pinpoint pH meter in the water!

[EvilMel]

I just dropped my pinpoint pH meter in the water (yes the one I got like 3 weeks ago)!

Any suggestions?

I have opened everything and dried it out, but it doesn't seem to be working still. I see numbers every once in a while, but not consistently and they seem to really jump around alot. Then if I leave it on for any length of time the display goes out.

uugh

[Sir Knight]

Mel,
Give Premium Aquatics a call, maybe there is something they can do for you.
It's worth a shot.
If not I think game over with it. :(

[simonm]

I did same thing with my pinpoint redox meter last week, dried it out and it worked OK for a day or so.
Now it shows my ORP at -1888 !!! its er broken !

[cee]

Probably the salt film, even when dry, conducts electricity, and so affects the reading. You'll need to open the unit and wipe the electronics and LCD carefully with a paper towel with DI water. Also, replace the battery, as salt water is conductive enough to have completely exhausted it in a short period of time. However, I wouldn't try this until I exhausted all options with the vendor and/or manufacturer. I did something similar with my conductivity meter, and it seems to work OK now.

[simonm]

thanks for the tips, I shall try cleaning the unit up a little as described.

many thanks.

[cee]

simonm, I forgot to mention, if you get water inside the LCD display, it could affect the crystals and make the display read improperly. However, if you're handy with a soldering iron, you can replace the LCD fairly inexpensively. Probably no Radio Shack in England, but I'm sure you can find an electronics store.

Dave

[EvilMel]

Ok so here's what I did.

I talked to the guys at premium aquatics and asked if I had just voided my warrenty. Of course I did but they were totally nice about it and said if I didn't get it to work they would sell me just the handheld part for $39. They said I should call American Marine and see if they had any suggestions.

So then I called those guys (spoke to a really nice guy named Lou) and he said I should:
1) take it completely apart (display and everything)
2) dunk it in RO water that has a few drops of shampoo and rub the board.
3) empty that water and replace with new RO water (no shampoo this time), and rub it again, leave for 2-3 minutes in this water.
4) repeat #3 a few times
5) dry with a hair dryer
6) put it together and see if it works.

Supposedly if I had done this right away it would have worked well, but since I did it 2-3 hours afterward, it didn't work.

So it looks like I am going to have to buy a replacement control thingy.

Anyways I just thought you guys might want to know about this so that in the future if you drop your pH meter in salt water, you may have a better chance of saving it than I did.

[EvilMel]

ok So all I have to say is that Premium Aquatics is awesome.

I have been talking to them quite a bit in the last day or two since I dropped my meter in the water. Yesterday they told me they would just charge me for the handheld part (not send/charge me for the probe because mine wasn't broken).

Well today when I called to order it, the told me they were going to only charge me cost for the handheld part. Isn't that cool?

They charged me cost for the handheld part and didn't make me buy a the whole thing again!

Anyways you guys should consider getting your pH monitors and other stuff from these guys, I know I will.

[Sir Knight]

Mel,
Happy to see things are working out for you

You should post this in the vendors forum. So other people can see what a great store they are. I just order a PFO dual 400 watt pulse start ballast from them and believe me I got a GREAT PRICE. They had to have it dropped shipped from PFO and it's already on its way

[SITNLOWDOWN]

Yeah i also have dealed a little from premium aquatics and they have always been nice to me and speaking of lights joe wall you have a pm