I Give up on Hydrometers... Better options?

[Pdiamond]

I'll second that Dave. The Murphy Cup and Gold Hydrometer work great together and you will always get perfect brix syrup.

[TapTapTap]

I use two hydrometers during a boil and switch between them. They are kept in a sampling cup containing hot water and resting in the float box to keep hot. The sampling cup for testing is resting in the other float box to stay hot too. I test frequently. I occasionally use a thermometer and check temperature and it's always in been in the correct range for syrup coming off the draw.

I've only ever broken one,.many years ago.

I also use a refractometer for testing the batch in the syrup tank prior to adding DE and filtering.

BTW, I've been away from mapletrader posting since I haven't been able to view, much less post due to the https issue and other problems on the site. If I were an advertiser on the site I would be withholding payment until everything is fixed! I'm still having problems including viewing the VT forum.

Ken

[maple flats]

Check with Peter Gregg, the site owner. The issue might all be on your end, I get everything perfectly. There was some sort of an issue but that was fixed as far as I can tell.

[berkshires]

Check with Gregg, the site owner. The issue might all be on your end, I get everything perfectly. There was some sort of an issue but that was fixed as far as I can tell.

It's still not fixed, it just renders correctly on some browsers. See the "not secure" in the header, and no "https"? That means they still haven't fixed their issue with authentication. It still won't render correctly on my phone, but fortunately it's okay on my browser.

GO

[BAP]

Check with Gregg, the site owner. The issue might all be on your end, I get everything perfectly. There was some sort of an issue but that was fixed as far as I can tell.

But you are a moderator so things are probably set up differently for your account than the average person using the Trader. It still really stinks that nobody can post pictures anymore and Gregg doesn’t seem to address that issue even though people complain.

[TapTapTap]

Check with Gregg, the site owner. The issue might all be on your end, I get everything perfectly. There was some sort of an issue but that was fixed as far as I can tell.

If the issue is at my end then I must be like hundreds of other users that can't post anymore. I've tried across 3 different devices and I have issues with them all. I used my smartphone to post earlier this week and I can no longer login on that device. Right now, I'm using my office desktop which will only allow me to view in safemode (which sucks). My Surface will also only allow me to view in safemode. None of the devices allow me to see Vermont Forum posts in the past month. I also tried taptalk the forum app but I didn't find mapletrader on the app.

All I can say is that I've mostly given up on the forum.

My last resort is to start complaining to the advertisers.

Ken

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

That's too bad to hear Ken's and others' experiences, but probably explains why we have lost a lot of good traders on here. Hard enough to find time and post to help others, let alone battle erratic tech issues. This website/forum platform is outdated in terms of many things and like others, it will probably be the demise of it unless some effort is put into to keeping it updated and running properly.

[DrTimPerkins]

Hydrometers are the standard in the maple industry, mainly because they're relatively inexpensive and have been around for a really long time. Used properly they'll give good results. Refractometers (at least the digital kind) are more available nowadays, but still costly.

With either instrument, keeping them calibrated and knowing how to use them properly is key. Just because a digital refractometer spits out a number to the nearest tenth doesn't mean it is right. Same goes for digital thermometers. A good glass or dial thermometer can be much more accurate than a digital thermocouple thermometer, but that number on the screen can give people a false sense of security that it must be right.

[johnallin]

If the issue is at my end then I must be like hundreds of other users that can't post anymore. I've tried across 3 different devices and I have issues with them all. I used my smartphone to post earlier this week and I can no longer login on that device. Right now, I'm using my office desktop which will only allow me to view in safemode (which sucks). My Surface will also only allow me to view in safemode. None of the devices allow me to see Vermont Forum posts in the past month. I also tried taptalk the forum app but I didn't find mapletrader on the app.

All I can say is that I've mostly given up on the forum.

My last resort is to start complaining to the advertisers.

Ken

I also have problems loading MT and can only use a Surface laptop or my phone...non of the desk tops (house or work) will allow me to log in, and you're right Ken - it sucks.

[Bucket Head]

I agree. Many users are long gone now and the reasons are obvious. With all the issues and lack of photo posting abilities, this site is a far cry from what it used to be. Fortunately, I do not have any logging on issues, but not being able to see what everyone is posting about is a dealbreaker.
There is a reason why televisions quickly replaced the radios in America's living rooms way back when.

Steve