Water test kits - LaMotte or iDip

[yohoe]

I'm looking to start my water exploration and saw two products at the NHC. With the little reviews online, LaMotte seems to be solid but has a 10/25ppm accuracy range. The iDip seems to be the latest gadget and is "more accurate" than the LaMotte.

Does anyone have any experience with these products? I was going to pull the trigger on the iDip but seeing how many people bought it, I figured someone will post about it soon (I guess I'll get the party started).

 

[Trillium]

I bought one of these kits from the show. Looks pretty cool. I have a couple of questions for them about the app, so I'll get back to this tomorrow.

 

[Trillium]

So ITS called me back today and addressed my concern about the App not automatically calculating Magnesium, Residual Alkalinity and sodium. The app currently on the Apple Store does not include this feature as it is version 2.2.0. The version at the show was an improved beta 2.3 version and should be available shortly ( about a week)

As far as paying for the extra parameters, it only comes to an extra $20 so that is not such a big deal. It is a super awesome water testing unit. It is very easy to use and I can't wait to finally see what the actual results of my water adjustments are, and if boiling makes any difference.

I made some suggestions, so hopefully they will come out with an even better kit down the road

 

[GotPushrods]

Can someone summarize how the iDip works? It may very well be a cool product but their website embodies everything I hate about fluff marketing without some simple information upfront.

It's a digital water tester that sends test result info wirelessly to another device?

How are he tests performed???? Just "dip" it in water? How do the reagents come into play? What's the workflow for testing multiple parameters? I feel like I shouldn't have to ask such basic questions after 3 minutes on their website.

 

[Trillium]

Yeah, the website is not the greatest. It took me a while to find the instructions for the eXact Idip because I forgot to get a copy at the conference.

1. first you turn on the unit and sync to your apple or android device.
2. Click on the Test icon and select which test you want
3. Add water to the unit and click on the zero button
4. Grab a strip and then press the Read button
5. The unit will start counting down from 20 seconds.
6. Immediately put the strip in the reservoir and move it back and forth repeatedly. When it hits zero, remove immediately
7. The unit then shows the results and bluetooths it to the app.
8. In the app you click on the results to add any notes, and then click on save.
9. Repeat steps 2-8 for next test. Rinse the unit at least three times first thou.

 

[GotPushrods]

Thanks, now we're getting somewhere!

So what kind of test is it? Are they all test strips? The device reads a color and interprets that as a value? Are any of the tests titration drop kits?

 

[Carlscan26]

It's a hybrid solution. Instead of using titration drops the reagent is on the strip and you're dissolving it into the water when you're moving it back and forth for 20 seconds. Basically an alternate method of delivering the reagent which they claim is more precise than the droppers. The tool then measures the intensity of the color change and registers a value.

 

[Trillium]

Yes, there is a separate strip for each test. Some change the colour and others make it murky.

I was told that anyone who purchased kits at the conference will get a free low Hardness test strips container and ampoules that contain water with known analyte values so you can be sure you are using the system correctly.

Also, I receive an e-mail that they are extending the show special until June 19.

 

[yohoe]

I'm still on the fence for the iDip. I also received the email, which is compelling, but the bang for the buck is what I'm debating.

iDip (on sale) is $200 but refill kits are ~$80, which is much more expensive than LaMotte. I love having the ability to read the numbers rather than having to interpret the values, which helps increase the accuracy (I'm a science major + chemistry minor) but reading the accuracy (or inaccuracy for that matter) of the iDip I think will push the iDip and LaMotte to the same accuracy levels. Any opinions?

 

[Carlscan26]

I'm in the same place...the iDip in theory leaves less room to interpretation but it's no more accurate than the lamotte kit if you're accurate with interpretation. The refills are more expensive but then I do t brew so often that I would run out very often...which makes me wonder what's the shelf life of the strips vs the Lamotte drop kits? I know my pool kit reagents say one year and I've stretched a few to two with no noticeable differences when I swapped to new...

 

[Trillium]

My biggest, and really only issue is that the chloride test only contains 25 strips. It should be 50 like the other test factors. I hope they fix this.

 

[Trillium]

The app update just came the other day with the auto calculation of Mg, Na, and residual alkalinity.

Just a tip for those new to using the eXact Idip, DO NOT SAVE YOUR RESULTS until after you have completed all the tests. The auto calculation occurs on the results page. If you save the test before the next test, it gets pushed to the history tab and disappears from the results page.

I will see if I can do a video, but I think I need to get the low calcium test first.

 

[HomebrewPadawan]

Any iDip users having good or bad results with the unit now that it has been out for a bit?

 

[almygosh76]

I'm looking for something to give me a baseline for my brewing water since I'm unable to get a water report from the town I live in. Can the iDip give me this?

 

[jimpdx]

I'm looking for something to give me a baseline for my brewing water since I'm unable to get a water report from the town I live in. Can the iDip give me this?

Order a test from Ward Labs in Nebraska. Takes about a week. https://producers.wardlab.com/brewerskitorder.php

 

[Knkbrand]

Just resurrecting an old thread. I purchased an idip and the last NHC (2018) and I am struggling with it. The numbers seem way off compared to a Ward labs report from 2012 and the water utilities report from 2018. I tested my ph yesterday and received 3 different results, 7.9, 8.4,and 7.6. I ran a ph test on a 7.01 buffer and it read 7.0. I then tested my ph with a Milwaukee 102 and it tested at 7.2. I am really struggling with this water thing. how do I know which one is accurate?

 

[mabrungard]

The idip and Lamotte tests are typically colormetric and prone to misreading and misassessment. The Ward people are running hundreds of tests a day using methods that are not economical at the home or brewery level. Ward's results should be more accurate. I suggest you calibrate your idip results to those of a Ward test collected at the same time and then use the idip to help you see how your water supply's quality is varying from brewday to brewday.

Don't fret at all over any water pH measurements since they don't really affect your brewing results.

 

[Knkbrand]

"Don't fret at all over any water pH measurements since they don't really affect your brewing results."

I thought this was the whole idea, to get your mash ph between 5.2-5.6. That is hard to do if you dont know your starting ph or if your meter isn't accurate. I am just starting to manipulate my water, so maybe I need to read more.

 

[mabrungard]

WATER pH has very little influence on the resulting mashing pH.