How Common is a broken [miscalibrated] Hydrometer

[Pi Kapp Beer Guy]

Yeah i just posted a thread the other day about a very low Og when using extract that to my knowledge couldnt be correct. So we came to the conclusion that it must be to high of a temperature when taking the reading. So im transfering my brew from the primary to the secondary and i figure i can at least see if the fermentaion was done or almost there. However it occured to me to test my hydrometer in cooled water 70F or so and low and behold it sank so low it didnt even register on the scale. So i guess it is not calibrated? Do you guys hear of this often?

Thanks

 

[BigKahuna]

If you've ever had a hydrometer...you've either already broken one...or you are about to break one.

Simple as that.

As far as inaccurate....the water should read 1.000 at 60F. It should sink in pure water.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I break at least 1 a year. I swear that if you breathe on those things too hard they'll shatter.

 

[JVD_X]

low and behold it sank so low it didnt even register on the scale. So i guess it is not calibrated? Do you guys hear of this often?

How low did it go exactly? Most hydrometers are calibrated to 60 F which means that in distilled water at 70 F it is possible that the hydrometer may appear to sit slightly below 1.000

I have also noticed that in very light beers or water, hydrometers easily stick to the sides of the measurement vial...

You could always use some distilled water at your calibration temp to see what the offset is and just take that into consideration... or return the hydrometer to where you bought it for a swap.

BTW - when you say "in cooled water 70F or so" you need to be exact... every 10 degrees will throw off the reading by about 0.001

 

[Yooper]

When you put the hydrometer into the test jar with the water, did you fill it to near the top with water?

 

[Pi Kapp Beer Guy]

yeah i know about the temp thing i just was unable to remember the exact temp. As far as filling the top i did it once to the top and once short enough not to over flow. I was using a wine theif.

 

[FishinDave07]

I'm 1 for 2 on hydrometers. Gravity just LOVES them for some reason

 

[phissionkorps]

If someone made them prism shaped, I'd totally buy one. I keep knocking them off the counter.

 

[jpuf]

The kids "played" with one, I've dropped two, and the cat knocked one off the counter. Fishin Dave is right, gravity sees a hydrometer like a tornado sees a trailer park.

 

[carnevoodoo]

I've broken two that I had laying around. Both on the same day. Luckily they weren't the ones I normally used, just extras from when I pick up good deals on craigslist.

 

[BEER_4_BREAKFAST]

I broke mine last week, when I was bottling my first batch. Not off to a good start!

 

[Saccharomyces]

I was amazed I made it through 12 batches before I broke mine. I'm clumsier than a drunk elephant in a china shop after a few homebrews .

 

[batches_brew]

I broke one last week. Slipped out of my hands and onto the floor.

 

[DubbelDach]

I've broken 4... Now I have a plastic one!

 

[Torchiest]

I broke my first one by leaving it in a bad spot, where it rolled off and dropped onto the floor. Now I always put it back into the little plastic tube when not in use. The second one has lasted more than a year and a half now.

And yes, I've been worried about weird readings, but I've checked it in room temp water and it reads 0.998, which comes out to 1.000 when you adjust for the difference from 60ºF.

 

[jahdrummin]

Broke 2 this year as well...
so.. i am still a newbie...and even have been called a JONG in a backcountry ski post site last week (still dont know what that means)...
so i have a question about a Brixometer? or something to that effect that my buddy told me about? is that the same as the glass hydrometer or what the hell is it exactly??? thanks much..

 

[HVBrewtality]

i was braking so many, i realized it was actually cheaper for me to buy a refractometer

 

[Saccharomyces]

Broke 2 this year as well...
so.. i am still a newbie...and even have been called a JONG in a backcountry ski post site last week (still dont know what that means)...
so i have a question about a Brixometer? or something to that effect that my buddy told me about? is that the same as the glass hydrometer or what the hell is it exactly??? thanks much..

Could be, or may be talking about a refractometer. I use both, refractometer is handy for a quick gravity while taking runnings and calculating pre-boil gravity, I use a hydrometer for measuring OG and FG.

 

[BEER_4_BREAKFAST]

I broke mine last week, when I was bottling my first batch. Not off to a good start!

I broke another one while brewing my second batch last night!

2 batches - 2 broken hydro's... not off to a good start! :cross:

 

[Homercidal]

So far, so good. I keep mine in a plastic sleeve and only have it out while using it. I've already been warned not to shake it like a thermometer...

 

[Torchiest]

I broke another one while brewing my second batch last night!

2 batches - 2 broken hydro's... not off to a good start! :cross:

You need to carefully consider what you were doing when they broke, and then not do that again! :fro:

 

[BEER_4_BREAKFAST]

You need to carefully consider what you were doing when they broke, and then not do that again! :fro:

Both times, when I put it back in the plastic tube, the cap at the end of the tube popped off and out came the Hydro and crash on the floor.

I'm gonna tape the cap on my next one! :cross:

 

[BigKahuna]

Both times, when I put it back in the plastic tube, the cap at the end of the tube popped off and out came the Hydro and crash on the floor.

I'm gonna tape the cap on my next one! :cross:

I roll mine in a paper towel before putting back in the tube.

 

[Pi Kapp Beer Guy]

SO lets say they are not broken persay. How common are those bought that are not calibrated correctly? Do you ever see any differences if they survive a drop from the counter without shattering? I mean i wouldnt think so because it's based on weight right?

 

[JoMarky]

SO lets say they are not broken persay. How common are those bought that are not calibrated correctly? Do you ever see any differences if they survive a drop from the counter without shattering? I mean i wouldnt think so because it's based on weight right?

correct. without realizing this I at first had a piece of string taped to the top of the hydrometer, i quickly realized this threw off the readings by quite a bit.

 

[pen25]

you know i was looking at a sanitizer tube for these things which is just a simple pvc pipe the right length with a screw cap on one side and a cap on the other. get both sides with the hex ends and would help with rolling around just make sure you always put it back in and screw the cap on and you can keep the sanitizing liquid in the tube as well. think 1 1/4 would be perfect or possibly 1"

 

[Blanda]

I've broken 4... Now I have a plastic one!

Plastic hydros actually exist???

I need to get one of those!!

 

[david_42]

If your hydrometer sinks all the way in 70F water, it is damaged and unusable. Most of the time when a hydrometer breaks it is painfully obvious, as in glass shards in your hand. I have seen one or two that had tiny leaks and were grossly off calibration.

 

[rjmieritz]

I picked up three the other day. broke one on the way out of the store

 

[Pi Kapp Beer Guy]

Yep 70 degrees or 60 degrees it just sinks. Cant even read the scale. I mean when i first used it to get an Og reading in what should have been at least 1.061 (extract) it read 1.032 which after the temp varient it was 1.038. I guess it goes to prove you should always test the calibration first.