How Many Hydrometers Have You Busted?

[sosman]

I really want to hear funny stories. And to be honest I haven't broken mine yet, when I dropped it (forgot to put the bottom cap on the tube and it slid right through but it landed in soft grass.

I did melt the hydrometer tube though. When it starts to melt in your hand that is a sign you should put it down somewhere.

 

[Doc]

I answered more than three, and I think I'd be approaching 10.
However the last one lasted at least 10 months and isn't actually broken. It is still in the test jar behind the yeast fridge.
It fell down there a week or so before xmas when I was kegging, and it was too much hassle to empty the fridge of all my yeast and rearrange my shed to pull out the fridge to retrieve it, so Gerard from Northern Districts brewing got another call for a new hydrometer and test jar :lol:

Doc

 

[dicko]

I have done exactly what you have done Sosman, only TWICE :angry: and not on grass but on the concrete floor :angry: :angry:
I have now taped one end cap onto the tube with insulation tape so hopefully it wont happen again.
Cheers

 

[Barry cranston]

Good Day
I broke two when I started brewing again in 1997. I know this is tempting fate and Murphy but I have had the current one for 7 years.
All the best, Barry.

 

[morry]

Yep Ive had the bottom end fall out on me as well. The second one was just broken one day when I picked it up. Dont know what happened there. Onto my third and seeing how long it will last.

 

[Justin]

I haven't broken a single one (touch wood) and I have around 5 hydrometers that seem to keep being passed on to me somehow (??), the little buggers are multiplying. I have however melted the tube like you sos a number of times, but I now have a nice heavy duty one (not that really thin plastic crap that melts at 35C when you take a grav reading while sparging) but it's not temp rated either, I still have to be careful to cool my sample enough before testing but it's better than the thin ones.

If I don't buy myself a refractometer in the near future I might get myself some polycarbonate tubing of sufficient diameter to accept my hydrometer. Then the suckers wont melt.

But mind you I've had hydrometers try to jump off the brewery, only through luck and on the odd occation a bit of skill has prevented them from disintergrating on the concrete floor.

Cheers, JD

N.B. You not only have to make sure the bottom is in the tube but make sure the bottom doesn't fall out while taking a sample. Seen this once or twice.

 

[Kai]

I've broken two, I can't remember how the first one broke but the second got dropped in the sink.

My current one I dropped into the sink, but it bounced back up and I caught it so all was good.

 

[dicko]

Hi Justin,
Have you ever tested the readings on each hydrometer to see the variation.
I had a brew day last year and each person brought along at least one hydrometer.
We took readings of the wort with each one and there was a huge difference between some of them <_< .
This is a good excersise to appreciate that all is not the same in brewing - even with the test instruments. :unsure:
Cheers

 

[Justin]

Yeah, I'm aware they will be different and I have meant to calibrate them (well check them for accuracy anyway), but in typical form it's on my to do list. I'll get around to it one day. I really should pick one out to use all the time and keep the others for spares, but atm I have them positioned all around the house in the various places that I use them.

But what you are saying is wise advice I will check them soon.

Cheers, JD

 

[pint of lager]

Haven't broken any, and like Justin, they seem to multiply, I have three here. The hydrometer doesn't get used much any more, thanks to the shiney refractometer turning up. And if I drop that I will be truly cursed by the brewgods and will order a replacement straight away.

Have broken one glass thermometer, but I do blame the visiting rugrats that were in the same location when the thermometer ended up on the ground.

I did drop the electronic scales that weigh down to 0.01 grams, but managed to position a foot under them and break the fall before they hit the tiles, and they still work. Phew, that was close.

Interesting about the results, you either don't break any, or tend to break them often.

 

[Weizguy]

I have broken 2 hydrometers.
In my defence, I feel it is correct to state that they suicided, rather than being myself to blame.
The first one jumped into the sink on multiple occasions, and it was only a matter of time before it destroyed itself.
The second one was of a weak demeanour and simply snapped in half while I was drying it with a tea-towel. Admittedly, the tea-towel was still hooked up on the oven door, and I was drying the hydrometer one-handed.
But, can I really be to blame for sub-standard equipment, with possible personality deficiencies and self-destructive tendencies?

Seth

 

[Batz]

I have my original hydrometer , 20 years plus , I can't understand why because I have busted just about every other item of my brew equipment.
My new glass dejohn hurt !

One the subject of poor reading what about a lab quality one?
I still use mine for FG not my refractometer

Looky here

http://www.ibrew.com.au/html/equipment/beerequipmentset.html

Bulk order? Anyone?

No I am doing it !! But I'll take one and a test jar

Batz h34r:

 

[Goat]

"No I am doing it !!"

....so does that mean you ARE doing it then Batz - well done

 

[Batz]

"No I am doing it !!"

....so does that mean you ARE doing it then Batz - well done

NO! :angry:

I had my turn , perhaps your ready to give it a go Goat?

Ring him see what we can get for a bulk deal , be prepared !

You hears are going to bleed :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ask anyone who has given this guy a call about anything at all

Batz h34r:

 

[jayse]

I have broken more than three!

Fisrt couple must have been the pretty basic dropping them, either through the bottom of the test tube or simply dropping it. After that I found a couple new ways they can be broken. Sit it in a jar on a window seal above the sink and throw something towards the sink, only you need to miss the sink and knock the hydrometer off its perch. Another one is place hydrometer in its test tube underneath a tap and rinse, two ways to break one here either the bottom comes off or you pull the hydrometer away while the top of it is just inside the tap. Also of course simply leaving it on a bench and sitting a 50litre keg on top worked well. <_<

Anyway i can vaguely remember what the hydrometer looks like and how to use it , I use the ebay light bendy thingomabob for everything now. B)

Jayse

 

[JasonY]

Have managed 3 so far ... 2 of which were in one day ahh well I am reeeaal careful now

 

[Darren]

I voted for three or more. I have had the current one for about three years now.
The last one I broke I put it into the sample tube when the wort was quite warm (maybe 40oC) I heard a "clink". Nice neat little crack around the bottom. It soon filled up with wort and was useless.
cheers Darren

 

[sosman]

I broke two when I started brewing again in 1997. I know this is tempting fate and Murphy but I have had the current one for 7 years.

Well I reckon if a hydrometer makes it to 10 years, it should be mounted as a trophy and handed out in the next AHB awards. That has to be a good luck sign (or you haven't brewed for 10 years).

 

[johnno]

I havent broken any myself but I did get home once to find that one had somehow mysteriously broken.

cheers

 

[Gulf Brewery]

Well I reckon if a hydrometer makes it to 10 years, it should be mounted as a trophy and handed out in the next AHB awards.

Yeah, and I would break than one mounting it on the trophy board :unsure:

I have only broken 2. One it dropped out of the measuring tube (I agree with Weizguy, this one yelled banzai as it fell B) ) and the other one I dropped a dish on it while I was cleaning up from a brew day .

Cheers
Pedro