Re: Add this to the pricelist

From: Semanchuk, Phil J (pjs20347@glaxowellcome.com)
Date: Tue Sep 16 1997 - 07:23:48 PDT


Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 10:23:48 -0400
From: "Semanchuk, Phil J" <pjs20347@glaxowellcome.com>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg3558$foo@default>
Subject: Re: Add this to the pricelist


>> Electronic Soil PH Meter - $24.95
<< snip!>>
> Where did you purchase this device? Sounds
> interesting ...

Ken,
I realize your question was not directed at me, but I have some
experience with these things. I bought an electronic pH meter at Home
Depot. For those who don't know, Home Depot is a giant hardware store
chain; they also sell gardening equipment and plants. The meter requires
no batteries which is a big plus IMO. The soil has to be slightly damp
for it to work. It has a foot-long thin metal rod that you stick in the
ground. The rod is attached to a wire that leads to a meter that
displays the pH. I think the meter is simply a very sensitive voltmeter
that detects weak currents in the soil and maps that to pH. In case you
can't tell, I'm talking out of my depth here.

I had mixed results with the one that I had. It didn't always give me
results, but it *mostly* worked. The worst point about it was that it
turned out to be extremely fragile. It's made of cheap plastic and of
course since I was out tromping around in a swamp I eventually dropped
it or bonked it accidentally against a tree or something, but it stopped
working. I bought another one (same brand), dropped it once and it
stopped working. Enough of that!

I think Edmund Scientific (http://www.edsci.com/) offers a pH meter.
Caveat: I have never ordered from ES but their catalog seems to carry
quality stuff. Let me know if you buy one from somewhere and have
success with it.

Phil
URL du jour: http://www.hayti.org/bluesfest.html



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