion factor your meter uses for example 550 PPM @.7 or give the reading in EC (the EC should be the same meter to meter).

 

[Hackk]

Just ordered the Milwaukee ph 600... Hopefully it will hold up to the high standards!

Now, who has a great reliable TDS meter for the same price?

 

[hydrozone]

Wish I'd checked this thread before I bought my Hanna Checker pH meter.
I can dip it in the same solution 3 times in a row and get 3 different readings.

Looks like the ph600 for me.
Thanks for the reviews.

 

[Vapeit]

HMDigital PH 200. Runs around $70.00. I've had it over a year and never had a problem with it. You can get the specs here:

PH-200: Waterproof pH Meter - HM Digital

I use it for hydro and it makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Perfect Sun LED]

Ph meters don't really last no matter what brand, unless you get lucky. Be sure to store them in RO water or 7.0 solution, regardless if it claims to store it in 4.0

Anyway.

I haven't tried Milwaukee ph600aq

I do own the Milwaukee (martini instraments) waterproof ph55. It is super fast and accurate, plus gives temp, but only in C. Why can't I change it to F? It worked great, never really needing calibrating, until one day it read all wacky. Would not galibrate to 4.0, gave errors. I bought new batters, still wouldn't calibrate. I let it sit in 7.0 solution for a while, then tried calibrating it again the other day. It's working like a champ again, but who knows for how long. I got about 5 months out of it before it went wonky. Only a few days since it fixed itself.

I bought a Oakton eco testr ph1. It worked for a month. Much slower than the Milwaukee. I'm hoping it just needs batteries. It will not read correctly and will not longer calibrate to 7.0 or 4.0. It is a one point calibration.

I own a hanna tds meter, beer style one. It has worked accuractly for like a year. No complaints, but I never tried a hanna ph meter. Don't want to because I only hear bad things about how long they last.

I will try a ph600aq and see how long it last. Heck, if it last 6 months to a year, that is worth it I guess.

 

[oldman60]

"Be sure to store them in RO water or 7.0 solution, regardless if it claims to store it in 4.0"

I don't agree. RO water is the worst thing to store a probe in. Most all manufacturers recommend using buffer solution.

 

[Calyx Hunter]

This is a great thread even though it is old. I'm in the market for a pH meter right now. I'd like to hear from anyone recently using great or POS pH meters.

 

[Redlan]

There are a bunch of Chinese ones on eBay, they have a cheap lumen meter built on and tell soil temps in fare height and Celsius. My buddy and I used it constantly, daily, never calibrated or anything.... But the meter stayed reading the same for every use (on tap water) and it adjusted very quickly in the soil.... I can't say it is 100% but it at least kept the plant healthy. 20 bucks tops. (main issue is that it measures ph in .5 increments instead of .1 ....... Which is an issue for 100% accuracy) but worked great regardless.

 

[Redlan]

Used to be black and red, looks the changed it to yellow

 

[Calyx Hunter]

I spent $6 on a pH paper strip roll that works flawlessly. I cannot justify spening $100+ on something that is so finnicky. Maybe if I was doing hydro I could justify it.