[RE-wrenches] Digital Hydrometer

[William Miller]

Allan:



I know this has come up before on the list, but I was hoping someone had
gained experience since the last time this was posted.



I am familiar with the optical refractometers.  We order them by the
dozen.  I have taken thousands of readings with them.  They have distinct
difficulties in application:



Over the years we have gained more large battery arrays to maintain like
this
<http://www.millersolar.com/MillerSolar/Portfolio/Commercial/RM/Complete_battery_system%20copy.jpg>
one.  These arrays have lots of cells, up to three strings at 48 volts
nominal.  That is 72 cells.  Testing all of these cells every month (and we
test that often) is very time consuming.  You have to pull a sample from
each battery, apply the sample, flip the cover carefully so as not to spray
acid, hold the device up to the eye, note the reading, record the reading
on paper, wipe down the instrument with a shop towel (that has
ever-increasing toxicity), and then prepare another sample.  I don’t like
flipping acid around and putting it near my or my employees eyes.  The
display is hard to read with safety glasses.  The display has poor
resolution.  The sample easily runs off the glass if you tilt the
instrument.  Acid gets on the paper and then vectors into the office.  The
entries have to be typed into a permanent record.  All considered, a time
consuming and dangerous process.



I was hoping to hear from someone who actually uses one of the higher
end digital
units
<http://www.sbsbattery.com/products-services/by-product/battery-test-equipment-1/digital-hydrometers-density-meters/sbs-2003.html>.
It appears no one on this list has.



William







[image: Gradient Cap_mini]
Lic 773985
millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/>
805-438-5600



*From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On
Behalf Of *Allan Sindelar
*Sent:* Sunday, August 30, 2015 10:29 PM
*To:* RE-wrenches
*Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Digital Hydrometer



William,
Why bother, when a refractometer is cheaper, does a better job,
self-corrects for temperature, and won't be broken when you pull it off of
your truck?
Here's an example, quickly found on eBay, if you're not familiar with
these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Robinair-75240-Coolant-and-Battery-Refractometer-/131591979786?hash=item1ea37e430a&item=131591979786&vxp=mtr
This has come up before on this list.
Allan

*Allan Sindelar*
allan at sindelarsolar.com
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
*505 780-2738 cell*



On 8/30/2015 5:08 PM, William Miller wrote:

Friends:



We are maintaining more vented battery systems.  I am contemplating
purchase of a digital hydrometer.  Does anyone have any experience with one
of these?



Thanks in advance,



William Miller
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20150831/90949126/attachment-0002.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1460 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20150831/90949126/attachment-0004.jpg>