Hydrometer ?

[royalmaple]

When you guys are testing your draws or before drawing off... Do you have your hydrometer in the cup and fill, or fill the cup and place the hydrometer into the cup?

Not sure if there is a correct way? I have found it easier to leave the hydrometer in the cup.

Not sure if it matters at all or not.

[ibby458]

I'm not sure if there IS a "correct" way. Use whatever works for you.

I draw off 3 cylinders of syrup and dump it at the beginning of the last channel. I draw the 4th cylinder and gently set the hydrometer in it. That gives me a true reading of what's in the channel, not just what's in the draw off box.

[Russell Lampron]

The correct way is to place a clean hydrometer into the hot syrup. The weight of the syrup on the hydrometer stem above the syrup affects the reading.

In the real world leaving it the cup is the way that works best. Be careful about letting it bounce around when filling the cup and don't try to unstick it from the cup if it is sugared on.

Russ

[royalmaple]

Thanks, Yeah, I usually keep it to the side, then when I remove from under the valve. I pick the hydrometer up and gently let it bobble to get the reading.

I have been taking several samples before getting a true reading. I think it does take some time for the cup to become acclimated.

Do you guys wait till it is exactly at the hot test? 60 mark?

I noticed it shows 211 degrees and really it is 219ish, so should I be drawing off a bit before the mark to allow for cooling and finishing?

I have been waiting till the 55 line is a few clicks up so between 55 and 60 is what I was shooting for.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Might want to draw off a cup of syrup and let it sit for about 30 seconds and dump it back in and draw off a second cup and test it. When you put hot syrup in a cold cup, it cools the syrup and will make the reading higher than it really is. :? If you are just trying to get it close, then it won't matter. I never test syrup with a hydromter coming off the evaporator.

[mapleman3]

I test a couple times at first boil of the day, I lower the hydrometer into the sap carefully, I check the syrup in the canner and adjust with syrup from the evap if it, heavy or light... then can

[brookledge]

Most of the time when you fill the cup with syrup at 219 by the time you put the hydrometer in it will be close to 211. The temp would have to drop to around 192 to be 1 degree under the hot line.
Keith

[mapleman3]

most of the time as long as you test above 209 in the cup your close enough.... the Accucup I got form the MapleGuys is working great.. you can se how fast the syrup cools..you'd be surprised as Kevin says.. it goes down quickly

[mapleman3]

most of the time as long as you test above 209 in the cup your close enough.... the Accucup I got form the MapleGuys is working great.. you can se how fast the syrup cools..you'd be surprised as Kevin says.. it goes down quickly

[royalmaple]

Jim-

Thanks, I saw the acc-u-cup, looks like a neat rig. I may just pick one up and take some of the guess work out.

Do you find the cold test works just as well or do you always do a hot test?