13 replies to this topic

[nwpinot]

What's a cost effective PH meter?

There seem to be several choices of "pocket" style machines that are accurate to 0.1.

Are there any that have more reliable probes, easier to calibrate or just plain more "bang for the buck"?

The litmus paper just didn't work for me. The red wine interfered with the color... my 4.0 Ph on litmus acutally tested out to 3.50 Ph on a newly calibrated lab bench style meter.

Thx.

[shoelesst]

The best one for the money, in my opinion, is the PHH-5012 from Omega labs. Here's a link.

http://www.omega.com...st/CDH5021.html

[nwpinot]

The best one for the money, in my opinion, is the PHH-5021 from Omega labs. Here's a link.

http://www.omega.com...st/CDH5021.html

Thank you. I have just placed my order! Craig

[MSC'S-CELLAR]

I have the hannah bench model, i purchased it from gw kent with a free stirrer. I love it.

[KatherineErnestWines]

Hi,

I'm not sure if it is the most cost effective, but I am using the Hanna Instruments-HI 98127/HI 98128 pH Tester (the 128) and it's worked fine. It cost about $90. The instructions for calibration could have been a bit more clear. It does have a sealed cap that protects the electrode from drying out (put a few drops of the solution in it) which is a nice feature. I then put it in a coffee cup which is an easy way of keeping it oriented correctly for storage. As it's waterproof, its easy to dip in the must or a glass beaker. It has a 'hold' feature which freezes the reading for easier reading outside the primary fermentation vessel.
Gary

[Woods Wine]

KatherineErnestWines,
I bought the Hanna HI 98128 pH Tester for use this year. It seems to take a long time to stabilize. When I use it, I calibrate to two points, then wash with distilled water. When I put in in a wine sample, the pH keeps dropping slowly... the clock icon in the upper left hand corner of the display goes out, indicating that the reading has stabilized, but then the pH display drops by a bit, the clock icon comes back on and the downward creep continues. After what seems like several minutes the display does seem to stabilize and the clock goes out. Does this seem normal to you?

[markdoms]

KatherineErnestWines,
I bought the Hanna HI 98128 pH Tester for use this year. It seems to take a long time to stabilize. When I use it, I calibrate to two points, then wash with distilled water. When I put in in a wine sample, the pH keeps dropping slowly... the clock icon in the upper left hand corner of the display goes out, indicating that the reading has stabilized, but then the pH display drops by a bit, the clock icon comes back on and the downward creep continues. After what seems like several minutes the display does seem to stabilize and the clock goes out. Does this seem normal to you?

To hasten the reading, you can try "stirring" the meter in your liquid-- I think what happens is that the stirring action hastens the cleansing of the previous solution (distilled water in your case) from the probe. This seems to work for my meter. good luck,
M.

[bonvec]

The best one for the money, in my opinion, is the PHH-5021 from Omega labs. Here's a link.

http://www.omega.com...st/CDH5021.html

Is the electrode replaceable?

[Peter Lynch]

Is the electrode replaceable?

It doesn't say on the specs so my guess is no but I could be wrong. I have an Extech PH110 meter and have been very happy with it and its probe is refillable and replaceable.

[ArchersMark]

It doesn't say on the specs so my guess is no but I could be wrong. I have an Extech PH110 meter and have been very happy with it and its probe is refillable and replaceable.

Peter, I'm close to buying a pH meter, and was set to buy the Omega PHH handheld, then another thread got me going on the Hannah PHH016 benchtop model. And now I followed your link and indeed the specs on the extech ph110 has got me thinking in that direction. So now it's between the Hannah and the Extech, can you give me some thoughts on whether a handheld meter is better to use than a benchtop model? Can you easily hold the extech while titrating for TA as well ?

[Peter Lynch]

Peter, I'm close to buying a pH meter, and was set to buy the Omega PHH handheld, then another thread got me going on the Hannah PHH016 benchtop model. And now I followed your link and indeed the specs on the extech ph110 has got me thinking in that direction. So now it's between the Hannah and the Extech, can you give me some thoughts on whether a handheld meter is better to use than a benchtop model? Can you easily hold the extech while titrating for TA as well ?

The ph110 is a good portable meter - accurate, rugged, and holds calibration for a long time. I use it a lot in a winery were we sometimes have 30-40 musts at a time that need to be tested, adjusted, and retested. Works much better in this situation b/c I can take direct must readings - no need to sample, no trekking back and forth to the bench top. At home and doing TA's it's a little harder to use perhaps then a bench top (unless you buy the optional stand) but I think this could be said about all portable meters. However, I've never had a big issue with using it for TA or bench sampling- I wouldn't trade mine for anything . Good luck!

[bonvec]

The ph110 is a good portable meter - accurate, rugged, and holds calibration for a long time. I use it a lot in a winery were we sometimes have 30-40 musts at a time that need to be tested, adjusted, and retested. Works much better in this situation b/c I can take direct must readings - no need to sample, no trekking back and forth to the bench top. At home and doing TA's it's a little harder to use perhaps then a bench top (unless you buy the optional stand) but I think this could be said about all portable meters. However, I've never had a big issue with using it for TA or bench sampling- I wouldn't trade mine for anything . Good luck!

Peter, I was going to purchase the omega 5021 but I ran across this omega phh-7x with buffer solution its the same price but it has a epoxy body electrobe that is supposely unbreakable. Of these two which would you choose.

[Peter Lynch]

Peter, I was going to purchase the omega 5021 but I ran across this omega phh-7x with buffer solution its the same price but it has a epoxy body electrobe that is supposely unbreakable. Of these two which would you choose.

Are you going to be taking your PH meter into a combat zone? If not then looking at the specs, it says the accuracy of the phh-7x is ±0.2 pH with a resolution of ±0.01 pH while the 5021 has an accuracy of ±0.01 pH with a resolution of ±0.02 pH. I'd go with the 5021 as its accuracy is much better. What's the point of having a PH meter with a 0.01 resolution if its accuracy is a full magnitude less (times 2)? Seems silly to me. Or, you could just get the Extech PH110 (0.01 resolution & accuracy) Good luck!

[bonvec]

Are you going to be taking your PH meter into a combat zone? If not then looking at the specs, it says the accuracy of the phh-7x is ±0.2 pH with a resolution of ±0.01 pH while the 5021 has an accuracy of ±0.01 pH with a resolution of ±0.02 pH. I'd go with the 5021 as its accuracy is much better. What's the point of having a PH meter with a 0.01 resolution if its accuracy is a full magnitude less (times 2)? Seems silly to me. Or, you could just get the Extech PH110 (0.01 resolution & accuracy) Good luck!

Thanks for the advice I put it on order.