# Hydrometer



## termini (Apr 12, 2008)

I think I know what the answer will be, but I want to reasure myself...........I couldn't get mt S.G. to go below ( or at) .996 for stabilizing and refining( Winexpert Island Mist)so I did a quick calibration, or check of my hydrometer. I assumed that it should read 1.000 in water. I checked it in Tap( SOFT) water, and also sring water and purified water( both bottled) in case the type of water might affect it. 
Well the darn thing reads1.002 to 1.003! so I adjusted accordinglyand determined that it was o.k. to stabilize and refine.
For the cost, and accuracy, should I just chuck this one and by another--possibly upgrading to a higher grade than a basic one?


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## Oneo Teras (Apr 12, 2008)

Hydrometers are calibrated at a standard temperature to give a reading of 1.000 in water. First make sure that you are recording the temperature of the liquid you are measuring then make the adjustment to the reading per the instructions included with the hydrometer. That said the calibration may be a litte off even with the correction. If it bothers you then take it back and exchange it. Otherwise it will be just fine to record the error at based on the temperature corrected reading and it will remain constant. You can make the same adjustment for every future reading to get accurate results.


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## termini (Apr 12, 2008)

COOL


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## Wade E (Apr 12, 2008)

I wouldnt worry about that little bit if you did adjust for the temp. Most are off a little as its just a pce. of paper shoved in a glass tube and a good whack would throw any 1 off. Although trust me when I say and many others will back me up on this to always have a spare on hand as these break easy and always when you need it.


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## Mark (Apr 23, 2008)

Ever hear the old story (don't know if it's true or not) about the CEO of Pratt &amp; Whitney?Story goes he was asked why he only flies overseas on planes with 4 engines. His answer: "Because no one makes a plane with 5!"


Hydrometers are fragile and cheap; always have a spare!


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## Jack on Rainy (Apr 23, 2008)

I'm on my third in 13 months and need a spare now! 


BTW I calibrated two of mine in water and found them off by .01 at fermentation temps. I used to worry about such things but decided the important thing is the RELATIVE reading by stage. My starting SGs for various kits and the finishing SGs for those same kits varied by far more than my hydrometer correction.


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## smurfe (Apr 23, 2008)

Hydrometers are calibrated with Distilled Water at 60 degrees F. I have 3 of them. Not one reads 1.00 in Distilled Water that is right at 60 degrees F.


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## beggarsu (Oct 28, 2013)

termini said:


> I think I know what the answer will be, but I want to reasure myself...........I couldn't get mt S.G. to go below ( or at) .996 for stabilizing and refining( Winexpert Island Mist)so I did a quick calibration, or check of my hydrometer. I assumed that it should read 1.000 in water. I checked it in Tap( SOFT) water, and also sring water and purified water( both bottled) in case the type of water might affect it.
> Well the darn thing reads1.002 to 1.003! so I adjusted accordinglyand determined that it was o.k. to stabilize and refine.
> For the cost, and accuracy, should I just chuck this one and by another--possibly upgrading to a higher grade than a basic one?



My hydrometer reads .990 in water. 

off by .01

I won't bother buying another one - I would suppose they are all inaccurate - I just add .01 to readings - though i really distrust readings at the lower end and those that are supposed to go below .0990 - there is no .980 on the hydrometer to add .01 to.


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## Tess (Oct 28, 2013)

Mine read the same in everything. I ordered two this time


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## DoctorCAD (Oct 28, 2013)

The final rsult isn't as important as the delta between the first reading and the last reading.

1.100 - .995 = 1.095 - .990

Also, most recipes simply use a range so that there really isn't an accuracy issue. eg. Start at 1.085 - 1.095...


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## beggarsu (Oct 28, 2013)

DoctorCAD said:


> The final rsult isn't as important as the delta between the first reading and the last reading.
> 
> 1.100 - .995 = 1.095 - .990
> 
> Also, most recipes simply use a range so that there really isn't an accuracy issue. eg. Start at 1.085 - 1.095...




That's true - except in making fruit wine you can control the final ABV by sugar addition to reach a specific S.G. which has to be an absolute. 
Thsi is because the desired S.G will then ferment dry,


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## DoctorCAD (Oct 28, 2013)

beggarsu said:


> That's true - except in making fruit wine you can control the final ABV by sugar addition to reach a specific S.G. which has to be an absolute.
> Thsi is because the desired S.G will then ferment dry,


 
But the end result is still a difference in starting and ending specific gravities. If your hydrometer was graduated in Klingon, it still wouldn't matter.

As to your example, you never know what the final SG will be, you ASSUME a value of .990, but it may never get there or may actually go below that value. Here is an exact quote from one of Jack Kellers recipies:

"Add enough sugar so the specific gravity is 1.095 this will give you about 13% alcohol"

See...about 13%. Thats close enough that .001 or .002 wouldn't make any difference. That's all I mean.


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## beggarsu (Oct 28, 2013)

DoctorCAD said:


> But the end result is still a difference in starting and ending specific gravities. If your hydrometer was graduated in Klingon, it still wouldn't matter.
> 
> As to your example, you never know what the final SG will be, you ASSUME a value of .990, but it may never get there or may actually go below that value. Here is an exact quote from one of Jack Kellers recipies:
> 
> ...




Yes, I understand you. It 's relative and approximate. 
However you still have to get the S.G above an absolute value not a relative value in order to get that ABV - if you don't add enough sugar - you don't get your required result -so you need to know the absolute value to get that and Klingon won't help knowing that - it's important to know what the actual offset is. 
.
My hydrometer is off by .01 not .001 so that is significant. If I get it up too high (1.095 is actually 1.105) then I run the risk of a stalled ferment, or a high alcohol cntent masking/affecting the taste.
However I think EC-1118 can get up to 18 percent - I've been getting 13.5 to 15 percent from this summer m- if I can trust my hydrometer.

So I just understand it's relative going by the relative diff between first and final readings. - Now if I get it down to .990 - that's 1.000 but i just need the relative markings - however The hydrometer doesn't go below .882 (which is actuality is .992 one would hope) and I don't trust it at the extreme end there now.


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## jamesngalveston (Oct 28, 2013)

I can tell my ferment is dry by my eyes and my nose...for me when its dry i can not smell any co2 excaping, and I see no surface breakage at all.
just a flat top of juice...but..i check with my hydro...just to make sure.
i have not been wrong 9 times straight.


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## beggarsu (Oct 28, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> I can tell my ferment is dry by my eyes and my nose...for me when its dry i can not smell any co2 excaping, and I see no surface breakage at all.
> just a flat top of juice...but..i check with my hydro...just to make sure.
> i have not been wrong 9 times straight.



I agree with that. All this S.G. taking is a little anal.
Just starting S.G and ending S.G. at bottel tiem is necessary ..unless it is obvious that there is a stalled ferment.
..
Other than stall - it's going to do what it's going to do, and like you say it is pretty obvious.


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