Just an FYI for y’all. I’ve been using my refractometer for years and never realized this. After taking a measurement, I rinse it in tap water and then give it a quick shake to get the excess water off. After getting a few very erratic gravity readings, I figured out that shaking the refractometer actually resets your zero point, and sometimes by a long shot (.5 - 1.0 brix!). If it weren’t off by so much, I may not have caught it. I gave it a quick recalibration and now I’m much more gentle with it.
I’m relieved, I thought you were going to say you licked your refractometer clean. Which I do, and would hate to give up.
Or buy a digital refractometer! :mrgreen:
Really though after going through a few handhelds and experiencing things like what you describe, I finally got a digi as I got sick and tired of the temperamental nature of these pocket meters. Good post though these things help others to greatly understand the quirks of stuff like this without a lot of headscratching.
Ha great post, I dont even have a refractometer but I can see myself both shaking it to get off excess and licking it to clean it.
Just use a microfiber cloth or even paper towel. Shaking it?
+1 :lol:
I haven’t been able to calibrate my meter to zero so you say maybe if I hit it a couple of time’s it may come in closer? I’m being serious.
