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Source for temperature-corrected hydrometers

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  • Source for temperature-corrected hydrometers

    Anyone got a good source for these?

    We currently get ours from webber scientific and they are incredibly fragile. So fragile, that the last two times new ones came via UPS, they arrived broken. A recent design change makes these hydrometers so tall that we have had to design an 18-inch tall "gravity bong" out of 2" clear pvc with a base because the hydrometers will not float in a 500 ml graduated cylinder.

    And now after looking at the hydrometer the wrong way, it cracked. I understand that they are glass instruments and need to be handled with care, but this is ridiculous. We need a source of sturdier more compact hydrometers that will stand up to pulling gravities every day from twelve uni-tanks.

    any help is greatly appreciated.

    sam

  • #2
    I've always had very good luck with these hydrometers. They're pretty sturdy. The brix one's on the bottom with temp. correction are great. Never had a problem.

    Steve






    Steve Donohue
    Brewmaster
    Santa Clara Valley Brewing

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    • #3
      I think Foxx has about the best price ($60-ish for a set of three), and I haven't had any issues with durability. I've only broken one when I've dropped it.
      Sent from my Microsoft Bob

      Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
      seanterrill.com/category/brewing | twomilebrewing.com

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      • #4
        I've always gotten mine from Crosby & Baker (now part of Brewers Supply Group). They have them listed as Plato Sacchorometers http://bsghandcraft.com/index.php/te...arometers.html
        Hutch Kugeman
        Head Brewer
        Brooklyn Brewery at the Culinary Institute of America
        Hyde Park, NY

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        • #5
          We get ours from Nurnberg Scientific: www.nurnberg.com 315-0066--Brewing Saccharometer. They're calibrated in Balling but the difference between that and deg. Plato are miniscule.
          Timm Turrentine

          Brewerywright,
          Terminal Gravity Brewing,
          Enterprise. Oregon.

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          • #6
            Why not use a digital density meter instead? Something like an Anton Paar DMA35 will give direct readings in Plato or you can use a conversion chart to read Plato from gravity in g/cm3.

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            • #7
              Still looking...

              I'm also looking for a switch from BSG. Their newer saccharometers have a metal (zinc?) plug in the glass bulb that tends to move when shipped (the bulb interior seems extraordinarily slick), thereby crumpling the paper scale on the thermometer and rendering them useless on arrival. And the meters from Francis L Freas have mercury thermometers (no thanks). The ones from Nurnberg Scientific are inadequately described in their on line catalog. No pictures, length, or thermometer? Also looks like they are a bit too coarse for my tastes. Looking for the typical 0-8, 8-16, 16-24 or at least similar with thermometer, calibration, and decent resolution. Anybody else? Thanks for the help!
              Phillip Kelm--Palau Brewing Company Manager--

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              • #8
                digital density meter

                KWLSD-

                How much do these units cost? How robust are they?
                Justin Moore
                Head Brewer of Good Times
                Red Lodge Ales Brewing Co.
                Red Lodge, MT 59068

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                • #9
                  Phil: I've used the Barby-Kühners here and they're all types of German sturdy (I think that may be redundant). You pay for them, but I've never seen one bust outside of a butterfingers incident. From the link below (link to the English catalog ... their website's not quite there yet), I've used the equivalent of the 441 and the 445. Around €45 apiece. And they sell all manner of ranges, duties, calibration sensitivities, etc.

                  The catalog itself is also some excellent daydream material.
                  Last edited by NinkasiSwain; 10-30-2013, 02:32 AM.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by jcrjustin View Post
                    KWLSD-

                    How much do these units cost? How robust are they?
                    Justin - you have a PM.

                    Digital density meters can withstand knocks better than fragile hydrometers and can easily be user-checked and calibrated using just distilled water. Granted they cost more than hydrometers, but they don't have the problem of slipping scales, poor resolution, reading accuracy, etc. that are associated with hydrometers and have been mentioned in this thread.

                    Hope that helps!

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                    • #11
                      The Nurnberg saccharometers I mentioned above are the 7.5-16 Baling range--they happen to be the ones sitting on my desk. The measuring area is 4 1/8" long, thermo red or blue fluid filled. The only durability problems we've had involve close encounters with concrete.
                      Timm Turrentine

                      Brewerywright,
                      Terminal Gravity Brewing,
                      Enterprise. Oregon.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by KWLSD View Post
                        Justin - you have a PM.

                        Digital density meters can withstand knocks better than fragile hydrometers and can easily be user-checked and calibrated using just distilled water. Granted they cost more than hydrometers, but they don't have the problem of slipping scales, poor resolution, reading accuracy, etc. that are associated with hydrometers and have been mentioned in this thread.

                        Hope that helps!
                        Could you give us some more info on these? Are they refractometer based or what?
                        Timm Turrentine

                        Brewerywright,
                        Terminal Gravity Brewing,
                        Enterprise. Oregon.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by TGTimm View Post
                          Could you give us some more info on these? Are they refractometer based or what?
                          "The sample is introduced into a U-shaped borosilicate glass tube that is being excited
                          to vibrate at its characteristic frequency electronically. The characteristic frequency
                          changes depending on the density of the sample. Through determination of the
                          characteristic frequency the density of the sample can be calculated. Due to the
                          temperature dependency of the density value, the temperature of the sample has to
                          be determined precisely."

                          They are slick. Its basic repeatable science and just as accurate as a hydrometer if not more. Push the plunger down, 3mL of sample is drawn in and an instant measurement is displayed with temperature corrected. I would argue the best feature is the lack of user error. An idiot with a hydrometer will be all over the map, an idiot with a Anton parr DMA 35 is just an idiot with a correct gravity. They are pretty durable, but I would be careful if I put one on the production floor. It may survive a drop to the floor better than a hydrometer, but I don't know if it would handle being dropped in caustic as well. Mine hangs on a hook in the lab.

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                          • #14
                            I can add nothing to the comments above - succinct, accurate and straight to the point!

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Inthelab View Post
                              "The sample is introduced into a U-shaped borosilicate glass tube that is being excited
                              to vibrate at its characteristic frequency electronically. The characteristic frequency
                              changes depending on the density of the sample. Through determination of the
                              characteristic frequency the density of the sample can be calculated. Due to the
                              temperature dependency of the density value, the temperature of the sample has to
                              be determined precisely."

                              They are slick. Its basic repeatable science and just as accurate as a hydrometer if not more. Push the plunger down, 3mL of sample is drawn in and an instant measurement is displayed with temperature corrected. I would argue the best feature is the lack of user error. An idiot with a hydrometer will be all over the map, an idiot with a Anton parr DMA 35 is just an idiot with a correct gravity. They are pretty durable, but I would be careful if I put one on the production floor. It may survive a drop to the floor better than a hydrometer, but I don't know if it would handle being dropped in caustic as well. Mine hangs on a hook in the lab.
                              I just returned from the CCBA General meeting and can confirm that Russian River uses these at their QC lab. I had no idea that they existed - I've seen digital hydrometers that cannot be used for FG, and other extremely expensive devices (A-P's own Alcolyzer) but these can be had on ebay for a reasonable price - I snagged mine for 250 bucks during the conference before anyone else thought to check, but there are others available. I believe they go for about 3k new. The DMA 35 is the older version / the 35n is the newer version, but I haven't sussed out the differences yet (I got the 35n on ebay).
                              Noah A. Bolmer

                              Barley and Hops Tavern
                              Occidental, CA
                              www.barleynhops.com

                              Warped Brewing Company
                              Sebastopol, CA

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