"Trick" for more accurate hydro reading?

birdley123 · Apr 20, 2013

Is there a trick to get a more accurate hydrometer reading? The shaft on mine keeps wanting to stick to the inside of the thief and once it touches the entire length, it doesn't want to move freely.
So, i tap it about six times and take the average of those readings. They might be 10 points different between taps?

Getting kinda frustrating...

Thx... :mug:

Revvy · Apr 20, 2013

Spin it when you put it in the theif.

cheesehed007 · Apr 20, 2013

Revvy said:
Spin it when you put it in the theif.

+1... I spin mine a few times. Let it sit for the foam and bubbles to go, then take my reading.

birdley123 · Apr 20, 2013

I do, I spin the hell out of it! But the liquid on the shaft makes it "stick" to the side...

Revvy · Apr 20, 2013

I will say one of the reasons I stopped using a theif and went to using a turkey baster to draw the sample and placing it in a hydrometer sample tube rather than using the theif was that it seemed to stick more in the theif.

birdley123 · Apr 20, 2013

Thats a good idea, i might have to go that route..

Thanks! :mug:

Kaedos · Apr 20, 2013

I have issues with this as well, is the eye piece thing more accurate? Or rather, easier to read?

crunchydoc · Apr 20, 2013

a refractometer can be easier to read initially but is only good for OG readings. you should use a hydrometer for FG and mid fermentation readings.

hillhousesawdustco · Apr 20, 2013

I find that even in the sample tube it is important for the base to be on a completely flat surface. Probably not a problem for most folks but it sure is in my brew shed!

GASoline71 · Apr 20, 2013

One of the plusses to using buckets for fermenters... you just drop a star-san'd hydrometer right in the bucket for FG readings.

Gary

Doomsday · Apr 21, 2013

Also the diameter of your hydrometer cylinder helps a lot.

When I used the one that my hydrometer came in I had this problem as well.
I warped it and had to buy a new one from my LHBS and it was significantly wider. But my hydrometer never sticks to the side anymore from my observations.

"Trick" for more accurate hydro reading?

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