Govee Smart Hygrometer/Thermometer

Govee Smart Hygrometer/Thermometer

Humidity and high temps can cause more than a bad hair day-just ask your instrument…

by Dendy Jarrett

If you live in the deep South in the U.S., high humidity combined with high temperatures often defy description. It can be downright brutal. The net negative can be worse on your instrument than your hair.

Musical instruments are constructed of many components that can be affected by temperature and humidity. Wood needs to breathe and doesn’t like to be too dry or too damp. The finishes applied to instruments, no matter if lacquer or poly, need to breathe, as it out-gases for years after it’s applied. Metal can pit and corrode if it’s subjected to too much humidity.

All in all, proper temperature and humidity control for an instrument can cause short and long-term damage and reek havoc on your finish, your ability to tune, and the value of the instrument.

Suffice it to say, temperature and humidity are important to monitor to avoid all of these pitfalls. Unfortunately, it can be hard to remember to keep a check on these things if you have your guitar in a closet or your basement rehearsal space.

Govee has introduced the Govee Smart Hygromoeter/Thermometer. This little device is your very own humidity and temperature concierge. It’s a lightweight device that is very “apple-esque” in presentation—all white body with a round led screen. It pairs via Bluetooth™ with your smart phone. From the app, you can control the parameters and alerts you want to set.

The display is simple and straightforward and you don’t need a meteorological degree to decipher the information.

For my test, I simply placed the Govee in the inner pocket of my gig bag for my guitar, paired it up, and began monitoring. The recommended humidity for an acoustic guitar is 45-55 percent, but 40-60 percent is also acceptable. I was happy to see my Govee read 49.7% in my Epiphone acoustic. This is the perfect humidity for this guitar.

The Govee comes with a 3M adhesive backed wall mount (which I didn’t use in my application). It also comes with the batteries included (AAA times 3). The device is about 2.5 inches long by .75 inches tall so compact enough for almost any instrument case.

Additionally, if you have an instrument closet, you could simply mount this device on the wall of that storage area so you can monitor all your instruments.

The device retails for $39.99 on Amazon, so it’s very affordable.

Here are some of the top highlights of the little device:

• High-precision: Swiss SHT30 sensor. Accuracy: ±0.3°C on temp and ±1% on hum. 
• Smart Monitor: 7X24 Hours, curve graph record the real-time data, set alert for certain range and inform you automatically if exceed.(APP function)
• Easy Check: Govee App & LCD screen, zooming function on App. (APP function)
• Data Storage: 32,000 records in device (about 20 days), Two year on cloud and can be downloaded.(APP function)
• All in One: Govee Home App supports for more sensors connected at the same time, check all sensors from App instead of one by one and face to face. (APP function)

The app is available in the app store as Govee Home. It was free, easy to setup and use. It works on both iOS and Android devices.

If there is one additional feature that could make this great little unit even better, it would be wifi-broadcast. I hear a wifi version will be available for those that desire that feature within a couple of months. As it is now, you need to be tethered via Bluetooth, so you must be within range. The detecting range is up to 230 feet in ideal condition (no obstructions). There is no cloud-based monitoring…yet.

At least when I’m close, I know my gear is being monitored so that damage from temperature and humidity extremes can be mitigated.

So when you’re having a bad hair day due to the high humidity, at least you don’t have to worry about your favorite music gear. -HC-

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Dendy Jarrett is the Publisher and Executive Director of Harmony Central. He has been heavily involved at the executive level in many aspects of the drum and percussion industry for over 25 years and has been a professional player since he was 16. His articles and product reviews have been featured in InTune Monthly, Gig Magazine, DRUM! and Modern Drummer Magazines.