# Digital Hydrometer



## MManx (Mar 15, 2007)

I just ran across a very inexpensive digital hydrometer for marine aquarists that looks pretty slick. You just stick it in and it reads. It also give temperature and salinity.Would this devicework with wine ordoes anyone make onespecifically for wine? *Edited by: MManx *


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## masta (Mar 15, 2007)

Depends on the range of the SG it can test...can you post a link to this?


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## MManx (Mar 15, 2007)

Here you go Masta. Thanks for the help. 


http://www.jbjnanocubes.com/index.html?lang=en-us&amp;target=d753.html*Edited by: MManx *


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## pkcook (Mar 15, 2007)

MManx,


I'm not seeing the link.


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## PeterZ (Mar 15, 2007)

NO!!!! This is actually a conductivity meter. Pure water is a poor conductor of electricity, to the tune of 17 million ohms per centimeter. Add dissolved solids and the conductivity goes up (resistance goes down). This unit is calibrated for the mix of ions that exist in seawater, which bears no relation to must or wine. 

Each ion, when dissolved in water to a given concentration results in a different conductivity. Chloride (Cl-) has a large effect, sulfate (SO4--) a lesser effect. Sugar and alcohol have almost no effect on conductivity.

This is a great tool for salt water aquariums, because the salt components are established and known. All they have done is take a known solution of salts and apply a curve to the concentration as it applied to the change in the resistance to the flow of electricity. Then they printed a scale that corresponded to the SG of that solution.

Because the effect of alcohol and sugar on conductivity is so small, it would be impossible to recalibrate a conductivity meter for our use. The conductivity of the water used to dilute a kit would have more effect than the sugar or alcohol. Conductivity of tap water in the US varies from &lt;20 to &gt;1000. It's just a matter of where you get your water from. High or low is neither good or bad.


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## jsmahoney (Mar 15, 2007)

PeterZ, I'm sure glad you are with this forum, you have taught me so much and some that I still don't understand.




It's nice to have a very knowledgeable person in these technical fields. Thanks!



*Edited by: jsmahoney *


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## MManx (Mar 15, 2007)

PeterZ--thanks for the insight and detail. I had a suspicion that there was some fortuitous relationship between salinity and gravity specific to a well defined and fairly consistant solution that made SG inferable. I found a few electronic SG meters in mysearch but they were far from inexpensive.


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## Coaster (Mar 15, 2007)

I've been looking for a digital hydrometer for almost a year now. There are a few lab versions and some fancy wine testers but they have all been $1500+. I've email and called plenty of national and international places and a few in China have been interested in making me one.... if I'll buy the other 999,999 too.


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## geocorn (Mar 15, 2007)




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## MManx (Mar 16, 2007)

Great, count me in for 1 or 2. 999,997 to go.


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## sangwitch (Mar 16, 2007)

I'll take one


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## Wade E (Mar 16, 2007)

2 here. George will buy the other 999,990 right!


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## Waldo (Mar 16, 2007)

I don't really need one Coaster but iffen it will help you out podner I'll take one too


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## OilnH2O (Mar 30, 2007)

Count me in for two! I'm always breaking one and having to run to get another'n!


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