Not sure which salinity tester is correct

[Gtinnel]

Yeah it's MA877

You accidentally typed MA877 instead of MA887, but the important thing is that the right one for saltwater.

 

[kiran]

You accidentally typed MA877 instead of MA887, but the important thing is that the right one for saltwater.

Yeah I thought I could correct it before anyone replied >_<

 

[Gtinnel]

Yeah I thought I could correct it before anyone replied >_<

Haha sorry.

 

[Sean Clark]

Yeah sorry about that. Completely forgot about the models.

Milwaukee MA887

Hanna HI98319

Ok so mixing measurement technologies is more than likely going to result in subtle deviations. 1.025 to 1.023 both are correct within their stated accuracy ranges and based on different technologies.

Personally I would trust your Milwaukee over the Hanna Pen.

 

[Gtinnel]

Ok so mixing measurement technologies is more than likely going to result in subtle deviations. 1.025 to 1.023 both are correct within their stated accuracy ranges and based on different technologies.

Personally I would trust your Milwaukee over the Hanna Pen.

Agreed, but still better to test them against a reference solution. I wouldn't blindly trust either one of them, but if I were betting I'd put my money on the Milwaukee based on my experience with both.

 

[kiran]

Ok so mixing measurement technologies is more than likely going to result in subtle deviations. 1.025 to 1.023 both are correct within their stated accuracy ranges and based on different technologies.

Personally I would trust your Milwaukee over the Hanna Pen.

I'll do some more reading but I think you're right. Milwaukee might be the one to trust. I'll double check with a hydrometer and one of those eye refractometers.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[gbroadbridge]

If talking about the Milwaukee MA887 then it can be calibrated. It just gets calibrated with distilled water.

That does not calibrate it. It just sets the zero offset. The calibration is performed at the factory before shipment, and if you wish you can return it for calibration.

 

[kiran]

That does not calibrate it. It just sets the zero offset. The calibration is performed at the factory before shipment, and if you wish you can return it for calibration.

I didn't know that I could get it recalibrated. The unit is new but the box was slightly damaged so I don't know if something in the Milwaukee got misaligned.

When I calibrate it I first use the distilled water that it comes with to zero it out. Then I use the saltwater calibration solution (its known salinity is 1.025) and it tests it correctly.

 

[Sean Clark]

Agreed, but still better to test them against a reference solution. I wouldn't blindly trust either one of them, but if I were betting I'd put my money on the Milwaukee based on my experience with both.

Cross check them? I don't have both or I would.

That is exactly why I suggested to test them against each other.

 

[Gtinnel]

That does not calibrate it. It just sets the zero offset. The calibration is performed at the factory before shipment, and if you wish you can return it for calibration.

Honestly I'm not sure that I understand what the difference is. It is taking a solution with a known salinity (in this case zero) and it is setting the unit to that value, righ?
The manual for the Milwaukee refers to it as calibrating the unit.

If it isn't too long to explain what is the difference?

 

[Sean Clark]

So many variables in this hobby but salinity should not be this vague. Just my opinion.

 

[Gtinnel]

So many variables in this hobby but salinity should not be this vague. Just my opinion.

Yea it's amazing that the most basic parameter in this hobby can be so hard to get a definitive value on.
Luckily like you said it's more about stability than value, as long as the value is close.