Hanna Checker

[abbott]

Ok, so I just tried my new Hanna Checker HI759 today. I've got some concerns. I was making syrup near the Dark/Very Dark line. One sample that I had graded visually as being really close to the line came out at about 36% (clearly dark) and another I thought was clearly very dark was reading at 24% (pretty much right on the line). Multiple tests varied a bit, but I was not being very careful about bubbles or wiping the cuvette, so I'm not very worried about that.

I got to thinking... light transmittance depends on the thickness of the medium that you are testing. As far as I know, the standards don't specify the thinkness of the syrup to be tested. Is it possible that looking at a sample in a VT Temp. Grade Kit will give a darker result than testing with the Hanna Checker, since the checker has a smaller sample bottle? Its definitely worth noting that this effect would show up more in darker samples and I admit that I haven't tested anything lighter yet.

I really like this concept, which would be far more accurate and reliable than the VT Grade Kits. I've never really trusted those, since they seem to be somewhat variable from year to year anyway. I know a lot of you have these things... what are your impressions?

There is a long discussion on this at sugarbush.info but it's mostly about the lovely lavender color of the tester, so...

[ryebrye]

I have one. The guys at the sugarhouse refer to it as my "lady shaver" due to the size and color.

The thickness of the curvette shouldn't matter for the light transmittance measurement because it takes that into account.

The grading kit would look a lot lighter if you took the samples out and dumped them into smaller containers but they would still be the same grades.

[Moser's Maple]

If you would keep reading the thread on sugarbush.info you'd see people are posting their results now

[abbott]

If you would keep reading the thread on sugarbush.info you'd see people are posting their results now

Read the whole thing. Didn't answer my question. And besides, MapleTrader is better so I though people should post results here. Only went to the sugarbush thread based on your link in an earlier MapleTrader thread. So... what did you find for results with your Hanna Checker?

I plan on opening up my VT grade kit at the end of the season and sampling that with the Hanna. Has anyone done that yet?

[abbott]

I have one. The guys at the sugarhouse refer to it as my "lady shaver" due to the size and color.

The thickness of the curvette shouldn't matter for the light transmittance measurement because it takes that into account.

The grading kit would look a lot lighter if you took the samples out and dumped them into smaller containers but they would still be the same grades.

From what I remember from my physics day, light transmittance is a ratio of light passing through to incident light. Which is thickness dependent, is it not? We can all see that just by looking at different bottles of the same syrup. I completely understand that the grade shouldn't be thickness dependent, which is why the grade would need to be light transmittance through a given thickness of syrup. I've never heard it defined that way, which is why this issue has me stumped.

[Moser's Maple]

Read the whole thing. Didn't answer my question. And besides, MapleTrader is better so I though people should post results here.

this is your opinion and I respect that, but I have found that both sites have valuable information and each one tends to lean towards different areas of specialties. Now the not so adult side wants to say if trader is so much better then why are ripping off a thread that was originally started on the inferior sugarbush.info.



I found the Hanna checked to be accurate with samples that visually could be looked at for grade termination. Once I trusted that is was measuring color in its respective grade I then moved onto the marginal colors to determine the color. I would then taste the syrup and make my decision by color and taste of what category the syrup fell into. NY has the new grading standards so we not only go by color, but taste is also determining factor of what is "proper grade".

[\quote]I plan on opening up my VT grade kit at the end of the season and sampling that with the Hanna. Has anyone done that yet?[/QUOTE]


As stated before since grade is more than just color but taste also; I have no plans of opening mytemporary grading kit. As mentioned on the sugarbush.info link. I found more consistent results when culverts were finger print free, free of air bubbles, and when the Hanna checker was held upright. I have also found it very handy to be able to put a light transparency number on the barrel along with date it was made, and the level of invert sugar for confections.

[relseek]

I agree with you Moser about being able to put a number on the jugs. It helps me a lot with those customers that want really dark as apposed to the "dark" that was just over the line from Amber.

[maple flats]

"I plan on opening up my VT grade kit at the end of the season and sampling that with the Hanna. Has anyone done that yet?" Quote from abbott.
While that might be entertaining, it may not answer many questions. The Vt. Temporary test kit is very Temporary. That is why they have a expiry date. The samples are the darkest each grade can be and still be labeled as such, but they keep gradually changing as they age.
As far as the Hanna Grader meter, the sample cuvette is made specifically to be used with that meter. It is measuring the % of light passing thru the sample. It will be accurate only if you follow the specific instructions, the cuvette must be perfectly clean inside and out, it must be totally dry before filling, it must be filled to the line exactly and you must hold it upright. Then the programming will tell you what % of the light is passing thru. I like it because it removes any doubt, there is no guessing if it is lighter or darker than the sample in the test kit.

[mellondome]

The tester is only for syrup, which should always be the same density. Density (specific gravity )is how a hydrometer works.

[abbott]

The tester is only for syrup, which should always be the same density. Density (specific gravity )is how a hydrometer works.

The tester is calibrated with glycerol, so I would assume that it would have no trouble reading the light transmittance of the burnt sugar & glycerol in the VT kits.

The purpose of testing the kit is to see if my eyesight is off or if the kit is off. If the kit tests at 25%ish for the Dark sample then I know that the VT kit and my Hanna agree. If the Dark sample is at, say, 36% then either the VT kit or my Hanna is off and I need to figure out which. The VT kits do lighten over time, but theoretically it should still be pretty close at this point.

It could be that the simple answer is that I have a defective meter. Or that the reddish tint to my syrup causes me to visually grade it lower than I should. Just trying to figure out which.