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Dark_Ale · 12-17-2007, 11:39 PM

Can anyone recommend a Ph meter for testing the mash ph. I hate to just buy one without doing a little research. I tried searching the forum but it wont let me search for some reason. Thanks

Kaiser · 12-18-2007, 12:21 AM

I got this one from Morebeer last year. But I think it needs a probe replacement now since it is always way off the ColorpHast strips. I have to check it again though.

Here is also some info.

Kai

Dark_Ale · 12-18-2007, 12:30 AM

I can get some colorpHast strips pretty easy but I am getting two differant stories, I heard they are hard to read, and I heard they work well? What about dark mashes, Would the strips still work well. I mean it seems it would be really easy to know if you were between 5pH and 6pH. It may be tuff to determine if you were 5.5pH, with the strips. Should'nt the mash be at room temp before testing with the strips?

Kaiser · 12-18-2007, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark_Ale

I can get some colorpHast strips pretty easy but I am getting two differant stories, I heard they are hard to read, and I heard they work well? What about dark mashes, Would the strips still work well. I mean it seems it would be really easy to know if you were between 5pH and 6pH. It may be tuff to determine if you were 5.5pH, with the strips. Should'nt the mash be at room temp before testing with the strips?

They are actually pretty good to read if you get the ones for pH 4.0 - 6.0. I know that mine are off by about 0.3. Now that my pH meter is not as reliable anymore I use the strips again. I think you can very easily get a reading with a precision of +/-0.2 pH units which is sufficient. There won't be much wort on them once you shake them off which means the color of the wort doesn't matter. BTW, you won't be able to read them in fluorecent light, in case this matters.

Kai

**the_bird** · 12-18-2007, 12:47 AM

I've thought about a pH meter as my next "upgrade," and wondered whether this is worth a damn...

Only $30 (Northern Brewer), and the replacement probes are only $20. Doesn't look like it has automatic temperature compensation. Anyone used this? Is it too cheap to bother with?

yeastybeasty · 12-18-2007, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_bird

I've thought about a pH meter as my next "upgrade," and wondered whether this is worth a damn...

I have one of those (Hannah Checker1) and it's "OK".. It gets the job done but the probes need to be replaced every few months (I guess that's true of all meters.) Readings tend to "drift" a bit even when probes are new and it needs to be calibrated before every use. There is no temp. compensation so you need to cool your samples down first. It's a bare-bones unit but works well enough. You might want to consider something more advanced if you can spare the $.

boo boo · 12-19-2007, 10:34 AM

I have a Milwalkee PH meter and have used it for 2 years now without much
calibration needed. From time to time it will drift a few points.
Same probes, I just keep it submerged ( the probe that is ) in a bottle of tap water.