Apera PH meters- AVOID

2com

Well-Known Member
Please keep us updated on the products performance in your grow. We are curious.

I think that one should always have at least 2 reliable pH meters, and I personally wanna have at least two of the soil pens as well. If one goes down or you are trying to confirm a really odd reading then it's invaluable.
I am never without GH pH drop test kit. That's what I tell most beginners, always have drops, to compare when something doesn't seem right on your meter.
I'm drifting further and further away from devices that just monitor, towards devices that monitor and control now - in my searches I mean.

This atlas scientific company seems very cool. Quality probes/gear, good "philosophy" - they're open source for the most part I think, and they support the "diy" type of community. I like it.
I'm legitimately trying to figure out if I can learn arduino etc. in a reasonable amount of time now. Hahaha.

Edit: @Renfro https://www.whiteboxes.ch/shop/i2c-soil-moisture-sensor/ One of these per plant container? Haha.
 
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Renfro

Well-Known Member
Just some things I have learned about the PH60 / PH60S

Factory Reset
It's recommended to do this when you change the probe.
  1. Turn off the meter.
  2. Long Hold the power button (more than 2 seconds) to make it turn on into the Settings Menu which will show USA, P1.
  3. From there we go to page 7 for factory reset. Change pages with Mode button
  4. On P7 it will show the word "no"
  5. Tap Cal/Enter to get it blinking
  6. Tap Mode to change no to Yes
  7. Tape Cal/Enter again to select Yes, the display will stop blinking and the device shall be reset
  8. Long Hold the power button to exit to measuring mode, what you regularly see on screen.

Something seems wrong and you want to see if the pen itself is working eliminating a faulty probe being the cause:
  1. Turn off the meter.
  2. Remove the probe so the meter is connected to nothing
  3. Turn the meter on.
  4. Typically with no probe attached to the meter, the screen should show -2.00ph as a default.
 

Larry3215

Well-Known Member
My apera ph meter got moist inside after over one year use, 14-15 months, amazon asked if I want refund or replacement. Got a refund in couple of days.
I doubt it was Amazon offering a refund. They dont accept returns past 30 days. Even if they did, they would want it returned for something this expensive.

If you got a refund, Im pretty sure it would have been from the seller - which was almost certainly Apera. Ive never seen anyone selling Apera products on Amazon other than Apera.

Since their warrany is only one year, that was pretty decent of them to honer it past that date.

Which by the way has been my experience. They have treated me very well the two times Ive needed service.
 

newbplantgrower420

Well-Known Member
got a bluelab contph controller and a portable bluelab pen. the readings are like .2-.3 higher on the pen compared to the controller. idk if its the portable pen thats off or the contph controller.

I recently calibrated both 1-2 weeks ago. im tired of calibrating these ph tools every damn week or two. i want one that just stays for at least a month or two.

any other reliable ph meters besides bluelab? or is that bluelab combo meter viable? reliable combo meters?

maybe this pens taking a shit. or its the controller wall unit. bluelabs are only accurate to one another right after calibrating them. whos got the patience to calibrate every week or two
 
Just ordered an apera 60s today based on your review of it in your other thread. It was a good price though hopefully it works for a while and will just go with a blue lab when it quits working.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
I do like my Apera pen (PH60S) but I wasn't pleased with their support. And don't buy their products off Amazon, old stock.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
got a bluelab contph controller and a portable bluelab pen. the readings are like .2-.3 higher on the pen compared to the controller. idk if its the portable pen thats off or the contph controller.
Calibrate them. Any pH probe that isn't stored in KCL solution will have a swing and the probe life is limited. So having a probe sit in solution constantly is going to require weekly calibration.
 
I do like my Apera pen (PH60S) but I wasn't pleased with their support. And don't buy their products off Amazon, old stock.
Picked it up from here for 129 remembered you said not to get em from amazon hopefully it's good to go for a while.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
Picked it up from here for 129 remembered you said not to get em from amazon hopefully it's good to go for a while.
Did you pick up the tool to poke the hole? You don't want to use your probe to poke a hole in the soil as the tip is very fragile.
 
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