Just got a cheap refractometer from Amazon. Apparently you take distilled water, put it on the lens, and zero it out to calibrate. However if I try that, nothing happens. I can see the whole scale, from 0-90%, but it's all blue. And adjusting the calibration screw does nothing. If I put some honey on the lens, then I get the blue/white split color screen and I can adjust calibration a few degrees each direction. BTW, the honey I used was slightly crystalized and the readout was 76%. Way too high for honey water content. If I flip the numbers by subtracting 76 from 100, I get 24%, or, since this refractometer goes 0-90% 90-76 would be 14%. And once again I can adjust calibration, so it could be a few degrees off from one of those.
As well I guess I could get a reading from capped honey in the hive to get my approx. calibration. That way I would have a number to go off of when I test the uncapped honey in the hive.
Anyone here have sage words of wisdom? This is my first time using one of these gizmos.
Thank,
Paul
As well I guess I could get a reading from capped honey in the hive to get my approx. calibration. That way I would have a number to go off of when I test the uncapped honey in the hive.
Anyone here have sage words of wisdom? This is my first time using one of these gizmos.
Thank,
Paul