The battle of the pH meter!

[crushday]

@crushday thank you for asking this question… I’ve learned a lot from this thread. While my Milwaukee has a replaceable probe, it only goes to one decimal and I don’t believe is temperature compensating. Good first start when I was asking “sooo… pH?”. It sounds like it’s time to upgrade, which will also much improve my winemaking process too... kindly accept only my comments about customer service… all the rest of this makes so much more sense!

David,

I love the collective wisdom on this forum. And, everyone is extremely nice!!

Glad you’re on here…. Cheers!

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Late to the party here because I've been traveling, but I bought a Milwaukee MW102 back in August. I bought it direct from Milwaukee, I think it was around $120. Reasons for choosing it:

- Resolution +/-0.01 units, accuracy +/-0.02
- Standard format probe with BNC connector, means I have options when it comes time to replace the probe
- Probe fits in my little beaker for when I want to do titrations
- Double junction probe (less chance of clogging when measuring juice and other turbid samples)
- ATC (including during calibration; for some reason at least one of the others I considered doesn't do ATC during calibration, only during measurement)

I'm sure some of the other units discussed here are good too, but I've been happy with my choice so far. I've used it for both basic pH measurements and TA titrations. For the latter, the response time is good, though for all measurements I agree with one of the earlier comments that it's important to gently agitate either the probe or the solution while you're taking a reading.

*edited to clarify that you agitate the probe, not the meter...

 

[hawkwing]

I’m looking at getting a pH probe with the piercing tip for making fermented sausages. I was wondering if these work for liquids such as wine? I just have a cheap tester for wine. Would be nice if it did both but I don’t want to spent hundreds. I can get a Hanna for $125. Has anyone used these for home brewing?

 

[Rice_Guy]

I’m looking at getting a pH probe with the piercing tip for making fermented sausages. I was wondering if these work for liquids such as wine? I just have a cheap tester for wine. Would be nice if it did both but I don’t want to spent hundreds. I can get a Hanna for $125. Has anyone used these for home brewing?

I am using an Extech with a flat probe. This makes it a good tool for pH on cheese blocks and my guess is also sausage with a cut surface.

Q? ,,, is the meter you are looking at a traditional glass membrane technology? If so it should work on wine. The next question is how much sample it takes to cover sensor? ,,, The extech can measure a drop since the sensor is flat, this lets me reduce wine sample size and not use as much TA reagent.

In the lab we would run solids by blending with 50% distilled water. DW is assumed to be transparent for pH measurements.

 

[hawkwing]

I am using an Extech with a flat probe. This makes it a good tool for pH on cheese blocks and my guess is also sausage with a cut surface.

Q? ,,, is the meter you are looking at a traditional glass membrane technology? If so it should work on wine. The next question is how much sample it takes to cover sensor? ,,, The extech can measure a drop since the sensor is flat, this lets me reduce wine sample size and not use as much TA reagent.

In the lab we would run solids by blending with 50% distilled water. DW is assumed to be transparent for pH measurements.

It has a glass tip. It can pierce most meats. Probably doesn’t take a big sample.

Hanna HI 981036 Foodcare Meat pH Tester Kit

 

[SCAndy]

Another vote for the Apera ph60.
An experienced winemaker I am not but I know my tools. It's very intuitive and sturdy. Made for the field. I think my wife got the entire kit with case and all stuff for $79 from the dreaded amazon.

 

[hawkwing]

With the spear sensor it’s $300 cad. Yikes. Glass bulb $122.

 

[Rice_Guy]

It has a glass tip. It can pierce most meats. Probably doesn’t take a big sample.

Hanna HI 981036 Foodcare Meat pH Tester Kit

This appears to be a robust meter and with a glass bulb it will do everything a lab bench model would. ,,, It should be better on wine than on meat.
The speed that the reading stabilizes is partly from thin (breakable) glass and partly how clean the bulb is. Wine will basically rinse with DW and be clean. In the lab testing food products it took more work to remove oils/ grease off the bulb. ,,, A dirty bulb will give slow readings.

On my part I would consider a cheaper pH meter just for the wine so you always have faster readings ,,,

 

[Gilmango]

Commenting to follow this thread, sorry I have nothing else to add.

 

[winemaker81]

I recently purchased the Apera ph60. Yeah, I broke down and purchased a pH meter ...

Unfortunately, I had trouble following the instructions for calibrating the darned thing, and the vendor's video didn't help much. I watched half a dozen videos on YouTube until I found this one. Calibrating is actually easy.



In the video it says to replace the calibrating solution after 4 or 5 uses, or after 30 days, whichever comes first. He said he calibrates it before each use. Does this make sense?

Note: I will use the meter before starting grape/juice wines, and again post-fermentation. After that I will know what the pH was and will adjust by taste (if necessary). If I adjust acid, I'll check pH again, more to teach myself than for need.

Third party videos can be fantastic. When in high school, my younger son had to wear a tux for music performances, and a clip-on bowtie was NOT good enough for him. Of course, *I* had to learn how to tie a bowtie. I watched a dozen videos made by haberdashers, and could NOT figure out how to tie a bowtie. Then I found a video made by a 12 yo boy ... 4 minutes later I could do it!

 

[BarrelMonkey]

In the video it says to replace the calibrating solution after 4 or 5 uses, or after 30 days, whichever comes first. He said he calibrates it before each use. Does this make sense?

That makes sense to me. I keep my calibrating solutions in small vials for up to a few weeks, then replace from the stock solution bottle. (I keep the 'old' standards to use as probe rinsing solutions before dipping them into the fresh standards during calibration). I also calibrate before each use, though have been pleasantly surprised with how close the reading is before calibration. Enjoy your new pH meter!

 

[winemaker81]

That makes sense to me. I keep my calibrating solutions in small vials for up to a few weeks, then replace from the stock solution bottle. (I keep the 'old' standards to use as probe rinsing solutions before dipping them into the fresh standards during calibration). I also calibrate before each use, though have been pleasantly surprised with how close the reading is before calibration. Enjoy your new pH meter!

Thanks!

As I said, I expect to use the meter before and after fermentation, and again after any acid adjustments. These will be far enough apart that I will re-calibrate. If I was doing checks 2 days in a row, I probably would not. I will re-use the calibration solution for the first 2 checks, as they'll be within a few weeks of each other. If I do a 3rd check, it may be months later so I expect to use fresh solution.

 

[rsportsman]

Fred, it's a logically solid question. What is the best way to take a reading? Of the readings I've taken - including all the calibrations performed - none have seen the probe moving.

I keep forgetting the SC300 is also a pH meter...

For me winemaking is both science and art. I naturally tilt heavy to the art side as demonstrated in other areas of my life. The science side I find is an necessary albatross...

You can do it either way, as long as it's consistent. In fact, we at Vinmetrica are now recommending that, especially with the new electrodes, you not move the probe during calibration or measurement. Simply place in the solution, stir briefly and wait for a stable calibration/reading.

 

[bearpaw8491]

I recently purchased the Apera ph60. Yeah, I broke down and purchased a pH meter ...

Unfortunately, I had trouble following the instructions for calibrating the darned thing, and the vendor's video didn't help much. I watched half a dozen videos on YouTube until I found this one. Calibrating is actually easy.



In the video it says to replace the calibrating solution after 4 or 5 uses, or after 30 days, whichever comes first. He said he calibrates it before each use. Does this make sense?

Note: I will use the meter before starting grape/juice wines, and again post-fermentation. After that I will know what the pH was and will adjust by taste (if necessary). If I adjust acid, I'll check pH again, more to teach myself than for need.

Third party videos can be fantastic. When in high school, my younger son had to wear a tux for music performances, and a clip-on bowtie was NOT good enough for him. Of course, *I* had to learn how to tie a bowtie. I watched a dozen videos made by haberdashers, and could NOT figure out how to tie a bowtie. Then I found a video made by a 12 yo boy ... 4 minutes later I could do it!

Have used my Milwaukee pH meter for many years. Sure wish I had this vid when I was trying to figure the procedure out. Thanks Bryan; you do good work. Stand by, we'll be taking you on full time any day now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rustbucket]

After a few years, PH probes loose their accuracy. So, I recently upgraded my Apera PH20 to a Apera PH910. It's an awesome piece of scientific testing equipment that gives measurements to two decimal places, has replaceable probes, and keeps up to 100 readings in memory. The only negative is that it's a little pricey.