Official Broken Hydrometer Count

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I tempted fate by leaving mine in the dish drainer through the washing of dinner dishes by my very clumsy wife. It is still in one piece.
 
Never broken one, but I have a question. Is that paper scale anchored in any way other than it being rolled up and pressed against the inside of the glass? what's to keep it from shifting? How do I check the calibration of mine to make sure the paper hasn't moved?

I believe the paper in my magic glass wand is held in place with fairy dust or clear glue. I'm leaning towards clear glue, but I don't know for sure. Either way, it works and the paper never slides around so I can trust it on brew day.

To calibrate it, check the calibration temperature printed on the paper in the tube, typically 60 or 68 degrees. Then fill your test tube with distilled water at that temperature. Your hydrometer should read 1.000. I calibrated mine with tap water and it worked just fine.

If it doesn't read 1.000 all is not lost. Change the temperature of your water until it reads 1.000. That is the new temperature that your hydrometer is calibrated at.

Also, on brew day you don't have to get your wort to 60 degrees, or whatever the temperature your hydrometer is calibrated at. You can use a calculate to adjust it for the temperature of your wort.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/
 
I just replied to 2 ten year old posts... DOH!
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i know it says official in the title but, is this the real "busted hydrometer"?


i had my precision plain form in the dish rack, and was putting a few plates in, i swear i just brushed against it. DEAD! $30 down the trash can :(

i don't see a tally? so i'm guessing this isn't the thread i was looking for......
 
i know it says official in the title but, is this the real "busted hydrometer"?


i had my precision plain form in the dish rack, and was putting a few plates in, i swear i just brushed against it. DEAD! $30 down the trash can :(

i don't see a tally? so i'm guessing this isn't the thread i was looking for......

I know you don't like tripple scales, so you may like this one. I'm very happy with it.

Amazon.com: American-Made Precision Hydrometer Alcohol by Volume ABV Tester – Accurate Final Gravity Testing, Finished Beer - Pro Series Finishing NIST Traceable (SINGLE) Brewing America: Kitchen & Dining

I also broke my test jar and bought this one, also from Brewing America. The jar is definitely thicker and a bit more durable than my previous one.

Glass Hydrometer Test Tube Jar & Cylinder Brush - Narrow Flask for Alcohol Testing Moonshine, Homebrew Beer, Home Wine Making Kits, Borosilicate Glass 3.3: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
 


i like the front end, what does is say on the reverse? it says ABV hydro? if it's got the same scale on the other side it's my new hydro! :mug:
 
I guess its 2610+1... 2611

Busted one when I lowered it too fast into a bucket of stars san filled with bottles... I was privileged to clean 8 bottles a second time and start a fresh batch of starsan...

And wait a minute... hydrometers have to be read according to temperature? I've been doing this all wrong!
 
I guess its 2610+1... 2611

Busted one when I lowered it too fast into a bucket of stars san filled with bottles... I was privileged to clean 8 bottles a second time and start a fresh batch of starsan...

And wait a minute... hydrometers have to be read according to temperature? I've been doing this all wrong!
Yeah, look on the stem and it will tell you the temp it's calibrated at. I used my old one for years without knowing that, but I was lucky because it was calibrated at 68 which is the temp I typically took my readings at before I pitched the yeast. I couldn't find a new one that I liked that was calibrated at 68, so I had to buy one calibrated at 60. The different in gravity points from 60-68 degrees of about .001 points, so it's really not a big deal if you don't adjust. It's just numbers, makes no difference to the quality of your beer.
 
I've never broken a hydrometer in nearly 50 years of winemaking and brewing (since 1973). I did, however, recently knock a refractometer off a work table onto a concrete floor. It rattles a bit now. I think a combining lens got knocked loose because the focus is no longer linear, so the readings can't be trusted.

Can I at least get an "honorable mention" in the competition? On the brighter side, Santa is bringing me a new digital electric refractometer. It was a crushing accident when my refractometer hit the floor. At least that's what I told "Santa."

Brooo Brother
 
I’m probably going to jinx myself, but, I’m still using the hydrometer I started with over 10 years ago, and the spare I bought 3 or 4 years ago, ”just in case”.

Now that I have publicly announced that I am broken hydrometer free, I’ll probably break the next one I touch. :cool:
 
I’m probably going to jinx myself, but, I’m still using the hydrometer I started with over 10 years ago, and the spare I bought 3 or 4 years ago, ”just in case”.

Now that I have publicly announced that I am broken hydrometer free, I’ll probably break the next one I touch. :cool:


🤞 :p
 
Just broke my second. Dropped it into the jar too hard. #2 now.
That's how I broke my first hydrometer (2nd brew, IIRC):
  • It drops way lower in (nearly) finished beer.
  • It also torpedoes toward the bottom much more efficiently due to the reduced buoyancy.
 
no just a propane torch or something to seal the top back up? i'm not even sure if it's a goner yet? as long as it doesn't bob, or get dropped in something with to low a gravity? still useable? ;) :mug:
Nah, that will burn the paper scale. Just a little dab of silicone...
It may register 10-20 points low then, just subtract add it.
 
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