# A tip to save time and money,,



## zember311 (Jan 23, 2008)

I was told by a friend long ago, if it is something important and breakable, always buy two if you can afford it. You don't want to be without it in a time of need if it breaks or becomes defective.


And even though I still am a newbie to the wine making world, I offer one bit of advice to those thinking about starting and to those that have been thinking about it, but never justified it.


Buy TWO hydrometers , ahaha


Yup, I am suffering from a bit of a fever and sinus issues, so I am a bit off normal operation, and was cleaning my equipment and it slipped right out of my hand ( the hydrometer ) and came to a sudden stop on the floor, not to mention 100 pieces. lol


I was gonna buy two, but just never did that day, It does however give me another excuse to hit the wine store after work tomorrow though







Just to buy 2 hydrometers of course








I wanted to break it even more to open up the paper wrapping in it to read it all, but A) figured being this sick I will find a way to cut myself and second I didn't want to open it up and find out some smart designer added a note that said,


( if you can read this, then you done broke it )


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 23, 2008)

Been there too...OOOPS!!!!


Mine was in a plastic tube that had a cap on both ends....now I own 2...both came in a tube with only one open end [what a good idea]


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## Wade E (Jan 23, 2008)

I have 3. Once you have a spare you will never break 1, kind of like Murphy's law. You might want to get a spare racking cane to if you have trouble getting the hose off sometimes.


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## NorthernWinos (Jan 23, 2008)

I think I have two of everything now...We live a long way from the LHBS....shipping and unplanned trips are not always possible or soon enough.


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## tcb54 (Jan 23, 2008)

I have purchased 2 hydrometers.Both turned out to bedefective... they broke as soon as I dropped them on the tile floor. After that I bought them 2 at a time.


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## mississippi mud (Jan 24, 2008)

I ordered a second one yesterday. just in case.


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## mississippi mud (Jan 24, 2008)

Great tip zember311 (if you can read this)



they should print that on every hydrometer


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## joeswine (Jan 24, 2008)

auto syphons can't seem to get enough of them,break them don't you



know ,don't no how or why ,just do,


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## smurfe (Jan 24, 2008)

tcb54 said:


> I have purchased 2 hydrometers.Both turned out to bedefective... they broke as soon as I dropped them on the tile floor. After that I bought them 2 at a time.






















I agree. I have two. I to believe that if you have a spare, you will never break your original. So far so good for me.


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## pelican (Jan 31, 2008)

Oh Boy am I excited ~ I am a REAL home winemaker now !!!

My hydrometer decided to expand it's repertoire and test gravity in general, and not just specific gravity. The test worked -- and the hydrometer shattered.





I asked Honey if then he would drive the 150 or so mile roundtrip to the nearest homebrew supply store tomorrow, and he said "I don't think so".



He's also laid claim to my vehicle for Saturday, so... 

I do hope the crabapple rhubarb wine in the primary takes it's time, or that I guess right when it's time to transfer it to the secondary -- meanwhile I saw the notice about the coming increase in price on Winexpert kits ~ ~ ~ hmm, maybe I need something more than a new hydrometer and a spare


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## geocorn (Jan 31, 2008)

If you add a hydrometer to a wine kit, the shiping cost on the hydrometer will be close to zero.


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## rgecaprock (Feb 1, 2008)

As soon as I use my hydrometer it goes immeadiately back into the tube with the padded ends then put out of my sight in a drawer next to the sink. I've only broken one so far in 3 years.


Ramona


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## PolishWineP (Feb 1, 2008)

You folks just crack me up! I love what playing with words can do for the smile on the face!



I too had one of those protective tubes for our hydrometer with a hole in each end. (What do we think, Planned Obsolescence?) The really funny part of my sliding it through the tube to the last meeting with the floor is the fact that I was reminding Poor Bert to be mindful of the delicate nature of the hydrometer and to use care when handling and storing it.


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## smokegrub (Feb 1, 2008)

When your crabapple/rhubarb has slowed its fermentation such that you have no fear that it will overflow your secondary, rack it. There is more far concern with racking too late and having the wine damaged by oxygen than there is in racking too early.*Edited by: Smokegrub *


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## pelican (Feb 1, 2008)

Smokegrub, that's what I was planning to do. I'm pretty sure my german great great granny (who might well have made her own Rhubarb wine in her day) probably didn't have a hydrometer and I never heard her wine turned out bad (never heard her wine turned out or that she ever made any, but that's beside the point!)

Down in "the big city" is a place where my workmate got some beer making supplies, so I called them this noon and ordered a hydrometer on the agreement it would ship today - so I should have it tomorrow, they said in state orders usually deliver in one day.... kicking myself though because on Monday I got a "big" (for me) order of stuff from our Forum Host here and wish I'd had the forethought to add that extra hydrometer in that order. 

Oh well - spread it around, support the local economy and all that too - and save on the shipping expense for heavy stuff ~ not the hydrometer, but I ordered a 6 gal glass carboy and big bucket while I was at it since I am pretty sure I'm going to be wanting to supersize my attempts soon enough too.


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## NorthernWinos (Feb 1, 2008)

Welcome to the club!!!! Accidents do happen.....and when you least can afford them...Your wine will be fine.


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## Poacher (Feb 9, 2008)

Very good advise. My wifes cat just jumped on the cabinet and broke my Hydrometer. Everything else was plastic so it didn't break.


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## Jwhelan939 (Nov 24, 2008)

I keep three Hydrometers, three racking canes, and I have an auto-syphon, but in about 15 attempts I have yet to get it to work. I always end up just Syphoning it. Any pointers on the how to make it work. I followed georges video to a t, but all it does is stir up the lees with little or no dribble out the hose!!!


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## Jwhelan939 (Nov 24, 2008)

Oh I forgot the three floating thermometors.


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## dfwwino (Nov 24, 2008)

I dropped my hydrometer yesterday. As I watched it freefall to the ground, I thought that it would certainly shatter into a 100 pieces. I also dropped a wine bottle six feet off a shelf this past weekend. On each occasion, neither broke. Apparently, I have unbreakable equipment.


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## Jwhelan939 (Nov 24, 2008)

dfwwino said:


> I dropped my hydrometer yesterday. As I watched it freefall to the ground, I thought that it would certainly shatter into a 100 pieces. I also dropped a wine bottle six feet off a shelf this past weekend. On each occasion, neither broke. Apparently, I have unbreakable equipment.




You better start knocking on some wood pronto!!!


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## Wade E (Nov 25, 2008)

DFW, you have just jinxed yourself and better have spares of everything.


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## vino08 (Nov 26, 2008)

I dont think mine siphoned well either today- or I am just impatient . I ended up pumping out the wine with it. Any advice is appreciated.


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## intoxicating (Apr 23, 2009)

If your auto-siphon just stirs up the leas and dribbles, it is probably missing the little flapper. I lost mine the first time I washed it, and had to buy a whole new gizmo. If you can see through the bottom end of the larger/outside part of the siphon assembly, it is missing the part that prevents backwash.


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## peaches9324 (Mar 10, 2010)

joeswine said:


> auto syphons can't seem to get enough of them,break them don't you
> 
> 
> 
> ...











I know I broke 2 of them already disconnecting the hose!


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## joeswine (Mar 10, 2010)

SUCH IS THE WAY OF LIFE IN THE WINE MAKING BUSINESS,CAN'T SEAM TO GET ENOUGH OF ANYTHING AT THE RIGHT TIME OR TO MUCH AT ONCE AND KNOW WHERE TO PUT IT,BRAKE THIS LOSE THAT ,AND IN MARCH WHEN THE CHILEAN WINES ARE STARTING TO BE BOTTLED AND THE SEASON OF WINE MAKING HAS JUST BEGUN,ALL THE TIME THAT WAS AVAILABLE IN THE COLD DAYS OF WINTER AND NOTHING TODO,IT DOES GET FRUSTRATING AND YOU TEND TO BREAK AND LOOSE ITEMS,EITHER THAT OR I'AM JUST GETTING OLD



BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANYOTHER WAY


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