BlueLab PH pens not so great

[HunterBrandon]

Purchased mine in October last year and it's toast already. Called Bluelab today and they confirmed it was bad. I ran out an bought a new one and now this one is acting strange right out of the box. Displays UR when I turn it on. Anyone else having quality issues with BlueLab? This shit is getting expensive and it should work better than the cheap ones but my cheaper HM brand ph pen lasted 11 months.

Does anyone know of a higher quality product? Something that lasts more than 4 months? That's about $25/mo payment for a PH pen and as I sit here I have no way to measue my ph, I have to store this new one in storage solution for 24 hours to find out if it's going to work or keep with the UR in the display in which case it's going back. But what a fucking hassle. 2 hour drive to replace this, and 2 more to take it back. As you can see I have no confidence in this working since it's acting strange already.

What's up BLUELAB?

 

[Gurtgurt]

pH pens are as accurate as drops.

 

[HunterBrandon]

What does that mean?

 

[2Bad]

Where are you driving 2 hours? They come with warranties as well. And the gentleman was saying get General hydroponics ph test drops cus they are just as accurate and cheap.

 

[HunterBrandon]

OK I just looked up drops, I don't see how they can be called accurate. They're made for swimming pools. Is it 5, 6, or 7 etc? Drops aren't going to tell me if it's 5.9 or 5.6 like a meter, pretty sure that's why people use meters. That decimal point thingy is important. Drops are wide ballpark indicators; how can you recommend them for hydroponics? What am I missing?

 

[2Bad]

OK I just looked up drops, I don't see how they can be called accurate. They're made for swimming pools. Is it 5, 6, or 7 etc? Drops aren't going to tell me if it's 5.9 or 5.6 like a meter, pretty sure that's why people use meters. That decimal point thingy is important. Drops are wide ballpark indicators; how can you recommend them for hydroponics? What am I missing?

General hydroponics test drops?

 

[growsince79]

Purchased mine in October last year and it's toast already. Called Bluelab today and they confirmed it was bad. I ran out an bought a new one and now this one is acting strange right out of the box. Displays UR when I turn it on. Anyone else having quality issues with BlueLab? This shit is getting expensive and it should work better than the cheap ones but my cheaper HM brand ph pen lasted 11 months.

Does anyone know of a higher quality product? Something that lasts more than 4 months? That's about $25/mo payment for a PH pen and as I sit here I have no way to measue my ph, I have to store this new one in storage solution for 24 hours to find out if it's going to work or keep with the UR in the display in which case it's going back. But what a fucking hassle. 2 hour drive to replace this, and 2 more to take it back. As you can see I have no confidence in this working since it's acting strange already.

What's up BLUELAB?

I've had mine 4 years and haven't even changed the battery yet, it still works perfect. Been using the same nutes so long I really don't even need it anymore.

 

[2Bad]

Good luck my guy you'll figure it out

 

[2Bad]

I've had mine 4 years and haven't even changed the battery yet, it still works perfect. Been using the same nutes so long I really don't even need it anymore.

hell yea same

 

[2Bad]

The margin for error is usually like .5 btw so it doesn't have to be spot on. Just don't get a 20$ pen

 

[HunterBrandon]

So they made good pens 4 years ago, now they sell junk. I just found out that UR in the display likely means the probe is bad. So forgive me if I sound pissed because I am. Just know I love all you for helping me and listening, I'm mad at shitlab. The one I purchased today you bet I'm getting my money back but the one from 4 months ago I stupidly purchased on eBay, even purchased the extended protection plan first time in my life, a massive ripoff operation. I never received anything about the plan, not even an email. Tried to contact them and it was a dead end. So nothing going to happen with that unit except I might take a sledgehammer to it and send the pieces back to BlueLab. Bluelab says they are not repairable.

I'll look at the GH drops.

 

[Mr.GreenthumbOG]

Mine work great. Clean, calibrate, and store properly it will last longer than anything else in the market.
I would question Amazon sellers tho sometimes.

 

[2Bad]

you have a right to be pist. but i'd be more pist that you dont live near a hydro store =(

 

[HunterBrandon]

Um, I just bought this one hours ago from my hour away local Hydro store. I say they make junk. The HM brand lasted 11 months. Bluelab themselves even told me today, Jeana, they should be good for 18 months, so how are you guys getting 4 years out of them? They are obviously NOT the same product they used to be 4 years ago.

 

[tobh]

have had mine about six months, and it's been fine. just make sure to stay on top of keeping the probe hydrated, rinse em after each use, and calibrate with the check mark isn't there. Only time i've seen mine say Ur is if I put it into 50F water without presoaking it in similarly cold water.

aprila (i think that's the brand?) makes comparable units and are said to actually make a better EC meter than most other offerings. might be worth checking em out, around the same price point as bluelab.

 

[HunterBrandon]

Thank you tobh. I will check those out.

I found some paper test strips that look to have the same accuracy as the GH drops, in .5 increments. My problem is I just can't tell what it is. Here's pic, what would you all call the PH based on this photo?

 

[2Bad]

from what i've gathered threw extensive research litmus paper isn't as accurate but if that's all you got THAT WILL WORK.. the color u got there is in between 5.5 and 6.0 so its a 5.7

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

What does that mean?

He's saying that pH drops are as accurate as pH pens. A working pH pen that is freshly calibrated should be pretty accurate and can give you a digital readout that is pretty precise. Drops will give you colors to match against a chart. They are good for verifying whether or not your pH pen is working correctly. They are also good for getting into a pretty good ballpark with your pH ... but not as accurate as a good pen.

I've had my BlueLabs soil pH pen for about a year now. No issues. You can pH your water with it as well.

 

[visajoe1]

Thank you tobh. I will check those out.

I found some paper test strips that look to have the same accuracy as the GH drops, in .5 increments. My problem is I just can't tell what it is. Here's pic, what would you all call the PH based on this photo?View attachment 1213642

acidic. target should be 6-6.5

 

[HunterBrandon]

The new meter is working this morning! Paper strips were way off. I woke up at 4am as the thought struck me that I should test my tap water with the strips because I know what it's supposed to be. If it reads about 8 I'll go back to bed. Unfortunately, it read about 6.3 and that scarred the crap out of me. Now I had no real idea where my res's were. I decided to jump the 24 hour soak a bit at 15 hours, turned it on and it worked, no more UR code, did the full calibration at 7 and 4. All good. The paper strips saying 5.7 were actually 4.9 which is danger territory so I'm glad I woke up and got on it. Everything is back where it should be now. I'm going to pamper this meter to get my 18 months out of it.

For those who've had theirs 4 years, the BlueLab website says right on there, the bulb uses expendable material which will last about 18 months. So if yours is four years old, it might not actually be working as well as you think it is and should likely be replaced. GO BUY A BRAND NEW BLUELAB PH PEN -NOW!!! (After beating the crap out of them yesterday I should start helping them with sales) ORDER YOURS TODAY!!

I marked the date on the back of this new one with a sharpie and in 18 months even if it's working perfectly, I'm buying a new one, and you should too.