Refractometer

[skinny78]

Has anyone used a optical refractometer for syrup. Sugar Bush Supplies has one in their catalog for $98. It looks like it would be more accurate, faster, and easier to use. I use one at work for coolant and rust inhibitor and they work great, also very fast. What do you prefer?

[MaplePancakeMan]

i bought one on ebay for like 45 bucks. i got a syrup and sap one... they work great and are pretty much spot on with the expensive ones.

[Toblerone]

I, too, got one of the cheap ones on ebay thats actually for honey and it works great. I assume that it should be the same for honey as syrup... I mean dissolved solids are dissolved solids as far as I know. I just 5 minutes ago bid on one for sap... I'll see how well that one works.

I don't think they work for hot syrup, even though most are ATC (automatically temperature compensated). I think mine said the ATC works from 10 - 30 degress centigrade. I've never tried hot syrup, but I wonder if you could quickly cool some on a spoon pressed against an ice cube and then test a drop of that... I'll have to try that.

[maple flats]

cooling pressed against an ice cube seems to me would change the density if the syrup came in direct contact with the ice. I would just get a few drops on a dry clean spoon and wait a couple of minutes then test it.

[lpakiz]

I purchased one on EBay a couple months ago for sap. It does work OK. I wish the scale were larger--hard to see the fine lines that denote tenths of a percent. Then again, maybe it is these 58 year-old eyes...
It does work super when checking individual trees--just get a drop on the lense direct from the tap--no need to have a whole container full and try to float a long glass hydrometer in it. You can see the tenths, but the scale is small. Make sure you get the one that is 0 to 10 brix (or is it 0 to 10%?) They are made in various ranges, but 0 to 10 is the lowest available that I saw. When my ship comes in, I will get a digital that tests 0 to 80 or so by tenths. Seems like it would work for sap as well as syrup. You can search EBay for "digital refractometer" They go for several hundred dollars, tho.
I use 3 1/2 gallon plastic pails with lids and hope to be able to carry a black marker with me and periodically check and record all trees and write the results right on the bucket lid, along with estimate of gallons collected. Should show me which trees to tap and which ones to skip.
Larry

[lmathews]

I have a refractometer that I have been using for 4 years.I also got mine from ebay 0-80 brix.The atc is for air temp.I also test hot syrup,just leave the plastic lense cover open for a few seconds and it is cool enough as you are putting the syrup on a cold glass lense.
Hope this helps.

[Russell Lampron]

The 0% to 10% refractometer works good for raw sap but if you have an RO and concentrate to more than 10% you need the one with the smaller scale that is hard to read.

[skinny78]

Thanks for the input guys. I will be looking for one for next year.