Dropped PH meter in reservoir.. help!

p8bal3r

p8bal3r

Member
So I have a cheap Milwaukee ph meter (pictured below), and I managed to drop it in my reservoir. It is showing erratic readings, and some that aren't even numbers, when just placed in tap water. When I check the meter every couple hours, the reading will level off at a different number (4.1, 3.9, 5.0, etc.).

What can I do to fix it? Is there a solution I should soak it in, since the dried reservoir water on the inside can't be helping anything.

I don't think the meter is trash since it is making readings still. So please don't just say to throw it out. Thanks.
 

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p8bal3r

p8bal3r

Member
It's been over 24 hours so I'm sure it's dry by now. I'm not quite sure what is causing the erratic readings though. How do I make it stable again?
 
thedude121212

thedude121212

New Member
i don't know bro sounds like ur f*****. i'm no electrician but most things electrical that aren't stated as submersible will never work the same after being submersed. sorry to shit on ur hope but i'd say ur probably gonna need a new one; and splerge on a good one this time. one other thing; try not to be stoned when u mess with ur plants. i'm not saying u were and thats why u dropped it but i've done sum stupid shit stoned myself so just a reminder.
 
p8bal3r

p8bal3r

Member
I was going to hold off on calibrating it until it gave me a stable reading on tap water... because why would it stay at the new calibration if it doesn't stay at this one?

There has to be a reason why it is fluctuating... hense this thread.

Anyone else dropped it in and had this problem before? I'm just letting it soak in tap water over night to see if it might loosen some previously-dissolved solids from the nutrients in the reservoir.

Or is there a better solution I should be soaking it in, like the storage solution (I use 7.0 calibration solution)?

The problem isn't that it reads an incorrect PH, it's that the reading in the same solution fluctuates hourly.
 
2

2012dmax

Member
Why not just buy a new one? Why risk getting a wrong reading and messing up your grow. They are not expensive unless you get some top of the line fancy one, I got my blue labs off ebay for $70
 
Bigby

Bigby

Well-Known Member
Can someone negative rep me please because I just lol'd at this thread title.

Fish it out dude. Gently shake off as much water as you can, dab it with kitchen towel, then leave it to dry somewhere warm and out of direct light. I've dropped mine in a bucket of feed water and it still works.
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
p8bal3r said:
So I have a cheap Milwaukee ph meter (pictured below), and I managed to drop it in my reservoir. It is showing erratic readings, and some that aren't even numbers, when just placed in tap water. When I check the meter every couple hours, the reading will level off at a different number (4.1, 3.9, 5.0, etc.).

What can I do to fix it? Is there a solution I should soak it in, since the dried reservoir water on the inside can't be helping anything.

I don't think the meter is trash since it is making readings still. So please don't just say to throw it out. Thanks.
Click to expand...
You should have immediately submerged it in very low ppm RO water or better yet distilled water to flush out the conductive salts it soaked up from your rez. May not be too late to do that to see if it can be fixed. Then dry thoroughly before putting the batteries in and testing.

Quite likely it's toast tho and a new, waterproof pen may be the only solution. Nutrient salts may have fried the delicate circuitry inside.

:peace:
 
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