Official Broken Hydrometer Count

It was over a year ago broke my friends when brewing at his house. Why do they come in tubes with caps on the bottom vs. a solid bottom?

456

My friend came over to help make beer and dropped my hydrometer. I was on a roll. The sign above my carboy read, "Days Without An Accident: 356." Thanks a lot buddy.

457

I had a tube with caps on both ends and carefully slid my hydrometer into the tube only to watch it slide right out the other end and crash on the counter top. :-(

458

Maybe they package them with caps on both ends so they can sell more of them after people break them.

megalomani said:

Maybe they package them with caps on both ends so they can sell more of them after people break them.

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Hmm. That would be a pretty good marketing gimmick. I've never had one with a cap on both ends (fingers crossed for future purchases).

The one I got to replace the one my friend broke (I wasn't there, so it doesn't count ). Another slow-motion, "I could have stopped that" moment of shame! it rolled, still in its plastic tube, off my counter when a piece of hose I was wrangling flicked it. Now I have a spare, just in case I'm a dummy again.

459

I just pulled mine out of its tube this weekend, and found that the top was snapped off. I could swear it was intact when I put it away, but I can't find the remnants of the broken end anywhere.

460

stratslinger said:

I just pulled mine out of its tube this weekend, and found that the top was snapped off. I could swear it was intact when I put it away, but I can't find the remnants of the broken end anywhere.

460

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Got any kids? Or maybe the wife might be telling you something.

thedingo said:

Or maybe the wife might be telling you something.

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Man, thats just WRONG!!

461

462

Broke a floatie thermometer AND the hydrometer on the same batch. Won't have that exact problem again, because I replaced the thermo with a conventional dial type.

463

464

One batch, one reading, and it's broken.

Nightbiker said:

Man, thats just WRONG!!

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Not what I was implying your a sick man I almost spat my beer everywhere then.

465

Buying 2 replacement units due to the fact I know I'll be stupid again and break one more.

466

Another one damnit!

467

Broke one bottling 3 weeks ago.

468

I brewed my first beer; tested it, then washed off the Hydrometer and placed it carefully in the sink drying rack to dry off... No issues at all.

My son was getting ready to do the dishes later; and said "Dad, can you move this? I am afraid I might break it if it stays here..." So I gladly grab it to move aside so my good and dutiful 10 year old son can handle the dishes without concern. As I move to put it with my Homebrew gear again; I accidentally twist it in hand and drop it to the corner of the counter...

My son "Hmm... Guess I should have left it alone Dad; it was safer over here..."

469 - first one 3 weeks ago

462....

Stepped on the damn thing while being drink in brew equipment area late one nite.

Oops. 470. I meant 470.

Dammit! 471.

472... I jinxed myself, thinking about this thread earlier today. Fell out of the stupid container while carrying too many things.

Rolled off the counter, stupid. 473

Count me in for 2 so far...the 2nd happened last weekend. 475

I posted a couple of months ago...and I just broke another one. 476

477. I knocked it off the my brewing supply shelf.

I keep mine in a 20oz beer bottle on one of my beer glass shelves (SWMBO doesn't like beer, but whenever she finds a nice one while she's out shopping (thrift stores and such) she brings me the glass or pitcher (also glass). Nice of her. Anyway, I was reaching for one to have a pint this morning (hey, I work NIGHT shift, so a beer in the AM is just to help me wind down and enjoy a little "me" time) -knocked the bottle over, it rolled OFF of the shelf -and I actually caught it! The hydro still lives!
Now if my pulse rate will finally slow down...

I broke one a few months ago...478.

Then I broke one last week. I was getting ready to measure FG on some Apfelwein and had just pulled it out of a bucket of Starsan. I was sort of lightly shaking it near the bucket to remove excess liquid Starsan. The EXACT moment it occurred to me I shouldn't wave this fragile thing near a bucket I hit the bucket with it and it shattered...479.

+ 2 for me = 481

My first one lasted 20 years. I've now broken 3 in six months. Two for two on my last two batches, although my brewing partner broke one of them.

484

2 for me... within two batches of each other a few months ago

486

broke mine when I didn't see it in a bucket I was cleaning out number 1 for me and #459 for the forum

I broke mine on my first batch, dropping it back into the plastic tube it came in, didn't even get one use out of it. Bought my second, hopefully it lasts a little longer.
#460 for the forum.

1

They need to make less expensive plastic ones.

redm18, How'd you go from 486 to 459? I'm guessing the total should be 489...
Soldevi, Coopers sells a plastic hydro for about $10 (makebeer.net) + shipping. I tested it and got the same results as my (about .002 different) glass hydro. Others have tested it as well. Wasn't sure if they got the same results. Pete

I'll add my story,

So I'm done using it, dry it off, and go to put it back in the plastic cylinder they come in. Pop the cap off, drop the hydrometer in, crappy little plastic bottom pops right off and the hydrometer proceeds to dive bomb straight into the floor.

And I swore way more than was really necessary.

490? 461?

Yeah, there are many "spaz" moments in this thread.... I'm thinking 490.

+1 = 491

broke while holding it in my mouth... luckily I didn't get cut.