HI99151 pH Meter from Hanna - dead in 2 years

[cpa4ny]

Hi all,

Got a crappy pH meter story - a couple of years ago, I bought a fairly high-end pH meter from Hanna. According to them, it is specifically designed for beer industry - it was solidly built and worked really well for the couple of years that I had it. I thought it was 385 bucks well spent.

http://shop.hannainst.com/hi99151-ph-meter-for-beer-analysis.html?id=031002&ProdCode=HI%2099151

I really took care of it - the probe was never exposed to mash temperatures (wort samples were cooled in a shot glass in the freezer to room temps) and I always stored the probe in Hanna's pH probe storage solution.

Last brew day, the screen went all crazy on me - the meter went into calibrating mode without my input for it to do so & flashing all sorts of crap.
Sent it to Hanna Singapore for repair and they told me that the PCB is malfunctioning and the probe has ran its course as well. Their technician in fact told me to go buy a new meter. :-( :-(

Really sucks.... just wanted to vent...

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

That sucks, i also had my Milwaukee 101 probe die within like 3 months of use...it was only used like twice and stored in the storage solution between. Took it out and it r eads like 98PH or something stupid....ugh. I havent bought a new probe yet because im not sure if i want too or just try to sell it on CL and buy a cheap one like Kal uses in his videos.

 

[cpa4ny]

Ye, really hate it when stuff breaks ><

Found an interesting-looking meter that just contains a professional-level pH probe with a Bluetooth transmitter that pings the data to an iPad.

http://shop.hannainst.com/hi11312-halo-bluetooth-ph-probe.html?id=031002&ProdCode=HI%2011312

I think I'll go for that as a replacement.

 

[augiedoggy]

I guess this is one of those cases where I can say you Dont always get what you pay for regardless of whats constantly repeated here.

My $7 yellow digital PH meter has been going strong and workingfine for over a year now...I guess I dont get what benefit the extra .01% or whatever resolution would have on homebrewing...Maybe someone can enlighten me? Im not being sarcastic btw. I mainly use mine to adjust my RO water ph to 5.2 for lighter beers

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

I bought the ($180.00) Hanna HI98121 Combo pH and ORP meter over two years ago and have since replaced the probe ($59.00) because the package I used, to stored the meter in for one month, leaked and the bulb dried out. Recently I replaced the four size 357 button batteries too but overall the meter has been reliable.

I'm trying to understand how your meter's circuit board could possibly just go bad with normal use. And how Hanna's answer was to buy a new meter.