Thoughts, on a cheap digital refrac?

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it says the resolution is 0.5, but has an accuracy of 0.2...not sure what that means...

but it reminds me of the days of temp controlers and stuff before inkbird....i spent $80 on a analog controller, and it was the cheap one back in 2005....now a nice digital inkbird is what $40-50?
 
Cool find. But at $60 too much to spend if it doesn't work pretty well.


Also resolution 0.5 doesn't sound very good. The optical ones are readable to 0.1 right?
Here's the one Santa bought himself in October, when the one on the right failed its "bench test" (falling off a 1 meter bench). Can't remember what I, er that is, HE paid for it, but it was under $100.
20210421_145540.jpg

I'm pleased with the performance, it's easy to use, and actually uses LESS of a sample than the analog refractometer. The accuracy is +/- 0.2% Brix but the resolution is +/- 0.1% Brix. With the optical refractometer resolution is in 0.2% for every degree °Brix, so accuracy would inherently be subject to at least a 0.2% error depending on your eyesight and ability to interpolate. In that regard I feel that the digital is therefore more 'accurate', or at least more consistent.

Range is 0 to 85% Brix, nearly 3 times greater than analog, measurements take 1.5 seconds, and ATC compensates between 50°F - 104°F, with a digital readout of the sample temperature below the Brix readout.

It came with a padded hard side case, supply of pipettes and a small bottle of steam-distilled water for cleaning and calibration. Calibration between samples can be done in less than two seconds, but is unnecessary and will stay in non-volatile memory until you recalibrate.

When I first started using the digital, I ran parallel readings off the optical refractometer as well as a set of narrow range hydrometers. The readings were all either identical or within an insignificant differential, and the digital was always in agreement with at least one of the other devices (never the "odd man out").

So I'm happy with the digital, but then I was happy with the optical as well, right up to the moment I dropped it on the concrete floor. It still works if you jiggle it just right, but obviously something (lens) got knocked out of whack and can no longer be trusted. A replacement optical would have been about the same price for the same quality, but would not have been as easy to use as the digital.

Plus, you know, Bling.
 
it says the resolution is 0.5, but has an accuracy of 0.2...not sure what that means...

but it reminds me of the days of temp controlers and stuff before inkbird....i spent $80 on a analog controller, and it was the cheap one back in 2005....now a nice digital inkbird is what $40-50?

I think resolution means the reading is going to be 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 ... nothing in between. The accuracy is that if actual is 2.2 brix and it can only report 2.0 or 2.5, hope it guesses 2.0, and you won't be off by more than 0.2 brix. This sounds kind of BS to me something they got to by rounding.

This one that was on my first google page
https://www.southernlabware.com/digital-brix-refractometer-0-to-85-brix.htmlResolution 0.1% Brix, 0.1°C / 0.1°F
Accuracy ±0.2% Brix

So if you are really at 2.2 brix it is going to report one of these: 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and you can be confident it is not more than 0.2 off of the number it shows.
 
@Brooothru my eyes aren't great but I am able to read the analog scale on the optical refractometer to resolution of 0.1. That would be halfway between the tick marks. Digital takes away the opportunity to read between the tick marks.
 
This one that was on my first google page
https://www.southernlabware.com/digital-brix-refractometer-0-to-85-brix.htmlResolution 0.1% Brix, 0.1°C / 0.1°F
Accuracy ±0.2% Brix

So if you are really at 2.2 brix it is going to report one of these: 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and you can be confident it is not more than 0.2 off of the number it shows.

Yes. This has been my experience. The +/- 0.2% "accuracy" are the maximum deviations across all the °Brix range of 0 to 85% combined with all the temperature range of 10°C to 40°C. That's a sizable universe of ranges across a small accuracy deviation of 0.2%, resolved to a reading twice as defined as the reading of a hand-held optical refractometer. I found it to be consistent, accurate and easy to use.
 
@Brooothru my eyes aren't great but I am able to read the analog scale on the optical refractometer to resolution of 0.1. That would be halfway between the tick marks. Digital takes away the opportunity to read between the tick marks.
Right, but the digital reads in 0.1° Brix increments, without squinting or interpolation. I had great visual acuity for the first 40 years of my life. The last 32 have been less forgiving. I need all the help I can get. 👀
 
Right, but the digital reads in 0.1° Brix increments, without squinting or interpolation. I had great visual acuity for the first 40 years of my life. The last 32 have been less forgiving. I need all the help I can get. 👀
I'm wanting one too haha. What has been your experience with reading turbid solutions?
 
???? where's it at? lol ;) :mug:


@eric19312 yeah i like the milwaukee, but it's $150. i was about to push the commit to buy button on the cheap $65 one. but wanted a outside guess.
I really don't think I paid more than $100. I'll try to dig through some old cc statements to find out where I, er Santa, may have ordered.
 
I'm wanting one too haha. What has been your experience with reading turbid solutions?
Of course turbidity can interfere with accuracy, just like with an analog device. I will let samples settle out and cool before drawing enough clear liquid to take a reading. Density of a liquid due to suspended solids in a sample can also affect the accuracy of a hydrometer reading as well, assuming you can see the meniscus through the murk.

But since I don't brew NEIPAs that's not a problem for me. 😅
 
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