pH Meter Debate

Damark has a Chlorine and pH Electro-Tester Item No. B-40070-426137 on sale for $29.99 was $39.99, typical price is about $59.95. Call 1-800-729-9000 to order. Was in the just released Jul 97 catalog. Uses one AA battery. Is a white hand held meter with a two terminal probe for the water. Could be useful with hydroponics and gardening in general for pH measurements. For after PS I suspect it to be cheaper in the long run and to last longer and be more accurate than stockpiling pool test kits and or pH paper. One or more rechargeable AA batteries could be recharged from a 12V DC system with a simple limiting resistor.

A TT member who is into Hydroponics needs to check this out and verify it's workability-durability. I bought two of them however, it will be a while before I can use them.

Mike

The same thing is available at our local hypermarket (combination grocery and general merchandise store). It's much cheaper there, around $22 I think. If you live in the U.S., you should be able to see it in person ... check out flower and garden places ... they do work, though I am using the cheap stuff that doesn't require batteries.

John

I have not been able to find a PH meter of any type for sale in the places as described above. I live in a large city in southern California. All I can find is pool or soil test kits which use chemicals to test for PH. I did find I can order a PH meter for $40 from a pool supply store would take several days to come in. Perhaps if you could be more specific as to manufacture and product name for both types (battery and no-battery), I could call each manufacture and ask who sells it locally.

Mike

I'm really not interested in a ph meter because it requires batteries and I can think of better uses for batteries. Simple chemicals can be used to determine ph and they are available at every place that sells pools and/or pool equipment. Let's not make this complex.

John

Check out your local Green Houses. I saw them there already, even in Alaska.

Clipper

Then are you also saying your previous 2 email on this subject had nothing to do with PH meters? Still would like the answer to the question of the manufactures etc. if answer is no.

By the way the choice of batteries versus chemicals is one of long term cost and what you wish to stock up on. One or two rechargeable AA battery as compared to 10 to 20 years (or more) of chemical storage. What do you do when you run out?

Mike

I was finally able to find a simple pH meter with no batteries. Found it at a large Armstrong Garden Centers, Inc. Manufacture is Rapitest distributed by Luster Leaf Products, Inc. 2220 Techcourt, Woodstock, Il. 60098. Cost was $19.99 before tax.

Has one probe that is stuck into the wet soil that is made with two different types of metals insulated apart to make two separate electrodes. The acid or base of the soil makes a battery that moves a meter needle away from pH 7 (no flow or zero point) to Alkaline (positive flow) or Acid (negative flow). The pH scale runs from 3.5 to 9. The instructions for use are a bit complicated and include shining or removing the oxide from the probe before each use. Under tips on testing it says - Use the Meter Only in Soil. Do Not Place the Probe into Water. Don't see any good reason for this statement, unless if you let it sit in water for a while, water may seep past the plastic seal between the two electrodes and possibly short to some extent the electrodes from the inside out, decreasing it's sensitivity.

Plan to do some comparison testing once the Damark unit comes in. Will write up my comments.

Mike