How Often Do You Break Your Hydrometers?

[Spork]

I broke my glass one (sober).
I have also broken the plastic coopers one twice (sober) but at least a bit of superglue fixes that one.
I have not broken my refractometer.

 

[ianh]

Broke the one that I used to brew with in the UK in late 60's early 70's a few months ago, not replaced now use a refractometer.

 

[nala]

Broke the one that I used to brew with in the UK in late 60's early 70's a few months ago, not replaced now use a refractometer.

Hello Ian,
I recently bought a refractometer.
After doing a few checks to see how things are progressing on brewday I find wide variations between the hydometer reading and the refractomter, should I calibrate my refractometer to the hydrometer reading ?
I have it calibrated to water.
I am wondering if the wide variations are due to taking small samples which become distorted due to evaporation whilst I am cooling them?

Cheers, Alan

PS: stop bushwalking and get on with some proper work on the spreadsheet.

 

[ianh]

Hello Ian,
I recently bought a refractometer.
After doing a few checks to see how things are progressing on brewday I find wide variations between the hydometer reading and the refractomter, should I calibrate my refractometer to the hydrometer reading ?
I have it calibrated to water.
I am wondering if the wide variations are due to taking small samples which become distorted due to evaporation whilst I am cooling them?

Cheers, Alan

PS: stop bushwalking and get on with some proper work on the spreadsheet.

Hi Allan

I used to find very little difference between the hydrometer and refractometer, you only need to calibrate the refractometer with water but you need a correction formula for any sample after the start of fermentation. There are a number of formulas around including one in my spreadsheets.

Bushwalking allows me to dry out for a few days, back to the spreadsheet.

cheers

Ian

 

[Barry]

Once in 9 years then 4 in 3 months.

 

[humulus]

Averaging 2 per year!!!!!!!

 

[edschache]

let's just say that a refractometer is on today's shopping list...

 

[hoppinmad]

Have had the same hydrometer I bought when I first started brewing/winemaking in 1996. Have broken a few spirit thermometers in my time though!

 

[Brewer_010]

every one who says "I've never broken one" have now tempted the breakage gods.

Myself I'm running on over 8 years with the same one, after breaking a couple in quick succession doing stupid things with them (like shaking one dry with the skinny end)

 

[jyo]

(like shaking one dry with the skinny end)

Mate, we're talking about hydrometers here. Let's try and keep this thread clean.














:lol:

 

[MarkBastard]

I break them all the time, but the thing that annoys me most is I had one that was PERFECT and broke it after one brew, and the other ones I have are always off by a couple of points in water. Grrr.

 

[rotten]

I broke my first after 5 years a month or so ago. $30 to replace it, bugger!

 

[yardy]

i buy one everytime i go out....

 

[Brad Churchill]

Have had my original one for over 16 years now.
I must admit it did not get much use in the first 10 years or so.
I use it once at the end of the brew clean it and put it straight away. I Use my refractometer for readings throughout the brew day.

Yeah hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Cheers

 

[Silo Ted]

i buy one everytime i go out....

Yardy, this thread is about hydrometers, not Justin Bieber posters.

 

[yardy]

Yardy, this thread is about hydrometers, not Justin Bieber posters.

turn your vagina off please silo, you're giving me the shits.

 

[MaltyHops]

... I have it calibrated to water.
I am wondering if the wide variations are due to taking small samples which
become distorted due to evaporation whilst I am cooling them?
...

If you're talking about fuzzy readings on the refrac, I think that would be
due to yeast in the sample that gets onto the refrac's crystal. If you draw
say a spoonful or so of the wort and put that in the fridge for 10mins or
so, and then take a reading, you ought to get a sharp reading.

... you only need to calibrate the refractometer with water but you need a
correction formula for any sample after the start of fermentation. There are
a number of formulas around including one in my spreadsheets.
...

Including these charts.

Oh yeah, I've put my hydrometer away and not used except for checking
my refrac ...... not sayin any more

T.

 

[katzke]

They break? Have a hundred and something year old candy thermometer and it is still just as good as the day the glass blower made it. Looks just like a short hydrometer.

 

[mckenry]

dropped my hydrometer and smashed it a month ago. First one in 16 years !

 

[RdeVjun]

dropped my hydrometer and smashed it a month ago. First one in 16 years !

Hey, its not mandatory to do that, y'know! Just because everyone else has manual dexterity problems doesn't mean you have to try hard and join the club.

Last broke my hydrometer a bit over a year ago, that was my second one so I'm on my third, but bought a refractometer recently as well. Guess its only a matter of time before we see a "How often do you break your refractometer?" thread... :icon_cheers: