Remote humidity monitoring poll

[Earl49]

I voted "no". Just because technology lets you do a thing does not mean that you MUST do it. My house stays around 40-44% RH most of the year, and I switch to casing and adding dampened sponges for a few dry winter months. I have a room hygrometer to keep me apprised of the overall picture, and only add humidity to cases when needed.

When I lived in Alaska, I had to keep wood guitars in cases all the time in the winter. We struggled to get the house up to 20% RH during heating months. At times I used an in-case hygrometer (Planet Waves) that captured high and low values, but since the dampened sponges had to be re-wet every week anyway, knowing the number did not concern me terribly. It would be something extra to worry about.

[colder]

I haven't gone that far. I just check the Oasis humidifiers in the cases every 2-3 days and fill them if they've visibly lost any fluid.

(Every 2-3 days in the winter, once the heat comes on, I should say. In the summer more like once a week, and sometimes they haven't lost anything.)

[Atomnimity]

Originally Posted by Dbone

Thanks for the info my friend...

I live in Canada, so in case only for me in the winter for sure...

When you were using them, did you find that they both worked well? Did you like one product better than the other?

Cheers

At the time I was using a droid phone. SensorPush app worked with that. When I got the Tempi there was an ad that said it worked on Iphones and droids but that was false. Tempi only had an iphone app. To my knowledge, even though they have advertised a droid app for a year there isn't one - unless recent. I was able to run the Tempi on my iPad.

They both work with bluetooth and phone notifications. Both worked well. People use them for cigar storage monitoring also I think.
Jim

[C-ville Brent]

Uh...I don't have a smart phone. Thinking about getting one with the main purpose being for use with a security system. Never had any problems, knock on wood, but guitars need protecting.

No. I keep my guitars in their cases in a humidity controlled closet. I check the hygrometer once a day in winter and fill the humidifier as needed but in spring, summer and fall I don't bother. As long as the central heat is off the humidity is 45 to 55%.

[Thin Crust]

Until recently I would have said no. Moving to the desert three years ago has changed things just a bit. I have monitors in the cases of the two guitars I play out. We have single digit humidity throughout the summer, and I regularly put my guitars in the case during long breaks. The Hoffee cases with the Thinsulate option offer great protection, and will maintain their temperature and humidity for long periods. Still, I like to keep an eye on things.

[Dbone]

Where I am here in Canada I really struggle in the winter months with humidity control generally, so I definitely need to work out an effective in case humidification solution. I will probably try and keep my practice room in the basement at 40% all the time, but outside of that room there is no way that I could keep that level consistently throughout the house...

With my current all laminate guitar I do nothing and it is fine, but my new all wood guitar that is on the way will certainly be a different story.

If I tried to maintain 40-50% humidity in my house I would have a waterfall coming down my windows...lol

[Bridgepin]

I use hydrometers throughout my music room. I have three in different places in the room and a few in guitar cases. I dropped my guard one time when I went on vacation and I paid the price.

[UncleJesse]

I've been lucky. Here in STL area, I've not had to do much. I can keep the inside of my house at about 45% humidity without even really trying with the AC on, even though the humidity outside can be 50-90%. During the winter, I run a humidifier in the same open room with my guitars in cases and with the humidifier they stay up over 40%. When I pull my guitars out of their cases I check the gauge in the case and it always says something between 41-46.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Dbone

Just wanting to get a sense of how many around here are remotely monitoring the humidity levels in their guitar case(s) using smart phone app based solutions, are setup to receive automatic alerts (email or otherwise) when your case humidity goes out of range, etc.

Thanks

Hi Dhone
I humidify the room.

That way, the humidity in the room will eventually be the humidity in the case unless one is doing assertive case humidification.

I do own case humidifiers (homemade sponge in a zip-lock). I just need humidifiers to be close enough that I know it's safe for the guitars.

Back in the day, players used to throw half an apple or potato in the pick drawer and when it dried out they changed it.

Then in the 70s Dampit started including a chemically treated card with a strip on it that turned either pink to blue or vice versa and indicated whether the humidity in the case is at a safe level. They still make humidifiers and they still come with that little card, and it's actually accurate enough for humidifying cases.

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Dhone
I humidify the room.

That way, the humidity in the room will eventually be the humidity in the case unless one is doing assertive case humidification.

I do own case humidifiers (homemade sponge in a zip-lock). I just need humidifiers to be close enough that I know it's safe for the guitars.

Back in the day, players used to throw half an apple or potato in the pick drawer and when it dried out they changed it.

Then in the 70s Dampit started including a chemically treated card with a strip on it that turned either pink to blue or vice versa and indicated whether the humidity in the case is at a safe level. They still make humidifiers and they still come with that little card, and it's actually accurate enough for humidifying cases.

Be nice if I lived in a climate where this is possible all year round. Be a heck of a lot easier...My house is also very open concept so having just one room be at a higher humidity is not easy. I practice in the basement in a room. There I will run higher humidity, but I would rather not leave a guitar in a basement when not using it...Just doesn't seem like the best idea generally...

[TwoMartinMan]

I put in a whole house humidifier. Leave all my guitars on wall hangers so I can get to them easily and play them all every day. Guitars, furniture, and everything else in the house stays properly humified. It was worth doing.

[Photojeep]

Originally Posted by Dbone

No way to adjust the humiditrak device like some other hygrometers can be adjusted (i.e.: based on your calibration results)? If not, kind of a silly product for sure...

I respectfully disagree.

Granted, I may be looking at it in a simple-minded way but I bought one of Boveda's calibration kits and used it to test all 4 hygrometers I use and I simply wrote on each unit how far off it was; ie: +4% or -3%

Of course the product is not named properly but I've found a way to use it quite effectively.

Best,
PJ

[Photojeep]

Oh, and I voted "no"

PJ

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by Photojeep

I respectfully disagree.

Granted, I may be looking at it in a simple-minded way but I bought one of Boveda's calibration kits and used it to test all 4 hygrometers I use and I simply wrote on each unit how far off it was; ie: +4% or -3%

Of course the product is not named properly but I've found a way to use it quite effectively.

Best,
PJ

Most proper hygrometers allow for calibration. How much of an issue it is probably depends on your application (How many sensors you need, how much precision you need, etc).

If I only have 1 guitar I guess...If you're trying to monitor 20 things with sensors that don't have readouts on them, need to use software to view values etc...Could be more annoying...

I'm probably gonna go with the SensorPush product because it allows for calibration. Prefer that to having to remember which of the sensors without readouts is -3, which is +4, etc...

I envision having about 5 or 6 sensors without readouts being monitored by the product's software etc...Just a bit cleaner in my mind...

You're right, not the end of the world I guess...If given a choice I will take a calibrated solution...why not