Broken hydrometer

[Raize]

I accidentally broke the tip of the stem of my hydrometer off.

In my mind, it should now float higher due to being lighter and give a reading for ABV which is lower than the actual ABV.


However this doesn't seem to be the case, it reads 10% in plain water at 20C. Before I broke it it used to read correctly at 0% for water.

Are they filled with vacuum or something?

I have ordered a new one but for now would it be a possible solution to remove some more of the stem to reduce the weight then make it safe and calibrate it using tape?

[still_stirrin]

Why bother?

You’ve got a replacement on order. And the broken one is ... broke. I think you’ll live until the new one arrives.
ss

[Bushman]

I wouldn’t risk having flakes of glass fall into my product.

[Chucker]

Given their low cost and extreme fragility I figure it’s better to just get two when you order. Same thing with a glass test jar. At $5 it’s not worth messing around trying to adjust the scale to allow for breakage.
Even if there were a vacuum inside (no idea) the scale is all about the relative density of a known constant (the hydrometer) and the variable of the test solution. Just get a couple of new ones.

[bilgriss]

No. Waiting a couple of days isn't a big deal. You'll find other things to be frustrated by along the way!

[heynonny]

In manufacture, they get them 'close' & then the hi-tech inters! they slide the paper (generally) scale up or down to match the known %, proof, whatever, of liquid used for calibration. (pure water, anhydrius(?) alch, prolly exactly 50%. Melt top to seal insides <-does not change weight! Maybe when you broke it, the paper scale moved.

[Raize]

In manufacture, they get them 'close' & then the hi-tech inters! they slide the paper (generally) scale up or down to match the known %, proof, whatever, of liquid used for calibration. (pure water, anhydrius(?) alch, prolly exactly 50%. Melt top to seal insides <-does not change weight! Maybe when you broke it, the paper scale moved.

That sounds like a probable explanation for what happened.

I did the cuts today based on appearance smell and taste anyway, the hydrometer is nice to have and good for collecting data but not really essential except maybe for bottling and even then there are workarounds.

[goose eye]

Anti freeze checker. Make marks on it. Put it up. One of them just in case. Don't use on antifreeze. What goes in gets tossed out.

So I'm tole