My Hydrometer and my Face: Like Magnetic Poles

[passedpawn]

There must be some magnetic repulsion between my face and the Sp.Gr. scale on my hydrometer. 100% of the time, it settles with the scale facing away from me. I always have to walk around the damn thing to see the scale. What gives?

 

[pickles]

Yeah I have the same problem. I wonder if I start using the Brix scale if the Spec gravity side would settle in front?

 

[Yooper]

Yeah I have the same problem. I wonder if I start using the Brix scale if the Spec gravity side would settle in front?

Yes, that's exactly what happens. When I make wine, it gives me the SG scale. When I make beer, it gives me the potential alcohol scale.

Ok, I tell myself- I'm smarter than this hydrometer. So I give it a gentle spin. But no matter how I spin it, it always ends up facing exactly opposite of where I want it. And when I turn the test jar, the hydrometer turns the other way! Apparently I am NOT smarter than a $6 hydrometer.

 

[dutchoven]

Hahaha ... Time for one of those little dentist mirrors ...

 

[rico567]

The human body possesses a magnetic field, not a very strong one, but since it is positive, it repels the positively charged scale on the side of the hydrometer. I'm afraid a mirror is your only recourse.*


* I began laughing out loud as I was typing "negatively charged scale." I was going to write something about it being governed by the same principle as bread hitting the floor peanut butter side down, but that seemed too easy.

 

[Stauffbier]

HAHA! Glad I'm not the only one! I'll even keep turning the flask to try and get the hydrometer to turn with it, but it won't!

 

[kh54s10]

If you turn sample tube somewhere between 6-25 full rotations the scale will come to the front. Read it fast because it will keep turning until the scale is facing away from you!

 

[Yambor44]

Yes, that's exactly what happens. When I make wine, it gives me the SG scale. When I make beer, it gives me the potential alcohol scale.

Ok, I tell myself- I'm smarter than this hydrometer. So I give it a gentle spin. But no matter how I spin it, it always ends up facing exactly opposite of where I want it. And when I turn the test jar, the hydrometer turns the other way! Apparently I am NOT smarter than a $6 hydrometer.

Hahahhaha. I have the EXACT same challenge!

 

[gavball6]

Spot on!

Happens every time and just happened to me 3-4 times about 5 minutes ago! When in doubt, it always looks like 1.014 to me!

 

[TarVolon]

I've been fighting my hydrometer all day too. So glad someone posted this. Cracked me up

 

[bob1852]

I just tried to get a reading on my young braggot. Between the excess CO2 in solution and "Passedpawn's Law," I gave up. I think it is at ~1.015.