PH meter maintenance

[hoppyscotty]

Been using a cheap eBay special PH meter for a while now and helping me to pretty much getting mash Ph pretty spot on. I 'upgraded' to a slightly less cheap Dr Meter PH meter, which seems to be a very popular unit that most people seem to recommend. Main benefit is a removable probe head, but at the cost of probe replacement vs whole unit replacement it might be a false economy but there you go.

With my previous meter I never paid too much attention to maintenance...just re-calibrated occasionally and always seemed to get decent readings from it when compared to PH strips, but wit the Dr Mete I've been looking at getting some of the proper solution to keep the probe wet when not in use. There was little guidance in the included instructions regarding storage so I emailed the Dr Meter customer help team...who responded by emailing me a copy of the included instructions!!

So for those out there who use PH meters, what do you use to store your PH meters?

Thanks.

 

[Sadfield]

pH 4.0 solution, is what I use at work, following the recommendation with the Oakton meters we mainly use. Stopped using meters for brewing as they are too needy.

 

[Big_Eight]

pH 4.0 solution, is what I use at work, following the recommendation with the Oakton meters we mainly use. Stopped using meters for brewing as they are too needy.

I agree I used my meter a few times to confirm the mash pH the software was predicting. I'll use it every now and again to confirm. I probably need to get a new probe I find it very hard to keep the probe end damp all the time even with an end cap.

 

[Sadfield]

I probably need to get a new probe I find it very hard to keep the probe end damp all the time even with an end cap.

Indeed, I find the time spent on maintenance, calibration and cooling sufficiently sized samples, is disproportionate to the actual usage. I just use brewing specific pH strips now, which are far quicker in confirming an adequate mash pH value and only require a few small drops of wort.

 

[scomet]

Keeping the tip of the ph meter wet is of primary importance you can buy proprietary storage fluids for doing this.

 

[LeeH]

I just use buffer solution. I do calibrate every brew though.

 

[Big_Eight]

Keeping the tip of the ph meter wet is of primary importance you can buy proprietary storage fluids for doing this.

That's the problem I forget and it still dries out.

 

[Big_Eight]

I just use buffer solution. I do calibrate every brew though.

As you should I wouldn't trust it without calibrating first.

 

[foxy]

Keeping the tip of the ph meter wet is of primary importance you can buy proprietary storage fluids for doing this.

+ 1 for electrode storage solution. A rinse under the tap then a rinse in demineralised water then tuck away in storage solution. As has been mentioned if your water is fairly constant there is not a real need to check the pH. Especially if you aren't adding the pH altering none fermentables into the mash. The pH will always remain ball park.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Thanks. I have some storage fluid now so will use that. My water ph is reasonably consistent and around the 8 ph level, but normal malt additions don’t bring it in so have to add a few ml of acid to bring it in. Would rather do this via direct measurement rather than a calculator as the ph does fluctuate a bit.

 

[The Baron]

I use a crappy ebay chinese meter and it is pretty accurate enough for me. I just rinse the probe section well under the tap then replace the plastic cover and it seems to work for me.
When I calibrate once in a while it is never more than 0.1 out so do not need to spend on mega accurate ones as that is near enough for brewing IMO