Hydrometer Calibration Point

[bluecellardoor]

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to get my distillery up and running and am ready to order hydrometers. I know I need to have them certified, calibrated, and in the ranges specified by the TTB for both Specific Gravity and Proof. I thought I had all my info down until the retailer called me wanting me to specify the calibration point for each hydrometer—meaning a single proof or a single specific gravity to which the calibration will be 100% accurate.

Any ideas? I only purchased single point calibration—do I need to go higher? Or did I have the right idea and just need to pick the right proof/SG.

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

[vsaks]

It'll be 100% accurate only at that temp. Choose where you make one of the cuts as the calibration point ?

[PeteB]

It'll be 100% accurate only at that temp. Choose where you make one of the cuts as the calibration point ?

"..the cuts.." do you mean the cuts between fores and heart, heart to feints?? If that is the case you don't need a very accurate hydrometer for that.

Maybe that is not what you mean.

The main place you need to be accurate is for bottling ABV (proof) so if you need to nominate then give them your regular bottling proof. For other hydrometers just nominate mid-range.

[Tall Ship]

On 4/22/2016 at 9:54 PM, bluecellardoor said:

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to get my distillery up and running and am ready to order hydrometers. I know I need to have them certified, calibrated, and in the ranges specified by the TTB for both Specific Gravity and Proof. I thought I had all my info down until the retailer called me wanting me to specify the calibration point for each hydrometer—meaning a single proof or a single specific gravity to which the calibration will be 100% accurate.

Any ideas? I only purchased single point calibration—do I need to go higher? Or did I have the right idea and just need to pick the right proof/SG.

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

look up Cole parmer 

[clearwaterbrewer]

I would get the one that covers your bottling range, and the one higher, so if you bottle at 80, get the 79-90 and 89-100, because unless you are holding you spirits and the room they are bottled in at 60 degrees F, you will have to read a higher proof....  and you can get them calibrated in the middle, as you will be reading to a tenth of a proof and a tenth of a degree, and they should not vary by more than that in half the range....

I am not affiliated with them, but I use http://www.novatech-usa.com/  I am sure others are great too.   

example:

B61807-5900 79 to 90 Proof, Durac High Precision Alcohol Proof Hydrometer (each) [H-B Instrument # 6840]

$165 for the hydrometer, $175 for the cert.

 

I suggest 79-90, 89-100, (and 189-200 if doing vodka), and one of each calibrated and one un-calibrated...  use the uncalibrated one until the final measurement.

 

 

and for thermometers, use 30-124 degree 'partial immersion'  get a calibrated (H-B Instrument # 3/4124 $260) and an un-calibrated (H-B Instrument # 6/1124 - $68)

 

-mike