Refractometer

[ibby458]

I just bought a syrup refractometer off eBay. It seems to work perfectly, although the owner's manual is more usefull for a laugh (the translator wasn't very good) than for providing necessary information.

How often should I recalibrate it? I have only 2ml of calibration fluid, and If I need to calibrate before every use, I'll need to order more ASAP.

I have 26 -5 gallon buckets of syrup for sale in bulk. Some have sugar crystals and some appear to be a bit light. With the refractometer, I can determine accurately what the sugar content is and blend or boil off as needed to make each one right. I tried using the hydrometer, and correcting for temperature differences, but wasn't confident enough of either my thermometer or calculations. With Automatic Temperature Control on the refractometer, it should be a bit easier to get everything right.

[buck3m]

Is that the "ATC 40--82%" model? I was thinking of buying that model. Let me know if it works out well for you. Like you I guess, the main reason I want one is the ability to quickly and accurately determine the density of syrup at any temperature.

[royalmaple]

Ibby not sure what you got? I'd be interested in knowing the model / seller etc.

Thinking of getting one myself.

Does anyone know if this is a good model?

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Clearly-Scale-0-80-Brix-ATC-Refractometer_W0QQitemZ7603163985QQcategoryZ26237Q QssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Father & Son]

Royalmaple,
My wife got me one for Christmas just like the one you have listed on ebay. Don't know if it's the same supplier or not but it is a 0 - 80 brix with ATC. The nice thing about it is that you don't need calibrating fluid for it you just use distilled water to calibrate to 0. I calibrated it the first time I used it and checked it a couple of times through the season and there was no change but it did not leave the kitchen so there was no temperature change. I have never looked through a 45 - 82 to see what the scale is like but on the 0 - 80 the scale is in 1/2% incriments. If the 45 - 82 scale is in 1/4 or 1/10% you could be more precise. I'm pleased with the one I have but I've never used anything else.
Hope this helps!
Jim

[royalmaple]

Thanks-

I guess one drawback with this one is I would not be able to test sap, since the readings were higher. But on the other side it may work like a 0-50 dial thermometer and your scale is easier to read since it only works in a shorter range?

[royalmaple]

I guess I should read what I am buying, it is 0-80 brix so would be able to test sap with it.

Gotta get my head on straight.

[GregMVT]

I bought a syrup refractometer last year and am very happy with. Came in handy after I broke two hydrometers this season :oops: I have never calibrated it because I couldn't find a place to buy the fluid. I'm not sure of the range on mine but know it doesn't start at 0. If anyone knows of a place to buy the calibration fluid I would appreciate it.

Greg

[Father & Son]

Here's an ebay site with cal fluid


http://cgi.ebay.com/Brix-Refractometer-Calibration-Fluid-4-Honey-Syrup-Jam_W0QQitemZ4455441616QQcategoryZ20474QQtcZphotoQ QcmdZViewItem


Jim

[Banjo]

Would like to know what the difference between the $50-70 ones is and the $200 ones that the "Maple" places seem to sell?

Lee Valley Tools currently sell a 0-40 brix model for $59.50US or $72.50CDN. I asked them the other week if they could get the 45-80 model too, but haven't heard back as of yet.

Here's the link Sugar Tester (Brix Refractometer) - Lee Valley Tools $US (http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=46784&cat=2,2120) or Sugar Tester (Brix Refractometer) - Lee Valley Tools in $CDN (http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&p=46784&cat=2,2120)

The nice thing about LVT is that I could go in there and pick it up, and they're such a great store. Cheaper in the US though with the current exchange rate :cry:

FWIW, Andrew

[royalmaple]

Father and son-

Do you have to calibrate them with special fluid?

[Toblerone]

I bought one of the honey refractometers on ebay from instrumentsdepot here (http://cgi.ebay.com/_W0QQitemZ4456109175). It seems to work very well for syrup.

It comes with a calibration block and diopter/dioptic/di-something oil. Its a small block of reference plastic or glass at 78 brix. You put a tiny amount of the oil on the block, put the block on the sample area, and adjust the screw until it reads 78. Then you can take it off, clean any oil residue then check your syrup.

I recalibrate every time I pull it out the box and after every 5 or 10 measurements, or if the readings seem to be wildly off.

--
Dave

[Michigander]

royalmaple,

Refractometers that go down a zero rating can be calibrated with distilled water as that should provide a zero reading on the scale. However if you have one that starts, at say 45 brix, then you need a a calibration fluid that will give you an accurate reading to calibrate to that is within the range of the refractometer being used. The advantage of those starting at the higher brix reading is that the lines within the refractometer are spaced wider apart and thus easier to get a more accurate and consistent reading. Of course, the ones that start a zero will allow you to get a reading on the sugar content of the sap. I have the one that read 0 to 12 brix for sap and now trying to get one for syup.

I am personally biding on Ebay #4455820026 right now for syrup testing. Be kind and don't bid against me :) :(

Dave

[royalmaple]

Dave-

I'll leave you alone on it. Found this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-ATC-40-82-Brix-Refractometer-4-Maple_W0QQitemZ7601678364QQcategoryZ25370QQcmdZVie wItem

Just a bit more, so if you get outbid seems like a good one too.

I'm gonna get one, and I guess use a hydrometer for sap or get another one, but more interested in precise measurement on syrup than sap right now.

[brookledge]

ibby
Are your 26 5 gal containers hot packed? If there not you may want to sell them before the mold sets in. Especially if you have a few on the light side. Keep an eye on them because they can start to bulge. I have seen metal syrup containers that have the tops and bottoms pushed out
Keith

[ibby458]

I bought the RHBN-90ATC (58%-90% Brix scale) from NIS on eBay for a Buy it Now of $59, pluss shipping. If I'm using it right, it seems to work perfectly. I did get a few odd readings, but once I cleaned the instrument and resampled, they were normal, too.

I tested all my buckets, and graded them, sorting by grade. I found a few up to 68%, and a few about 65%. I mixed and blended them until each bucket tested between 66.0 and 67. (In each grade) I wrote the reading on each bucket, and I'll check it against the buyers test.

They were sealed hot, but opening each one would expose it to mold spores. Shouldn't matter, though. It'll get sold by this weekend.

On a related note, the guy that owns the evaporator I'm using had 20 gallons of dark syrup left from when he last made syrup 8 years ago. 10 gallons was in gallon jugs, and 10 was in a sealed drum. None of them were bulged.

There was virtually no difference in taste or color between the batches. We poured it into the evaporator, boiled and skimmed it and filtered it after adjusting density. Even after sitting in an old sugarhouse for 8 years, there's virtually no difference between it and the last run that I boiled. I did mark them seperately and will inform the buyer of their age.

[Polish Wizard]

I guess I need to bring this thread back to life.

I received a suggestion to purchase a manual refractometer since my first-ever sap process will be very small scale, and not necessarily walk into the world of hydrometers or digital refractometers.

After reviewing this thread and reading some literature about individual refractometers, it looks like having one that starts at 0% may be a good idea based on using distilled water for calibration instead of a special calibration liquid for ones that start much higher -- such as Atago Master-3a that covers 58-90% Brix.

If anyone has been using a manual refractometer I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Would you buy the same one again?
Do you have any comments on calibration?
My "sugar shack" will be a tarp-covered wood frame that I'm sure will be relatively cold. Would this cause a problem with proper calibration with your unit?

As I look quickly for refractometers covering 0-80% I see ones that have a dual scale. Would this be a problem for simple use?

Some of the names I see for these units under a Google search for RHB-0-80 might be Atago, ATC, and GX-Pro. Hard to tell if these are the actual manufacturer names.
Are there any others I should look for?

[sap retreiver]

Good call.
Do we need the maple one for $400+ or does the whatever kind that measures 0_80 brix work. I'd much rather spend a hundred