Hanna Instruments HI96841 Digital Refractometer combines form and function into one compact unit. Featuring a 1.5 second response time, the HI96841 measures the refractive index of wort and converts it to °Plato with temperature compensation. The improved easy-to-read LCD screen displays temperature units (°C or °F) and measurements simultaneously. The HI96841’s IP65 water-resistant casing and sealed sample well are built to perform under harsh conditions, making it suitable for use in any brewery.
The °Plato scale is a way to quantify the concentration of sugars and dissolved solids in wort. This measurement can indicate the potential alcohol content of finished beer. The HI96841 converts the refractive index reading to °Plato based on the tables maintained by the International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA) and the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC).
- Designed for wort sugar analysis
- Temperature compensation algorithms based on sucrose solution
- 0 to 30 °Plato range with ± 0.2 °Plato
Refractive Index
The HI96841 takes measurements based on a sample’s refractive index. Refractive index is a measurement of how light behaves as it passes through the sample. Depending on the sample’s composition, light will refract and reflect differently. By measuring this activity with a linear image sensor, the sample’s refractive index can be assessed and used to determine its physical properties such as concentration and density. In addition to the linear image sensor, the HI96841 uses a LED light, prism, and lens to make measurement possible.
Variations in temperature will affect the density of a solution based on the compound that is present. In digital refractometry, the use of temperature compensation is necessary for accurate results. The HI96841 contains a built-in temperature sensor and is programmed with temperature compensation algorithms in accordance with the ICUMSA Methods Book for a percent by weight sucrose solution.
Alcohol Interference
It should be noted that once fermentation begins, ethanol and the residual sugar interfere with each other and prevent an accurate reading of the Brix value of your residual sugar.. For this reason, this refractometer cannot be used with finished beer or other fermented beverages. It is designed for use with wort only.
| Specification Name | Detail |
|---|---|
| SKU | HI96841 |
| Sugar Content Range | 0 to 30 °Plato |
| Sugar Content Resolution | 0.1 °Plato |
| Sugar Content Accuracy | ±0.2 °Plato |
| Temperature Range | 0.0 to 80.0°C (32.0 to 176.0°F) |
| Temperature Resolution | 0.1°C (0.1°F) |
| Temperature Accuracy | ±0.3°C (±0.5°F) |
| Automatic Shut-Off | after three minutes of non-use |
| Battery Type / Life | 9V / approximately 5000 readings |
| Enclosure Rating | IP65 |
| Dimensions | 192 x 102 x 67 mm (7.6 x 4.01 x 2.6”) |
| Weight | 420 g (14.8 oz.) |
| Refractometer Light Source | yellow LED |
| Refractometer Temperature Compensation | automatic between 10 and 40°C (50 to 104°F) |
| Minimum Sample Volume | 100 ?L (to cover prism totally) |
| Sample Cell | stainless steel ring and flint glass prism |
| Measurement Time | approximately 1.5 seconds |
| Ordering Information | Supplied with battery and instruction manual. |
| Warranty | 2 years |
