refractometer

[ClamKnuckle]

I don't really trust the accuracy of my hydrometers (I have a plastic swing arm as well as a floating one and they never read the same) so I am thinking about getting a refractometer. They have some on eBay that don't look that bad price wise (i guess). Has anyone ever gotten one off there? Whats a good brand of refractometers?

 

[MarkW19]

The RHS-10ATC is fantastic - a lot of people have one on here (including me!) and they're a very good quality piece of kit. You can trust them 100%, unlike hydrometers!! ATC stands for auto temperature compensation, so you don't need to worry about that either (like you do with hydros).

Get one - you won't regret it!

 

[24 hours? NE!]

I guess it depends on two factors. 1) How much money do you have to spend and 2) what are you keeping that you need to have such a precise instrument

If you can get along without a refractometer, take your hydrometer to a lfs and have them calibrate it. That should keep things fine until you have the extra dough or the need. IMHO

 

[BillyZ]

My opinions:

Plastic Swing arms: these are the most INacurate and highly prone to losing calibration from air bubbles and or salt build up on the arm. I hated mine and tossed the first chance I got.

Glass Tube Floating hydrometers: These are very acurate and relatively inexpensive, however they're also very delicate (i've broken quite a few of them while brewing beer) and they are also not as easy to use as you need a still sample of water to read it accurately.

Refractometer: You get what you pay for. They are more expensive than any of the others, but they are extremely acurate, easy to read and only takes a single drop of tank water onto the prism to test. They are also very simple to calibrate with a single drop of pure RO water and the little adjustment screwdriver usually included. I litteraly smiled the first time I used mine.

 

[ClamKnuckle]

What kind do you have Billyz?

 

[snapcrackler]

The RHS-10ATC
Get one - you won't regret it!

That's what I got from ebay - under $50 if I remember correctly

I would not use anything else.

 

[ClamKnuckle]

http://search-desc.ebay.com/RHS-10A...xtsearchedZ2QQsosortpropertyZ1QQsosortorderZ1

this the one?

 

[MarkW19]

That's the one

 

[ClamKnuckle]

outstanding I'm going to pick that up