fog or steam inside hydrometer

[sticky face]

Has anyone here noticed fogging or steam inside of their hydrometer. I had this happen a few years ago, so I purchased a new one. Now i noticed in the newer one had it too after washing it. Just curious if this will make it inaccurate.

[buck3m]

Has anyone here noticed fogging or steam inside of their hydrometer. I had this happen a few years ago, so I purchased a new one. Now i noticed in the newer one had it too after washing it. Just curious if this will make it inaccurate.

I would suspect a break that you haven't noticed. http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?12368-broken-hydrometer

If it's not broken, I can't see how it would affect the accuracy but I'd want to check it against another hydrometer.

[maple flats]

I would also suspect a slight crack. Anything in the hydrometer that should not be there will affect the accuracy. However if you see nothing more than a fog it should be slight. If you use it though, that slight error could mean a wrong density finished product.
If this has happened 2x, I think you need to address the handling of the hydrometer. It must never be handled roughly, it may be possible it is getting damaged when cleaning, never apply any torque on the stem while holding the bulb, it is the weakest there. Also never drop it into the test cup, just lower it slowly.
My strongest suspicion is the cleaning.
I just use a fine mist spray of hot permeate one end at a time and I very carefully transfer from holding it by one end to the other. In 17 seasons I have not gotten any moisture in one (However I did drop one years ago and will likely again someday, that's why I have 2 spares for syrup and one spare for sap. No spares for concentrate yet).

[sticky face]

Thanks for the replies. On closer examination I see a fracture line where the stem meets the base on both of them, one more obvious than the other. They are two different brands and not identical. I do try to use extreme care with them. Always cleaned, dried, and back in their case right after use and than into another plastic tackle box case. Don't think I have ever bottomed them out when testing --always ease them in slowly into the syrup. I agree the torque when washing and drying is probably most suspect. Guess i will have be careful of that in the future too.

[maple flats]

To clean mine I fill a SS pot with hot permeate, then just dip one end in and just dip a few times, then I repeat with the other end. I don't even swirl it around. The hydrometer comes clean easily that way, if done right after using it. I suspect if some syrup dries on it, the cleaning will be harder.

[Sugar Bear]

I would use a high powered magnifier glass to look at the very bottom ... the part that first contacts the bottom of the cup. That is the one part of the hydrometers that can get dinged inadvertently and might only result in small crack in that spot.

[Sugar Bear]

sorry I did not read your post that you found it in that spot.