hydrotherm

[ontario guy]

How many people use a hydrotherm?

i started using one this year. It says optimum density is 3 or 4 division out of the syrup. Does anyone know how many divisions you can go till it sugars?
( a hydrotherm is a temperature compensated hydrometer)

thanks.

[gmcooper]

I have used a hydrotherm for many years until neighbor dropped it last spring. Used it mostly for checking density at bottling time. Not sure what you mean by 3-4 divisions above optimum. If you check with a hydrometer at the correct temp or use chart to adjust for temp and the syrup is right on the money, the hydrotherm should read exactly same. Red line should float just at the surface of syrup. Usually have to let hydrotherm set in sample for a while to get temp gauge settled. Not sure if all hydrotherms are made with same index lines on paper but ours was very close in relation to our hydrometer.
Mark

[ontario guy]

on the instructions i got with it it said the red line should be 3 or 4 divisions above the level of the syrup. I have 7 divisions the other night and was wondering if is was worth while diluting or just bottle it a bit heavy.

[gmcooper]

I had to re read my other post to notice I typed the red line but what I ment was the top of the themometer (ours is a red sustance some are mercury). I have tested my old one with a couple hydrometers and temp tested as well and always came out on the money. Yours must be made different. Is it made for maple syrup?
Mark

[cheesegenie]

I have had one of those hydrotherm and cup a few years and never used
it . Hard with small batches to fill cup, also the bubbles on the syrup is
always in front of where red line is supposed to be.Meanwhile the syrup
in the pot is boiling up and might burn(in my mind anyway).How long
would it have to set in hot syrup before reading. Meanwhile waiting for
the "thread" off the spoon.

[cheesegenie]

Didn't get any input on this one. Just as well, dropped the darn thing last
night and broke it. I left my reading glasses on while putting it back on the shelf, and missed by two inches.Anything better I could replace it
with in the same price range?

[maplehound]

Just by a regular hydrometer. It will have two test points marked on it one for cold and one for hot. I think in the sugar house it is the best way to check your density and do it quickly. If you want to be real acurate though you do need to check the temp. of the syrup and then compensate for it on the scale. But right off the evaporator jsut go by the hot test and you wil be real close.
Ron

[cheesegenie]

Ron, I took your advice. It has the two readings, in red 59 and 66. It did
match the temperature, so I am happy. Plus it is $18. compared to almost
$40 for the hydrotherm.
Eugene

[maplehound]

Eugene,
Glad to hear it. Now when after you use it be sure to rinse it off each time so the sugar doesn't build up on it. If it does it will weigh it down and give a false reading. ( this advise was just given to me by Gary Graham today. He is a professor at Ohio State U.) I always have kept mine in warm sap so it doesn't break when you put it in the hot syrup after being in the cold air. Lost one that way my first year. When you can you should by another for a spare.
Ron