Hydrometer question

[D-urb]

I have a question about my hydrometer. So, I've noticed for a while now that I had a hard time getting my gravities on the head, usually low. I focused on some other parts of the mash because I just upgraded from a cooler to a pot with a false bottom and thought that that was why. I thought i just needed to get used to the equipment. I had problems holding temps and would overshoot when I tried to add heat. Wrapping a blanket around the pot fixed this problem as the pot then held its temperature and I didn't need to ad heat. Well, long story short, I did a wheat beer recently and my final gravity was 1.000. This prompted me to check my hydrometer on some tap water and I got .094. I would expect water to be 1.000 or higher even due to impurity. Could my hydrometer be off? Its one where there is a roll of paper in glass. Could it have moved?

It would explain a lot if it is. Another question; I also used more wheat and less 2 row in this wheat and even with the hydrometer error, it turned out real low fg and very watered down and no body. Would the higher wheat ratio give me more fermentable sugars and hence this result?

Thanks in advance.

 

[stpug]

Yes, it could have moved - that wouldn't be the first time. You may be able to move it back by tapping the end of the hydro in your hand the direction the paper needs to move, but be careful because the hydro glass is really thin and can break if you're too rough with it. The other option to know that your readings are always 6 points higher than what you see with your eyes.

 

[geoffm33]

You want to test your hydrometer in distilled water at the calibration temperature of 60°. If the value is not 1.000, then use that value to add/subtract to whatever readings you get.

In your example, but try with distilled as well, you would want to add .006 to any reading you get.

Your Hydrometer can lie. Calibrate it

All that said, if the paper inside the glass is moving, you will never have an accurate reading.

Edit: Dammit stpug beat me

 

[stpug]

You want to test your hydrometer in distilled water at the calibration temperature of 60°. If the value is not 1.000, then use that value to add/subtract to whatever readings you get.

In your example, but try with distilled as well, you would want to add .006 to any reading you get.

Your Hydrometer can lie. Calibrate it

All that said, if the paper inside the glass is moving, you will never have an accurate reading.

Edit: Dammit stpug beat me

I might have beat you but I missed a couple key points you hit. Distilled is best and 60° is important. Definitely not worth adjusting any readings until you've calibrated in the correct solution at the correct temperature.

 

[D-urb]

Thanks for the responses. I'm pretty sure it moved as it looks farther down to me than it used to. I'll probably just get a new one and see how that works.

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks for the responses. I'm pretty sure it moved as it looks farther down to me than it used to. I'll probably just get a new one and see how that works.

Test it first before you buy another one (buy the other one anyway because without a backup you are sure to break your hydrometer). You don't have to buy the distilled water, just use your tap water and try to get it close to 60 degrees. We aren't running a scientific lab here, we're trying to make beer. Just check that it is close. Mine reads 1.000 in tap water. Close enough.:rockin:

 

[D-urb]

I was thinking along those lines. It'd be nice to have a second and I can compare them against each other. I won't throw this one out just yet and I agree, tap water should be fine.