PH meter is this one OK

[crafty john]

I have wanted a PH meter for ages for my wine and cider making, I am thinking about buying this one http://www.wineworks.co.uk/product/digital-ph-meter/ Any advice would be most welcome.

Thanks guys

[TC2642]

You do realise that you will have to calibrate this and will need to change the probes regularly?

[crafty john]

No mate I don't, is there anything that you can recommend that is less hassle?

[Trunky]

[Aleman]

At a meet up with other brewers we compared three meters similar to that one . . .and all three read different values in the buffer solution that we were supposed to be calibrating them in. . . . and no even after calibration they still refused to agree.

Incidentally that meter does not have replaceable probes . . . so when it is past it you have to throw it away and get another one. . . . Measuring mash pH is one way of killing pH probes fairly quickly. . . . If you have to have a digital pH meter I can recommend the Oakton pH5 . . . but it is an awful lot of money . . . Cole Parmer actually sell it as a kit with Buffer standards etc which is better value for money. I'm currently going on 18 months with the original probe . . . but when I have to replace it I'll be going for a Combined resin refillable one

[mentaldental]

I agree that its probably best to go with pH papers but, having said that I have a Hanna pH meter .

The meter will need recalibrating regularly (possibly every time you use it) and you will need buffer solutions, say pH4 and pH7 to do that. Also some storage solution would be a good idea and some electrode cleaner.

Measuring at mash temperatures will probably do the probe no good at all but...

After a long period of disuse my pH meter would not register a stable reading and wouldn't recalibrate. I assumed the probe was knackered but spoke to a technician at Hanna (very helpful people). I suggested that the probe was in need of replacement because if being left unused and dried out for months and its history of being dumped in the mash tun. He was quite surprised that I thought that and suggested I dunk it in storage solution for a couple of days and then give it a dose of electrode cleaner. And you know what? He was right, it came back to life and is still going strong.

pH measurement is not easy with a meter and is not cheap either. The meter is expensive and it needs lots of attention and maintenance (like your wife/girlfriend really). Stick to papers unless you are really sure you need that meter!

[Blackjack]

Many moons ago I were a proper chemist ( white coat lab type, not the one in Boots!), and pH meters are wonderful expensive things that do need caring and carressing just like someone says above. For beer making save your money and very definitely STICK TO PAPERS.

[mysterio]

Try this one... I'm thinking of getting one. £7, what could go wrong! You could get 28 of these for the price of Aleman's one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Digital-Test-pH-M ... 2815wt_939