pH meter storage

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Get some storage sol'n as it has the same level of electrolytes as the liquid in the glass bulb and will keep your probe in good shape for much longer. My pH pen is going on 10 years old and still seems to work fine tho a bit slow to react. I rarely use it as I don't worry about pH very much. When I get different nutes I'll check to see how the pH comes out and if it's in the zone I don't need to check it any more.

:peace:
 

go go kid

Well-Known Member
Always keep your pH electrode moist. We recommend that you store your electrode in a solution of 4 M KCl. If 4 M KCl is not available, use a pH 4 or 7 buffer solution. DO NOT store electrode in distilled or deionized water—this will cause ions to leach out of the glass bulb and render your electrode useless
 

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Always keep your pH electrode moist. We recommend that you store your electrode in a solution of 4 M KCl. If 4 M KCl is not available, use a pH 4 or 7 buffer solution. DO NOT store electrode in distilled or deionized water—this will cause ions to leach out of the glass bulb and render your electrode useless
This is a good thread.

 

go go kid

Well-Known Member
This is a good thread.

i got my info from a google search
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
This is a good thread.

I read that link and there was no need for a magnetic stirrer and the sol'n needs to be mixed in the correct proportions, ( I'm not sure what they are yet but will find out), to match the concentration in the probe or it will either make the probe sol'n stronger or weaker over time and throw everything off.

Get a flat bottomed jar so the magnet stays centred. Mason jars have the dome in the bottom it's trying to stay on top of. I use a 1L flat-bottom boiling ball on my mag stirrer when I make colloidal silver.

First batch using a power regulating circuit I built from a circuit diagram I found years ago when researching CS. Seems to take twice as long but supposed to make much better CS tho the old stuff seemed to work just fine. Ignore the Arduino board as it's not in the circuit.

NewCSRun01.JPG

I have a kilo of KCl for use as plant food so will make my own too tho still have half the 8oz bottle of storage sol'n I bought 10 years ago when I got my pen. I destroyed a $125 Oakton by using buffer sol'n half and half instead of proper storage sol'n. New probe for it was $75 plus shipping so just bought a new Eutech/Oakton Ph TestR1 for $69 and picked up new pH 4 and 7 calibration sol'ns and that bottle of storage sol'n at the same time. Also got 2 bottles of cleaning sol'n. Soak in part A for a while then Part B then rinse. Seemed to help it get to a stable reading much faster after cleaning. Still have most of that stuff left as well.

Edit: Found this so can just make more of it tho 3.5M is supposed to be good too.

Molar mass of KCl = 74.5513 g/mol and you want a 4M concentration so you need 298.20 grams in 1 liter of DI water.

You probably don't need a whole liter so use 75 grams in 250 mL of DI water and you should be good to go.

:peace:
 
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19-Sean-86

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply guy's, I just bought a blulab pH meter and need to use it today. I asked about storing in buffer solution literally as a temporary measure until the KCl solution I order today arrives. I did see that information on Google about it being ok to use but didn't really get wether to use the 4 or 7?
 

Herb & Suds

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply guy's, I just bought a blulab pH meter and need to use it today. I asked about storing in buffer solution literally as a temporary measure until the KCl solution I order today arrives. I did see that information on Google about it being ok to use but didn't really get wether to use the 4 or 7?
Plain water works temporary
Just so long as it stays most
 

19-Sean-86

Well-Known Member
you said for a short time
You put the probe in water all the time
But if it dries out you will ruin it
Yh it will be for 2/3 day's max, I know it probably won't do any harm but id rather not use something it's tells you not to lol. I'm anal like that.
 

zzyx

Well-Known Member
Been storing mine in well water for years. I get 3-4 years out of them, which is pushing it. The reaction time slows over time but that’s the nature of the beast.
 

magnetik

Well-Known Member
fwiw..

BlueLab
Don’t soak the pen in RO (Reverse Osmosis) water (rinsing in RO water is acceptable, but never soak or rinse in distilled or deionised water.

Apera
DO NOT soak or store any pH probes in purified water like distilled water, deionized water, or reverse osmosis water since it could cause damage to the pH electrode and the tester could give erratic readings. Rinsing the probes in purified water is a good practice. Just don't store them in purified water. If you accidentally store the probe in purified water, try storing the probe in 3M KCL storage solution for 48 hours and see if the tester can perform in a normal state.
 

DaFreak

Well-Known Member
Get some storage sol'n as it has the same level of electrolytes as the liquid in the glass bulb and will keep your probe in good shape for much longer. My pH pen is going on 10 years old and still seems to work fine tho a bit slow to react. I rarely use it as I don't worry about pH very much. When I get different nutes I'll check to see how the pH comes out and if it's in the zone I don't need to check it any more.

:peace:
I have no idea how you are that lucky. I store my pens in storage solution, use cleaning solution and care for them as you should. I'll be damned if I can't have one last longer than a year and a half.
 

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
I
I have no idea how you are that lucky. I store my pens in storage solution, use cleaning solution and care for them as you should. I'll be damned if I can't have one last longer than a year and a half.
I just looked, and I've had mine since may of 2016. I haven't treated it especially well either.
 
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