New hydrotherm questions

[jd maple]

I just bought a hydrotherm and i have a few questions. Does the hydrotherm need to float in the cup? And there are short and long marks on the scale, are the short marks 0.2 deg brix and the long ones 1 deg brix. Just to clear up a few questions thanks.

[nas]

Yes the short marks are .2deg. The hydrotherm should float, but it will not until you are very close to syrup.

Nick

[Kev]

if the hydro is not floating, it is then just a funny looking depth gauge.

[jd maple]

I have finished some syrup with the hydrotherm and checking with my digital therometer. The hydrotherm floated at the end but the red mercury was at least 4 long lines above the syrup and seamed thick to me. The red mercury is never below the syrup level even when testing long before syrup stage. There where no instructions with the hydrotherm the plastic case reads 2000 hydrotherm and the back of the scale reads the year 2011. what am i doing wrong?

[Big_Eddy]

This is a repeat of an earlier post.
Below are the contents of an instruction sheet printed out that was published be Atkinson's Maple Syrup Supplies. There is no copyright notice on it, so I thought it fair to post the content here.

Description
The Hydrotherm is a combination of the hydrometer and the thermometer. It measures the density of maple syrup at any temperature between 35F and 210F.
The scale of the hydrotherm is graduated in 2/10 degrees brix and will indicate the density of the syrup 65.8 degrees brix and thicker.
The cup for this hydrotherm should be at least 10", preferably 12"

Measuring Method.
For quicker reading in hot syrup - keep the hydrotherm in hot water. Before use, dry well.
Fill the cup with syrup and lower the hydrotherm slowly into the cup. Avoid knocking the bottom and sides of the cup. Allow both the hydrometer and the thermometer column to stop moving before reading.
When the top of the red thermometer column is level with the surface of the syrup, the syrup density is 65.8 degrees brix.
To comply with Ontario and Canada regulations for minimum density maple syrup (66 degrees brix) the top of the red thermometer column should be 1 graduation above the surface of the syrup.
When the top of the red thermometer column is 3 1/2 or 4 graduations above the surface of the syrup, the syrup should be near the optimum density of 66.5 degrees brix.
If the top of the red thermometer is not visible at or above the surface of the syrup, the syrup is too thin.

[Big_Eddy]

Something to note. Per the information above, the red thermometer line should be the same number of gradients above the syrup level, as long as the temperature of the syrup is above 35Fand below 210F. 210F is NOT the boiling point of syrup. It is ~10 degrees lower.

In my experience, if I draw boiling hot syrup and the hydrotherm is floating perfectly with the red line 4 grads above the syrup level, when I let the same syrup cool in the cup, I will have more grads showing between the syrup and the thermometer column.

You need to let the syrup cool slighty into the calibration range before you will get an accurate reading. If you read too hot, it will read lower than it should.

If I'm reading 2 lines over right off the evaporator, I'll be about 4 lines over when it cools a touch, which is where I try to be.


Hope this helps.

[Swingpure]

When the top of the red thermometer column is level with the surface of the syrup, the syrup density is 65.8 degrees brix.
To comply with Ontario and Canada regulations for minimum density maple syrup (66 degrees brix) the top of the red thermometer column should be 1 graduation above the surface of the syrup.
When the top of the red thermometer column is 3 1/2 or 4 graduations above the surface of the syrup, the syrup should be near the optimum density of 66.5 degrees brix.
If the top of the red thermometer is not visible at or above the surface of the syrup, the syrup is too thin.

I would like to make my syrup to 66.9 to 67 Brix. I was going to go with the red column being 5 lines above the syrup. Is that enough?

Thank you.

Gary

[therealtreehugger]

The problem with going too far beyond the ideal syrup brix is that it will tend to crystallize in the container after a while.

[Swingpure]

The problem with going too far beyond the ideal syrup brix is that it will tend to crystallize in the container after a while.

Thanks. Is the ideal Brix 66, or 66.9?

My impression was that if you stayed below 68.9 you would be safe from the crystallization problem, but maybe I misread the range and maybe I should shoot for something lower than 66.9.