hydrometer business!

[noodleface84]

Hi guys. Here's a question for you. My hydrometer reads 0.998 at 20°c which means it is 0.002 out? Is that correct?

I am guessing I would have to add on the 0.002 to my readings but when I took my original gravity reading, It was 1.050 at 18°c.

I kind of rushed it a bit! How can I work out what it would have been at 20°c?

Thanks,

 

[dogslapbrewery]

Unless you have a crazy scientific hydrometer they normally run couple points off. Mine reads 1.004 so i subtraxt that from all ky readings. Check it in distilled water, it should read zero. Then plug your correct reading into a calculator or use the scale that comes with it.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

It is my understanding that most hydrometers are calibrated at 68 degrees fahrenheit (20 degrees C) or 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees C). If you measure SG at 20 C and your hydrometer is calibrated at 15.5 degrees C, there is a small correction that should be added to your measurement. You can use this calculator to help you find the correction.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

Hope that helps. I am fairly new to brewing so if someone more experienced wants to weigh in...

 

[Bellybuster]

.002 off? I would ignore it.

 

[schematix]

First you need to determine if you have a hydrometer calibrated to 60F or 68F. It's usually printed at the top of bottom of the scale.

If it's a 68F (20C), and you got 0.998 with distilled water, then you'll need to add 0.002 to any measurement you take at 20C/68F.

If it's 60F, cool a distilled water sample to and check again. There's a measurable difference between 68F and 60F.

0.002 is a big offset, but it'll be consistent to correct for. It's also good practice to re-check it every once in a while with the cheap hydrometers. The paper tends to slide if it's ever dropped.