Do you trust your hydrometer ????

[Luc]

Well if you do be carefull !!!!

Normally I have blind faith in my measuring instruments.

However when playing and testing my refractometer I did double checks on sugar measuring.
I dissolved a certain amount of sugar in water and measured with my hydrometer and refractometer.

Well the SG scales were correct.

But then I noticed something strange on my hydrometer.

My hydrometer has 3 scales: SG scale, sugar in weight and Potential alcohol.

Now the sugar in weight scale was WAY OFF.
It dit not point to the actual amount of sugar I actually added.

I tested and tested again and the scale was indeed way off.
The potential alcohol scale derived from the sugar by weight scale was also way off.

The SG scale however was accurate.

So I contacted the manufacturer and his answers were hilarious !!!!
Read the story and correspondence here:

http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2010/11/vertouw-je-je-hydrometer-trust-your.html

Now if you do not work with SG tables from books, or do your own calculations, be carefull. So if you blindly trust your hydrometer and work with the sugar scale, you might be in for a big surprise.

Please do a check like I did and adjust your scales accordingly.

Read and enjoy the story and smile or even have a good laugh at the answers of the manufacturer.

Luc

 

[djrockinsteve]

Great! (Sarcasm) The Co. should have said-So let's not worry about where it originated, let's do our own tests and correct the hydrometers that they make.

The scale is just printed and inserted. At the next printing adjust.

I have gotten several hydrometers over th elast few months, all dif. companies and styles. I'll have to check them as well.

Thanks Luc, if nothing else, at least we are consistent.