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Proper pH Meter Storage

Wed, May 9th, 2018, created by W. Garrett Owen

Spring is upon us and it’s a mad rush to the finish line. Many small things seem to fall through the cracks like properly storing your pH meter’s electrode (stem and glass bulb). Now that I have mentioned it, have you checked your pH meter’s electrode lately? If not, take the time now to go check it. Did you find salt deposits around or little to no storage solution in the cap? Improper storage or conditioning will result in salt deposits around the electrode cap and stem, and the electrode drying out. Using electrodes that were stored dry or in a solution other than a recommended storage solution may often times provide inaccurate readings and results. If one finds salt deposits, simply rinse the electrode stem with water. If little to no storage solution is found in the storage cap, refill the cap with the recommended storage solution for your pH meter. If a pH meter electrode glass bulb is found dry, rehydrate the tip by placing it in storage solution for at least 30 minutes to reactivate. Maintenance of pH meters are often company and maybe model-specific. One should always read instruction manuals for to conducting routine maintenance and properly storing pH meters thereby ensuring longevity and accuracy.





About the Author:

W. Garrett Owen

Assistant Professor of Sustainable Greenhouse and Nursery Systems, The Ohio State University

W. Garrett Owen is an Assistant Professor of Sustainable Greenhouse and Nursery Systems in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University. He has an appointment in research, teaching and Extension. His area of expertise is plant nutrition; plant growth regulation; and production problem diagnostics.

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