Talk:E-meter

To add to article

To add to this article: at least a brief mention of the "floating needle" (F/N) phenomenon. 173.88.246.138 (talk) 17:26, 13 August 2022 (UTC)

Why? What is the connection to the E-meter and which reliable source makes that connection? --Hob Gadling (talk) 20:20, 13 August 2022 (UTC)

The floating needle is one of the needle reactions of the meter. It indicates a few things, but mainly it is "the" needle reaction that is required to manifest in order to end an auditing session. It is described in various books. I found this one today.   ▶ I am Grorp ◀ 10:54, 28 January 2024 (UTC)

This still needs doing.   ▶ I am Grorp ◀ 16:26, 11 May 2026 (UTC)

References

Interesting source

I found this source today. Very interesting. Lots of photos. It looks like a composite of excerpts from many other sources. Doubtful it could be used as a citation (non-RS), but it might be useful for information... and then a more reliable source found.

• https://jamieallen.com/media/pages/activities/recomposing-the-e-meter/ddaac16268-1641507562/recomposingtheemeter.pdf

  ▶ I am Grorp ◀ 11:03, 28 January 2024 (UTC)

Trying to verify an online claim

Or Reddit, a user claimed that the latest model of the e-meter won't work unless a church member in good standing with no unpaid debts to the church registers it online, and the registration need to be renewed annually. If anyone has a reliable source we could cite, this might be an interesting thing to add to the article. --Guy Macon (talk) 20:14, 5 October 2025 (UTC)

I have no time to look it up, but I think I read somewhere once that it has to connect through the internet, so it does a real-time lookup when you power it up. Emeters are [now] registered to specific users (owners), so it's easy enough for the organization to turn off approvals in an automated system. I could be entirely wrong on this, though.   ▶ I am Grorp ◀ 20:53, 5 October 2025 (UTC)

Found some sources!

• "This latest e-meter has a clock chip in it that only permits one year of operation. After one year, the Scientologist must plug the meter into their computer and logon to the Religious Technology Center (RTC) website. RTC checks their records to see if they are in good standing with the Church of Scientology. If the Scientologist is in good standing, RTC’s computer resets the clock chip for another year. If the Scientologist has been reading entheta online or reading Mike Rinder or Tony Ortega’s blog, then the meter is shut off and becomes a useless paperweight." https://scientologymoneyproject.com/2022/01/29/5850-the-updated-2022-price-for-a-new-scientology-e-meter-with-cans-carrying-case-troubleshooting-kit/
• "While it’s not important to diagnose the entirety of Scientology, the important thing to note is that only properly trained 'ministers' are supposed to use these devices. 404Media dug further into the actual EULA agreement for E-Meters, and there’s indeed a whole range of restrictions keeping regular users from accessing critical software, including a note that users need to have a login to register or update the device software. This also requires a membership number for the International Association of Scientologists. One of the original software license agreements for the Hubbard Professional Mark Ultra VIII dated back to 2013 notes users would void a warranty if the software has been 'used improperly or in an operating environment not approved by CSI or if the E-Meter casing has been opened.' " https://gizmodo.com/scientologists-right-to-repair-e-meters-1850793185
• "Not sure what happened to this exemption, it doesn’t really matter in the overall scheme of things. They will still require Scientologists to sign a draconian agreement before they can buy their mandatory $5000 Easy Bake Oven E-meter, and that will prevent them from doing anything with their meter that is not authorized by scientology. What is amusing is the lengths they will go to in order to ensure they protect any revenue source. Imagine if people were allowed to open the Easy Bake religious artifact and circumvent the ability of the organization to shut down the meter from their central control center. OMG." https://www.mikerindersblog.org/the-secret-e-meter/
• Software License agreement for the latest version of the e-meter: https://www.mikerindersblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Mark-8-contract.pdf

--Guy Macon (talk) 16:08, 6 October 2025 (UTC)

Cleanup of electronics descriptions

After reviewing the sources used in the Electronics section, I found no reliable secondary sources linking EDA with the Scientology E-meter. Though Hubbard, Atack, Miller, & Wallis do mention "skin galvanometer", it is not the same thing. Similarly, I don't find any sources linking polygraph machines and E-meters.

GSR is only one component of what modern psychophysiology calls EDA. EDA is an umbrella term that includes multiple distinct physiological signals including skin conductance, skin potential, impedance, electrochemical skin conductance, spontaneous fluctuations, etc. The E-meter measures only one of these (GSR), and no reliable source classifies the E-meter as an "EDA device".

The current Electronics section appears to conflate sources about the E-meter measuring GSR, with sources about EDA science, polygraph physiology, and other electrodermal phenomena. The combination implies that the E-meter is an EDA instrument, but no source actually makes that claim. This is editorial WP:SYNTH, and introduces off-topic scientific background (WP:COATRACK).

I will be removing the EDA/polygraph material and retain only what reliable sources state.   ▶ I am Grorp ◀ 03:56, 8 May 2026 (UTC)

Good call. I took a quick look myself and couldn't find a source. Besides the similarity of them both measuring an electrical effect, the basic idea of looking at a waveform on a plotter graph (and a bunch of other stuff) and interpreting the waveform as lying or telling the truth is so different from looking at needle movements and interpreting it as a spiritual state that it might as well be a different instrument entirely. The descriptions at . . and couldn't be more different than those at and --Guy Macon (talk) 13:03, 8 May 2026 (UTC)