Question- Hydrometer cups

[Texas t.]

Well, I think I may want to get a hydrometer. They aren’t that much money, but the cups are expensive! My question is whether or not you can use a plain ‘ol run of the mill stainless steel water bottle that’s tall enough. Will this skew the measurements from the hydrometer or will it give the same outcome as a proper cup. Asking because I don’t want to mess up a batch of syrup over an incorrect hydrometer cup. Thanks in advance!

[buckeye gold]

any cup that is wide enough for the hydrometer to have some freedom of movement in will work. I made one out of a copper expansion tube.

[Gord]

Here's an older thread regarding alternative hydrometer cups.

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?16262-Hydrometer-Cup-Alternative

[maple flats]

The main point it to have the vessel tall enough and the right diameter. Then fill it so when the hudrometer is gently lowered in the syrup is at about the very top. I now use a Murphy cup, but in my early days I made a cup out of 1.5" PVC pipe and I glued a flat face cap on one end. It had no handle, but as I lowered the hydrometer into the syrup being tested I gripped it on 2 sides and tilted it so any overflow missed my hand. I never got burned but is was hairy. If you try that make some type of handle to be safe. The syrup you are testing will be 211F+ and it will burn instantly. An idea for a handle is to simply cut another piece of the 1.5" PVC pipe maybe 3/8-1/2" long, warm it enough to flatten one side for an inch or so, then PVC cement it on for a handle.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Ever have a cordless drill that when you set it down on its battery it fell over? How about a Burnzomatic torch that wont stay upright because o a small dent in the bottom.

If the cup is expensive why take the chance of having your Hydrometer break because of a poorly designed cup. You don't want to use up 1/2 a quart to fill the cup to test it.

Send me your address and Ill send you one free of charge.

[Gord]

Send me your address and Ill send you one free of charge.

Can't beat that! Pretty darn nice. Lots of good folks on this site, willing to help others.

[Trapper2]

Ever have a cordless drill that when you set it down on its battery it fell over? How about a Burnzomatic torch that wont stay upright because o a small dent in the bottom.

If the cup is expensive why take the chance of having your Hydrometer break because of a poorly designed cup. You don't want to use up 1/2 a quart to fill the cup to test it.

Send me your address and Ill send you one free of charge.

Very nice Haynes. Proud that your from Wisconsin.

[Texas t.]

Thankyou everyone for the replies, greatly appreciated.

[Texas t.]

Thankyou Haynes forest products for the offer. That was very thoughtful of you! I’m actually going out tomorrow to get one for later this week. But thanks.

[sap retreiver]

Not to hijack a thread but would it be worth going straight to a Murphy's cup? I'm on my second cup and now I'm thinking about a Murphy's. I'm thinking if you're going to get one maybe suck it up and get it now, kinda wish I had

[maple flats]

Your choice on the Murphy, all I can say is that I really like mine, I bought both a Murphy Cup and a Murphy Float. I use the cup when drawing syrup and the float in the finisher with a good digital thermometer to read the temp. The Murphy does not give you the temperature even though it is in reality a thermometer with the temp. face exchanged with a density scale, but if you know the temperature and what the Murphy reads you will be able to know the density.
The decision to buy or not must be yours.

[dw341969]

Any cup will do provided it's deep enough. Nice thing about a hydrometer cup, it hold just the right amount. It also has the handle the will hook on the pan.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[wnybassman]

The nice thing about an actual cup is when I finish my syrup in 16 quart stock pots, I can submerge the whole cup in the hot syrup several times to warm it up then bring it out full and take a reading. You might want to take a temp the first few times to know roughly how long to wait til the temp drops to 211º.