"Andy" > wrote:
> Would I be happy with this tester? I am just a hobbiest wine maker
> making about 50 gallons a year mostly around this time each year. All
> this talk about pH and acid makes me what to get a meter to help
> better my winemaking. Open to your opions on the purchase of a meter!

There were two recent threads in which this was discussed. A number of
people had very poor experience with the Checker1, and a few were happy with
it. But it is not really accurate enough for pH level testing, although it
is apparently ok for acid titration. You can get a model PHEP5 (made by the
same company) for about $70 (from www.piwine.com and others), and it seems
to be worth the extra investment.

>There were two recent threads in which this was discussed. A number of
>people had very poor experience with the Checker1, and a few were happy with
>it. But it is not really accurate enough for pH level testing, although it
>is apparently ok for acid titration. You can get a model PHEP5 (made by the
>same company) for about $70 (from www.piwine.com and others), and it seems
>to be worth the extra investment.
>
>
>I have both of these pH meters and frankly, they're both adequate. It gets me
to within 0.1 or 0.15 of the true value (when I check them against each other
and against themselves). It's easier to lose the top of the cheaper model
which holds in the solution between uses. After making wine for about 3 years,
I've gotten to the point where if I can get wine between 3.2 and 3.6, then any
further fine tuning seems to not make much diference (and usually screws things
up).

Lee
>

(LG1111) wrote in message >...
> >There were two recent threads in which this was discussed. A number of
> >people had very poor experience with the Checker1, and a few were happy with
> >it. But it is not really accurate enough for pH level testing, although it
> >is apparently ok for acid titration. You can get a model PHEP5 (made by the
> >same company) for about $70 (from www.piwine.com and others), and it seems
> >to be worth the extra investment.
> >
> >
> >I have both of these pH meters and frankly, they're both adequate. It gets me
> to within 0.1 or 0.15 of the true value (when I check them against each other
> and against themselves). It's easier to lose the top of the cheaper model
> which holds in the solution between uses. After making wine for about 3 years,
> I've gotten to the point where if I can get wine between 3.2 and 3.6, then any
> further fine tuning seems to not make much diference (and usually screws things
> up).
>
> Lee

Tip for storing the electrode and avoiding the cap altogether:
take a butter tub (like a Fleischman's Light butter container), CLEAN
it thoroughly, and fill it with 7.0 buffer solution. Cut a crosshatch
(like a plus sign) on the top of the container and push the electrode
through it into the solution. Let it stand in the container and put
it away. Next time you want to use it, turn it on and calibrate it
for 7.0, then take it out and place it in 4.0 buffer solution,
calibrate it, then set it in your testing solution. When you're done,
rinse the electrode and push it back in the 7.0 container, put it away
and forget about it.

I hate that little black cap... it dries out too fast and, knowing
me, I'll eventually lose it!

-Paul

"Negodki" > wrote in message >...
> "Andy" > wrote:
> > Would I be happy with this tester? I am just a hobbiest wine maker
> > making about 50 gallons a year mostly around this time each year. All
> > this talk about pH and acid makes me what to get a meter to help
> > better my winemaking. Open to your opions on the purchase of a meter!
>
> There were two recent threads in which this was discussed. A number of
> people had very poor experience with the Checker1, and a few were happy with
> it. But it is not really accurate enough for pH level testing, although it
> is apparently ok for acid titration. You can get a model PHEP5 (made by the
> same company) for about $70 (from www.piwine.com and others), and it seems
> to be worth the extra investment.

Thought I'd throw my $.02 into this threat and share my
experience.

I have the Checker pH meter and have personally found it to be
more accurate than the literature states. True, they report its
accuracy to within +/-0.2, which isn't the greatest accuracy for us
winemakers. I understood this would be the worse case scenario and
took my chances. Bought one for about $29 on eBay.

I had an independent lab take my must and test it. After
calibration, my Checker pH meter tested the must at 3.42. The lab
tested it at 3.41 on one meter and 3.48 another, which averaged to
3.45. So, my meter was accurate to about +/-0.04, which I found
impressive!

A few things I will say about the Checker, at least mine... I need
to recalibrate it each time I turn it on and use it for one or more
tests. Also, it can take some time to settle on a reading. Sometimes
it settles on a reading within five or so minutes, other times it's
taken upwards of 20-30 minutes. I don't know why this is; perhaps
this is normal for pH meters. I have no experience with pH meters
prior to using the Checker.

This suits me fine, for the time being. When the electrode
eventually goes, I'll probably spend a bit more for a meter of higher
quality. But, if you're on a shoestring budget, are looking for a
cheap meter, and don't mind the accuracy issue (which, for me, hasn't
been an issue), I think this is a decent meter.

-Paul