HANNA Gro chek problem, need help

[Pseudo]

i just got a new hanna gro chek and the ph doesnt seem to be working right, i added a bunch of ph down and it didnt really do anything, i tried the ph calibration fluids and it doesnt pick them up, i tried a ph dropper kit and it read way low, need help , any info appreciated

 

[jim_browsky]

If the bulb and junction were dry when you received it, you should
soak it in storage solution or pH 7 calibration solution for an hour or
so. Then wash it in water and calibrate.

If not that, check the reference strip and make sure it is clean and
pulled out about 1/8 inch.

 

[Pseudo]

ill try that, thanks, whats the ref strip?

 

[Pseudo]

it didnt work, the stupid thing is reading 3.86 in the 7.0 test solution, and it reads 6.9 in my res which the ph drops show red, WTF spending that much the gd thing should work out of the box

 

[jim_browsky]

The reference strip is the little piece of what looks like the flat kind
of dental floss that sits next to the bulb. It goes into the reference
solution. The strip is only about 1 1/2 inches long, so careful IF you
ever need to pull it out. You can get it back in, but it's not that easy.

Did you calibrate your meter? Depending on how long that meter sat
on the shelf, it could need a calibration out of the box. It never
hurts to calibrate your meter if you are unsure.

 

[Pseudo]

it wont calibrate, im already fed up with it, its goin back to the store while it still can and ill buy something else, any suggestions?

 

[FreezerBoy]

WTF spending that much the gd thing should work out of the box

Welcome to the joys of pH meters. Yours is not an unusual experience. These things are little more than toys and whether they work or not is a crapshoot.

A $5 test kit from the aquarium store will do you just fine. For pens, Oakton sucks least followed by Milwaukee with Hanna scraping the bottom of the barrel.

 

[CannabisTHC]

Did you submerge the probes??? They aren't waterproof. Your not supposed to submerge the probes under the water, since the casing will allow water to seep through. I did the same thing when I got my meter, and I had to replace it as well. I'm pretty sure my PH did the exact same thing yours is, so I'm assuming you made the same mistake.

Also when calibrating or taking readings you need to use both probes!!!

This the meter your talking about?

 

[Bruce_Lee]

my probes are submerged.... no worries (yet?)!

 

[stink.whistler]

The Hanna gro check is a decent meter - and Hanna is a decent brand. I know Dutchgrown and Dongle69 both use Hanna, and I guess they know a thing or two about growing dope and what equipment might aid in the growing.

Since after all the troubleshooting the meter is still not working for you, take it back to the shop you bought it for an exchange. They'll probably test it first, maybe they will notice something you missed - otherwise ask them to test the new one you exchange it for before you leave the shop (even if you decide to trade it for a different brand of meter).

 

[CannabisTHC]

my probes are submerged.... no worries (yet?)!

Well if you have the same meter as I have shown, it won't be working for long. I believe mine worked for a day and then died when submerged.

Here is a picture of exactly what I'm talking about. The black piece that is above the water can't be submerged. I've heard others that have had theirs stop working because they didn't know this as well.

 

[Pseudo]

i talked with the tech dude, he determined my ph probe was bad, i told him about the rf interference i was getting and he said he could send me a new probe or i could send it in and they would send be the better model with the 3 displays which has had no rf problems, at no charge so thats what im doing, its $50 more so i think its a score

 

[Pseudo]

btw the cheapie test kit is ok if you dont care about your exact ph, which i do, but thanks

 

[CannabisTHC]

i talked with the tech dude, he determined my ph probe was bad, i told him about the rf interference i was getting and he said he could send me a new probe or i could send it in and they would send be the better model with the 3 displays which has had no rf problems, at no charge so thats what im doing, its $50 more so i think its a score

Oh ya thats the only thing I missed, forgot to tell you that it could be your digital ballast. I called support at Hanna and the guy asked me if my ballast was digital, he said he could put a capacitor in it free of charge which would fix the problem. Theres was no way that I could read the PH with a digital ballast otherwise.

Only thing I didn't like about the 3 display Hanna was that it reads PPM and not EC, I like the exact measurement better. Plus I've been using it for years.

I use PH drops as a check to see if the PH is calibrated correctly.

 

[Pseudo]

that sucks, i was looking forward to using ec, but since ive been using ppm this long i guess it really doesnt matter, theres no way im shipping my ballasts there and back, my gro chek would cut off anytime my fans kicked on, pumps, etc. hopefully the HI 981504 will be better

 

[CannabisTHC]

that sucks, i was looking forward to using ec, but since ive been using ppm this long i guess it really doesnt matter, theres no way im shipping my ballasts there and back, my gro chek would cut off anytime my fans kicked on, pumps, etc. hopefully the HI 981504 will be better

No I mean you'd have to ship your ec/ph meter back to them to have them install a capacitor, not the ballasts.

Yeah not a big deal using PPM, thats weird it would cut off with the fans and pumps, mine doesn't have that problem.

Good luck with the new one.

 

[Rednick]

Mine always worked fine until the probe went bad.
Used storage solution and everything.
Suppossed to last two years, mine lasted one and one-half years.
Probe costs around $100

I think the bitch is titties.

 

[Ms_Weekend]

cheaped out and bought this model also!...DOH!.......mine also shuts off when any other 120v item kicks on or off....very weird.....even weirder I have digi ballast and it doesnt affect it at all.

sometimes my ph does read 3.76 or some other weird shit. I just turn it off for a few mins, then turn it back on and it works for a few mins......it will not read the correct ph over a few mins.....so I just turn it on whenever I need to check the ph.......reads ec perfect......my probes are submerged 24/7