pH Meter

[MedPretzel]

I'm thinking about getting a pH-Meter, but I want to hear what you all use, and what I should look for. I am a little overwhelmed about pH lately. It seems it's unavoidable to get one.

 

[Hippie]

I have the $35 one that Sebastien speaks of on the winepress forum. I even slapped myself on the side of the head trying to remember the name of it. It didn't work.

 

[MedPretzel]

Don't rough up that George Harrison head of hair of yours!





I was thinking of a Labtek one or something, but since I saw the prices of the test-strips here on this website, I'm reconsidering. 4.40 or so for 100 strips. If I goof up every single time once, I can test 50 wines. I made about 35 last year (but mostly 1-gallon), so...... Maybe I could get by with the strips.....





How accurate do I have to be? Do I need to know 2 or 3 decimal places?

 

[Hippie]

2 is plenty, but you don't need the strips with the meter.

 

[MedPretzel]

I understand that, but how accurate are the strips, then?

 

[masta]

Don't waste your time or money on pH test strips.

....in my line of work we use pH testing all the time and the strips aren't worth the paper they are printed on....unless you only want to know if the pH is around 4 or more like maybe a 5! Edited by: masta

 

[MedPretzel]

That bad, huh?





Okay, time to start saving the pennies. I can get a Labtek one locally for 27 bucks. 25 on Ebay (that's including shipping)....





Why can't I win the lottery?!?

 

[Hippie]

That soes not sound like a bad price, giving it is somewhat accurate, I think it should be something like +/- .02.

 

[RAMROD]

I have a fann portable digital waterproof ph meter. Dont know how well it works havent had the chance to use it yet.

 

[AAASTINKIE]

There is a bank of PH meters at work, right next to the sulfite test, I think I'll bring a small sample in and use those...

 

[Hippie]

ph is very useful for knowing how much K-meta. to add to the finshed wine for storing.

 

[MedPretzel]

Yes, it certainly is. I have found that out with my marigold wine. Unfortunately.

 

[Hippie]

Well as long as it becomes drinkable at some point, no loss.

 

[MedPretzel]

That's what I'm hoping for.





I think it tastes fine. I'm just a little leery about bottling. I don't want corks flying around the basement.

 

[Hippie]

As long as it has been stabilized and degassed and you have waited 2 or 3 weeks to be sure, I say bottle it.

 

[MedPretzel]

I think I should look at it again. I noticed a few minute bubbles in the wine itself, but it doesn't affect the airlock. I will check it out.





I stabilized about 1.5 months ago, and it's just been sitting in the carboy since December. Haven't done much with it except add some sulfite because Jack Keller told me to. Who knows if that'll help.

 

[Hippie]

Help what? Taste? I doubt if SO2 will help taste. Is it degassed?

 

[MedPretzel]

No, help the bubbling. I still have to degas. I was hoping it does it naturally (yeah, I shouldn't hope). Maybe today.

 

[Hippie]

I am confused. JK told you to add SO2 to help stop the bubbling? Don't you have a Fizz-X? Be sure and note whether the wine has a sulphur odor in it.

 

[MedPretzel]

No, the wine doesn't have a sulphur odor to it.


But he told me to add sulphite.