got my refractometer, alcohol scale only!?

I ordered a refractometer on ebay, one which supposedly has 0-40 brix and 0-25 alcohol %. I know the alcohol scale is totally bogus and was really getting it for the real brix reading. Well I get this thing and it only has a 0-25 alcohol % scale!! I mean WTF, that's total horse crap!

That doesn't mean anything without initial brix or gravity readings, how does it know my initial SG / sugar level?

Now I'm bummed. I contacted the seller and if I return it it will probably cost me shipping to get it back to them. Also there's the wait.

If I knew the scale they used, and if it's constant, maybe I could figure out the brix value it's reading. I mean if it's really 0-40 == 0-25 then it may be simple math.

That's a potential alcohol scale, not actual alcohol; so, you're right. The conversion is Brix = 1.82 * PA.

I would think if he/she misrepresented it you would get a full refund. Especially if you used paypal.

The seller is going to exchange it and refund me the shipping amount back. I think I'll get a 0-32 brix one instead since the one I had originally requested is now backordered.