2 hydrometerwine diff readings ?

[Twintrades]

I have 2 different hydrometers here. One reads water at .990 my other reads the same water at 1.000 ????

What's with that ? Now I'm wondering if my wines are higher abv than what I thought...

So what should water read as ? I don't have the luxury of having a test kit. So if someone would tell me what a table spoon of sugar in one cup of water should read ?

 

[Flem]

If your hydrometer is rated at 60* F, calibrate it by filling up a test jar/vessel with distilled water at a temperature of 60* F. Your hydrometer should read 1.000. It it doesn't then just make the adjustment +/- to your hydrometer when testing your wine. Good Luck!

 

[Twintrades]

So if one is off more than the other ill just have to keep them separate !

One is right on the other reads.990

THanks

 

[ibglowin]

They are pretty accurate for a $5 piece of test equipment. This is probably the cheapest and most accurate piece of test equipment in the winery. Add to the fact that you can calibrate them like Flem said with distilled H2O makes them even more valuable IMHO.

 

[cpfan]

I have 2 different hydrometers here. One reads water at .990 my other reads the same water at 1.000 ????

What's with that ? Now I'm wondering if my wines are higher abv than what I thought...

So what should water read as ? I don't have the luxury of having a test kit. So if someone would tell me what a table spoon of sugar in one cup of water should read ?

Twintrades:

I'd get rid of the one that reads .990. However, I have to ask, since I think you're fairly new to this, are you sure it read .990, and not .999 or .998? On most hydrometers .990 is 5 little marks from 1.000 or the one big mark. I've never seen one that far out.

Steve

 

[Twintrades]

Yea Its .990 Its an old one from a friend. My new one reads 1.000 From our watersoftend tap water.

SO i guess ill just stick with what i have and dissregard the old one. ?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Luc did a study awhile ago regarding their accuracy. They were all different. He contacted the company but they didn't have much to say.

It's just weighted glass and a piece of paper.

Grab a third and see which one is the closest. Toss the other

 

[Wade E]

If you feel brave and wear gloves you could probably give it a few taps in the right direction and maybe get it to where it needs to be. Try do this while its in the holder so if it does break the glass will be contained.

 

[rodo]

I have 4 of them, only one reads correctly.

 

[Twintrades]

Haha This one is taped lol Whatever one reads good ill just use that.

 

[Flem]

I have three of them. I calibrated each of them at 60* F with distilled water. One is right on the money. Of the other two, one is .004 low and the other is.005 low. If I use them, I just add .004 or .005 to my SG respectively. No need to get rid of them.

 

[Twintrades]

I have a bad habit of combining things and i just know ill mixem up

 

[Arne]

Take the one that you are not going to use and put it away. Then when not if you break the other one you will still have one to use while you are waiting on another one. Arne.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Mark the bad one with a black sharpie on the top end so you know which one is the bad one and/or mark the holder (if you still have it) with how far it is off.

 

[Flem]

Arne and Doug. That's exactly what I do.