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You mean like this shortDemy wrote: ↑Sat Jul 23, 2022 11:10 pm Okay with yummy, measure the water to get an idea .. 10abv is too many. . I have 3 alcohol meters of different types that measure slightly different but one of them was more distant than the others, it was very short type..I noticed that those with very short measurement scale are inaccurate
Sounds like the zero calibrations are right.
That of my wooden box are like this, they are 3 with in range to "stairs" but they are still of the hobby type. A curiosity, how is the paper inside fixed? I have never noticed glue, I have wondered several times how it fits in the correct position.shadylane wrote: ↑Sun Jul 24, 2022 2:13 amSounds like the zero calibrations are right.
Maybe, buy a small bottle of 95% everclear to compare the hydrometers.
On a side note.
I've had hydrometers that the paper inside had slipped.
Use gentle taps and the papers inertia might be able to move it.
Don't expect lab grade measurements from cheap hydrometers that can read 0 - 100%
The more accurate ones have narrow range that's only a few % wide.
If you need to accurately measure 55% then a hydrometer designed for 50 -60% will work better.
Physically, accurate hydrometers will have a big bottom, skinny neck and be more prone to accidents.
Mentally, they appear to have a much higher rate of suicide than even cheap hydrometers.
I'm not looking for pin point accuracy, just so I know within margin of error if I'm close to say 40% when diluting, with the huge difference between the two I have I was confused how that's possible (besides fault) and which one I could retire..shadylane wrote: ↑Sun Jul 24, 2022 2:13 amDon't expect lab grade measurements from cheap hydrometers that can read 0 - 100%
The more accurate ones have narrow range that's only a few % wide.
If you need to accurately measure 55% then a hydrometer designed for 50 -60% will work better.
Physically, accurate hydrometers will have a big bottom, skinny neck and be more prone to accidents.
Mentally, they appear to have a much higher rate of suicide than even cheap hydrometers.
On the Alla one there's a glass ridge built into it, on the small one there's nothing I can see holding it there, but it could be stuck there before sealing, there's zero movement in either paper.
One I saw had a tiny spot of what looked like wax.
Me neither brother.
You're right I just had another look at the Alla, there's defiantly something (wax or glue) at the top of the paper, I missed it as it was on the white bit so it blended in, you can see the slight colour difference when you look harder.Yummyrum wrote: ↑Sun Jul 24, 2022 3:13 am Interesting , I’ve never bothered to look before , but on my Alla 0-50 and 70-100 , both have a spot of something at the top .
Maybe it is wax . I dunno . Was thinking , maybe they could calibrate it then heat and seal in position .
If it is wax , then we should be careful not to “rinse “ our Alc meters in hot water .
FCD7D4C3-DCEF-4134-ADC7-AE45A64CC313.jpeg9E3ACDA3-72E7-4FF8-A63F-13BBC4A099AA.jpeg
Sorry, but judging by the photo's I would say one reads about 59 % and the other about 50 or 51 %.schoolmonkey wrote: ↑Sat Jul 23, 2022 9:08 pm I have 2 alcoholometers here which gives completely different readings, the short eBay cheapie one is 10% different than the longer more expensive
Alla (France) Spirit Alcoholometer.
The big one would read 50%, the little one would read 40% in the same test jar, both calibrated to 20c
Which one is right, I figured the better quality one is the best to go off.
I figured one is not weighted correctly.
Alla:
1.jpg
eBay cheapie:
2.jpg
Good point, with the Alla it has a ridge near the fat end the paper sits one, would be hard to mess it up (no impossible).
Cheap ones aren't totally useless.
That reminds me of the first time I made spiced rum.Stonecutter wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:09 pm
Every now and again I’ll check for accuracy in a bottle of store bought vodka.
Bluefish I noticed quite a few of the hydrometers for sale were scaled to read 50-100%, also the hydrometers scaled to read lower ABV were quite different than a run of the mill proof and tralle. In your experience does accuracy fall off below 50% or is there some other reason for such a scale? Also, how does one get their hydrometers calibrated?bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 3:55 am https://www.coleparmer.com/p/cole-parme ... 1333493474 for higher accuracy. When I got mine calibrated
Which is why I only check for accuracy in a bottle of decent vodka. I haven’t got my feet wet trying to obtain “azeo” so it’s never really been too much of an issue. Never have used the stubby ones.shadylane wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:48 pmThat reminds me of the first time I made spiced rum.Stonecutter wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:09 pm
Every now and again I’ll check for accuracy in a bottle of store bought vodka.
The sugar I used to back sweeten it made the alc hydro think the rum had a lot less alcohol than it did.
I think it was low proof that was really hard to measure. Small stem and large float. In fact they had to ship 3 times to get one to survive shipping. It would crush under its own weight. I had to make my own rack as the standard rack isn’t big enough diameter to handle what I needed.Stonecutter wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:52 pmBluefish I noticed quite a few of the hydrometers for sale were scaled to read 50-100%, also the hydrometers scaled to read lower ABV were quite different than a run of the mill proof and tralle. In your experience does accuracy fall off below 50% or is there some other reason for such a scale? Also, how does one get their hydrometers calibrated?bluefish_dist wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 3:55 am https://www.coleparmer.com/p/cole-parme ... 1333493474 for higher accuracy. When I got mine calibrated
if you think that's dear, try these ones at 180(CDN) each https://www.stevenson-reeves.co.uk/reeves/HPKM.htmStonecutter wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:09 pm $60 woooweeee!
I thought I had expensive taste
My $8 works just fine. Every now and again I’ll check for accuracy in a bottle of store bought vodka. Reads right on the nose every time.
I could see the justification if you were a legal outfit.
