Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

The forum for discussing all kinds of brewing paraphernalia.
Post Reply
wsj

Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

Post by wsj » Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:41 am

I decided to stop wasting valauble worth and get me a refractometer :)
This is what I got http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1015-RSG-100A ... 1309942561

I calibrated it with destilled water and then measured wort that was at OG1012 (mesured with hydrometer) thsi refractometer shows 1026.
Any ideas what is wrong?
Last edited by wsj on Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Kev888
So far gone I'm on the way back again!
Posts: 7701
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:22 pm
Location: Derbyshire, UK

Re: Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

Post by Kev888 » Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:49 am

When you say worth, do you mean wort that is nearing the end of fermentation? Refractometers don't work directly when there is alcohol present, you need to compensate for that and there is some debate about exactly how best to do so. Another possibility is that one of the readings (most likely the hydrometer) may not have been compensated for temperature?

Cheers
Kev
Kev

NobbyIPA

Re: Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

Post by NobbyIPA » Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:04 pm

wsj wrote:I decided to stop wasting valauble worth and get me a refractometer :)
This is what I got http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1015-RSG-100A ... 1309942561

I calibrated it with destilled water and then measured wort that was at OG1012 (mesured with hydrometer) thsi refractometer shows 1026.
Any ideas what is wrong?


??


as i do not know your original brix but by what you wrote
i reccon this is near on

if your refractometer is reading about 6 brix after ferment which shows on the refractometer 1.024
after calculation works out around 4.4%ABV

you need to know your original brix prior and after ferment to work it out

USE THIS

http://www.northernbrewer.com/refractometer-calculator/

wsj

Re: Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

Post by wsj » Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:07 pm

[quote="Kev888"]When you say worth, do you mean wort that is nearing the end of fermentation? Refractometers don't work directly when there is alcohol present, you need to compensate for that and there is some debate about exactly how best to do so. Another possibility is that one of the readings (most likely the hydrometer) may not have been compensated for temperature?

Cheers
Kev[/quote]

Thank you for the correction. English is not my first language :)
Hydrometer measurement is/was compensated for temperature.
I was measuring fermenting wort or to be more precise - beer. I did not know, that there is a problem using refractometer with beer or anything that contains alcohol.

wsj

Re: Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

Post by wsj » Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:12 pm

I was looking at the refractometer's right side SG column and this shows 1026. BRIX shows 6,3.
I have no idea what the original Brix was because I did not have the refractometer then.

Mr. Dripping

Re: Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

Post by Mr. Dripping » Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:15 pm

You can work out the brix (roughly) from the OG.

edonald774

Re: Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

Post by edonald774 » Fri Jul 04, 2014 12:55 pm

Hey WSJ

you will need to use one of the calculators available to work it out once fermentation has begun.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/refractometer-calculator/

wsj

Re: Is my refractometer broken or just a bad unit?

Post by wsj » Fri Jul 04, 2014 3:18 pm

Thank you. You guys are the best :)

Cheers!

Post Reply