New Grower Questions Re: Use of Accurate 8 PH Meter

[olderthandirt]

Lotta love for this meter in the forums so I picked one up.

Instructions say not to use in liquid, only soil?
Appears to not be a way to calibrate the thing either.

So if I'm not supposed to dip the probe in liquid (calibration) how do check the calibration/accuracy of the thing?
Does this also mean I'm expected to get a separate device to check my water and tea Ph?

I'll jest settle back with a one hitter now and wait for ya'll to tell me what I missed here. Prolly sumpin obvious
Thankee (-;

 

[Ripper]

it is a soil meter from what I understand.. @Waira can tell you more about it. I know he talks about this meter.

 

[Chester]

I've been using my accurate 8 for several years and never gave calibration a thought ... to do things right you do need a separate ph meter for liquids ... or use AN's PH perfect line of nutrients ...

 

[Waira]

:smoking: hey guys! The A8 is strictly a soil probe, never use it in liquids! It works on the same principle as those cheapo skinny one you see around, but it's more robustly built and better calibrated... nothing to do there either, it's set for life basically,... there are two kinds of metal at the tip, and there's a conductivity difference between then, which is what's measured and extrapolated into pH,... accurate enough at +/-0.2,... To get the best readings, it has to be nice and clean, fresh-buffed with that pad it comes with, then set into the soil for a few minutes at least to stabilize (don't leave it sitting there for much longer though); the soil should be well moistened-- not soggy, or any kind of dry,... wipe it clean after each use with a damp towel to remove crap that might tarnish/corrode the metals,... it's an indispensable tool that eliminates the need to do the dubious, PITA, water logging run-off test and calculation,... r-o testing will do in a pinch, but that's the best I can say for it!

 

[olderthandirt]

Soooooo

If it's vital to not immerse the probe in liquid, how would ya go about verifying the readings it's giving?
Also then, least expensive PH meter for liquids other than litmus papers?

 

[Corgy]

https://www.autoflower.org/threads/improved-runoff-method-for-testing-soil-ph.42037/#post-840050

 

[Waira]

:smoking:OTD-- the A8 doesn't need calibrating, no way to do it outside the factory anyway... otherwise, you'd have to get a more expensive professional-grade unit to test against it,... for your liquids, you'll need a pH meterh:... somewhat delicate instruments, hey need to be treated nicely, meaning no abuse, frequent calibrating with test solutions, and proper storage soln. as well, to keep them accurate, and make them last,... a critical tool when you need it, IMO!.... the run-off testing/calculation method is generally prone to lots of measurement error sources (mostly human), simply put; testing straight r-o will not give an accurate pH! there's a proper process, and this guide will serve in a pinch to get a pH estimate by this method...it's a pain in the ass though, and always, a direct in-soil measurement is better than this way,...
(00ops! spaced the link--- https://www.autoflower.org/threads/...-for-run-off-testing-and-ph-estimation.41733/

 

[olderthandirt]

@Waira , yup, I see how the Accu8 has no user calibration. I'm still being dense though as to how would you verify the readings. Not calibrate, just verify. Not immersing in liquid has me stumped there.

I'm shopping. I'll pick up a couple of those whatIcanafford pen meters for checking water and such.

 

[BigSm0]

To funny. After Waira recommended one of these I began the google search and popped up an afn thread. @Waira to the rescue again.

 

[Waira]

Google knows me??!